Northern Arts News
May 2020
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Making Masks!
They have made over 500 and are still sewing.
Thank you, BCT!
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A Note from our Director
Dear Friends,
Over the past few months our Board, Staff, and Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council have continued working diligently to accept, review, and award applications. We’ve been helping grantees manage funded projects that may have needed to change due to COVID-19 realities. We’ve been active on social media, sharing what we’ve learned about state and nation-wide relief funding opportunities.
Let it be known that we owe a forever-debt of gratitude to all artists for continuing to inspire and embrace us with their unbridled creativity in these strange and scary times. The artistic expression that’s taken off on social sharing sites has, quite frankly, blown us away! As we witnessed income generating opportunities for the arts end abruptly in mid-March, we knew we were at the end of our granting cycle and R2AC would have to wait before we could create support-fund opportunities for working artists and organizations. That said, we are soon to receive the second year of our McKnight Foundation grant. This summer, we plan to receive our Arts and Cultural Heritage and State General Fund appropriations. It is important to note, however, that the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund is based on a percentage of sales tax that is generated by Minnesota’s sales revenue. The drop off in State revenue will decidedly impact the amount of funding we have available for our region in the coming year or years.
Still, with the support of McKnight funds, we are now poised to restructure and rethink our support of individual artists in this ever-shifting landscape. While we don’t know exactly how much we’ll have available for organizational arts projects and programming for next year, we do know what funds we have remaining this year so that we will be able to offer support to arts organizations who are currently needing to pay rent, mortgage, utilities, or staff salaries and wages. Please stay-tuned for more information on the individual and organizational support fund opportunities we plan to roll out within the coming month, as well as sustainability support grants through the Minnesota State Arts Board.
We are so grateful to all of you, as well as to the McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Forum of Regional Arts Councils, and Minnesota Citizens for the Arts for being champions and supporters of Region 2 Arts Council’s mission.
Thank you, and stay well.
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Region 2 Arts Council Staff and Board Members engaged in a recent board business meeting via Zoom.
Left to Right/Top Row to Bottom Row:
Kathryn Gonzalez (Program Assistant), Laura Seter (Executive Director), Pam Janssen -no photo image (R2AC Board), C.T. Marhula (R2AC Board), Holly Alcott (Grants Manager), Becky Colebank (Vice-Chair), Shannon Lucas-Westrum (Treasurer), Laura Grisamore (Chair), Mike Schlemper (R2AC Board), Deb Carlson (Secretary), Gayle Gish (R2AC Board)
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Office Updates
As a reminder, the Region 2 Arts Council office remains closed until further notice. Nonetheless we are here for you!
If you need additional support, have questions or need assistance – call us 218-751-5447 / 800-275-5447 or email
staff@r2arts.org
Individual Staff Contacts:
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R2AC Artists' Listening Session
You are invited!
Wednesday, May 13
11:00 am
via Zoom
Region 2 Arts Council staff and board members invite area artists to join us for a collective listening session. We would like to hear and learn from you as artists regarding your responses/reactions in the face of COVID-19, as well as to offer the opportunity to hear from each other. We also want to take this time to share updates to R2AC’s funding programs and priorities for FY21 in response to the current situation.
Your input and experiences are important. We know we can serve best when we hear directly from those we serve.
We hope you can join us!
**You can access the call either by phone or computer.
Click link below to register (Registration is required):
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Join our team!
We are currently seeking
new Board Members
-- two from Hubbard county, one from Mahnomen County, and one from Lake of the Woods county. New board member terms begin in late summer/early fall 2020 and will end in June, 2022. Region 2 Arts Council has an active and engaged board of directors.
More info here
Please contact
laura@r2arts.org
if you'd like more information on being a part of our dynamic team.
Grant Reviews:
Due to Covid-19 measures, our board meetings and grant reviews are currently only
accessible online via
Zoom.
Next meeting:
May 18
4:30 p.m.
Business Board Meeting
6:00 p.m.
Grant application review:
Arts Access For Small Towns
Contact us
to join the meeting on-line or by phone.
Executive Committee Members
Chair:
Laura Grisamore - Hubbard County
Vice Chair:
Rebecca Colebank - Clearwater County
Treasurer:
Shannon Lucas-Westrum - Beltrami County
Secretary:
Deb Carlson - Lake of the Woods County
Board Members
:
Pam Janssen - Clearwater County
Gayle Gish - Mahnomen County
Michael Schlemper - Beltrami County
CT Marhula - Lake of the Woods County
vacant - Mahnomen County
vacant - Hubbard County
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Congratulations!
Council Awards Two
Anishinaabe Arts Initiative
Artist Fellowships to
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Duane Goodwin
and
Nedahness Greene
Region 2 Arts Council awards 2020 Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Fellowships
On April 1, 2020 the Region 2 Arts Council’s Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council awarded two $5,000 Fellowships through their Anishinaabe Arts Initiative (AAI) program. The AAI Fellowship is made possible by the generous support of the McKnight Foundation, and aims to assist the region’s most talented Native American artists in their work by awarding financial support to fund creative time and/or arts experiences. This award is for Native American artists residing in Minnesota’s Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Lake of the Woods, Becker, Roseau, Cass, and Itasca counties. A special chi-miigwech to the Five Wings Arts Council for sharing funding resources with Region 2 to secure an additional fellowship this year.
Region 2 Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Fellow:
Duane "Dewey" Goodwin
(White Earth Band of Ojibwe)
is a sculpture artist residing in Beltrami County. Goodwin has a long history as artist and arts educator that includes carving, painting and beadwork. His art is a reflective vision of who he is, inspired by his Anishinaabe heritage. His approach to carving is a basic method taught to him by renown sculptor, Allan Houser, during his studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Goodwin’s sculptures reflect his connection and passion for the animals, birds and Native American images Inspired by his own heritage. His artistic approach begins at times with a dream that greatly influences and shapes his work.
Goodwin plans to use his Fellowship award to support a solo-artist exhibit of his work, commissioned by the Sioux Plains Indian Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota during the summer of 2020.
Region 2/Five Wings Anishinaabe Arts Intiative Fellow:
Nedahness Rose Greene
(Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe)
is an arts photographer residing in Cass County. Greene is self-taught and has grown her artistic abilities through years of dedicated practice. Her photography is her passion. Greene pushes herself to extend beyond the limits of picture-taking, using her eyes to scan the landscape's curves and shapes that bring to life her artistic vision. Her keen artistic perspective can motivate by stirring emotions captured by stories that lie beneath the image. She is a proud member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Her culture and heritage is the foundation of everything she does.
Greene plans to use her Fellowship award to support herself professionally to become competitive with other photographers across the state and nation, and pay for professional development to further her career as an indigenous artist in the film industry.
Miigwech
to each Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Fellowship Applicant. Your creativity, artistic excellence, and dedication to art and community is powerful!
to
Five Wings Arts Council
for sharing your funding resources with our Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council, resulting in our ability to award two grants this year.
to the McKnight Foundation for your generous support of individual artists through the Regional Arts Council system.
to our Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council, comprised of Native American artists and arts appreciators from the counties served by the AAI grant programs:
Council Members
Delana Smith (Red Lake Band) … Red Lake
Genny Lowry (Leech Lake Band) …Bemidji
Bernice Mitchell-Diver (Leech Lake Band) … Cass Lake
Debra Warren (White Earth Band) … Bemidji
Mary Ringhand (Red Lake Band) … Ponemah
David B. White (Fort Peck) … Ponemah
Larry Vanwert (Red Lake Band) … Redby
Kent Estey (White Earth Band) ... Naytahwaush
Paula Littlewolf (White Earth Band) ... Mahnomen
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R2AC Covid-19 Updates
A reminder to all artists and arts organizations. We know many of you are impacted at various levels and we continue to find ways to move resources to support your sustainability as best as possible. Please remember to visit our
COVID-19 Resource page
.
We strive to connect you to vital support systems that may help mitigate the impacts of this pandemic on work and livelihoods grounded in the arts. Visit our website at
r2arts.org
and look for the COVID-19 tab.
Do you have any resources to share with us? Please do! We will help spread the word.
Our goal is to connect artists and arts organizations to vital support systems
Have you taken the COVID-19 Impact Survey? Please help identify the needs - for both artists/creative workers & arts organizations.
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Spring Arts Access Grants Awarded
in Region 2
On April 22,2020 the Region 2 Arts Council Board of Directors granted
$66,908 in Arts and Cultural Heritage funds to arts organizations, schools and non-profit institutions and organizations for the creation and production of arts activity that will benefit community members residing in Beltrami, Hubbard, Clearwater, Lake of the Woods, or Mahnomen counties.
Bemidji Community Theater
was awarded $6,000 to produce The Music Man.
City of Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department
was awarded $6,000 to host BCT Jr., a theater day camp for youth, in partnership with Bemidji Community Theater.
Heartland Arts
of Park Rapids was awarded $6,000 to hire an artist and her crew to complete a new mural on the side of a downtown business at a highly visible location.
Northern Light Opera Company
of Park Rapids was awarded $6,000 to produce the George and Ira Gershwin 1931 musical, Of Thee I Sing.
Nemeth Art Center
in Park Rapids was awarded $6,000 to produce a five-person, multi-media group show with targeted youth and adult programming to accompany the exhibition.
Heartland Arts
of Park Rapids was awarded $6,000 to sponsor Art Leap, a driving tour of artists' studios and other cultural destinations.
Bemidji Symphony Orchestra
was awarded $6,000 to host a concert featuring guest artist Roger McVey, Piano performing Brahm's Piano Concerto #2, Bach's Toccata in D Minor, and Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain.
Hubbard County Developmental Achievement Center
was awarded $5,990 to hire teaching artists to provide art classes with new techniques and media that are adapted for use with IDD, MI and Senior participants culminating in a public mural.
Headwaters Music and Arts
of Bemidji was awarded $4,922 to establish a jam band program for area youth.
Bagley Area Arts Collaborative
was awarded $4,526 to hire Swedish Dalmålning (Kurbits) Painter Pieper Fleck Bloomquist, Watercolor Artist David R Smith, and Sami Bracelet Artist Michelle Hanevold to teach arts workshops.
Bemidji High School
was awarded $3,200 to hire artist Wesley May to work with students in designing and constructing a new school mural with Ojibwe/Anishinaabe cultural relevancy.
Lake of the Woods Art Guild
in Baudette was awarded $3,136 to host a workshop instructed by Master Traditional Artist Jessica Gokey in the art of native beadwork design and execution.
Clearbrook-Gonvick Community Education
was awarded $2,704 to hire Global Multi-Instrumentalist Todd Green to provide classes and a public performance.
Bemidji State University’s Music Department
was awarded $430 to assist the Bemidji Concert Series in hosting the Chinook Winds for a series of community concerts and masterclasses.
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Region 2 Arts Council staff are available
Monday through Friday,
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Contact us via email, Facebook messenger, or phone.
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A new April exhibit is visible from the street. Due to the large size of the artwork, anyone out on a walk will be able to have a glimpse of the gallery.
This exhibit titled, "The Unchosen Ones," by photographer RJ Kern, will be on display through May. Watermark staff received the exhibit prior to its closure and decided to install it anyway.
"The Unchosen Ones" takes place on the sidelines of county fair animal contests in Minnesota in 2016, and is a series of large scale portraits of show competitors and their animals.
“One isn’t born a winner or loser, but a chooser. This theme is explored in this series. As we look at them, they look back, allowing us to think about how we choose winners and the repercussions for the ones not chosen,” Kern wrote on his website.
“The idea (here) is that it’s visible from the outside so even though the art center is not open, that gallery is kind of high profile and it will allow people to see the programming continuing,” Forshee-Donnay said.
“They’re large portraits, so it’ll be highly visible from the street and we’ll also put that online as a virtual gallery as well so people can see it that way.”
Watermark Art Center staff are currently working on putting together other free virtual galleries of their current and upcoming exhibitions on their website.
Due to the center’s closure, Watermark’s employees had fewer regular duties to fulfill, and were able to find time to produce online galleries.
Virtual galleries for two exhibits, "Portraits" by textile artist Blair Treuer and "Other Dimensions" by painter and printmaker Natalia Himmirska, are currently available to view at
watermarkartcenter.org.
Forshee-Donnay said the staff plans to add two more virtual galleries soon and will continue doing so until the center can reopen to the public.
Art Education Program Director Jill Oakes will continue to provide youth art classes by posting free classes and tutorials online for families to follow at home.
She hopes to also provide adult classes and tutorials as part of her regular "Maker’s Series" that was supposed to start this spring.
Forshee-Donnay said they aim to use supplies most people will have on-hand at home for these projects, so families can follow along without having to leave the house.
“We’re just trying to stay in contact with our constituency and as people are looking for things to do because they can’t leave the house, it could just be another something a little bit different to do as they’re kind of hanging out at home,” she said. “We can’t necessarily provide them with materials, but we can certainly provide them with a project or with inspiration for a project.”
Miikanan Gallery Program Director Karen Goulet was supposed to go on a one-month artist residency in New Orleans this spring, representing the Watermark artist exchange, working on a project connected to the Big River Continuum, Lake Itasca State Park, Weisman Art Museum, A Studio in the Woods and Watermark.
However, due to current travel restrictions, she is staying home. This is not stopping her from working on the project, however, and she plans to document her progress online and on Watermark’s social media channels, so the public can follow along.
“Karen’s going to be
sharing her process
, she’s starting to do the work regardless of being down there,” Forshee-Donnay said.
Watermark Art Center
505 Bemidji Ave
Bemidji
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Virtual Art with Diamond Knispel
Join Diamond for various online art project tutorials via
Facebook
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Unified Arts
Painting Workshop with Alice Blessing
June 8
9:30 - 12:00 pm
Join Alice Blessing and community members for a social-distancing painting workshop for people of various physical and mental abilities. Staying six feet away from each other, we will finger paint and meet new people, all with the goal of having fun.
Please register via
email
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Headwaters Music & Arts
519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji
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Resilience Webinars
The newly created FPF Resilience Series has been developed to continue their work to enhance the business and entrepreneurial skills of Native artists and culture bearers, as well as expand the virtual community during these rapidly changing times. Every week, First Peoples Fund and the nationally recognized Native Artist Professional Development (NAPD) trainers will deliver values-based, topic-focused webinar (Mondays), followed by technical assistance office hours (Wednesdays) to follow-up on and answer any questions regarding the Monday webinar.
May 11
Performing Arts focus with Tanaya Winder (Duckwater Shoshone, Pyramid Lake Paiute, and Southern Ute Indian Nation)
May 18
Artist Calendar focus with Leslie Deer (Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma)
*Webinar topics and trainers will be added as they are confirmed
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May 12
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Grab a drink of your choice and join us online. No formal agenda, only good times, good friends, good chats!
OR (because rural broadband...):
Call-in number - 1-646-876-9923
Meeting ID: 350 336 000
Feel free to invite friends!
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The final session of the Performing Arts Human Resources Toolkit Series has been rescheduled for May 12 and will take place online. Join for a session about tools of ethical decision making, and conversations about ethical obligations and decisions encountered in the performing arts.
May 12
10:00 - 11:30 am
Members: $25 / Nonmembers: $40
Presented by Jeff Danovsky, Kaplan Insurance and
Joanna Schnedler, Minnesota Theater Alliance
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BSO will be producing a live stream virtual concert for this event.
May 17
3:00 PM
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This activity is funded, in part, by a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council funded by an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the State’s general fund.
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Bemidji Sings winners will proceed to compete in Minnesota Sings, which is a competition between cities throughout Minnesota that is designed for amateur vocalists in two age categories, 13 - 20 & 21 and over.
Bemidji Sings! Auditions
May 29
4:00 - 8:00 pm
or
May 30
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
BEMIDJI SINGS!
Performance
Aug. 6
Virtually (on-line)
MINNESOTA SINGS
Performance
Sept. 26
–
27
Virtually (on-line)
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Due to COVID -19 and concern for our participants and visiting writers, all retreats for 2020 have been moved to similar dates in 2021.
We are THRILLED that our visiting wiriters, Patricia Smith and Patricia Hampl, as well as our retreat locations, have agreed to maintain the structure and plans we had for 2020 and simply postpone to similar dates in 2021. The retreats will happen as planned, just not exactly when we originally planned.
Those who were accepted for the 2020 retreats are automatically accepted for 2021, but not obligated if the new dates do not work with your schedules.
Meanwhile, we continue to offer
online courses in Poetry and Memoir Writing.
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The conference offers five intensive week-long writing workshops (each capped at 12 participants) as well as a craft talk each morning and a reading each evening by a faculty member.
Participants sign up for one workshop led by one faculty member for the duration of the conference.
Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, we have decided to move our conference from Minnesota’s Northwoods to an online format.
June 22 - 26
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Lake of the Woods Artist's Retreat
Come out to Laketrails Base Camp on Oak Island for a weekend of rest, relaxation, and art. This rustic island is the perfect getaway to rejuvenate and reconnect with your artistic projects and goals.
September 10-13
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Pro Bono Consulting for Your Creative Projects
Available Now Through June
Need help with your creative space project during these challenging times?
Artspace Consulting is now providing pro bono consultations and technical support to any arts and culture organization or municipality that is working on a space-related initiative. These services are available from now until June 30, 2020.
In particular, Artspace Consulting can help you with:
- Reviewing existing capital and operating budgets, and outlining potential scenarios
- Evaluating project priorities and recalibrating timelines and strategies
- Creative thinking around capital project resources
- Reviewing written fundraising materials and other communications
- Coaching organizations on how to access the new emergency resources
If your organization or municipality is interested in pro bono services, please
CLICK HERE
and fill out a quick questionnaire about what help you may need or email us at
consulting@artspace.org
.
We look forward to working with you all!
Wendy, Teri, Anna, Aneesha, and Naomi
The Artspace Consulting Team
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COVID-19 Relief:
Including information on the t
he
Personal Emergency Relief Fund
made to help artists in Minnesota recover from personal emergencies by helping pay an unanticipated, emergency expense. In response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, this
includes
lost income due to the cancellation of a specific, scheduled gig or opportunity (i.e. commissions, performances, contracts) due to Coronavirus/COVID-19 precautionary measures.
Artists can request up to $500 to compensate for cancelled work that was scheduled and lost.
Find out more here.
Professional Development Webinars:
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COVID-19 Relief and New Initiatives
Forecast is highly attuned to the impact of this pandemic on artists and the broader community and is working with other organizations locally and nationally to create responsive opportunities that support artists experiencing economic repercussions.
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COVID-19: Applying for unemployment if you are self-employed or an independent contractor
Normally, self-employed people and independent contractors would not be eligible for unemployment benefits in Minnesota. But the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act – passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020 – created a new program to provide benefits specifically for these people.
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Request for Proposals
Indigenous Peoples and Lands Sculpture Art Opportunity
One artist will be commissioned to create the sculpture that will be sited at a Mississippi River Park, located at the NE corner of the intersections of Pokegama Avenue and SE 1st Street. The Arts and Culture Commission projects will consist of one sculpture with a concentration on Indigenous Peoples and lands. Fifteen miles west of Grand Rapids lies the edge of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe reservation. The commission believes that history and public art could amplify and highlight the culture, voices, and stories of Native Americans including tribal citizens – past, present, and future.
This Request for Qualifications is for the one sculpture project related to the concept of Indigenous Peoples and Lands.
Pavement Art Public Art Opportunity
This year the Arts and Culture Commission will commission temporary pavement art that will last two to four years and will highlight storm and sanitary sewer catch basins/manholes and enhance traditional crosswalks and future curb “bump outs.” The pavement art should connect in some thematic way to the Sculptures commissioned in 2019. One artist will be commissioned to create the pavement art.
This Request for Qualifications is for the Pavement Art related to the concept of Indigenous Peoples and Lands.
Grand Rapids, MN
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CANCELLED:
Due to Covid-19 concerns, the 11th annual Studio Cruise is cancelled.
Bemidji, MN
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Call for Artists: "Reflections"
Gallery North and Northern Artist Association
challenge area artists to develop a work of art, poetry, music, writing, photography, or work of art in any genre around the theme “Reflections." One requirement of the artwork is that it reflect a positivity of spirit in these unknown times. The artwork will be featured in an exhibition of this work. Please direct all questions to
Mary Knox-Johnson
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Call for Artists:
The Bemidji Anishinaabe Arts Expo, A Celebration of Indigenous Arts
4-Directions Development has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host a new art festival called, "The Bemidji Anishinaabe Arts Expo, A Celebration of Indigenous Arts."
The festival is scheduled to debut on
July 9-10, 2021.
The committee consists of the core partners, art organizations, local artists and community members. They are actively searching for artists and community members to be a part of this project and serve on the committee. They are also looking for experienced artists to serve as mentors to new and upcoming artists.
The project will choose a group of 12 Native artists to receive training, technical assistance and access to financial support to prepare for participation with various art events to expand their market.
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Send submissions for our June newsletter by May 25 to:
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