Yonkers Artists Showcase 2013

Artist Paul Greco takes us on a video tour of the annual Yonkers Artists Showcase 2013. This Exhibition includes Paintings, Collages, Sculptures, Constructions, Mosaics and Photography.

58th annual St. Patrick's Parade in Yonkers.

The 58th Annual Yonkers St. Patrick's Parade 

Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade 2009 (Photo credit: LarimdaME)

Celebrate a great tradition - The 58th Annual Yonkers St. Patrick's Parade right here in Yonkers Downtown!

 Sunday, March 3rd, 2013 at 1:30PM 
 2013 Grand Marshall William P. Harrington

 Aides to the Grand Marshall include: Michael Bennett, Eileen Collum, Kathleen Ennis, Joseph Hallinan, Thomas Meier, Kenneth O'Brien, Ronan O'Brien and Mary Teague of the Tyrone House in downtown Yonkers.

 Parade Route: South Broadway @ Radford Street to Getty Square.

Reviewing stand on South Broadway at Hudson Street.

Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade 2009 (Photo credit: LarimdaME)

Enjoy dining and celebrating in Yonkers Downtown afterwards!

There will also be the second annual McLean Ave Parade on March 23.

More information: http://yonkers.dailyvoice.com/events/st-patricks-day-parades-set-step-yonkers

50% off Rising Stars Summer Musical Theater Camp in Yonkers

Groupon is having a great deal on a Yonkers Musical Theatre Summer Camp!

The Rising Stars Performing Arts Company (headed by Laura Rizzo) has a groupon currently running through Sunday.  You can send your kid to a day camp in Yonkers for less than half of what it normally costs!

 Click here to get the groupon!

The groupon only runs through Sunday, so if you are interested, you should get on it sooner rather than later.

Choose from Three Options

• $400 for a three-week summer musical-theater camp that runs from Monday, July 1 to Friday, July 19 (an $850 value)
• $400 for a three-week summer musical-theater camp that runs from Monday, July 22 to Friday, August 9 (an $850 value)
• $749 for both of the above sessions (a $1,700 value)

Each day of camp consists of lessons in dance, drama, and voice, followed by rehearsal for the session-culminating musical, during which students perform backed by a professional orchestra and the camp’s lighting, sound, and costume departments. 

Open to kids aged 6–18, the camps run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, with optional extended care available until 5:30 p.m. for an extra fee.

Performances are scheduled for Sat July 20th and Sunday July 21st. (1st session) and Sat August 10th and Sunday August 11th (second session)

 Tickets are $12 for students and $17 for adults.

 Here's a typical camp schedule:

  Daily Schedule:
  9am-10am Dance Class
10am-11am Drama Class
11am-12pm Voice Class
12:30-1:00pm Lunch(provided by camper)
1:00-3:30pm Rehearsal for show
3:30pm Pick Up Time
Extended Care is available from 3:30-5:30pm for an additional $10.00 per hour.

   Get the Groupon

About the Rising Stars Performing Arts Company

When Laura Rizzo is in a room, kids usually burst out in song. As the founder of Rising Stars Performing Arts Company she has directed more than 150 kids shows nationwide and earned awards and accolades for her directing, teaching, and choreography. With a degree in drama and dance education from NYU and experience in on- and off-Broadway productions, she helps aspiring performers on their paths to the musical theater big leagues by teaching them foundational acting skills and boosting their self-confidence through rewarding performances. To achieve this, she and her team offer summer camps and classes on musical theater, dance, and acting, as well as youth productions of classic musicals, such as Annie Get Your Gun, Guys and Dolls, 13, andSweet Charity.

New Yonkers Restaurant - Guapo

Downtown Yonkers is slowly but surely becoming a nice haven for food, arts, and entertainment.

Newest on the scene is Guapo Cucina Mexicana, a gourmet and upscale Mexican restaurant.  Guapo means handsome, and the food is very beautifully prepared.  And it's delicious too!

Right now Guapo is offering (through Living Social) a 50% off deal-- pay $15 to get $30 worth of food!)  It's a great way to check out the restaurant and see if you like it.

I think you will!

55Plus Craft Show, Saturday November 24 10am-4pm

On Saturday Nov 24, the 55Plus Council of Older Artists will host a Fabulous Finds Holiday Craft Show & Sale at the James Harmon Community Center, 44 Main Street in Hastings-on-Hudson from 10am-4pm.  

The  event includes a selection of handcrafted items for family, friends, teachers and you. 

 The event includes a fund-raising raffle, tasty goodies for sale and an activity for children.

 55Plus Yonkers is a local not for profit organization that promotes opportunities for aging well. 

A portion of the raffle proceeds for the Westchester American Diabetes Association-Stop Diabetes Campaign.

For more information, visit www.55plusyonkers.org

2012 Presidential Candidates Arts Positions

Americans for the Arts Action Fund recently shared its newly compiled analysis of the presidential candidates' arts policy positions.  And now I'm sharing it with you.

The results should mostly come as no surprise. 

This report is one of the many programs and publications of ArtsVote2012, the Arts Action Fund's biennial initiative coinciding with the election cycle, that educates candidates and informs voters on issues impacting the arts and arts education.

 

2012 Presidential Candidates Arts Positions

	Barack Obama Joe Biden Democratic Nominees	Mitt Romney Paul Ryan Republican Nominees
Candidate would maintain or increase federal support of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities.	Yes Proposed increase of $9 million for National Endowment for the Arts. -FY 13 NEA budget request, Rpt p.2 / PDF p. 6 -FY 13 NEH budget request, Rpt p.11/PDF p. 14	No "Reduce subsidies for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities." -Romney/Ryan website -Los Angeles Times article
Candidate would maintain or increase federal support of museums and libraries.	Yes Proposed increase of $9 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities and level funding of $232 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. -FY 13 IMLS budget request, Rpt/PDF p.12	Unknown Congressman Ryan's House-passed budget calls for eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services, but it is unclear what Gov. Romney's position is. - Ryan's FY2013 budget, Rpt p.88 / PDF p.96
Candidate would maintain or increase federal support for public broadcasting.	Yes Proposed level funding of $445 million for Corporation for Public Broadcasting. -FY 13 CPB budget request	No "Reduce Subsidies for...the Corporation for Public Broadcasting." -Romney/Ryan website-10/3/12 presidential debate transcript
Candidate would maintain or increase Title I funding, which includes eligibility for arts education.	Yes Proposed to reauthorize current Title I program, with level funding. -FY13 budget request, Rpt p18 / PDF p 22	Unknown Proposes to change Title I funding by expanding choice for eligible students to use federal funds to pay for public, charter, or private schools. It is unclear what impact this would have on arts education Title I funding. -Romney education plan, Rpt p.23 / PDF p. 24
Candidate would maintain support of national and community service, which includes eligibility for arts and music service.	Yes Proposed increase of 1 percent to $1.1 billion for Corporation for National & Community Service agency budget. -FY 13 CNCS budget request	Unknown Congressman Ryan's House-passed budget calls for eliminating the Corporation for National and Community Service, but it is unclear what Gov. Romney's position is. - Ryan's FY2013 budget, Rpt p.88 / PDF p.96
Candidate maintains current incentives for charitable giving to 501(c)(3) organizations, such as a local nonprofit arts institution.	No The Obama plan maintains the ability for households to deduct charitable gifts, but he proposes reducing the value of the deduction from 35 percent to 28 percent for those households that make more than $250,000. -FY 2010-13 budget request, blog statement	No Gov. Romney has suggested maintaining a deduction for charitable gifts, but he has also proposed combining those charitable deductions with other tax deductions, such as mortgage interest, all of which would be limited by an overall cap that could jeopardize incentives to donate. - 10/16/12 presidential debate transcript
National party platform includes a positive position on the arts and arts education.	Yes "We will continue to support public funding for the National Endowment for the Arts... and for programs providing art and music education..." - 9/4/12 DNC platform, p.16	No GOP platform was silent on these issues. - 8/28/12 GOP platform

In addition to this presidential comparative analysis, the ArtsVote2012 initiative features the new  Congressional Arts Report Card, which provides a snapshot of arts support by Members of Congress running for re-election in 2012.

Scared Safe- at Manhattan College Oct 26 4-6 pm

Get ready to get scared safe!

Manhattan College’s educational honors society, Kappa Delta Pi, invites families across the Bronx (and lower Yonkers) to an evening of safe trick or treating, haunted house tours and riddles on Friday Oct. 26, from 4 to 6 p.m.

Kappa Delta Pi and 18 other student organization will each decorate a classroom overlooking the campus quad and stock it with candy. Students will be given brown paper bags to decorate and sent out trick or treating. Each room will have a riddle that must be solved before the candy is given.  At the end of the evening, children will receive a book.

We attended this event last year and it was a resounding success for our then 3 year old.  He loved it, although a couple of the things were a little too scary (like going under the spiderwebs maze.)

This year he has assured me that it won't be a problem.

"I won't be scared, Dad! I'll be BATMAN!"

LegoLand Groundbreaking today!

LoHud had an interesting article about LegoLand in Yonkers-- the groundbreaking is today and will feature children unleashing a cascade of toy bricks onto Mayor Mike Spano and company officials at 11:30 a.m. at 1 Ridge Hill Blvd. in Yonkers.

LegoLand will open in April 2013, and at the groundbreaking ceremony  today company officials will also announce the start of open registration for “Brick Factor,” a talent search to be held Nov. 17-18 in which participants vie for a job as a Lego “master model builder” at Ridge Hill.

Yonkers' Ridge Hill will get state's first Legoland; $12M attraction to employ 100 or more full time Written by Colin Gustafson Oct 17

lohud.com

YONKERS — The state’s first Legoland Discovery Center is set to open around April at Westchester’s Ridge Hill, promising to bring new jobs and hundreds of thousands of visitors a year to the shopping center, its operator told The Journal News on Friday.

The $12 million attraction “is going to be very interactive, very engaging and very educational,” said Janine DiGioacchino, a divisional director for Merlin Entertainments, which operates Lego-themed attractions around the world. “There’s going to be something for everyone.”

An Oct. 17 groundbreaking ceremony for Legoland Discovery Center Westchester will feature children unleashing a cascade of toy bricks onto Mayor Mike Spano and company officials at 11:30 a.m. at 1 Ridge Hill Blvd. in Yonkers.

The 33,000-square-foot indoor space will have more than 3 million Lego pieces, with play areas, party rooms and a pool of soft Lego bricks for children ages 3 to 10.

It will offer classes taught by Lego “master model builders” and a “4-D cinema” that showers 3-D movie viewers with fake snow, rain and other elements.

A “Techno Cycle” will lift users higher and higher into the air, the harder they pedal, and plans are in the works for a second amusement ride to open around spring 2014.

And a Lego “miniland” will be filled with models of iconic sites from around the region, including the Empire State Building and the Freedom Tower.

The Yonkers site will be the first Legoland Discovery Center in New York state and the fifth in the nation.

The metro areas of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Kansas City, as well as a half-dozen foreign cities, have the attraction.

DiGioacchino said her company initially looked for locations in New York City but ultimately picked Ridge Hill because of its proximity to the city and a “strong residential market” in and around Westchester County.

The Yonkers location also came recommended by officials with Forest City Ratner Companies, the shopping center’s developer and a landlord for the Madame Tussaud’s chain of wax museums owned by Merlin Entertainments.

“We want families to look at this as a place they can come to over and over again,” DiGioacchino said. “It’s an ideal fit.”

The Yonkers site will eventually employ between 100 and 150 full-time and seasonal workers in jobs such as sales, marketing, management, ride operators, floor hosts and master model builders, DiGioacchino said.

Major recruitment efforts will likely begin in late November, early December.

She expects between 300,000 and 350,000 visitors per year.

Ticket prices have yet to be determined.

At the Oct. 17 groundbreaking, company officials will also announce the start of open registration for “Brick Factor,” a talent search to be held Nov. 17-18 in which participants vie for a job as a Lego “master model builder” at Ridge Hill.

Legoland Discovery Center Westchester joins a growing roster of retail, dining and entertainment tenants at the 1.3 million-square-foot Ridge Hill, a retail-residential-office complex situated between the state Thruway and the Sprain Brook Parkway.

Lord & Taylor, the retail anchor, held its grand opening in April.

New WSO

The New Westchester Symphony Orchestra (NewWSO) is an amateur, audition-free orchestra rehearsing weekly on Wednesdays in White Plains. Rehearsals are open to players of all abilities, whether they haven't played in 50 years or have played their whole lives.


The purpose of NewWSO rehearsals is to have fun playing music together, plain and simple. It is a supportive, non-competitive environment in which aspiring musicians play the greatest works of classical music together. An informational and inspiring video can be found here on the NewWSO's Kickstarter project page.


The NewWSO performs original editions when possible and have already performed works by Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Mahler, Gilbert & Sullivan, Porter, Elgar, Mozart, Berlin, Saint-Saëns, Purcell, Strauss and more! Full repertoire can be found on the NewWSO website. Some of the repertoire is even decided upon by democratic vote, an ununusual trait for an orchestra.

Conductor Benjamin Niemczyk states, "The NewWSO is perfect for anyone who played until high school or college but put their instrument away for years, maybe even decades, to pursue career or family. Great classical music can and should be played by everyone, not just by professional musicians or even very proficient amateurs who have passed rigorous auditions. Our public performances showcase 'regular' people playing great music for our audience, and we'd love for community members to join us."

Weekly rehearsals are held at the Music Conservatory of Westchester, 216 Central Park Ave, White Plains. First rehearsal is free. Call Executive Director Belinda Kan at 914-260-1811 or email info@newsymphony.org for more information or to RSVP for a rehearsal.

You can also find out more about the orchestra directly at their website:  http://www.newsymphony.org

PRESS RELEASE: Yonkers Film Office/ Website ReLaunched

MAYOR SPANO RELAUNCHES YONKERS MAYOR’S OFFICE OF FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY AND WWW.FILMYONKERS.COM

New Office and Website Provide One-Stop Shop for Film and Photography Production in Yonkers

Posted Date: 9/18/2012

YONKERS, NY – September 18, 2012 – Standing in front of the 32,000 square foot Yonkers Stage, Mayor Mike Spano today officially launched a newly revamped Yonkers Film Office, announcing the Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography (MOFP) and new website, www.FilmYonkers.com. The MOFP and new website provide a one-stop shop for film and photography in the city, making it quicker and easier than ever for companies to utilize the many diverse and sought after locations Yonkers has to offer.

“We are sending a simple message today – Yonkers is open for filming,” said Mayor Spano. “Yonkers has always been a natural fit for filming and photography with its wide variety of urban and suburban locations just minutes from New York. The revamped film office focuses on enhancing the production experience while maximizing the benefit for our local economy.”

In addition to promoting a more film friendly city with expedited permitting of locations, the Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography is slashing permit fees, including a $500 fee that was previously charged to companies for filming on private property. The MOFP also is waiving the standard $300 fee for filming and photography permits at public locations for the remainder of the year. According to Mayor Spano, the MOFP also is working on a new Yonkers Production Partnership Waiver that will encourage production companies to support Yonkers local economy by waiving the public film permit fee in lieu of the purchase of goods or services from local Yonkers businesses.

“We have film and photography shoots of all sizes at locations in our city nearly every week,” said Mayor Spano who referenced the latest feature film, A Winters Tale, starring Russell Crow, Colin Farrell and William Hurt, which is currently preparing to shoot at the Yonkers Stage. “The Film Industry has had a tremendous economic impact throughout New York State and we want to further that impact here in Yonkers.”

Kenneth Adams, President, CEO & Commissioner of Empire State Development, which oversees the NYS Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, acknowledged Yonkers’ renewed effort to enhance film production in the city.

“We congratulate the City of Yonkers on the relaunch of its Office of Film & Photography and its website,” said Kenneth Adams, President, CEO & Commissioner of Empire State Development, which oversees the NYS Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development. “This is an extremely exciting time for the film and television industry in New York and the production of A Winters Tale in Yonkers is testament to that. Working together with our partners in local government, like the City of Yonkers, we will be better able to attract new investment in the film industry that will create jobs and generate economic opportunity across the state.”

Roger Paradiso, Co-Chairman of Greenwich Street Production which owns and operates Yonkers Stage, thanked Mayor Spano and the Governor’s Office for Motion Picture and Television Development for their joint efforts in helping bring new business to the city, as well as property owner Stop & Shop Supermarkets Corporation of America/Ahold USA for their support.

“The Yonkers Stage has had great success attracting some of the biggest productions to our studio and we are very excited about the Mayor’s new efforts to further Yonkers as a central city for film production,” said Paradiso.

Other films that have shot at the Yonkers Stage include Wall Street Two, American Gangster, Hitch, The Manchurian Candidate, Rollerball, I Am Legend, Doubt, The Bounty and Taking Woodstock. Mayor Spano also said the City of Yonkers has also been host to recent television productions including CBS’s The Good Wife, CBS’s Made in Jersey, CBS’sPerson of Interest, CW’s Gossip Girl, as well as productions at City Hall including HBO’sBoardwalk Empire and FX’s White Collar.

The Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography is operated directly out of the Mayor’s Office and has brought tens of thousands of dollars in revenue to the city. For more information visit www.filmyonkers.com or contact the Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography by emailing filmyonkers@yonkersny.gov or by calling (914) 377-6043.

Yonkers RiverFest is Tomorrow!

The 20nth annual Yonkers RiverFest is tomorrow, and features the first opening of the Daylighting project of the Saw Mill River. (click to see the full picture!)

Here's the full schedule: 

YoLoGo Contest Entries due Sept 4!

This contest has been going on all summer, but I just found out about it.

You have 4 days to design a logo that will Accompany the Yonkers City Seal (right) and be used on social media sites and in other printed materials.

There's no money or compensation in it, you'll give up your artistic rigthts to your work and allow the City of Yonkers to own it forever, but there's a small amount of glory.  [AMENDED NOTE: after reading the terms in the waiver, I've decided not to apply.  Too onerous for too little.]

Here's what the deal is:

The Mayor (Mike Spano)  is calling on the people of Yonkers for the development of a new City Logo to Accompany the City Seal; a logo that is reflective of the City's rich history, culture and natural beauty. 

• The Yonkers Logo Contest will draw from the artistic roots of Yonkers residents ages 12 and up. 
• All logo designs should be electronically submitted toYoLoGo@yonkersny.gov
• The contest deadline is Tuesday, September 4th at 5 pm. 
• On September 5th, all of the submissions will be available for public viewing on the City of Yonkers Facebook page. 
• The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite design. 
• The top 3 highest vote getters will be selected as finalists and will be presented to the City Council at the October 23rd City Council Meeting during which a winner will be determined. 
• The winning logo will be proudly and prominently displayed on the City's Website and on our social media outlets.

As you can imagine, vulgarity, jokes and already used or copyrighted material are not allowed.

Three dimensional, relief, holographic, motion, or other complex multimedia art is also not acceptable as an entry.

Good luck!

Download the official rules, entry form, & waiver HERE  

Empire City Casino Concerts

Village People

I'm not a huge fan of the Yonkers Raceway (sorry, raceway!) but they are having a series of concerts that I thought people might be interested in.  There are some definite heavy hitters on the concert list

Empire City Casino kicks off its Summer Concert Series on Sunday, July 1^st with Cornell Gunter’s Coasters, The Platters and Sounds of the Drifters.  (Already passed)

Other acclaimed acts of the concert series include Pat Benatar, Eddie Money, The Spin Doctors, and The Marshall Tucker Band.  Concerts will be performed outdoors trackside every Sunday through the end of August.  Ticket prices start at $22.50 and can be purchased by visiting www.empirecitycasino.com or on-site at Empire City Casino at the second floor redemption window.

 Eddie Money

Empire City Casino’s Summer Concert  lineup includes:

July 8                     Eddie Money
July 15                   The Spin Doctors
July 22                   The Marshall Tucker Band
July 29                   Frankie Avalon
August 5                Village People
August 12              Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
August 19              Otis Day & the Knights
August 26              Sara Evans

Magic Day at the Hudson River Museum June 10!

The Hudson River Museum has some great stuff going on today in celebration of their fantastic exhibit: Gilded Age Magic .  The exhibit runs through the summer through September 9, 2012.

One of the starting points of the exhibit is former Yonkers magician Harry Kellar (1849-1922), who was an international stage magician durning the turn of the century but lived in Yonkers in between touring. Contemporaries and friends of Kellar included Harry Houdini (1874-1926)and Howard Thurston (1869-1936). Previous to Kellar, magicians often posed as Chinese conjurers, even when they were Caucasian.  Kellar was one of the first to come up with his own persona, and blazed a trail for the traditional top hatted magician that we see today. The exhibition will feature vintage theatrical posters, costumes and magic ephemera from little seen private collections.

The exhibition was inspired by the research of current Yonkers magician Benjamin Levy on Harry Kellar’s connection to Yonkers. The objects on view are drawn from The Rory Feldman Collection and The Bjorn Hanson Collection.

Today, the museum is having a family day, where a number of performances will be held, including a members only one by Benjamin Levy, and a bubble performance by bubble-ologist Casey Carle.  Full schedule for today, June 10 is below.

Hope to see you there!

Find out more about the exhibit on the Hudson River Museum page 

Family Day — Magic and Portraits Sunday, June 10 12 - 5 pm

Creative activities, gallery tours, bubble tricks, and magic

Starring Benjamin Levy
A Magic Performance For Members-only • 11:30 am
And
Sleight-of-Hand Magic • 12 - 4 pm • Every hour on the hour

A performer, mentalist, and writer, and creator of a widely-praised memory system, Levy’s magic talents range from awesome sleight-of-hand magic and somewhat scary mind reading to the ability to remember the names of everyone in his corporate audiences — sometimes 150 or more people. Magical moment: making magic at President Obama’s 50th Birthday Bash!

An Artist Draws Your Caricature
1- 4 pm
Your face on paper by Brooklyn artist Paul Evina-ze.

Creative Activities
12 - 4 pm
Create an origami sailboat as a prop for a magic trick. Make magic tubes. Draw your own portrait. Drop-in workshop led by Junior Docents.

Gallery Tours for Adults and Families

1 - 1:30 pm
Families tour Gilded Age Magic
Adults tour Westchester Women & War
Meet in Museum Lobby • 12:50 pm

1:45 - 2:15 pm
Families tour Westchester Women And War
Adults tour Gilded Age Magic
Meet in Museum Lobby • 1:05 pm

Star Shows12:30 and 2 pm

Performance!
Bubblemania with Casey Carle
4 - 4:45 pm
Bubbles + Tricks = Magic

Charisa Dowe at HRM, Sunday March 11 at 2 pm

Charisa Dowe and the Music We Love

Charisa Dowe and the Soul Evolution Band bring the sound and spirit of great blues, jazz and pop to the Museum on Sunday, March 11 at 2 pm in our Center Stage performance. Violin, voice, piano, and bass. Hear the greats by Aretha Franklin, Jill Scott, James Brown and gospel, the music that inspired the art of Winfred Rembert.  See Her On YouTube 

Request for Open Studio Info

If you have an Open Studio night, day, or time, Arts Westchester is compiling a list.  Please let them know, so you can get on the list!

I got this email from them--respond directly to them!

Hello Artists!

I am happy to let you know that ArtsWestchester is hard at work putting together a directory of one-time and ongoing Open Studios presented by individual artists, studios, co-ops and other studio spaces throughout Westchester County.  Our goal for this project is to further highlight the wonderful talent we have here in Westchester.  Allowing people to see your work process and studio space is likely to generate greater interest in your artwork, but we need your assistance:

If you offer Open Studio tours, studio viewing times or if you know of any other place in Westchester that does, please email us with the relevant information.  We’d love to include all Open Studios, and the information you provide will help us to create a more comprehensive listing.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Feel free to send any details or leads to me at mafranklin@artswestchester.org

.

RFP- Sculpture for Mount Vernon Public Library

 Request for Proposals Public Art Installation / Mount Vernon, New York

Design Vision and Goal:
ArtsWestchester, in collaboration with Mount Vernon Public Library, seeks to commission a free-standing, site-specific exterior work to enhance the children’s room entrance to the Mount Vernon Public Library. The work selected will be sensitive to the historic character of the building, identify the library as an energetic and creative community resource, and enliven the streetscape. The project must integrate well with the location and be constructed of weather- resistant materials.

Eligibility:
This opportunity is open to visual artists, ages 18 and older, who reside in or maintain a studio in the lower Hudson Valley (New York City, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties). The Panel reviewing submissions will give preference to artists with previous experience in the creation of public art and engagement with the community.

The Site: Mount Vernon Public Library:
Mount Vernon Public Library is located at 28 South First Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. The City of Mount Vernon is a small, densely populated urban center in the Southern tier of Westchester County, just north of Bronx, New York.
The library was chartered by the State of New York in March 1896. In 1904, with support from Andrew Carnegie, the library was constructed on its present site. The library’s Neoclassical Revival and imposing size make it one of the city’s most important buildings. Today, Mount Vernon Public Library is the largest library in Westchester County and the sixth largest in New York State. The library also serves as the Central Library of the formed Westchester Library System. Mount Vernon Public Library serves as the main cultural resource in the city. In addition to its vast holdings, the library offers workshops, lectures and discussions and, in partnership with ArtsWestchester, operates the Rotunda Gallery.
 
The Artist Selection Process:
Semi-finalists will be selected by a panel consisting of representatives from Arts Westchester, the library, and artists/administrators in the field of public art will review the proposals. All artists will be informed of the panel decisions by mid-May 2012. Semifinalists will be invited submit more detailed applications, including maquettes or scale drawings for review and final artist selection by the panel.

Final Selection Criteria will be based on:
Artistic merit
Appropriateness to the site
Feasibility
Durability (appropriate for heavily used, outdoor site)
 
Required Application Materials:
In response to this RFP, applicants must submit the following:
•    Completed and signed coversheet/certification form
•    Digital portfolio: link to a professional website OR a DVD with 10 digital images and title list. Artwork must be clearly labeled with the artist’s name, date of completion, materials & dimensions.
•    Written description of the proposed work (no more than one page)
•    Preliminary drawing of the proposed work (dimensions not to exceed 18” x 24”)
•    Proposed budget
•    Timeline for the project
•    Current biography and curriculum vitae (CV)
•    Names and contact information of two references (email and phone)
 
Budget:
$38,000 for the total project including artist’s commission, design, materials and fabrication, transportation and installation
 
Deadline for Submission:
All submissions must be postmarked on Friday, April 6, 2012 or hand-delivered by 5:30 pm to Arts Westchester. Please note that applications will not be accepted by fax or email All artists will be notified of the selection results by mid-May 2012

Installation: April 2013

Submissions must be delivered to:
Arts Westchester
Attn: Mount Vernon Public Art
35 Mamaroneck Ave.
White Plains, New York 10605

Proposed Locations of Public Art Project:
Mt. Vernon Library:
http://www.mountvernonpubliclibrary.org/home

For more information:
Mt. Vernon Library:
nmunroe@artswestchester.org
Download cover sheet/RFP/view more maps

Biagio Civale donates works to fight Cystic Fibrosis

(posted as received)
Internationally Renowned Artist Believes He Can Make A Difference In The Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis

NEW YORK, New York, Jan. 23, 2012 - Artist Biagio Civale generously donates 5 of his works of art for auction at the 7th Annual Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis Foundation benefit dinner to be held on Monday, March 5th in New York City. All proceeds raised from this auction of Mr. Civale's artwork will go directly to research to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.

Abracadabra
30x22, tempera, photos
copyright 2010, Biagio Civale

"The Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis Foundation continues its commitment to incorporating artists and their artwork into its fundraising efforts," said the foundation's Art Program Director, Frank Dituri. "Biagio did not hesitate to join our program 'Art For A Cure' when I asked him," continued Mr. Dituri.

The benefit dinner, hosted by foundation board member Nicola Mossa, will be held at Il Barolo Ristorante on March 5th at 7 PM and will offer guests a festive and philanthropic evening, with a chance to bid on Mr. Civale's artwork and in addition win a bevy of prizes including a 7-day cruise getaway, Apple iPad 2, and much more. "Mr. Civale is clearly a talented artist, but more importantly is an incredible individual by making his generous gift to help those with CF," said Nicola Mossa.

About The Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization comprised of family, friends and business leaders dedicated to raising financial support for research aimed at finding a cure for cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a genetic and fatal disease that primarily affects the respiratory and digestive system of 30,000 Americans.

Organized in late 2004, the Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has raised nearly 1 million dollars which in turn has been donated both to the National Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the "Fondazione per la ricerca sulla fibrosi cistica-onlus" (the CF research foundation in Italy). These two foundations are committed to developing the latest research by raising the median age of people with CF and improving their quality of life. For more information visit www.breatheandbelieve.org

About Biagio Civale
Born in Rome, Italy in 1935. Studied in Italy, France and USA. Trained in a myriad of techniques and
experimented in multiple media. Produced artworks in a number of styles. Constantly searching the form that coincides with the content. Regularly excited by the expressivity and profundity of the black and white images. Considers himself a modern artist that works and expresses his inner world, an artist that expresses energy, motion and other inner forces. The resulting kind of personal expressionism is like an alternate view versus the mechanical means of representing objects via cameras and photos and realism in general. Has produced woodcuts, drawings, serigraphs, etchings, intaglios, collagraphs, posters, oils, temperas, watercolors, mixed media and bronze sculpture.
For more information visit www.civale.org.

If you'd like more information about the artist, or to schedule an interview with Biagio Civale, please call 914-965- 5703 or e-mail gcivale@datastoragecorp.com

If you would like more information about the Christopher Ricardo Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the benefit dinner, please call Nicola Mossa, 917-325-4819 or email nicolamossa@aol.com

Help Save The Arts in Westchester!

Once again, budgetary woes rear their ugly heads, and the Westchester Arts Organizations that receive money from the county itself are in danger of losing their funding, and probably going out of business.



If you are reading this, you probably are a fan of the arts in Westchester, and you probably should write a letter to your county executives.  But inertia is difficult to overcome...

Arts Westchester makes it easy to do so.

Go here https://www.artswestchester.org/get-involved/save-the-arts/county-legislature/ and write a letter to your county executives.  They even suggest something to say!

Three For The Show

Lu Gmoser has been putting on Musical shows in the area for longer than I know.  She is a font of knowledge about all things show tunes and older songs.  If this is your cup of tea and you've never been, you'll be in for a treat.  The audiences for these things are on the older side, so if you are younger than 60, check it out.  


Ziegfeld tribute was today, but you've got Rodgers, Hammerstein, & Hart, Patriotic songs, and Love songs to choose from.