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A Stitch in Time: Celebrating the History of Rural Midwestern

America Through Quilting

Grant Proposal for XYZ Agency’s Networked Cultural Heritage Initiative by

Kristen Gravelin for The Rural Midwestern History Foundation

Contact Information: Ms. Kristen Gravelin

Phone: 217.450.8905

Email: k.gravelin@rmhf.org

Although it is only tens of miles from the Chicagoland area, rural America remains an

almost foreign culture to those who reside in urban and suburban areas. The Midwest, as it is

defined by our organization and thus for this project, is composed of twelve states: Illinois,

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South

Dakota, and Wisconsin. We are also defining “rural” as not only low population density towns

that are in a large part sustained by the agricultural industry, but by the logging industry as well.

We aim to communicate that rural Midwestern American is not nearly as homogeneous as it has

been portrayed as. We want to show what makes rural life so unique and rewarding to those who

live in those areas. There is a misunderstanding that rural Midwesterners are ignorant and

uncultured, which is simply not true. Through this exhibit, we want to show that this stereotype

rings false and that they have a rich culture all their own that many suburban and urban dwellers

are unaware of. We also hope to give a greater context to urban and suburban life through this

exhibition.

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Through this traveling exhibit, we want to educate Chicago about rural Midwestern

America through one of its favorite pastimes: quilting. Quilting is an art that has been handed

down generations of primarily women. It has expanded from the traditional quilts (their main

purpose to be used as blankets) to art quilts, which depict images more often than patterns and

serve primarily as pieces of art. Quilting is a thriving art form that exists beyond the scope of

merely a craft. Although there are quilters in the Chicagoland area, the art remains the most

prevalent in rural towns. We want to use this exhibit as a way to educate those who have never

lived outside of an urban or suburban environment about the rich history and culture of the rural

Midwest. We aim to include as much diversity as possible

In this exhibition, we plan to display both art quilts and traditional quilts to illustrate both

the changing landscape of the art and of rural Midwestern culture. We plan to have this

exhibition travel to multiple museums in the Chicagoland area, such as the Chicago History

Museum, the Field Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Quilts will be hung on metal

conduit covered with either cotton muslin or foam. Hanging by PVC pipe will not be permitted

due to its tendency to bend under weight. Each site will already have this available and thus it

will not be necessary to provide it. We will have clearly stated guidelines and rules for entry for

individuals so we are receiving original artworks that reflect the educational goal of our

exhibition.

We are requesting funds to cover shipping costs of the quilts to relieve the burden from

their host institutions as well as to acquire loans from small town institutions. We also need to

pay for a graphic designer to design a form for our website to solicit and process entries from

Midwestern quilters for this exhibit. The graphic designer will also be tasked with creating

aesthetically pleasing promotional materials. We will also need funds for properly packaging

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these quilts in order to avoid damage in transit. We also want to cover the cost of shipping the

quilts back to the institutions and individuals they originated from as a gesture of gratitude when

the exhibition has reached an end. It will, however, be the responsibility of both the institutions

and individual quilters to purchase their own insurance for their quilts.

We will be using our website (rmhf.org) to solicit entries from individuals for this

exhibit. Entries will be submitted via online form which will include information about the artist,

about the quilt, and photos that will serve as a stand-in for the quilt. Quilts will be judged by the

co-project managers from The Rural Midwestern History Foundation. The submission period

will be open for approximately four months and entries will be judged for the next month. Both

traditional quilts and art quilts will be taken into consideration and we hope to have an even

balance of both. Quilts submitted by individual artists will be in pristine condition.

We will also be in contact with a variety of locally based rural museums to request if

they are willing to temporarily donate any of their quilts to this traveling exhibition. We hope to

take out some of their older quilts on loan to incorporate the historical perspective. Appropriate

shipping accommodations will be made for quilts based on their age and condition. We will not

be considering any quilts that have degraded to the point where travel would only cause further

damage. Obtaining loans from these institutions is paramount to the exhibition as it is how we

will demonstrate not only how quilting has changed over time, but thus how Midwestern rural

culture as changed over time.

This exhibition will be comprised of 30 quilts, 20 will be submissions from rural

Midwestern quilters, and 10 will be loans from rurally based cultural institutions. Quilts will be

shipped in cardboard boxes and layered with non-acidic tissue interleaf. Included in one of these

boxes will be a condition reporting book each site must fill out upon the arrival of the quilts and

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upon their departure to monitor their condition. We will permit and encourage host institutions to

engage in the proper cleaning of the pristine quilts by individual artists. We plan to include

directions to clean the quilts based on fabric-type, in case any spills occur to avoid staining. We

only require barriers for the older quilts on loan from rural institutions, but we encourage a

barrier-free experience for the quilts made by individual artists.

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Eligibility and Guidelines:

1. All artists must reside or have affiliations with a rural community in the Midwest (lL, IN, IA,

KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, and WI)

2. Entries must meet the definition of a quilt: A creative visual work that is layered and stitched

or that references this form of stitched layered structure.

3. No freestanding or 3D work will be accepted. Art must be able to be rolled or folded for

shipping.

4. Size limitations: Height at least 24” but no more than 48”. Width at least 24” but no more than

48”.

5. Cost to enter: a nonrefundable $15 entry fee for up to 1 entry per artist. Fees will be paid

through our website (rmhf.org) using a credit card or PayPal.

6. Consideration is by digital images of the quilt only. (Information on submission below.)

7. Artists are responsible for shipping and insurance should the submission be accepted.

8. Artwork must be original and not the result of a kit or completion under class supervision.

9. Work MUST be available to travel through December, 2020. Once work is accepted, it cannot

be withdrawn for any reason until the end of the run.

10. Each submitted piece must have a 4” sleeve attached to the top for display purposes.

11. Each submitted piece must have a label on the back containing the artist’s contact

information, the name of the piece, and the date completed.

12. Artwork must be in pristine condition.

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13. There are no restrictions regarding the publication of your artwork prior to submitting your

entry. For instance, you may blog about your work while it is in progress.

14. By submitting your work for review, the artist confirms that they will adhere to all the above.

Digital Image Guideline:

We encourage you to submit the best quality photos possible. Remember that the images you

send are the only representations of your work those reviewing it will see as they consider your

submission. Photos should be in focus be well lit with correct color and no distortions. The quilt

should be the only item visible in the image other than a background of a neutral color. Images

must be shot straight on. Make sure the camera is level and parallel to the artwork. We

encourage you to use a tripod if possible. All edges of the quilt must be visible and you must not

crop into the borders or binding.

How to submit digital photos:

Submit one overall image and up to two detail images.

The artist’s name should not be visible on the image. Please do not include a watermark.

File format should be JPEG (no TIFF files), saved at maximum quality.

Form to Enter and Register:

First Name:

Middle Initial (optional):

Last Name:

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Address:

Address 2 (optional):

City/Town:

State:

Zip Code:

Day Phone Number:

Cell Phone (include area code):

Email Address:

Artist Website URL (optional):

Collaboration Is this application a collaboration?

Yes No

Other artists:

Statement of Release ____ I agree to loan my artwork to The Rural Midwestern History

Foundation Illinois Regional Co-Representatives Kristen Gravelin and Benjamin Gladomain for

the purpose of a traveling exhibit to begin September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2020. I

understand that the cost of insuring and shipping my artwork to Springfield, Illinois to be my

responsibility. I further agree to permit the images or digital images and/or all or part of my

artist’s statement to be used in the exhibition catalog, articles, ads, promotions, books, websites,

blogs, CDs, current event news coverage, television productions, and /or multimedia productions

for and about the exhibit or for and about the shows at which the exhibit may be seen.

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Title of Artwork:

Height (inches, between 24-48):

Width (inches, between 24-48):

Statement (Artist statements for the piece not to exceed 300 characters):

Techniques:

Materials:

Year Completed:

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Budget

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Scope of Work

A Stitch in Time: Celebrating the History of Rural Midwestern America Through Quilting

This proposed scope of work describes the tasks to be performed by the Co-Project Managers in

assisting the project Stitch in Time: Celebrating the History of Rural Midwestern America

Through Quilting in fulfillment of the requirements XYZ Agency’s Networked Cultural Heritage

Initiative grant. The purpose of the project is to educate Chicagoland urban and suburban

dwellers about Midwestern rural culture through the art of quilting by creating a traveling display

of quilts from both Midwestern quilters and loans from various rural Midwestern cultural

institutions.

Basic Scope of Services:

This project will combine resources from Midwestern quilters as well as from various rural

Midwestern cultural institutions. The scope of work includes providing overall project

coordination in fulfillment of the grant’s objectives: to provide the larger community with

information about the diverse communities and groups within it and to provide a comprehensive

map of cultural heritage stakeholders and their programming as well as to provide visibility to

these diverse communities and groups.

Item 1. Review Networked Cultural Heritage Initiative Grant materials and create a working plan

of action

Within two weeks of grant approval:

• Using notes and information from team meetings, we will draft an action plan and revised

timeline that incorporates, revises and updates the original activities outlined for year one of the

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grant, listed below. We will revise the plan as directed while meeting with the grant committee

and prepare a final version for acceptance.

• Design a condition report template for the quilts. Begin writing an exhibition schedule set to

rotate from site to site every six months

Project Timeline and Expanded Activities (Year One: 2018)

Month One-Two (Jan-March): The Co-Project Managers will begin to contact cultural heritage

sites in the rural Midwest and inquire about loans for the traveling exhibit. Meeting will begin

with a graphic designer to design the form for the website. Start talking to the graphic designer

about what promotional materials will look like.

Month Three-Four (April-June): Website entry form will be completed and it will go live with

the call for entries in the beginning of April. By the end of June, there should be at least five

confirmed quilt loans.

Month Five-Six (July-September): The rest of the loans should be confirmed for the end of

August. Submissions for quilts will close at the end of September.

Month Six-Seven (October-December): The co-project managers will take until mid-November

to judge the quilts and decide which ones will be included in the exhibition. Phone calls will be

made and emails will be sent to all participants regarding the acceptance of their quilt. Requests

for quilts to be shipped will be made to those accepted.

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(Year 2 & 3: 2019-2020)

Quilts will travel and remain at each institution for six months at a time. At the end of the

exhibition, the quilts will return to The Rural Midwestern History Foundation’s location in

Springfield to be reassessed, then shipped back to the institutions or individuals they came from.

Item 2. Prepare Materials

Agreeing and arranging a design with a graphic designer on the following items:

Promotional Materials (both web and print)

Information Brochures

Online entry/registration form

Other materials needed in support of the grant goals and objectives.

Item 3. Prepare Documents

Prepare a bi-monthly progress report for review by the grant committee which will document all

achievements towards fulfilling the Action Plan (Item 1) and take notice of any issues that

require further detailed explanation. A condition report template will be drafted and finalized and

approved by the grant committee and the project managers. The form for registration and entry

for participants will be finalized by the grant committee and project managers.

Item 4. Coordination and Consultation

Use connections with rural museums to procure loans of quilts for the exhibition. Larger

museums in Chicago will be contacted as well to secure their participation in the exhibition. An

online form will be published to procure individual participants.

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References

Beth Fogfal, Archivist of the United States

700 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20408

beth.fogfal@nara.gov

(866) 272-6272 (ext 7771)

Milo Hearthlorn, State Librarian of Illinois

Gwendolyn Brooks Building 300 S. Second St. Springfield, IL 62701−1796

milo.hearthlorn@ilsos.gov

217-785-5600 (ext 6676)

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Kristen Gravelin102 14th Avenue 217.450.8905

Springfield, Illinois 62629 k.gravelin@rmhf.org

Skills: Handling rare and historic books, documents, and textiles (among other materials).

Shelving books following the Dewey Decimal SystemCreating/editing writings for: audience, tone, mechanics accuracy,

content accuracyExhibition creation and managementTMS catalog; librarything.com; Microsoft Office; Photoshop Elements; OCLC catalog

Education: Dominican University; River Forest, IllinoisMaster of Science in Library Science and Information, Archival

Management Anticipated Graduation Spring 2008

Elmhurst College; Elmhurst, IllinoisBachelors of Arts in History, Minor in EnglishGraduation Spring 2006

Experience:The Rural Midwestern History Foundation, Traveling Exhibit

CoordinatorSpringfield, Illinois; August 2012 to present

Communicating effectively with museums and cultural institutions

Inventorying items to be displayed and transported Ensuring safe transportation of various items to be displayed

Pritzker Military Museum & Library, Exhibit CoordinatorChicago, Illinois; September 2008 to December 2011

Arranging exhibits on the museum floor Coordinating with archival and museum staff Creating coherent and thoughtful exhibits

D.A.N.K. Haus, Koegel Bibliothek, Library InternChicago, Illinois; February 2006 to May 2008

Assisting in the sorting of German language books by author and genre

Creating entries for German language books in online database Boxing books to be moved to another location within the

D.A.N.K Haus

Elmhurst College’s Mill Theatre Costume Shop, SeamstressElmhurst, Illinois; May 2003 to January 2006

Repairing and sewing costumes

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Identifying and organizing fabrics, garments, and other materials according to type

Engaging with actors and other costume shop workers

Activities: Dominican University Library Information Science Student Association Member

Benjamin Gladomain131 Kasiss Lane 217.808.8241

Springfield, Illinois 62629 b.gladomain@rmhf.org

Skills: Handling rare and historic books, documents, and textiles (among other materials).Creating/editing writings for: audience, tone, mechanics accuracy, content accuracyEditing catalog entries for books and other materialsExhibition creation and managementTMS catalog; Microsoft Office; OCLC catalog

Education: Dominican University; River Forest, IllinoisMaster of Science in Library Science and Information, Archival Management Graduation Spring 2000

Aquinas College; Grand Rapids, MichiganBachelors of Arts in History, Minor in EnglishGraduation Spring 1998

Experience:The Rural Midwestern History Foundation, Traveling Exhibit CoordinatorSpringfield, Illinois; August 2011 to present• Communicating effectively with museums and cultural institutions• Inventorying items to be displayed and transported• Ensuring safe transportation of various items to be displayed

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, Exhibit CuratorKansas City, Missouri; September 2000 to December 2010• Creating coherent and meaningful exhibits• Coordinating with archival and museum staff• Physically arranging exhibits

McGreal Center, Student Archivist River Forest, Illinois; August 1998 to May 2000• Creating finding aids for collections• Assessing collections’ preservation needs

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• Engaging with visiting scholars

Grace Hauenstein Library, Student LibrarianGrand Rapids, Michigan; January 1996 to May 1998• Serving as liaison between staff librarians and students• Charging and discharging materials• Troubleshooting library PCs

Activities: Dominican University Library Information Science Student Association Member

Poloma Dalir72 Waywocket Avenue 618.487.8111

Carbondale, Illinois 62901 poloma.dalir@gmail.com

Professional Profile: Have worked freelance 6+ years as a freelance graphic web designer Skilled with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) and web

design applications (HTML and Dreamweaver) Skilled at creating effective online forms

Education: DePaul University; Chicago, IllinoisBachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design with an emphasis in Web

Design Graduation Spring 2011