FINAL WEEK OF THE NYFA BOOT CAMP ARTS FESTIVAL

It’s our final week of the Festival and we’ve had some show-stopping performances and incredible works of visual art, all of which has been greatly supported by audiences.  Here’s a reminder of this weeks events.  See you all there!  (For details see Schedule of Events):

ARTIST TALK: “Identity: Masked and Unmasked”
Wed, Nov 17, 7:00pm; FREE, tickets at door
Location: Launchpad, 721 Franklin Ave, Bklyn
Subways: 2/3/4/5 to Franklin Ave; C to Franklin Ave

A discussion of work on view November 8 – 27 by visual artists Melanie Baker, Margarida Correia, Shaun El C. Leonardo and Dionis Ortiz, all graduates of the NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp.

PERFORMANCE: Travis Sullivan’s “Bjorkestra” at Iridium
Thu, Nov 18, 8:30pm + 10:30pm; $20 + $15 drink/food min (reservations at www.iridiumjazzclub.com or 212.582.2121)
Location: Iridium, 1650 Broadway @ 51st St
Subways: C to 50th St; B/D/E to 7th Ave; N/R/W to 49th St; 1 to 50th St

An evening of jazz with NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp graduate Travis Sullivan and “Bjorkestra,” his genre-bending homage to Icelandic pop star Bjork.

PERFORMANCE: Dance & Music
Fri, Nov 19, 7:00pm; $5-$15 (recommended) at the door
Location: Surreal Estate, 15 Thames St, Bklyn
Subways: L to Morgan Ave

Sydnie Mosley presents three dances she has choreographed, “Home,” “Love Stutter,” and
“Fall(ter)ing Prays” (2007).

Singer-Songwriter Stephanie Spangler performs original pop-folk songs played on the piano.  With special guest Peter Cobb on Sax!

SPECIAL EVENT: Song + Dance
Sat, Nov 20, 7:00pm; FREE, tickets at the door
Location: Launchpad, 721 Franklin Ave, Bklyn
Subways: 2/3/4/5 to Franklin Ave; C to Franklin Ave

Soprano Gretchen Farrar performs Spanish and English songs for voice and guitar from Interweaving, her upcoming CD.

Filmmaker and NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur Boot Camp graduate Michelle Chai offers an evening not of film, but of salsa. Following two short performances—a solo work performed by Michael Belmonte and a partner dance performed by Chai and Belmonte—Chai offers a 45-minute salsa lesson. Samples of her clothing line will be available for sale.

LaunchPad is THE Venue!!!

LaunchPad, located at 721 Franklin Ave in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and owned and operated by Mike Kunitzky, has been a generous host for several NYFA Boot Camp Arts Festival events.  Check out a great story on the space and check it out on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 7pm for the Festival’s next live performance featuring Wanda Phipps, Liliana Almendarez, Ryan Murdock, and Stephanie Spangler.

http://thebrooklynink.com/2010/11/12/19073-free-on-franklin-avenue/

Recommended Resources by Artists for Artists

There are dozens upon dozens of resources for artists out there, but which ones are useful for realizing projects? Here are some recommended resources by four Boot Camp artists who recently spoke at our NYFA Artist Talk.

From Michelle Jaffé
Organizations:

1. Free classes at the Foundation Center Library (www.foundationcenter.org)
2. Classes at the Field (www.thefield.org)
3. Career development classes at NYFA, Creative Capital, and Queens Council on the Arts

Books:

1. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grant Writing by Waddy Thompson

From Isabel Sadurni
Books/resources:

1. The Artists Guide: How to Earn a Living Doing What You Love by Jackie Battenfield
2. How to Write a Screenplay in 10 Weeks by Marilyn Horowitz (Professor of Dramatic Writing at NYU
3. www.marilynhorowitz.com)
4. The Independent Film Producer’s Survival Guide: A Business and Legal Sourcebook by J. Gunnar
5. Erickson, Mark Halloran, and Harris Tulchin

From Travis Sullivan
Organizations/institutions:

1. Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP)
2. Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library

Books/resources:

1. Billboard Talent & Touring Guide
2. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
3. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
4. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield

From Rachel Somerstein
Resources for community-based projects:

1. Americorps VISTA (www.americorps.gov/about/programs/vista.asp)
2. DoTank:Brooklyn (www.dotankbrooklyn.tumblr.com) Interdisciplinary community projects
3. FEAST in Brooklyn (www.feastinbklyn.org) Funding Emerging Artists through Sustainable Tactics
4. LaunchPad (www.brooklynlaunchpad.org) Venue for writers and reading series
5. NorthsideUp (http://www.ournorthside.org/) Syracuse-based community development group that partners with government and the arts
6. 40 Below Public Arts Task Force (www.40belowsummit.com/taskforces/publicarts.php) Good example of a volunteer group that creates public artworks independently and with the city

Resources for writers:

1. Dashwood Books (www.dashwoodbooks.com) Great for ideas and finding new artists
2. Editorial Freelancers Association (www.the-efa.org)
3. Freelancers Union (www.freelancersunion.org) Especially the “jobs” section
4. Give Me 5 (www.giveme5.com) For female entrepreneurs interested in becoming government
5. contractors – even writers
6. HARO – Help a Reporter Out (www.helpareporter.com)
7. LinkedIn (alumni groups) (www.linkedin.com/nhome) Job or project-based opportunities and events
8. NYU’s CWP Reading Series (www.cwp.fas.nyu.edu/page/readingseries)

NYFA Artist Talk Recap

Tonight NYFA hosted an Artist Talk featuring four Boot Camp artists:  Michelle Jaffé, Isabel Sadurni, Travis Sullivan, and Rachel Somerstein.  The talk was moderated by Boot Camp artist Rachel Selekman.  The artists discussed their personal experiences of realizing their projects.  They also provided a resource guide that they themselves found useful (which will be posted soon!).  Some discussed topics included

(1) forming peer groups for accountability and motivation
(2) turning dismal situations into an opportunity
(3) collaborating with fellow artists and local organizations for resources and ideas
(4) know how to ask and listen in order to create opportunities
(5) funding sources could include grants, personal social network, employment centers in the community, in-kind donations, and Kickstarter

Kick-Off Event Tonight at 6pm!

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the Kick-off event tonight at 6pm at the NYFA Offices.  There will be a fantastic exhibition showcasing many Boot Camp visual artists.  NYFA Curator David Terry will speak on the exhibit.  Come join us and mingle with the Boot Camp Artists and friends.  Complimentary wine will be served.

Thursday, Nov 4, 6:00 – 8:00pm; FREE, tickets at door
Location: NYFA, 20 Jay St, Bklyn
Subway: F to York S; A/C to High St/Bklyn Bridge

Preview Pics

The NYFA Boot Camp Arts Festival organizers are getting the final pieces in place for the Festival!  We’re revved up here at NYFA and here are some preview pics representing several of the artists who will be showcasing their work throughout November.

Rachel Selekman, “Mouth Wide Open,” 2009. PHOTO: Christopher Burke

 

Naomi Reis, “Florescent (out of the ruins),” 2010. PHOTO: Naomi Reis

 

Ryan Murdock, “Grain Terminal”

Boot Camp Artist Featured in The Uptown Chronicle!

Check out a recent post on one of our Boot Camp Artists, Dionis Ortiz, in The Uptown Chronicle.

http://theuptownchronicle.com/?p=538#more-538

He is part of a Festival show, Identity: Masked and Unmasked, at LaunchPad along with Melanie Baker, Margarida Correia, Shaun El C. Leonardo.  The show opens Nov. 8th at 6pm (see Schedule of Events for more details).  Exhibit is curated by Rachel Selekman.