Each year, Tompkins County's arts council administers five grant programs, three of which are funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). For 2011, the NYSCA funded programs resulted in the grants for nearly 40 different projects, with a total of $52,000 awarded to local artists and arts organizations, schools and other local not-for-profits.  

From dance, music, and theatre to poetry, painting, and sculpture, these grants allow Tompkins County residents to experience a truly amazing range of events. Thanks to NYSCA's support, we've been able to award more than $850,000 over the past 20 years with just these three programs alone."  

Add these NYSCA program grants to the five artist fellowships recently awarded to Melanie Dryer (theatre artist), Katharyn Howd Machan (poet), Sue Perlgut (filmmaker), Lin Price (painter), and Ann Reichlin (sculptor/installation artist), and the Tompkins County Tourism program grants administered by CAP, and  our annual award total for 2011 is nearly $225,000!

The complete list of grant recipients can be found on HERE on ArtsPartner.org.

TC Poet Laureate Gail Holst-Warhaft on a visit to the Acropolis

Legislature Chair Martha Robertson has appointed Gail Holst-Warhaft as Tompkins County Poet Lareate for 2011.  Born in Australia, the new Poet Laureate brings to the position a diverse background, including experience as a journalist, broadcaster, writer, academic, musician, poet, and translator.  An adjunct professor of Near Eastern Studies, Comparative Literature and Classics at Cornell University, Holst-Warhaft currently directs a program of Mediterranean Studies.

The new Poet Laureate calls Ithaca "one of the most fortunate cities in the United States" in terms of poetry, with a lively local poetry scene and nationally acclaimed poets on the faculty at both Cornell and Ithaca College, who have inspired hundreds of young poets.  As Poet Laureate, Holst-Warhaft says she will work to build greater interaction between the local poetry scene and poets who teach at the colleges; organize events combining poetry and music; showcase the poetry of immigrant communities in the County; support the efforts of Ithaca City of Asylum to keep Ithaca a refuge for persecuted writers, and work with the Ithaca school district to bring poets into the schools.
 
CAP coordinated the nomination process for the position of Tompkins County Poet Laureate.  Further information about the new Poet Laureate and the poet laureate program may be found at ArtsPartner.org.

HELP SAVE THE NYS SUMMER SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

The New York State Summer School of the Arts (NYSSSA) is an outstanding program delivering top quality arts education programming experiences to youth throughout New York State. Continuously operated via the State Department of Education since 1970, the funding for this year's program is in jeopardy. Please participate in this quick and easy advocacy action to help ensure the NYSSSA's continuation.

WHAT IS NYSSSA?

The eight Summer Schools of the Arts are directed and staffed by internationally acclaimed artists and companies such as the New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Students work in small groups and in one-on-one sessions with professionals and with other students of similar ability. NYSSSA's goal is clear: to provide intensive, pre-professional training programs for New York State's most gifted and motivated young artists, those who are considering careers in the arts or entertainment industries. The schools provide intensive training in an environment where students experience the rigorous discipline of the daily life of a professional artist. The program is open to all high school age students who qualify through auditions. Tuition assistance, based upon financial need, is available. No students who qualify are denied NYSSSA's opportunities because they cannot afford them. NYSSSA represents the wide spectrum of cultural, ethnic, social, and economic diversity that is New York State.

The eight component schools of NYSSSA are:

Ballet I Choral I Dance I Jazz I Media Arts I Orchestra I Theatre I Visual Arts

To find out more about NYSSSA - visit their website - click here.

WHY NYSSSA NEEDS YOUR HELP:

NYSSSA has taken all steps possible to reduce the costs of operations in light of the State's financial difficulties. In addition to significant reductions in spending for the 2010 program, NYSSSA has raised tuition rates and reduced the number of slots available. In order to operate the program in 2011 an appropriation of approximately $800,000 must be included in the NYS Budget, specifically targeted for the operation of the Summer School of the Arts. (In the past the allocation has been part of the State Education Department.) Please support the inclusion of this modest appropriation, and all of the wonderful opportunities that it brings to the talented youth of New York State.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Contact your elected representatives

There are a number of options to let your elected representative know that you support continued funding for NYSSSA.

Our friends at New York State Alliance for Arts Education have made it simple for you to send an e-mail by clicking here.

You can also try contacting your legislators in person, making a personal phone call, or writing a personal note. More advocacy tools are available at the New York State Alliance for Arts Education's website - NYSAAE.org