Capital Campaign Announced--Dia Art Foundation has announced the next phase of its capital campaign, with plans to raise $50 million, including $30 million for the renovation and endowment of DIA:Chelsea, the site of Dia's New York City exhibition program, and $20 million to bolster current endowments for DIA:Beacon and Dia's long-term projects. Dia:Chelsea is closed for renovation until 2006. (When visiting Dia's distinguished collection of contemporary art in Beacon, visit Fountain Square Antiques at 18 E. Main St. for a fine selection of art and antiques.)

New Standard Achieved--The ASTM process for a lightfastness standard for colored pencil began ten years ago. With the continuous involvement of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA), research has culminated in the 2003 writing of ASTM D6901--Standard Specification for Artists' Colored Pencils. When companies comply with this brand new lightfast standard, colored pencils will be marked with Lightfastness I and II symbols, allowing artists to choose lightfast colors. Note that compliance is not mandatory.

Grants Soon Available--The Creative Capital Foundation will accept proposals for its 2004-5 grant cycle supporting work in the visual arts and film/video in the spring. Inquiry Forms will be available Feb. 16 on the foundation's website: www.creative-capital.org. The deadline for completed forms is March 15.

Prize Winner Announced--The winner of Britain's prestigious Turner Prize for contemporary art is Grayson Perry. The artist, who decorates ceramic vases with sometimes-controversial images and texts, received nearly $35,000.

Restoration Planned--The Federal government has awarded a $250,000 grant to complete ongoing restoration of Olana, the home of renowned landscape painter Frederic Church. The funding will restore six chimneys and the studio tower (1888), and Olana will match the grant.

NEA News--The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the awarding of 86 grants totaling $860,000 through the agency's Challenge America: Access to the Arts Fast Track Review grants. Organizations in 39 states and the District of Columbia will each receive $10,000 for projects that use the arts to address key community concerns.

Exhibitions:

Athens, GA -- Georgia Museum of Art -- Armin Landeck (1905-1984) is a major retrospective of prints that also features drawings, paintings and books illustrated by the American artist throughout his lengthy artistic career. In the 1930's Landeck joined forces with Martin Lewis to open the School of Printmakers in George Miller's 14th St. Studio in New York. Landeck's views of New York are among some of his most famous images. Through Feb. 8.

Dallas, TX -- Dallas Museum of Art -- Passion for Art: 100 Treasures 100 Years features one hundred of the greatest treasures from the museum's collections in celebration of its centennial. The visitor will encounter themes that explore ideas, forms and functions that cut across time and cultures: Landscapes, Geometry, Body, Mask, At Home, Machine, Luxury, Music and Dance, Mortality, Cosmos and Transcendence. Through March 14.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 14 No. 3 -- January 2004