Lafayette, LA-–The Elemore Morgan, Jr. Visual Arts Endowment, a fund at Community Foundation of Acadiana, announces its first grants to be awarded at a private reception held at Acadiana Center for the Arts (ACA) on September 11th, 2010. Mayor Joey Durel will also proclaim September 18th as Elemore Morgan, Jr. Day at the ACA reception. The Downtown Lafayette Second Saturday Artwalk (Fall Fest) will immediately follow the reception, from 4pm to 8pm, honoring Morgan. Governor Bobby Jindal and the Senate’s proclamation of the Elemore Morgan, Jr. Day will take place on September 18th in Baton Rouge, La.

The Fund’s mission is to demonstrate that the visual arts are significant cultural necessities by supporting, promoting, enhancing and strengthening the visual arts, primarily in south Louisiana. Funds will support visual arts activities, visual artists, and scholarship, reflecting the passion and life-long vocation of Morgan. Morgan and Francis Pavy had a vision to start an endowment fund to promote the visual arts across the U.S.; the Fund was created at Community Foundation of Acadiana in 2006.

The Fund was renamed the Elemore Morgan, Jr. Visual Arts Endowment in memory of Morgan after his death in 2008 to commemorate his life as an influential artist and teacher. Morgan is known for his colorful paintings of vernacular architecture and the Louisiana landscape and his tenure as an enthusiastic drawing teacher at University of Louisiana at Lafayette for 33 years. He is respected locally, nationally and internationally. One of the Fund’s guiding principles, in which artistic expression is an essential element of an open and inclusive society, will be carried out as its first grantees represent Lafayette, New Orleans and Baton Rouge. While the Fund was established in Lafayette, through Community Foundation of Acadiana, the Foundation will make grants through the Foundation throughout Louisiana.

The Fund’s first grant recipients are as follows:
1. Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, LA. – For the Elemore Morgan, Jr. retrospective show and for artists’ expenses associated with the Side Gallery Project
2. U.S. Biennial, Inc, in conjunction with Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA – For Prospect.2 New Orleans, the Second New Orleans International Contemporary Art Biennial
3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA. – For general programming
4. The Shaw Center for the Arts, Baton Rouge, LA. – To assist with visual artists’ expenses associated in the showing of their work.

An Advisory Committee representing arts councils, arts educators, arts administrators, artists, Community Foundation of Acadiana stakeholders, individuals familiar with the arts scene, and friends of the Elemore Morgan family meet regularly to carry out the Fund’s mission.

More information and contributions to the Fund can be made through Community Foundation of Acadiana by visiting www.cfacadiana.org - click “Giving”/ Fund Highlights - or click here:http://www.cfacadiana.org/fund_highlights/Elemore-Morgan-Jr-Visual-Arts-Endowment


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