Something to Celebrate: Windham County’s Students in the Arts

March is Student Art Month in Windham County and the Arts Council of Windham County is again organizing shows and events that will spotlight the great art coming from our young people. In its 33^rd Year, the month also recognizes the teachers and school infrastructures that help young artists to blossom.

Digitally Layered Photograph by Jessica Ortliev, BUHS ’13

Festivities will begin with openings of the High School visual art shows on Gallery Walk, Friday March 1. Two-dimensional art will be displayed at Equilibrium 17 Elm Street, Brattleboro, and three-dimensional works at Vermont Artisan Designs Gallery 2, 106 Main Street, Brattleboro.  An awards ceremony will take place at 7:30 at Vermont Artisans honoring outstanding work in 8 categories.   The public will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite pieces.  Both shows will be available for viewing through March 28.

Elementary School art will be on view at the Brooks Memorial Library and at many other locations around Windham County

Innumerable music, drama, and dance performances will take place at venues around the county.  A listing will appear weekly in the Thursday Brattleboro Reformer and will be posted on the Arts Council of Windham County web site: www.ACWC.us.  Among the many performances, the Windham Orchestra is partnering with Student Art Month to present a program featuring compositions by local elementary and middle school students and a high school soloist in a concerto with full orchestra Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 at the Latchis Theater.

Student Art Month is organized and presented by The Arts Council of Windham County (ACWC), an all-volunteer organization that has worked to strengthen the environment for artists and arts organizations in the area for 36 years.

Student Art Month is sponsored in part by Brattleboro Savings & Loan, Brattleboro Reformer, C&S Wholesale print shop, and Vermont Artisans Design and Gallery 2.

For more information contact:

Marie Procter, Student Art Month Coordinator: mlp69@comcast.net, (802) 254-2115 Doug Cox, ACWC President: dcox@sover.net (802) 257-1024

The Art of the Press Release

Wednesday May 16, 7:00-9:00

Next Stage, Putney 

Artists and Arts Organizations are constantly trying to get the word out about what they are up to and why it is important, or at least interesting.  The Press Release is still one of the prime tools for this.  How do we use that tool well and keep it sharp and effective?

The Arts Council of Windham County, in partnership with The Commons and Next Stage Arts Project, is presenting a forum to help artists make the most of the press and other news outlets.  Joyce Marcel of The Commons, Lynn Barrett of Southern Vermont Arts and Living, and Tim Johnson of WTSA will share their perspectives in this free artist’s forum.

Questions to be explored will include:

• What in an artist’s life and business is newsworthy?
• Who are you trying to reach?
• What is the message, both intellectual and emotional?
• How does one get the feel of ones art into a PR?
• Use of Photos?
• What does it take to build, maintain, and use a press list?
• How much is too much?
• Where does the energy come from to do this?
• Has Social Media changed the Press Release?

The forum will begin with a potluck desert and tours of Next Stage.  The forum is appropriate for all artists and anyone involved in producing press releases.

Contact Doug Cox, 802-257-1024,  dcox@sover.net

Grafton Open Meeting

April 26, 2012 6:30-8:30 pm

Grafton Inn, Grafton

Dear Arts Leader:

I would like to invite you to a discussion of how ACWC can better serve its mission “to strengthen the environment for artists and arts organizations in Windham County” and how it can be of more use to you, your business, and other artists in your area.  We are holding our next Trustees meeting Thursday, April 26 at the Grafton Inn with the express purpose of hearing from artists and arts leaders from your area.  I hope you can attend and bring anyone you think can add to or benefit from the conversation.  Also please pass this invitation on to anyone who might be interested.

Please join us for a buffet dinner, cash bar,  and time to visit at 6:30. The discussion will get underway over desert at 7:00 and will end by 8:30.  We are asking for $10 per person to help with the food costs and RSVPs by April 20 will help us not waste food.

Feel free to sit in on all or part of our Board business meeting from 5:30-6:30.  The agenda will include:

Report on Student Art Month

Discussion on MeetUp as a vehicle for communication in the County arts community

Report on “Our Town” partnership with Town of Brattleboro

Report on partnership with BABB for arts planning and publicity calendar

Windham County 2012 Cultural Events publicity trifold

Report on plans for publicity of Windham County Arts Economic Impact Study

Please get in touch with me if you have any questions about what ACWC is up to, or thoughts on what we should be up to that you can’t bring to this event.

Thank you for all you are doing to make this a great area for the arts and healthy communities.

Doug Cox

ACWC President

Artists To Discuss Business Training at April Forum

The Arts Council of Windham County (ACWC) is sponsoring a forum, “Business Training for Artists,” on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 from 7-8:30pm at the Moore Free Library (23 West Street) in Newfane, VT.

This year, the ACWC provided scholarship funds to nine Windham County artists accepted into the two-day Vermont Arts Council (VAC) professional development workshop for artists, “Breaking into Business,” held in February and March.

Windham County artists Michael Billingsley, Ronald Demers, Sheryl Fletcher, T Namaya, Rolf Parker-Houghton, Stephen Proctor, Brendan Taaffe, Elin Waagen, and Ruth Wplk were selected for the workshops. Most will be available at the Newfane forum to share what they learned about business and marketing planning specifically tailored to the needs of artists.  Also attending will be participants from last year’s training who will share their perspective from applying the training.

The panel discussion is intended for artists of all disciplines (visual, performing, media, literary, crafts and traditional).   Those attending will get and share ideas on how to achieve greater success in their current or dreamed of arts business. The session will also identify needs for additional business training and services for area artists.  There is no charge for the forum.

Since 1975, the Arts Council of Windham County has worked to strengthen the environment for artists and arts organizations in Windham County.

Contact: Doug Cox, 802-257-1024,  dcox@sover.net

The Arts Council of Windham County (ACWC) is providing $150 in scholarship funds to be divided among Windham County artists accepted into a two-day workshop focusing on professional development for artists.

The Vermont Arts Council is once again sponsoring a two-day workshop on business and marketing planning specifically tailored to the needs of artists. The program is open to Vermont artists of all disciplines (visual, performing, media, literary, crafts and traditional) and is facilitated by Maren Brown and Dee Boyle Clapp from the Arts Extension Service at UMass Amherst. These “Breaking into Business Workshops” will be held at the Bennington Museum.
Business Planning for Artists will be offered on Feb. 11, 2012 and marketing for artists will be offered on Feb. 12. The cost is $75 for the two-day program; $50 to attend a single workshop. Application must be made to the Vermont Arts Council by December 15, 2011.

Brattleboro Town School Board Community Forum

Art in Our Schools

Please join us for a conversation about

what we would like to seein the arts programs

in our elementary schools

Wednesday May 4
6:00 PM
Academy School

How does one make a living, stay creative, and have a career in the arts?  What effect does commercial success have on artistic growth? What are the assets and challenges of working as an artist in the Brattleboro area?

These are some of the questions to be explored at the second public artist potluck and forum hosted by Brattleboro-West Arts, Sunday, March 20 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Elliot Street Café, at the corner of Elm and Elliot Streets in Brattleboro.

Painter and printmaker William Hays will share his story as a successful Brattleboro area artist. Included in the discussion will be his observations and opinions about how to strike the balance between making money and making art while maintaining artistic integrity. Information about his work and business is available at www.theartistsloft.com. A general discussion will follow the presentation.

Artists and all interested in the topic are invited to bring food for a potluck starting at 5:30. Those wishing to attend should also bring their own plates and utensils.  The program and discussion will begin at 6:30.  Donations will be accepted to help pay for the space.

Brattleboro-West Arts is a diverse group of artists and craftsmen living and working in the Whetstone watershed dedicated to improving the commercial and artistic success of its members.  BWA considers the arts to include not only the traditional visual, sculptural and performing arts, but also writing, landscape arts, and fine foods. To learn more, visit www.brattleboro-west-arts.com

For more information contact Doug Cox at dcox@sover.net or 257-1024

POPULAR BEE  BENEFITS BRATTLEBORO ARTS INITIATIVE
A Humorous Evening of Serious Thought
APRIL 2, 2011 AT THE LATCHIS THEATRE, 6:00 P.M.

For the third time in as many years, Brattleboro Arts Initiative is bringing Spell Check! A Spelling Bee for Grown-Ups to the main stage of the Latchis Theatre.  This exciting event pits spelling teams against each other, the countdown jingle, Judge Archer Mayor’s bicycle horn, Beekeeper Jim Maxwell’s pronouncements and Master of Ceremonies Tom Bodett’s tapestry of words, stories and running jokes. Each team is made up of three spellers.

Queen Bee Elizabeth Catlin yearned for spelling bee honors as a child, but never found the forum – until now.  “I love Spell Check!  My team of Wannabees and I will be there with bells on, but not necessarily the beehive hairdos this year.  Wait and see!”  Yes, teams are encouraged to dress for success, whatever that means to them.  Last year’s Strolling of the Heifers bovines spiced up the stage, as did Jerzee Grrlz and the Bee-Boppers.

At stake are the ever popular Bragging Rights, as well as the opportunity to display your team name or short phrase on the Latchis Theatre marquee.  Past winners are the team from New England Youth Theatre and wild card pick up team The Stragglurs.  “We had no idea we were so darn smart,” said Stragglur Zon Eastes.  “But there you go!”

For more information about Spell Check! A Spelling Bee for Grown-Ups contact Gail Nunziata at 254-1109 x 3 or info@brattleboroarts.org.

Listen to PSA here.

The Arts Council of Windham County (ACWC) is providing $150 in scholarship funds to be divided among Windham County artists accepted into a two-day workshop focusing on professional development for artists.

The Vermont Arts Council is once again sponsoring a two-day workshop on business and marketing planning specifically tailored to the needs of artists. The program is open to Vermont artists of all disciplines (visual, performing, media, literary, crafts and traditional) and is facilitated by Maren Brown and Dee Boyle Clapp from the Arts Extension Service at UMass Amherst. These “Breaking into Business Workshops” will be held at the Windsor Welcome Center, 3 Railroad Ave., Windsor, VT.

Business Planning for Artists will be offered on Feb. 12, 2011 and marketing for artists will be offered on Feb. 13, 2011. Application must be made to the Vermont Arts Council by Jan. 12, 2011.

Attendance is limited to 25 participants.  Artists may apply to attend one or both days.  Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis.  Preference will be given to artists that apply to attend both workshops.  Upon completion of the program, artists will be eligible to apply for special Arts Council funding of up to $500 to implement some aspect of their business plan.  The cost is $75 for the two-day program; $50 to attend a single workshop.

“The first series of business-oriented workshops proved very worthwhile to those artists attending. Since this pair of workshops is nearby, we thought it would be a good investment in Windham County artists to help with their tuition,” said Greg Worden, president of the ACWC. “Scholarship winners will be expected to share information about their experience.”

For more information or to apply, click here.