HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-547-E-Arts Commission-Sia Yazdanfar-2023-24 Arts GrantsGRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM / ARTIST PROJECT GRANT 2023-24
Grantee Name
Authorizing Official
Project Title
Award
Grant Category ☐Artist Project Grant Program
Funding Source
Date
End Date
OCAC Report Due
☐Grassroots Arts Program
☐North Carolina Arts Council ☐ Orange County
July 1, 2023
June 30, 2024
Monday, July 15, 2024
Stipulations ☐Grantee must spend $ on the hiring of multicultural artists specified in
the grant application.
☐Grantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission using the proper
logo on all publicity materials for the funded program. Recipients of operations‐related
grants must include the OCAC logo with link to www.artsorange.org on grantee’s
website. Download logos on the OCAC website at
https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee‐resources
☐Grantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission and the N.C. Arts
Council using the proper logos and N.C. Arts Council credit line on all publicity materials
for funded program. Recipients of operations‐related grants must include the OCAC logo
with link to www.artsorange.org and N.C. Arts Council logo, credit line, and link to
www.ncarts.org on grantee’s website. Download logos and view proper credit line
language on the OCAC website at https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee‐resources
☒The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances (virtual or in‐
person) open to the public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts
Commission website at www.artsorange.org/events. In addition, the Grant Recipient
must add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo
preferred) to their main webpage.
Staff Contact Katie Murray, Director
(919)245‐2335 | kmurray@orangecountync.gov
Sia Yazdanfar
Sia Yazdanfar 702-706-3845
No Friends but the Mountains (photography exhibition)
$2,000.00
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DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
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Revised August 2022
ORANGE COUNTY ARTS
COMMISSION 2023-24
GRANT AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this 29 day of September, 2023, by and between Orange
County ("County"), by and through the Orange County Arts Commission ("Arts
Commission") and ("Grant Recipient").
WHEREAS, the Arts Commission is a countywide arts agency that ensures the growth of
local arts experiences by providing funding and support for diverse high quality programs and
projects.
WHEREAS, the Arts Commission administers the annual Grants Program to provide
economic opportunities to Orange County artists and non-profit organizations coordinating arts
projects benefiting the citizens of Orange County.
WHEREAS, the annual Arts Grants Program is supported by Arts Commission with
funds from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency.
WHEREAS, the Grant Recipient was selected by the Arts Commission to receive
the annual Arts Grant through the procedures duly adopted by the Arts Commission; and
WHEREAS, both parties wish to promote and maintain the integrity and clarity of the
Grant Recipient's ideas and statements and delineate the Grant Recipient’s obligations to the
County;
NOW, THEREFORE, the County and the Grant Recipient, for the consideration
and under the conditions hereinafter set forth, agree as follows:
1.Approved Grant Project. Grant funds are provided under this Agreement for the project
(“Project”) described in the Grant Recipient’s Grant Application, attached hereto and
incorporated herein as Exhibit A.
2.Grant Award. Grant funds in an amount not to exceed ($ )
have been awarded by the Arts Commission to the Grant Recipient for the approved
Project. The Recipient shall be required to match funds at least dollar-for-dollar with cash
from the Grant Recipient’s funds not derived from either Orange County appropriations or
the North Carolina Arts Council, as outlined in the attached Exhibit A.
3.Contingency. This grant is contingent on North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots
Program funding to the Arts Commission. Final decisions on Grassroots Program funds
to the North Carolina Arts Council are subject to approval by the North Carolina General
Assembly.
4.Responsibilities of the Grant Recipient
Sia Yazdanfar
two thousand dollars $2,000.00
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A.Implementation. The Project implementation shall take place between July 1,
2023 and June 30, 2024. The Project shall be implemented in the manner
described in Exhibit A. Time is of the essence in the implementation of the
Project.
B.Modifications to project. Grant Recipient shall present major changes to the
original proposal, including but not limited to changes in design, implementation
schedule and increase in Project budget by more than 10%, in writing to the Arts
Commission for approval. Arts Commission shall approve or disapprove Grant
Recipient’s request for modifications within seven (7) days of receipt thereof.
Consent to project modifications shall not be unreasonably withheld. Arts
Commission’s decisions shall be in writing. In the event the Arts Commission
fails to approve or disapprove the requested modifications within the time stated
herein, the modifications shall be deemed approved.
C.Non–assignment. The grant cannot be assigned or transferred to a different project
or artist without prior written approval of the Arts Commission.
D.Records. Grant Recipient must maintain records and other evidence pertaining to
costs incurred and revenues acquired during the Project implementation. Grant
Recipient shall maintain financial records pertaining to the Project for three (3)
years from the date of this Agreement, in case of audit.
E.Use of Funds. Grant Recipient shall not use the grant funds to repay outstanding
taxes or other debts of any nature. The grants shall be utilized solely for the
purpose described in the attached Exhibit A.
F.Final Report. Grant Recipient shall submit to the Arts Commission a Final Report
on July 15, 2024. The Final Report shall be in the format required by the North
Carolina Arts Council. Failure to submit the Final Report or late submission of
the Final Report, for any reason, shall be grounds for denial and/or cancellation of
grant funds for the Project and future grant proposals.
5.Responsibilities of the Arts Commission
A.Payment. The Arts Commission shall release the grant funds in the amount of
$ to the Grant Recipient.
6.Publicity
A.Acknowledgement. Credit must be given to the Orange County Arts
Commission and/or the North Carolina Arts Council using the proper logo(s)
and credit line in brochures, news releases, programs, and all other printed and
online publications. Copies of such printed materials must accompany the
evaluation report. Official Orange County Arts Commission and North Carolina
Arts Council logos may be downloaded at www.artsorange.org/grantee-resources
and may not be altered in any way. When no printed information is used, verbal
$2,000.00
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Revised August 2022
credit shall be given. In addition, all print and promotional material must include
the following credit line and logo(s) (check all that apply):
i.County Funds Only. Orange County Arts Commission logo required.
Credit line required for audio projects: “This program is supported by the
Orange County Arts Commission.”
ii.North Carolina Arts Council Funding. The Orange County Arts
Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council logos are required. Credit
line: “This program is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.”
B.The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances open to the
public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts Commission
website at www.artsorange.org/events. In addition, the Grant Recipient must
add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo
preferred) to their main webpage.
7.Indemnity. The Grant Recipient agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County, the
Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council and their officers and employees
from any and all claims or actual injury, damage or loss to a person, or real or personal
property that results from or is in any way connected to the use of the grant funds.
8.Independent Contractor. The Grant Recipient is an independent contractor and not an
employee, agent or other representative of the County and/or the Arts Commission.
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to create the relationship of
principal and agent, or employer and employee, between Grant Recipient and Arts
Commission or Orange County Government. Grant Recipient understands and agrees
that he/she is not authorized to incur any expenses or any liability whatsoever on behalf
of the County or the Arts Commission and has no authority, expressed or implied, to
obligate or make representations on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission. In
addition, Grant Recipient agrees to maintain his or her own worker's compensation
insurance for himself/herself and his or her employees for the duration of the art work's
installation.
9.Termination
A.In the event of any of the circumstances set forth below (hereinafter referred to as
“default”), the Arts Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement:
(i)Any fraudulent representation in any verification required to obtain
payment under this Agreement or other dishonesty on a material matter
relating to the performance of services under this Agreement.
(ii)Nonperformance, incomplete service or performance, or failure to
satisfactorily perform any part of the Project or to comply with any
provision of this Agreement, as determined by the Arts Commission in its
sole discretion.
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(iii)Failure to adhere to the terms of applicable county, state or federal laws,
regulations, or stated public policy.
B.In the event of default by the Grant Recipient, the Arts Commission has the
discretion to elect to terminate this Agreement, in whole or in part and/or require
the Grant Recipient to repay the grant funds within seven (7) from written notice
of default or allow the grant recipient the opportunity to cure the default. This
clause shall not be interpreted to limit the County’s or the Arts Commission’s
remedies in law or in equity.
10.Miscellaneous.
A.Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the attachments contain the final and
entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement. All modifications and amendments to this Agreement shall be in
writing. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties, their heirs, successors
and assigns.
B.Governing Law. Governing Law and Priority: Both parties agree that this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina and
Orange County. Grant Recipient shall at all times remain in compliance with all
applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations including but not
limited to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws, policies, rules, and
regulations and the Orange County Non-Discrimination Policy and Orange
County Living Wage Policy (each policy is incorporated herein by reference and
may be viewed at
http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/purchasing_division/contracts.php.).
Any violation of this requirement is a breach of this Agreement and Arts
Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement without further
obligation on the part of the Arts Commission. This paragraph is not intended to
limit and does not limit the definition of breach to discrimination. By executing
this Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and
has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list
created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58. By executing this
Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and has
not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list
created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.81. By executing this
Agreement Grant Recipient affirms they are and shall remain in compliance with
Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes. In determining
the basic services to be provided, should any documents be referenced in or
attached to this Agreement, the terms herein shall have priority in any conflict
between the terms of referenced documents and the terms of this Agreement.
C.Dispute Resolution: Neither party may initiate binding arbitration. Any disputes
shall be resolved by nonbinding mediation. If such mediation fails either party
may initiate litigation to resolve the dispute. Should either party initiate litigation
to settle any dispute involving the terms of this Agreement such litigation shall be
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
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initiated in the General Court of Justice of North Carolina seated in Orange
County, North Carolina.
D.Signatures. This Agreement together with any amendments or modifications may
be executed electronically. All electronic signatures affixed hereto evidence the
intent of the Parties to comply with Article 11A and Article 40 of North Carolina
General Statute Chapter 66.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Orange County and the Grant Recipient have signed this Grant
Agreement, effective on the last date this Agreement is signed by both parties as indicated by the
dates set forth under signatures below.
For and on behalf of the Grant Recipient
Date
For and on behalf of Orange County Government
Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager Date
Sia Yazdanfar 702-706-3845
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
10/8/2023
10/10/2023
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Revised August 2022
ORANGE COUNTY—DEPARTMENT USE ONLY
Department
Party/Vendor Name: Party/Vendor Contact Person: Contact Phone: Party/Vendor Address:
City State: NC Zip: Department: COUNTYMGR/Arts Commission Amount:
Purpose: 2023-24 Arts Grants Budget Code(s):37601020-683001 Vendor # (N/A if new vendor) Vendor
is a BOCC consultant? Yes No Contract Type: (Check one) New Renewal Amendment Effective
No Date 9-29-2023 Approved by Board Yes Agenda Date:
This agreement is approved as to technical form and content:
Department Director’s Signature Date:
Information Technologies
(Applicable only to hardware/software purchases or related services) This agreement has been reviewed and is
approved as to information technology content and specifications:
Office of the Chief Information Officer Date:
Risk Management
This agreement is approved for sufficiency of insurance standards, specifications, and requirements:
Office of the Risk Management Officer Date:
Financial Services
This instrument has been pre-audited in the manner required by the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control
Act:
Office of the Chief Financial Officer Date:
Legal Services
This agreement is approved as to legal form and sufficiency:
Office of the County Attorney Date:
Clerk to the Board
Received for record retention:
All Docusign contracts must be copied to Laura Jensen upon completion @ljensen@orangecountync.gov
The following signature block is for hard copies only and is not required for Docusign contracts:
Office of the Clerk to the Board _Date:_
Sia Yazdanfar Sia Yazdanfar 702-706-3845
2801 Summerwind Road Chapel Hill 27516 $2,000.00
67274
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
10/5/2023
10/9/2023
10/9/2023
10/10/2023
Orange County Arts Commission Powered by Submittable
Title Si a Yazdanfar
by Sia Yazdanfar in 2023-24 Artist Project Grant
Application
2801 Summerwind Road
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
27516
United States
702-706-3845
contact@siayazdanfar.com
06/16/2023
id. 40781852
Original Submission 06/16/2023
APPLICANT
INFORMATION
Name of primary
contact
Sia Yazdanfar
Complete mailing
address of primary
contact
2801 Summerwind Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Email of primary
contact
contact@siayazdanfar.com
Phone number of
primary contact
702-706-3845
Names and emails of
co-applicants (if
applying on behalf of
a group)
n/a
W ebsite www.siayazdanfar.com
How did you hear
about our grant
program?
Other
Did you attend or
watch the Artist
Project Grant
Training Session?
Yes
PROJECT/PROGRAM
INFORMATION
Tell us about your project or program
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
Title of Grant
Request
No Friends but the Mountains (photography exhibition)
Grant Amount
Requested
$2000
Project Start Date
(no earlier than July
1, 2023)
March 1, 2024
Project End Date (no
later than June 30,
2024)
March 31, 2024
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
Project/Program
Summary
I have dedicated the past 7 years to exploring Iran. W ith each series of
expeditions, I look to bring stories of underrepresented people & places to
my audience. To understand the immense cultural diversity of my birth
country would take lifetimes, so I prioritize my travels to the ‘traditional
worlds’ in Iran, before they fully modernize, & their living history,
disappears.
There are plenty of stateless nations in the world today. W ith a population
estimated around 30 million, the Kurds are one of the largest groups of
people without a proper nation state. Their traditional homeland, Kurdistan,
was forcibly broken up through centuries of political turmoil in the Middle
East. The land that was once Kurdistan is currently divided along the
borders of Iran, Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. The Kurdish people quite literally
live and die by the geography & politics surrounding this region, & have had
to fight to maintain their culture for centuries.
This August through December I will be traveling to Ostān-e Kordestān
(Kurdistan Province, one of 31 provinces in Iran). This mountainous region
is where the majority of Kurds in the country reside. W hile the terrain in this
area is wild & at times unforgiving, local guides will ensure safe passage to
off the beaten path villages. I seek to make personal connections, as I
have on previous expeditions, & capture images of seasonal celebrations,
daily life, a traditional wedding ceremony, among other experiences.
Images of people & places I intend to capture may include, but will not be
limited to, the following:
1. The Dengbêjs, singers of the music genre of the same name. The word
‘deng’ means voice and ‘bej’ means to sing. The music here has been
traditionally used to transmit stories, & these storytellers sing not only in
Kurdish, but Turkish & Farsi as well.
2. Palangan & surrounding area, an ancient stepped village surrounded by
virgin nature, inaccessible most of the year due to inclement weather &
treacherous roads.
3. Keras & Chookh-o-Raanak. The former is the typical dress of Kurdish
women, made of silk, lace, velvet, & satin. The latter refers to the two part
woolen blouse & pants for men.
4. The unique cuisine of the region. This fundamental part of the Kurdish
identity will be documented photographically at every step, by shadowing
shepherds in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains, to joining families in
their kitchens as they prepare meals & bake bread in mud ovens.
The Kurds have a rich yet increasingly endangered folkloric tradition. Much
like extended treks in previous years in Iran, I am certain these upcoming
traverses will yield unique photographs, however that is where the
similarity ends. Kurdistan is a universe unto itself, endemic, somewhat
isolated except for a couple of smaller cities in the province, & fiercely
independent. I intend on opening a window into the lives of these oft-
forgotten people, & sharing this wonderful corner of our planet with a global
audience.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
Community Impact I am seeking ways to make the public components of this project
accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Programs for the exhibition
will be adjusted accordingly closer to the opening date. I will engage local
arts organizations & education professionals in Orange County to reach
citizens & students. Over the course of my past few exhibitions, I have
forged relationships with faculty at University of North Carolina, Duke
University, Elon University, & Durham Technical Community College. These
connections have been pivotal in facilitating talks & panel discussions, both
virtually & in person. I have also worked closely with the Iranian Cultural
Society of North Carolina (ICSNC), an organization which has helped me
bridge cultural gaps. Arts can be a catalyst for creating dialogue & sharing
cultural experiences, & the input of these educational institutions allows me
to reach a much larger cross-section of my community. As this opens up
possibilities for some broad-spectrum & far-reaching ideas, I have planned
multiple events in & around my project. All of these are public, & free of
charge.
1. Exhibition opening on March 1, 2024, & included in Chapel Hill's Second
Friday ArtW alk, March 8, 2024.
2. Artist reception at Lapin Bleu, on March 19, 2024.
3. An art talk at Lapin Bleu, in conjunction with Community Arts & Culture,
the town government's arts office, TBA March 2024. This will be a walk-
through to showcase the work, discuss the various people/locales captured
in the images, & an opportunity for participants to inquire about any of my
experiences.
4. A potential art talk at the OCAC, in the spring of 2024. This will be a
visual journey to the region I am exploring for the exhibition.
5. A lecture, in the spring of 2024 as part of the DTCC Humanities
Department Speaker Series, open to the entire student body. This will be
comprised of a speaking portion of approximately 60-70 minutes, after
which the floor is open for questions via a moderator. I will be focusing on
the customs, cuisine, & culture of Kurdish villages, virtually untouched by
change. Facilitated by Professor Steven Kerrigan, it will be followed by a
Q&A session.
6. A lecture, facilitated by ICSNC & the Graduate Student Association of
Iranians at Duke, as part of the Duke University Emamian Lectureship
Series, open to the general public. This will be both an in-person & virtual
event.
I believe imparting a bit of the beauty of an oft-misunderstood country with
the general public, & highlighting the distinctive people & places of a
timeless land, enriches our community as a whole.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
Artist Experience I am a freelance photographer, born & raised in Iran, with extended time
throughout my formative years spent in Spain, Pakistan, & Nigeria. I have
resided in the United States for the majority of my adult life. In 2017 I went
back to my motherland to reconnect with my roots & explore the timeless
traditions & trades of different regions in the country. My series of
exhibitions upon my return stateside in 2019, titled Persia Sublime, served
as a visual tapestry of the millennia-old architectural wonders of Iran. In
2020, at the peak of the pandemic, I again traveled to the Middle East. As
a contrast to the photographs of mosques, palaces, tombs & other historic
sites in my earlier exhibitions, this wave of journeys focused on the people
whose daily lives are encompassed by those spaces. W ith the world at a
standstill, people were seldom traveling. I was fortunate to capture the only
images of the saffron harvest season in Seh Gonbad, going on to
document traditional Caspian fishing methods in Siyahrud, & silk fabric
weaving in Kashan. These expeditions served as the basis for Different
Heavens, an exhibition held in 2021, which had strict gathering size
regulations & health protocols in place. The autumn of the same year I
undertook explorations of various Persian Gulf islands & coasts. I had
returned to Iran during the seemingly endless pandemic, intending on
trekking around the provinces of East & W est Azerbaijan, in the northwest
reaches of the country. W hen travel restrictions forced me to cancel, fate
& chance recommendations landed me in the opposite direction, on the
subtropical southern fringes of my motherland. Boasting some of the most
colorful landscape & locals I have ever encountered, Hormozgan Province
borders the gulf where it meets the Strait of Hormuz, the preeminent
strategic chokepoint on Earth. I believe these voyages yielded some of the
most kaleidoscopic & engaging photos I have had the privilege to shoot,
capturing some of the lesser known parts of the Middle East. In late 2022 &
early 2023, Iran was rocked by anti-government protests, with women at
the forefront of demonstrations. I arrived in Tehran days before a months-
long internet blackout & military curfews threw all plans into disarray. These
obstacles only reinforced a sense of purpose, as I pursued crossings to
remote villages, seeking out the unique & colorful traditional garb of Iranian
women in different regions. My recent exhibition, Restless Anahita, is a
particolored passage through the rainbow of traditional cloth & pays
homage to mothers, sisters, & daughters, the backbone of Persian society.
Through my photography, I seek to share with the viewer the many layers
that comprise this ancient civilization, where despite the influx of
modernization, certain ways of life continue as they have for centuries, if
not longer. In my path as a visual artist, I am attempting to inform my
audience of a sense of place in far-flung locales which they may otherwise
not have the opportunity to experience.
How do you plan to
market your project?
Previous marketing methods have been a multi-pronged approach, adjusted
to meet the needs of each project. For prior exhibitions I secured on-air
interviews & write-ups with local radio/TV/print media, in addition to
grassroots promoting of the shows. All events will be added to my personal
website as well as the OCAC & DAC calendars, online creative & art
groups, & my social media. An email blast will be sent to patrons, promo
flyers will be distributed at local campuses & businesses.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01
PROJECT/PROGRAM
BUDGET
Please fill out the charts below with your project's expenses and income.
Use the "Explanation" box to offer details for each category. NOTE: The
Total Cash Expense must equal the Total Cash Income.
Budgeted Expense
Expenses-english-rev ised.xlsx
Budgeted Income
Income-english-rev ised.xlsx
Resumes of artists/administrators
Sia_Yazdanfar_Artist_Resume.pdf
W ork Samples
Still_I_Rise_formatted_for_screen_use.jpg
Mothers_Little_Helper_formatted_for_screen_use.jpg
Parallax_View_II_formatted_for_screen_use.jpg
Dreams_Of_Our_Daughters_formatted_for_screen_use.jpg
Hyrcan_Girl_formatted_for_screen_use.jpg
Video Sample:
External Link
https://youtu.be/V0grNsGUrhA
Letters of support (optional)
Thomas_Stev ens.pdf
Professor_Stev en_Kerrigan.pdf
Professor_Carl_Ernst.pdf
DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01