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With Our Plan in Hand, There is More Work to be Done
 The release of the ENGAGE CNY regional cultural plan (see below) marks the end of a year-long process complete with thousands of surveys, dozens of focus groups, and countless hours of effort from volunteers, analysts, researchers, and CNY Arts partners, boards members, and staff. The result is cultural plan and regional assessment that defines our cultural landscape more clearly and accurately than ever, from the perspective of our region's arts, culture, history, and heritage organizations, our individual artists, and our community.
But most importantly, ENGAGE is a plan that identifies transformative strategies for our region to pursue for the next ten years. Strategies that were informed, shaped, and prioritized by all levels of stakeholders from across the region, that take into account our strengths and identify where we need to grow.
With the planning process behind us, the work of executing these strategies begins. Together our region will integrate culture into every community, improve the quality of life for all residents, and improve the overall livability and vitality of Central New York.
Stephen Butler
Executive Director
CNY Arts
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 ENGAGE CNY Regional Cultural Plan Released |
 CNY Arts is proud to present ENGAGE CNY, a regional cultural plan that will strive to reposition arts, culture, and heritage as catalysts for improving the vitality of this 5,500 square mile region in the heart of New York State. Over the next 10 years, ENGAGE will increase cultural and creative opportunities for its 1.01 million Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego county residents and thousands of visitors.
ENGAGE CNY, commissioned by CNY Arts and funded by a 2013 Regional Economic Development Council grant, is New York State's first regional cultural plan and one of the few regional cultural plans in the nation. ENGAGE's geographic reach was designed to align with our New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization geographic reach.
Guided by 72 community leaders representing all six counties, an extensive eight-month campaign (July 2013 through February 2014) sought opinions and ideas through surveys, meetings, and focus groups. In all, 8806 Central New Yorker's cared enough to offer their thinking and ideas. The extent of participation alone speaks volumes about the interest and desire to see that regional culture and creativity thrive.
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CNY Arts
421 Montgomery Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
315-435-2155
CNY Arts is supported by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency,
with support from the
and
the IDEAS Collaborative
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The New York State Consolidated Funding Application window is now open. The deadline for application is
Tuesday, June 16 at 4pm.
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| Michael Harms Theater Festival Educates, Entertains |
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 | | Students from Nottingham High School perform "All That Jazz" from the musical Chicago during the 2014 Michael Harms Theater Festival. |
CNY Arts brought together more than 150 students and adults from five high schools and two community theater groups from five counties throughout New York's Central and Southern Tier regions at Cayuga Community College in Auburn, NY for the 2014 Michael Harms Theater Festival on Saturday, April 12. This annual competition and celebration of youths in theater is a combination of musical and dramatic theater performances, feedback, and professionally-led workshops for both young performers and behind the scenes artists and crew.
Auburn High School, Dana West Jr-Sr High, The Media Unit, Nottingham High School, Oswego Children's Theater, Sherburne-Earlville High School, and Whitney Point High School participated in this year's event.
Respondents for the 2014 Festival included Rose Burnett Bonczek, a professor of theater at Brooklyn College who recently co-authored Ensemble Theater Making: A Practical Guide; Marc Cole, a professor in the SUNY Oswego Theatre Department since 1979; and Maria Marrero, a Professor of Theatre Design and Technology in the Syracuse University Department of Drama.
Workshop leaders included Bradley Benjamin (The Fosse Broadway Dance Audition), a featured dancer for many Broadway productions and tours; Michael Broughton (Lighting), the Facilities and Technical Manager for the Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival; Carey Eidel (Acting), Executive Director of the Auburn Public Theater and veteran of over 50 television shows and films, in addition to extensive work on the stage; Jeff Glave (Scenic Painting), who has painted scenery for Summer Stock and Broadway productions, the Metropolitan Opera, and over 50 films and television shows; Kevin Shumway (Improvisation), an adjunct instructor in the Syracuse University Drama Department; Lindsey Quay Sikes (Special Effects Stage Makeup), a Visiting Professor of Costume Design at Le Moyne College; Maria Wechsler (Creative Play), the Artistic Director for the Skaneateles Dickens Festival; and Kathy Zamniak (Dance Auditioning for Dancers), owner and operator of Rhythm in Motion Studio, a dance studio in Auburn since 1980.
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 Rudolph returns this December! Make sure to save the date for the school and public performances! School Performances Wednesday, December 10 - 10:00 AM Thursday, December 11 - 10:00 AM Friday, December 12 - 10:00 AM and Noon Public Performance Saturday, December 13 - 11:00 AM
Keep an eye out for more exciting information about The New Adventures of Rudolph in the coming months! |
| Onondaga County Project Support Grants Announced |
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CNY Arts is pleased to announce the recipients of over $50,000 in Project Support grants, funded by the County of Onondaga. These grant programs were created to provide support for arts, culture, history, and heritage projects that significantly add value to the cultural life of Onondaga County. These programs also strive to provide funds for historically unfunded organizations. All funds are distributed from Room Occupancy Tax revenues. The Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance determined that making funding available for these groups was a priority for the cultural community.
Recipients include Community Folk Art Center, CORA Foundation (ArtRage), Dance Theater of Syracuse, Downtown Committee Foundation, New York State Blues Festival, Point of Contact Gallery, Society for New Music, Syracuse Children's Theater, Syracuse Community Choir, Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, Syracuse Poster Project, Syracuse Shakespeare Festival, 40 Below Public Arts Task Force, Film In Syracuse (feat. Symphoria), and Syracuse City Ballet. Projects were selected by a community arts panel.
The arts and cultural community is greatly appreciative of the continued support from the County of Onondaga, especially County Executive Joanie Mahoney, Deputy County Executive Bill Fisher, Legislature Chairman Ryan McMahon, and Ways and Means Chair David Knapp.
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| NYCON Recommends Delay of Nonprofit Revitalization Act Implementation |
The New York Council on Nonprofits (NYCON) is recommending an amendment to the Nonprofit Revitalization Act of 2013 that would allow for an additional six-month adjustment period, delaying the effective date to January 1, 2015. NYCON cites the following reasons:
1. The NRA was not signed until the end of 2013, so nonprofits are not given sufficient lead time to implement changes needed to be compliant with the new Nonprofit Revitalization Act.
2. The Act will require most nonprofits to amend their bylaws (which for some may require membership meetings) and develop or amend policies. This should be done with deliberation and care by individual nonprofits so that they understand and can appropriately implement. The current time-frame does not allow that.
3. Some bylaw changes, such as to committee structures, will require significant alterations which may result in loss of volunteer leaders. These are not simple changes or amendments, and will require large scale organizational adjustments.
4. State contracts and the NYS Grants Gateway require nonprofits that contract with the State be compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. Without an extension of the date, many nonprofits are likely to face dire cash flow circumstances which could disrupt local services.
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CNY Arts receives numerous inquiries from individuals looking for careers in arts management. If you have positions available in your organization in marketing, development, administration, box office management, or artistic programming, we will gladly forward postings directly to these individuals in addition to sharing them on the newsletter or via social media, whichever is most appropriate for your needs. Email job postings to communications@cnyarts.org.
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Opportunities and Resources for Artists and Organizations
(email communications@cnyarts.org to submit)
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Opportunities
Calls for Artists / Auditions
The Westcott Street Cultural Fair is accepting applications from musicians, dancers and children's performers now through May 31st, 2014. This year's fair will be held on Sunday, September 21st from 12:30 to 6:30pm. The fair features six stages of performances (three music, two dance, one children's) and all performers are compensated. The application can be found at WestcottStreetFair.org. Please note all music should be original.
Open Call for Artists - Exhibit Opportunity
Westcott Community Art Gallery
The Salt District of the Near West Side
Jobs/Volunteers/Grants
Syracuse First can always use volunteers. Call for more information (315.396.6418)
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Resources
Giffordslist.org - A resource sharing website, administered by the Rosamond Gifford Foundation, for Central New York nonprofits and businesses.
Oswego Arts Collaborative - a local service and advocacy organization whose mission is to be a catalyst for the economic development and sustainability of visual and performing arts, is compiling a list of artists and arts organizations interested in strengthening the cultural life of Oswego County. All artists, groups and residents interested in receiving regular information about the Collaborative and its initiatives or in taking part in the mission of the Collaborative are asked to email artsinoswego@gmail.com.
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For a comprehensive listing of artist workshops and classes in your area,
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