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Third Thursdays with Arts Habitat

Seven O'Clock
At the YMCA
600 Camino El Estero
Monterey

In this issue...
ARIEL Theatrical in March
First and Upcoming Events
Volunteers Wanted
Finding a Place to do Music
Our Sponsors
Arts Council for Monterey County

Koret Foundation Funds

ATT Pebble Beach Charities

Community Foundation for Monterey County

Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County

Hartnell Community College

Monterey Peninsula Foundation

National Endowment for the Arts

Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services

Liquitex

Architectural Resources Group

Hauk Fine Arts

Arts Habitat is grateful to the above donors, and to all our friends who follow their lead in helping to further Arts Habitat's mission:
    
Creating a place for creating art.

Please add your financial contribution in support of our community arts programs.  

You can make a donation of $50 to help Arts Habitat continue to create places for creating art by
clicking on the PayPal link below. 

You can also send a check for any amount to Arts Habitat's mailing address: 
Arts Habitat, PO Box 64, Monterey, CA 93942.


Donate    
Follow-up Link

http://www.arieltheatrical.org

Arts in Progress has a group on Facebook. 

If you have questions about Arts In Progress, click here.

This newsletter is edited by Megan Havens for Arts Habitat.
Arts in Progress January 2009
Letter from Richard Mayer

Dear Friends of Arts Habitat,
Painting by Elizabeth Murray
Good things are worth repeating: for the 17 years since Fort Ord closed, Arts Habitat has been dedicated to establishing an arts community at the new town of East Garrison - a mixed use center and multicultural destination, featuring low-cost studio spaces and live/work units for visual, performing and literary artists.

While construction is on temporary hold until the housing market recovers, Arts Habitat has become a launching site for arts programs that enrich the larger Monterey County community.

We are partnering with the Independent Living Program in Salinas, where youth-at-risk learn life skills through the arts.

We are also presenting a new series of free public gatherings called Arts in Progress. Each month, an artist or arts organization involved with a specific art form will be invited to share information with audiences. See the stories in this newsletter for details.

Sincerely,

Richard Mayer, Executive Director
Arts Habitat
P.O.Box 64
Monterey, CA 93942
ARIEL Theatrical Rehearses a Scene from the
 Upcoming Musical "WONDERLAND!" for 

ARTS IN PROGRESS
ARIEL Theatre

Wonde
rland! A Glimpse ofThrough the Looking Glass
 
Join Arts In Progress in March to find out what happens behind the scenes during rehearsals in ARIEL Theatrical's newest musical, WONDERLAND!   WONDERLAND!  transforms Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass into an upbeat, coming-of-age story that audiences of all ages will adore. 

The Director and members of the cast of ARIEL Theatrical's spring production, WONDERLAND! will demonstrate how characterization, technique and plot development are integrated into staging during a rehearsal.

Audience members may recognize some favorite characters and might meet some new ones as well.  The production includes a baseball team, a gospel group called The Responsibilities, a train conductor, star-struck tourists, plastic light-saber wielding knights and many more.

The production is directed by Gail Higginbotham, with musical director Lyn Whiting and choreographer Lara Devlin.

The actual performances--as opposed to AIP's behind the scenes rehearsal--will be on Fridays at 7 pm and Saturdays 2 pm and 7 pm from March 20 to April 4, at the Wilson Children's Theatre, 320 Main St., in Old Town Salinas. Tickets and information: 775-0976 or visit www.arieltheatrical.org

ARIEL Theatrical is a nonprofit organization offering year-round programs in theatre arts for children and adolescents. ARIEL seeks to use the art and discipline of theatre to help young people develop the skills and confidence they need to positively direct their own lives.
Audience at Feb. Presentation
First AIP Event

  Elizabeth Murray draws a large audience

On February 19th, AIP's volunteers waited anxiously to see if anyone would come to the first AIP event.  They should not have worried.  Elizabeth Murray's program about her colorful and inspiring visual art drew an audience of over fifty interested people to the YMCA on Estero Street.  

Elizabeth shared a visually inspiring slide show, and then spoke about how she merges photography with drawing and print making skills.  Afterwards, some audience members used pastels and black and white copies of photographs to create their own images using a simplified version of her techniques.

Upcoming AIP events will include Garland Thompson speaking about and demonstrating Slam Poetry, Spector Dance exploring the nature of movement, and Monterey artist David Wagner on figure modeling.
 
  Announcements

Arts Habitat's goal for ARTS IN PROGRESS is to encourage growth of community by encouraging all people to engage in the arts.

If you are involved in the arts and have an upcoming event, opening, or insight about arts in Monterey County that you would like to promote, please email us your information.  We reserve the right to edit or refuse submissions, but we do want to hear from you. Contact:
[email protected] for more information.
 
 
 Volunteers Welcome!
Looking for a project?

Arts Habitat currently has two programs:  Houses Art and Arts in Progress.  Both programs rely on volunteers to make things happen.  We need people to help with everything from marketing to clean up.  We'd love to hear from you as to what you would like to do to help create places for creating art!
 
Finding a Place to Do Music
Megan Havens contemplates the art of finding a place to do art.

The following paragraph was sent to me by the music teacher at the school where I work.

Music Education in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is up for elimination for the 2009-10 school year and needs your help and support to halt these cuts. Please join concerned community citizens for your only chance to show your support for music education in the public schools on Monday, March 2nd at 7:00 pm at the Board of Education meeting. The meeting will be held at the Instructional Materials Center, 540 Canyon Del Rey, Del Rey Oaks, CA.

The email also noted that people could send letters to the following address: 
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
Superintendent's Office
P.O. Box 1031
Monterey, CA 93942-1031

I work at Monterey Bay Charter School, a K-8 Waldorf-methods school located in Pacific Grove.  We have a vibrant and growing music program that we place very high on our list of priorities for our upcoming budget.  As an educator, I know how important music is in teaching students.

Music makes math easier to learn.  It makes geography come alive. It helps students understand poetry, and the rhythms of working throughout the world.  Music helps to develop hand-eye coordination and large motor skills.  It helps the individual learn how to function as a member of a group.  It helps students learn to follow rules, and it gives them something of which to be proud. 

As a community, we can write letters, and appear at Board meetings-- and we should do those things.  However, the question is still on the table:  How do we as members of this community make sure that all children have access to the arts? How can we help find funding to support the arts in schools and in our communities?

This month's AIP presentation is an opportunity to see what children and community members working together can do, and to get a sense of why it is important that they continue to do it.  ARIEL Theatrical does meaningful work helping students develop skills and have fun with music and drama.  Come and join us in learning about why community theater is important, and why arts programming needs your support.

Arts Habitat

Administrative Office:
3785 Via Nona Marie
Carmel, CA 93923

Office Hours:
Monday-Thurday
10:30-2:30
Phone: (831) 624-6111

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 64
Monterey, CA 93942
For More Information:  [email protected]