Vanessa has become more and more at home at Artists' Exchange. She LOVES art class, and has been proudly showing off her paintings and projects daily, while easily making new friends with her sweet smile, wonderful sense of humor and warm  personality.

Omiara has also settled in nicely with the crew at Artists' Exchange, trying out art and theater and getting to know everyone. We look forward to getting to know her better as well... and we'll snap a photo of her the next time we see her to add to the highlights!

Shannon and Karen would like to highlight the impact that our summer camp helpers have made on this year's camps.

"Awesome Alison," a nickname given to Alison by one of the campers, has been gaining independence and has been self initiating different ways to help out during camp, from preparing supplies to assisting campers who need one on one help to complete projects. She sat with the boy below to help him with his spelling in his journal entry.

Catherine has been visiting theater camp a few times a week and leading the campers in theater games. She is using skills she has picked up through learning and performing to help these beginnings actors grow.

Erica has been a huge help in setting up the outdoor area each morning with Jamie, a Met School Intern who stayed on as a volunteer this summer.

Greg also assisted with cleaning up after lunch and snack.

Be sure to congratulate all of our helpers on a job well done!

The 4th annual One Act Play Festival closes this Sunday.

The line-up features 10 plays varying in content and genre, and featuring many of our Black Box Player favorites as well as some old and new friends from the community.

Bill Rodriguez, theater writer for the Providence Phoenix highlighted three plays in his review: Jeremiah's Choice, which stars Mark Carter and Bob Reynolds, in which he says "the suspense builds exquisitely," Superhero, starring Cherylee Dumas and Alex Rotella which Rodriguez describes in one word: "Hilarious," and local playwright Pat Hegnauer's The Son, which Rodriguez describes as "a difficult balancing act because it could easily topple into sentimentality... between the writerly restraint and the acting skill, that doesn't happen."
Jim Seevor of Motif Magazine described the evening as "fast-paced and at times moving" and added that the plays were "well chosen and work well in the intimate space."

Catherine Fay stars in "The Rental" as a young woman who is given an odd yet welcome birthday gift from her friend... a date with the perfect boyfriend.

Bob Macaux stars in "Chuck Exley" as a private detective with a dark secret.

Greg and David Smith co-star in a funny vaudevillian sketch titled "The Bench," while Ken Benoit struggles with a love of trash in "Can Can't".

Chris White plays alongside Bethany Bobola as a disgruntled married man whose shared discussion of his aches and pains says more about the ties that bind.

Superhero, starring Alex Rotella and Cherylee Dumas, was invited to be performed at the New Bedford Short Play Festival this fall. Congratulations to Alex and Cherylee for their solid performances in a hilarious story!

Due to Karen's strategic pricing, which allows Artists' Exchange to offer affordable and competitive pricing, while still building profit potential, summer camp income has nearly doubled this year. Of the $70,000 in income, nearly $54,000 is profit.

This income will go a long way to support Artists' Exchange programs and events. The now annual "Send Your Kids to Camp for Crackers" discount has also brought in nearly $,2000 in donations which will greatly help defray the costs of the 2010 Gingerbread House Decorating Contest... one of Artists' Exchange's most popular fundraisers.

With Amanda's help creating and mailing sponsorship packets to over 50 of Artists' Exchange and Gateways' vendors, Christina has secured sponsorships ranging from in-kind donations to monetary donations of $100-$500 from 17 businesses: Citizens Bank, Brennan Oil & Heating, Delta Dental, Best Buy, Walgreens, Digital Document Solutions, JD Construction, Arrow Gas, HB Alarms, Shaw's, Sullivan Tire, The Battery Shop, West Valley Inn, I-Net, Southcoast Catering, Delizioso and BJ's.

This is the largest amount of sponsorships Artists' Exchange has had thus far going into the festival, and is hopefully just the beginning of this kind of support!