Hawaii State Foundation On Culture and The Arts MAY 2024 Newsletter

Community website by MBC/Ernest Abrams. Call 808-739-9797 for advertising/sponsorship. Community website by MBC/Ernest Abrams. Call 808-739-9797 for advertising/sponsorship.

Waikiki Get Down - Honolulu, Hawaii
News Item
Powered by MBC NewsMaker
Hawaii State Foundation On Culture and The Arts MAY 2024 Newsletter
Tweet

State Foundation on Culture and the Arts MAY 2025 Newsletter

Media: Creative Economy State profile for Hawaiʻi infographic provided by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
$3.3 billion in value added to Hawaiʻi’s economy by the arts
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to strengthening the nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies. The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) is Hawaiʻi’s state government arts agency.
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that arts and cultural production accounts for 2.95% of the Hawaiʻi economy ($3,252,734,000) and contributes 19, 608 jobs.

“Using inflation-adjusted numbers, the U.S. arts economy grew over 6.6%, while the economy as a whole grew around 2.9%. Research shows that the creative sector can drive broader state economic growth.” - National Assembly of State Arts Agencies April newsletter, “New Data Elevate the Importance of the Arts to State Economies.”

View NASAA Creative Economy State Profiles on their website: nasaa-arts.org/nasaa_research/creative-economy-state-profiles.

Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities funding cancelled by DOGE

Photo: postcard text “I am an inmate at WCF. I’ve just crossed the 2 year point of my sentence. The “Try Think” sessions have become my most anticipated event of each week. The connection I feel is the only “light” that shines from outside. It gives me hope for my re-entry to society.” - JK of Kahului, Maui, incarcerated at Waiawa Correctional Facility. Try Think is a conversation program that unites communities separated by literal walls and cultivates a positive, productive community spirit in spaces where this has traditionally been challenging for those who reside there. Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities currently facilitates weekly programs at the Women’s Correctional Center, Halawa Correctional Facility, and Waiawa Correctional Facility.
NEH grant supporting humanities work through 2027 terminated
Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities has shared that the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) demanded that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) cancel all funding to humanities councils across the country, including Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities. NEH accounts for 90% of HI Humanities budget.

That funding supports the Hawaiʻi History Day State Fair, the Hawaiʻi State Poet Laureate program, the HI Humanities “Try Think” community building events, and numerous grantee and partnership projects.

HI Humanities is pursuing legal recourse and strategizing with their national counterparts and Congressional delegation. They have shared updates and actions you can take: Take Action for Humanities in Hawaiʻi (Google Doc).

Take Action for Humanities in Hawaiʻi

SFCA Arts Education Programs

Poetry Out Loud State Champion Koaliʻi Keawe-Asuega to compete at National Finals

The 2025 Poetry Out Loud Hawaiʻi State Champion Koaliʻi Keawe-Asuega, a 10th grade student at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, will compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C.

All 55 state and jurisdictional champions will compete in the national semifinals on Tuesday, May 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, with the top nine students advancing to the finals on Wednesday, May 7, from 7:00 to 9:15 p.m. ET and can be streamed online on arts.gov.

Photo: Koaliʻi Keawe-Asuega with family.

Poetry Out Loud

Capitol Modern

May events at Capitol Modern

•   Museum is closed Friday May 2 and Saturday May 3 during setup for the 2025 Mod Gala fundraiser.

•   Mod Market, Saturday May 3, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. Free all-ages live music and urban market event on the front lawn during the Friends of Capitol Modern 2025 Mod Gala fundraiser.

•   Friday Night Tempo, May 16, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. Free all-ages live music and urban market.

•   Closed for Memorial Day state holiday Monday May 26.

•   Museum calendar: CapitolModern.org/events
Are you subscribed to the Capitol Modern email newsletter? Subscribe or update your information: Capitol Modern email newsletter signup.

CapitolModern.org

Arts & Culture Opportunities

Image: promotional graphic for the ʻIke ʻAi art contest.
A list of federal, state, and other arts and culture calls for artists. Questions regarding a particular opportunity should be directed to the organization listed with the opportunity. Inclusion here should not be interpreted as an endorsement.

•   ʻIke ʻAi Art Contest all ages, all art mediums. Create and submit artwork inspired by an ʻōlelo noʻeau that connects the food system. Submissions due by May 30, 2025. For additional information (including the ʻōlelo noʻeau), contest rules, and submission form, please visit the Resilient Oʻahu website: ResilientOahu.org/foodsystemsplan.

•   Artist of the Month: Art Maui has started a new spot for Maui County artists on their website and monthly newsletter. Learn more on their website, ArtMaui.org.

•   Community Grant: Ka Papa o Kākuihewa Fund supports organizations promoting resource conservation for the community. Grant currently open to nonprofit organizations working to benefit the communities in Kapolei and Waiʻanae. Applications due by May 19, 2025. Learn more on the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation website: HawaiiCommunityFoundation.org/strengthening/island-by-island/ka-papa-o-kakuhihewa-fund.

•   Indigenous Initiative Research Fund from the Oral History Association supports an Indigenous oral historian conducting Indigenous community-based oral history research. Submissions due by June 1, 2025. For more information, please go to oralhistory.org/award.

•   East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center “36 Views of Mauna Loa” open call for artists January 1 - 31, 2026. Learn more on the EHCC website: ehcc.org/opencall/36views.

Arts & Culture Events

Graphic: 10th Annual Manu o Kū festival at ʻIolani Palace, Saturday May 3, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

This arts and culture calendar features SFCA grantees, partners, and Hawaiʻi state and local government programs and events. Questions regarding a particular program or event should be directed to the organization listed with the opportunity. Inclusion here should not be interpreted as an endorsement.

•   Manu o Kū festival at ʻIolani Palace, Saturday May 3, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For more information, please visit the Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi website: ConserveHawaii.org/events/manu-o-ku-festival/2025-manu-o-ku-festival.

•   Student Exhibition 2025 at Gallery ʻIolani, Windward Community College (Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu). Through May 13, 2025. For more information, please visit the Gallery ʻIolani website: gallery.windward.hawaii.edu.

•   “Beyond the Canvas” Farrington High School student exhibition at the Downtown Art Center, through May 9.

•   Aloha Māmā Plant Make & Take at Mānoa Heritage Center, Saturday May 10, 9:00 - 12:00 p.m. or until supplies run out. Free, first come first served. Details on this and other events at MHC on their website: ManoaHeritageCenter.org/kipa-mai.

•   “Hala” exhibition at Wailoa Center (Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island) May 10 - June 19. Opening reception May 9, 5:00 p.m. This collaborative project brings together contemporary artists, cultural practitioners, natural resource managers, and scientists to envision hopeful futures embracing both ecological and cultural resilience. For more information please visit the Wailoa Center website: WailoaCenter.com/exhibitions-1.

•   Kauaʻi Songwriters Music Festival 2025 May 16-17 at the Hilton Garden Inn Wailua Bay. Details and tickets: Kauaʻi Songwriters Music Festival.

•   “Allegory II” at Bishop Square, Pauahi Tower Lobby (Honolulu), through June 28, 2025. An SFCA AASC visit to this exhibit has been approved by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.

•   “Still Standing” at Arts and Letters Nuʻuanu, through May 11, 2025. An SFCA AASC visit to this exhibit has been approved by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.

•   “E Mai Ke Kai Mai” 2025 Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Art and Art History, through May 11, 2025. For more information, please visit the University website: hawaii.edu/art/exhibitions-events-museum.

•   Celebrate Micronesia Festival, May 3 at Bishop Museum, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

•   “Living Sovereign, a solo exhibition by Mealoha Bishop” at Aupuni Space (Honolulu), May 3 - 31, 2025. An SFCA AASC visit to this exhibit has been approved by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.

•   2025 Kauaʻi Steel Guitar Festival at Kukui Grove Center, May 4, 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Supported in part by public funding from the SFCA.

•   “Lauhala: Weaving Knowledge and Practice” at Wailoa Center (Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island), May 9 - June 19, 2025. An SFCA AASC visit to this exhibit has been approved by the SFCA Board of Commissioners.

•   HIFILM Storytellers Lab retreat supporting filmmakers and writers, May 8-10, 2025 at the Nutridge Estate (Honolulu). Applications open until April 14, 2025. Learn more and apply on the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (HIFF) website: hiff.org/hifilm-labs.

•   “Kim’s Convenience” comedy-drama play at Mānoa Valley Theatre, May 15 - June 8, 2025. Supported in part by public funding from the SFCA.

•   Night/Shift: this quarterly Shangri La at Capitol Modern event returns June 6. Follow Shangri La on Instagram for updates: @HI_ShangriLa.

•   2025 Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall (Kāneʻohe, Oʻahu) June 7, 2025, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Supported in part by public funding from the SFCA.

Find exhibits and events on the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Go Hawaiʻi calendar
The Go Hawaiʻi event calendars provide information about cultural performances, stage shows, musical events, and art exhibits. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority reviews each event submission and requires that the events is open to the public and “of interest to visitors”.

•   Hawaiʻi Island: gohawaii.com/islands/hawaii-big-island/events

•   Kauaʻi: gohawaii.com/islands/kauai/events

•   Lanaʻi: gohawaii.com/islands/lanai/events

•   Maui: gohawaii.com/islands/maui/events

•   Molokaʻi: gohawaii.com/islands/molokai/events

•   Oʻahu: gohawaii.com/islands/oahu/events
Listing an event is free! Interested event hosts and organizations can learn more on the GoHawaii website: gohawaii.com/events/submit.

SFCA Board of Commissioners

Photo: Cyan Garma, “Points of Light” acrylic on canvas painting, 2023. Purchased from the “Fertile Ground” exhibit at Arts and Letters Nuʻuanu, 2024. Currently on display in the State of Hawaiʻi
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). Cyan Garma is a painter, illustrator, and muralist from Waipahu. Garma holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. ⁠

SFCA Board approves eleven artwork purchases and two exhibit visits
The SFCA Board of Commissioners approved eleven artwork purchases and two exhibit visits at the March 12, 2025 Art in Public Places committee meeting.

Approved exhibit visits

•   “Living Sovereign, a solo exhibition by Mealoha Bishop” at Aupuni Space (Honolulu), May 3 - 31, 2025.

•   “Lauhala: Weaving Knowledge and Practice” at Wailoa Center (Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island), May 9 - June 19, 2025.  

•   Recent purchases and gifts are listed on the SFCA website: sfca.hawaii.gov/art-in-public-places-program/#recent-adds.

•   Approved exhibit visits are also posted to the SFCA website: sfca.hawaii.gov/art-in-public-places-program/#aasc-visits.

Graphic: detail from Haʻa Keaulana’s “Megan Godinez, Core surfer affectionately known as “Aunty Megz,” at her home break in Waikīkī” digital photograph print, 2022. SFCA Art in Public Places Collection. Recently purchased from the “Heʻe Nalu: The Art and Legacy of Hawaiian Surfing” 2024 curated exhibition at Arts and Letters Nuʻuanu and Manini Gallery.

Upcoming SFCA Board of Commissioners Meetings

•   Wednesday, May 21, 2025: General Meeting, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

•   Friday, August 22, 2025: General Meeting (Kauaʻi)

•   Friday, November 21, 2025: General Meeting

•   Friday February 27, 2026: General Meeting

•   Friday, June 5, 2026: General Meeting
Decisions about grants, artwork purchases, and more are made by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) Board of Commissioners. Meetings are currently being held virtually on Zoom, and the public is invited to attend. Appointed by the state governor, the Board of Commissioners oversees the Executive Director, provides input, and approves spending. Commissioners are volunteers and do not receive compensation for their duties.

Individuals may submit written testimony on posted agenda items in advance of the meeting via email to Rhiannon.MK.Keene@hawaii.gov or by mail addressed to the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, 250 South Hotel Street, 2nd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. Individuals interested in signing up to provide oral testimony on posted agenda items at the meeting may submit their name, email, and phone number to HawaiiSFCA@hawaii.gov. Individuals may provide oral testimony at the meeting via the above-listed video conferencing link or by calling the above listed telephone number. Testimony presented during the meeting will be limited to three minutes each.
Agenda items for General Meetings may include approval of artwork acquisition recommendations and Acquisition Award Selection Committee (AASC) art exhibit visit recommendations.

Agendas and minutes are also posted on the SFCA Board of Commissioners page.

SFCA Office
The SFCA office is open by appointment. SFCA is operating in a hybrid model of teleworking where all staff are available by email or telephone. If you aren’t sure who to contact, email HawaiiSFCA@hawaii.gov or call (808) 586-0300 and leave a voice message, including your name and telephone number.

Copyright (C) 2025 Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. All rights reserved.
Back to the top

The mission of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts is to promote, perpetuate, preserve and encourage culture and the arts, history and the humanities as central to the quality of life of the people of Hawai‘i. HSFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai‘i and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Hawaii State Art Museum

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is dedicated to presenting the largest and finest collection of works by Hawai'i artists that celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural legacy of Hawai'i.

OUR MISSION
To promote, perpetuate, preserve and encourage culture and the arts, history and the humanities as central to the quality of life of the people of Hawai`i. HSFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai`i and the National Endowment for the Arts. The HSFCA is administratively attached to the Department of Accounting and General Services.

HOURS:
The musuem is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed State and Federal Holdays. Always free admission. For pre-recorded information call 586-0900.

The Hawai'i State Art Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For pre-recorded summary information on the museum, call (808) 586-0900. For current museum program information, call the HSFCA Art in Public Places Program at (808) 586-0305. To arrange an educational tour of the museum, call (808) 586-9958.

For information on the HSFCA; the Hawai'i State Art Museum; HSFCA grants, programs, and services; Hawai'i arts and culture events; and USA and worldwide arts opportunities, visit the HSFCA website, www.hawaii.gov/sfca.

Questions? Ready for an appointment?

Like Our Facebook

Waikiki Get Down - Honolulu, Hawaii News Item

Hawaii State Foundation On Culture and The Arts MAY 2024 Newsletter

Waikiki Get Down - Honolulu, Hawaii
News Item