THE BRONX MUSEUM OF THE ARTS LAUNCHES FREE ADMISSION IN CELEBRATION OF 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Here is news on the Bronx Museum of the Arts opening its doors to the public for free, in order to say thank you to the community for 40 years of support. Kudos to Ms. Holly Block and all the donors who have made our Museum a success story.

Gregory

***************

THE BRONX MUSEUM OF THE ARTS LAUNCHES FREE ADMISSION IN CELEBRATION OF 40TH ANNIVERSARY
27 March 2012

BRONX, NY, March 27, 2012 – The Bronx Museum of the Arts has announced that general admission to the museum and its exhibitions will be free for all visitors beginning on March 29. Part of the institution’s 40th anniversary celebration, the museum is launching the free admission initiative to ensure it is accessible to members of the Bronx community and all visitors from across the city and the nation.

“At a time when other New York City museums are raising their admission fees, we have chosen to focus on increasing access to the museum as a resource for our community thanks to the support of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York Community Trust,” said Holly Block, executive director of The Bronx Museum of the Arts. “In celebration of our 40th anniversary, we are giving back to the Bronx community by not only offering free admission, but also “adopting” 40 neighborhood schools—enabling hundreds of children to experience the benefits of arts education.”

“For over 40 years, the Bronx Museum of Art has presented innovative exhibitions ranging from fine art to urban design, and its hands-on art education programs ensure that there is something for everyone to experience and enjoy,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin. “Now, thanks to a public-private partnership with the New York Community Trust, the Museum’s new free admission policy will expand its commitment to welcoming New Yorkers from across the boroughs and beyond.”

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Announces Call for Artists for SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide

Here is information on a program run by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs encouraging seniors to get involved in the arts. It's enjoyable to see programs like this one for seniors to create and express themselves. Please do forward to any seniors who you believe might have intere4st.

Gregory
******

Photo Caption: Off The Wall, Arnold Wechsler (age 82). Image courtesy of gallery 307, Carter Burden Center for the Aging, Photo Credit: Sonia J. Lessuck

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Announces
Call for Artists for SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide

Competitive Residency Program will place up to 50 Artists in Senior Centers across the Five Boroughs

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs today announced a Call for Artists for SPARC: Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide, a community arts engagement program that places artists-in-residence at senior centers across the five boroughs of New York City. The competitive program will provide selected artists with access to workspace in senior centers and a stipend in exchange for the creation and delivery of arts programming for seniors. Participating seniors will be engaged in an art project or series of cultural programs over the course of the residency, which will also include a public program component - a series of exhibits, open houses and other cultural interactions open to the surrounding community. This initiative seeks to connect artists with seniors in senior centers and positively impact the well-being of seniors through arts-based activities.

Artists will be selected for SPARC residencies through a competitive application process managed by the local arts councils in each borough– Brooklyn Arts Council, Bronx Council on the Arts, Council on the Arts and Humanities of Staten Island, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Queens Council on the Arts. Starting today, application materials and guidelines are available on the local arts council websites. The deadline for submissions is September 30th, 2011.

SPARC is a collaboration among the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department for the Aging and the City's five local arts councils, and previously ran as a successful pilot called Space for Art. This initiative was developed as part of Age friendly NYC, a citywide effort to make the City more livable for seniors. The program is supported, in part, by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant program.

For more information visit www.nyc.gov/culture.

NYC ARTS Cultural Guide for Seniors Released

Here is a press release sent by Council speaker Quinn and other NYC Council members about a new arts cultural guide for seniors. If there any seniors out their looking to see what’s available, please do log onto the web site listed below. If you’re not a senior, please do forward the information to a senior who might benefit from the information provided.

Gregory
********

August 8, 2011

Dear New Yorker,

We're thrilled to announce the release of the NYC ARTS Cultural Guides for Seniors.

These guides, which were developed in cooperation with the Alliance for the Arts as part of the City's Age-Friendly NYC Initiative, contain information about more than 300 arts and cultural institutions citywide, organized by borough.

They also list over 85 free or low-cost programs designed specifically for seniors and include special discounts on admission and memberships, as well as important information about accessibility for those with sight, hearing or mobility concerns. New York's cultural institutions are among the best in the world, and we hope that with these guides older New Yorkers will be better able to access and take advantage of all of the amazing programs and opportunities that these institutions have to offer.

We'd like to thank the Alliance for the Arts and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate Levin for all of the time and hard work that they put into the creation of these wonderful guides.

Special thanks as well to all of the advocates and advocacy groups who've been working with us to help make New York a better place to grow old and retire in.

To download one or more of these free guides, click here or visit the Alliance for the Arts' website at www.allianceforarts.org.

Thanks so much and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Sincerely,
Christine C. QuinnSpeaker
NYC Council

Jimmy Van Bramer
Chair, Committee on Cultural Affairs,
Libraries & International Intergroup Relations

NYC Council Jessica S. Lappin
Council Member
NYC Council

Gale A. Brewer
Council Member
NYC Council

9th Bronx International Film Festival Scheduled for June 16th - 19th at Lehman Stages

Here is information on the 9th annual Bronx International Film Festival. The event is organized by The Bronx Stage & Film Company. It takes place from June 16th through June 19th at Lehman Stages. The post below and their web site should be more than helpful in finding great films to view. I hope everyone finds time to enjoy the festival.

Gregory
*******

Save the Date for the Bronx International Film Festival June 16 - 19

(Bronx, NY) The Bronx Stage & Film Company presents the 9th Bronx International Film Festival (BXFF) on June 16 - 19 at Lehman Stages (Lovinger Theatre)/Lehman College showcasing new narrative and documentary films and filmmakers from around the world. Visit http://bronxfilmfestival.com for developing festival information. The reservation and information line is 718.907.0079. You can also find the Bronx International Film Festival on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BronxFilm and follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bronxfilm.

Lehman Stages is conveniently located on the CUNY campus of Lehman College at 250 Bedford Park Blvd West, Bronx, NY 10468 near the #4 and D lines and just minutes away from Westchester and the GW Bridge.

-------
Background on the Bronx International Film Festival

A century ago The Bronx was home to two well-known silent film studios, The Edison Studios on Decatur Avenue & Oliver Place (a few blocks from the location of the Film Festival) and Biograph Studios a.k.a. The Gold Medal Studios at 807 E. 175th Street.

Edison Studios’ notable contributions to cinema included one of the first horror films, “Frankenstein,” released in 1910, and the first serial film, "What Happened to Mary" released in 1912. The 14-minute “Frankenstein,” starring Charles Ogle, took an entire week to film. This was a highly unusual schedule for the time. Silent movies were usually filmed in one day. "What Happened to Mary" began a series of 12 episodes starring Mary Fuller. The silent film studio closed in 1918, but the Terry Brothers reopened the space in 1935 to start Terrytoons, employing Bronx artists to hand paint the first animated color cartoon films.

Biograph Studios launched many silent film careers including director, D.W. Griffith; cameraman Billy Bitzer; and actors Mary Pickford, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Harry Carey, Lionel Barrymore. Some twenty years after the sound stage closed, Martin Poll restored Biograph Studios and reopened it as the Gold Medal Studios (the largest film studio outside of Hollywood) where TV’s “The Naked City,” “Car 54 Where are You?” and movies like “Odds Against Tomorrow,” “A Face in the Crowd,” “The Fugitive Kind,” “Pretty Boy Floyd,” and “Butterfield 8” were filmed. Mr. Poll worked to simplify NYC filming permits and had the distinction of being sworn in as the Commissioner of Motion Picture Arts (precursor to the NYC Film Commissioner) on July 21, 1959 by then Bronx Borough President Lyons.

The Bronx International Film Festival was established to honor and revitalize the history of film in The Bronx and provide a new opportunity for filmmakers to submit work and a hub for audiences to appreciate it. The Festival places special emphasis on film submissions with an urban appeal; however, all filmmakers with a visual story to share are encouraged to participate. BXFF showcases short and feature narrative, documentary, animation and experimental submissions from all over the world.

The Bronx International Film Festival is made possible with public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Bronx Council on the Arts and the support of Lehman Stages.