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The Arts Council gratefully acknowledges the leading support of the New York State Council on the Arts, the County of Dutchess, as well as the following 2009 sponsor: M.H. Valley Federal Credit Union |
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Never Underestimate the Power of a Vibrant Local Arts Scene |
Keith Bunin, the accomplished playwright and television screenwriter with Dutchess County connections, will bring his latest play to the Powerhouse Theater this July. This sexy, romantic moving play, Vera Laughed, is based on the real history of Russian writer Ivan Bunin (a distant relation) who was living in exile in France during World War II. You can also catch Keith's work on the second season of HBO's "In Treatment", which should be out on DVD shortly. In a recent phone conversation, Keith had nothing but praise for the arts community in and around Poughkeepsie about 20 years ago. In fact, he attributes much of his success as an artist to the theater classes he took from Jan Dennison at Community Experimental Rep (now defunct) and Children's Community Theater productions directed by Julie Leech. These two companies led by these energetic and unassuming local artists provided an incredibly high level of theater training which focused on process rather then the product. It was a level of theater training which could only be compared to professional children's theaters like those in Minneapolis, Seattle, and New York. Beyond the theater classes there was wealth of high-quality affordable cultural programs in Poughkeepsie at that time that kept all artsy teenagers and others engaged and inspired. As ushers for the Bardavon, this young crowd saw the Alvin Ailey Dance Company and remarkable stage productions from the American Repertory Company and more. Local colleges too provided ample cultural offerings including the Powerhouse Theater Program at Vassar where Keith was exposed to the work of John Patrick Shanley, John Robin Baitz, and many others. The effects of this training and active participation in the arts cannot be underestimated. For Keith, his experiences provided an artistic/theatrical vocabulary and a creative process that gave him confidence and the ability to seize opportunities. More importantly, the skills he developed here gave him the ability to create his own opportunities whether at Oakwood Friends or NYU Film School. And while anecdotes of Poughkeepsie may never appear in his work directly, you can always see the region's influences in the quality of his work. And though the cultural landscape of Poughkeepsie has changed over the years with the loss of corporate funding, today you can still see the joy and deep engagement of the artistic process in the faces of the young folks attending Mill Street Loft's Art Institute, playing in Stringendo's Youth Orchestra, or participating in Children's Media Project's Drop TV. Like Keith, these nascent artists are being inspired by the dedicated faculty at these organizations to make brave creative choices which will serve them well in the future whether they choose to work in the arts or health care or education or science or … "Vera Laughed", Keith Bunin's new play opens July 22 at the Powerhouse Theater's Mainstage and runs through August 2. The production is directed by Carolyn Cantor. Tickets can be purchased at the box office at the Vassar Campus or by calling 845-437-7235. There will be a Q & A session with Keith following the July 28 performance. This message was initially published in the Poughkeepsie Journal's Enjoy Section, June 26, 2009. See additional information about Powerhouse Theater top center of this page or visit their web site http://powerhouse.vassar.edu |
Benjamin Krevolin,
President posted 6/2909 |
| TAKING THE PLUNGE: A Guide to the Art of Buying Art |
The art-buying waters are perfect at this time of year and the Arts Council can help you take the plunge with our Art 101 Buying Guide written especially for you, the art curious. So read on to learn more about the art of buying art! First and most important – if you love something, go for it! Art is all about your personal taste and emotional experience, so don’t be shy if you really want that painting or photograph. And definitely don’t be afraid to ask questions! Art is meant to inspire conversation, and most artists appreciate the opportunity to talk about their work. If you are purchase-shy though and feel intimidated by some of the unfamiliar art terms, we have some pointers and definitions that will build your art-buying confidence. |
| Advice from Artists and Collectors: |
“There is no right or wrong way to buy art. I like to buy images that evoke a feeling a feeling or an emotional response. It could be any medium or subject matter as long as I like and find it visually appealing,” - Besty Jacaruso “People sometimes say that they don’t feel qualified to make a decision about whether or not a work of art is good...but most important, buyers should trust their intuition: if they love a piece, they will enjoy it, and that’s the most valuable aspect of owning art that I can think of.” – Linda Piuatti “If one doesn’t have confidence in his or her own eye then what fun would collecting be?” – Jack Banning “Some artists don’t consider photography an ‘art’…but to truly capture the essence of light and emotion, [it] takes talent, practice, hard work and knowledge…Photography gives us views of ourselves, our world in its own unique way.” – Linda Hubbard |
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Become a Member Today and support the 2009 Arts Fund. |
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| Or you can mail a check to: Dutchess County Arts Council 9 Vassar St. Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 |
| The Arts Fund will help the Arts Council provide funding for 12 of Dutchess County’s most valuable cultural assets, 20 community based projects, 8 Arts in Education programs, 4 individual artists and many valuable programs that spread the benefits of the arts to communities throughout Dutchess County. |
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| Recent Awards |
Dutchess County Arts Council was voted one of the top Regional Arts Council by the readers of Arts Calendar Magazine, January 2009. |
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Powerhouse Theater |
Powerhouse Theater, now entering its 25th season, is the result of a unique collaboration between Vassar College and New York Stage and Film (SAF). A not-for-profit company dedicated to the development and production of new works for theater and film, SAF was founded in 1985 by Producing Directors Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer and Leslie Urdang. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer, each summer SAF moves to the Vassar College campus in Poughkeepsie, to join with Vassar, a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential, liberal arts college founded in 1861, to present the annual Powerhouse Theater season. The Powerhouse Theater is a black-box venue that hosts the season's mainstage shows, its most fully-produced pieces and was created from the college's decommis-sioned power plant, as was another black-box, the 125-seat Susan Stein Shiva Theater, where the season's readings and workshop productions are held. The Powerhouse musicals are held in the 325-seat Martel Theater in the Cesar Pelli-designed Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film. The Powerhouse program consists of an eight-week residency on the Vassar campus during which more than 200 professional artists and some 40 apprentices live and work together to create new theater works. Powerhouse steadfastly supports both emerging and established artists. The 25th Anniversary of the Powerhouse Season runs June 29 through August 2 and will feature Mainstage productions, concert readings and a free readings festival. Visit their website for the season's schedule, times and ticket prices: |
Announcement
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The Dutchess County Arts Council (DCAC) has been named one of the nation's Top Regional Arts Councils by Art Calendar Magazine, a nationally distributed business magazine for visual artists. The Arts Council was singled out for the quality services it provides individual artists living and working in Dutchess County and the Mid-Hudson River Valley as well the work the Council does to raise the awareness of the arts within the wider population. Other organizations receiving the honor this year are the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (Oklahoma City, OK), Regional Arts Commission (St. Louis, MO), and Florida Keys Council of the Arts (Key West, FL). The article appears in the January 2009 issue of Art Calendar Magazine. "Its not easy being an artist and even harder making a living in an arts field," said Benjamin Krevolin, Arts Council President. "We are happy to do anything that we can to help artists improve their creative skills, increase their customer base, or raise their community profile. The Arts Council is honored to have been recognized for this work which is so valuable to our community." Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus, who has presented individual artists with awards each year at an Arts Council ceremony said, “This is a well-deserved honor for the Dutchess County Arts Council. The arts community is such an important part of the county’s economic diversity. The County is proud to partner with the Arts Council as they continue their essential work to ensure our local artists are also successful business people.” Board Chair Cathy Temple said "Creating a positive environment for artists is very important for the Arts Council. We hope that this recognition raises awareness of the valuable work we do and helps us to attract more champions of the arts to join us in our efforts." Excerpted article can be downloaded here. Full article can be downloaded here. Arts Calendar Magazine is available locations throughout the Hudson Valley and copies of the January issue can be ordered at www.artcalendar.com. |
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| Intern at the Dutchess County Arts Council! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Dutchess County Arts Council is currently seeking candidates
to join the Arts Council team as a Communications Intern. Position
involves maintaining high-quality electronic and print communications,
such as weekly email newsletter, media releases and weekly newspaper
column, as well as supporting projects in arts advocacy and public
awareness. For details and qualifications, click here. |
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Arts Council Events
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| Arts Council Event | |
2009 Art in the Loft Opening Reception Gallery Hours: 11am-6pm, 7 days New!! Wine Label Competition |
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| Announcement | |
| 2009 Dutchess County Executive's Arts Awards Nomination Deadline: September 4, 2009 |
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| Announcement | |
The Dutchess County Arts Council is proud to present our To learn more about our Fellows and to read samples of their work click here. |
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Summer Issue of Artscene now available!
E-mail your request for a complimentary copy or call 845-454-3222
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Online Gallery |
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The Arts Council is pleased to announce we have a new online Gallery. Click the Gallery button to the left or access the site directly at http://gallery.artsmidhudson.org. The opening exhibition features the recipients of the 2006 Individual Artists' Fellowships in Sound and Digital Arts.
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