May, 2003

CULTURE ZONE TOWN MEETINGS

The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations will be "ON THE ROAD!!" Don't miss the opportunity to learn about the New York State Culture Zone Project and become part of the process at one of the following meetings:

As you can see from the schedule these TOWN MEETINGS, held in 3 regions in New York State, are designed to acquaint attendees with this exciting new initiative, the New York State Culture Zone Project. A 4th Meeting will be held later in the summer in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

Joining Alliance Staff at these meetings will be Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle, who along with Senator Serphin Maltese, is drafting and sponsoring the Culture Zone Legislation. A discussion of the progress of the legislation to date, as well as a summary of proposed benefits will be presented. Questions will be addressed and the input of the assembled will be documented and considered in future iterations of the bill.

The New York State Culture Zone Project represents a revolutionary funding idea that emerged from meetings of arts leaders convened by the Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations in November 2001 and February 2002. The meetings focused on the need for a systemic arts policy change to affect more equitable access and provide greater resources to the arts and cultural industry in New York State. The Alliance wanted to achieve this objective without simultaneously depleting or re-allocating existing resources. The need for this new legislation was echoed at the six regional meetings conducted after 9/11 and facilitated by Anne Ackerson. These findings were documented in our report "Challenge and Opportunity: A Post 9/11 Assessment of the New York State Arts Community."

Benefits from these zones for the cultural industry loom large. For example:

• tax incentives to landlords in the zones who provides rents at below-market rates to nonprofit arts and cultural group and artists
• Tax incentives to developers in the zones who construct and set aside for extended periods of time spaces for artists, arts groups, and cultural institutions, including performance and exhibit spaces o Tax credits to contributors individuals and businesses who make contributions to arts institutions located in the zone
• Reduced electric and other energy costs to arts organizations in the zone, a significant help to the growing number of arts organization with buildings, performing and exhibition venues to support
• Funded and fundable job development programs to help arts organization in the zone access subsidized staffing and job training programs
• Low interest/no interest loans (e.g. SBA) to arts related, for-profit small businesses in the zone
• Incentives and credits for community re-vitalization projects in the zone
• Visibility for the arts industry as a community and economic development stimulator, it gives the arts a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval."

Please review the schedule of spring regional meetings for 2003. Sign up online for the meeting that's most convenient for your schedule and geography.

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STATEWIDE GATHERING
"A LIVING LEARNING LABORATORY culture builds community: UTICA 2003."
October 15, 16, 17, 2003

The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations will convene a statewide gathering October 15, 16 and 17. The title is: "A LIVING LEARNING LABORATORY culture builds community: UTICA 2003." It will begin at 11 am on October 15 and conclude at 5 pm on October 17.

This gathering will incorporate a new format where participants will study different organizational operations in Utica to determine how they are structured and operate, while considering their strategies, achievements and obstacles, challenges and opportunities, successes and failures. Utica presents an interesting array of collaborative, partnership and economic revitalization initiatives. Utica is regarded as a highly interesting cast study for people in the arts in that it has a thriving cluster of community based arts and cultural institutions. The gathering will be clearly focused, emphasizing practical themes with working examples and first hand experiences described by staff and board members. This gathering considers the role the arts play in building and creating community or how to create a community. The interactive showcases and roundtables will help tie together the practical and the theoretical. Attendees will take practical lessons from the community back home.

Attendees will spend two full mornings of the conference on site-visits offered at 4 different organizations. Two large and two small organizations will be showcased: Sculpture Space, Oneida County Historical Society, Central New York Community Arts Council and Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. All are within 5 miles of each other and thus easily accessed by attendees. Descriptions of activities at each of the four sites follow:

The Oneida County Historical Society converted an impressive Classical Revival Christian Science church to serve as its new home in 1991. The Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting the rich history of Oneida County and Central New York. Kevin Marken, President of the OCHS, will provide participants with a close up inspection of the Society's collection, archives, exhibition fabrication, research library and Book and Gift Shop. He will lead a discussion of program development, educational programming and fundraising. On exhibition at the time will be WW II and Oneida County, Celebrating Our Journeys (ethnic heritage), The Revolutionary War and Hotel Utica.

The Central New York Community Arts Council, founded in 1966, is the major arts service organization for Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties, offering a wide array of programs and services for individuals and arts organizations. CYNCAC also owns the magnificent Stanley Theater in Utica, which it has restored and operates. It is now conducting a $10,000,000 fundraising drive to expand the stage and back-of-house support areas. The visit will include a tour of the non-public spaces (stage, dressing rooms, etc.) and a preview of the ambitious expansion plans now in progress. Ron Thiele, Executive Director, will lead the tour and lead a participatory discussion of the organization's many programs and the current fundraising efforts for the Stanley Theater.

Sculpture Space, Inc. is an artist-run workspace uniquely equipped to serve sculptors. Since its founding in 1975, it has provided space, specialized equipment and financial and technical support for over 300 professional artists from around the world who have undertaken ambitious projects at the facility. Sculpture Space is the recipient of the 1987 Governor's Excellence in the Arts award and a 1990 MacArthur Institutional Advancement Grant among many other awards, grants and honors. Sydney Waller, Executive Director, will provide a tour of the main building and grounds and lead a roundtable discussion about programs and recent leadership transition. She will also detail the complex network of support and types of annual fundraising efforts required to operate the facility. Three artists - one from Germany, New York and New Mexico - will be in residence at the time with works in progress.

Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute has been operating since 1935. Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute (MWPAI) comprises three divisions: the School of Art, Performing Arts and the Museum of Art. The Institute occupies an 11-acre campus and is deeply involved in the community development of the surrounding area as well as providing a comprehensive spectrum of art resources for the entire area. MWPAI was the recipient of the Governor's Excellence in the Art award in 1998. Milton Bloch, President and Paul Schweizer, Director of the Museum, will conduct a brief tour of the campus (including the school and dance studio) followed by a visit to the museum's state-of-the-art art storage, preparation areas, and other non-public spaces. An interactive discussion will follow highlighting the planning and community development/revitalization initiatives. Exhibitions on view will be Rodchenko, Carter Art Glass and major works from the permanent collections.

As indicated, each behind the scenes visit will include an on-site roundtable discussion of organizational strategies, achievements and obstacles, successes and failures, opportunities and challenges. Participants will have the option of focusing on larger organizations or smaller ones, whichever they feel may provide most useful and parallel lessons for them.

Themes of interest for afternoon sessions are fundraising, board staff relations, marketing, collaboration and community building and service. Parallel sessions on each of these topics will be run by expert panels, one for emerging organizations and one for larger, more established organizations. These build on the onsite interaction at the 4 study organizations. One session per time slot will deal with a more philosophical discussion of community development.

The confirmed keynote speaker is Paul Westlake. Mr. Westlake is managing principal of the architectural firm vanDijk, Westlake, Reed, Leskosky based in Cleveland and Phoenix. The firm is almost 100 years old and is a noted national theatre and historic restoration firm specializing in landmark performing arts facilities. Through its specialization, the firm has become an established national leader in the revitalization of communities through historic performing arts projects. His remarks will address the issues of how strongly the arts can influence and change downtown revitalization and renewal and will be augmented with his wealth of personal experience and on the powerful ability of the arts to drive current and future development. Congressman Sherwood Boehlert, Mayor of Utica Tim Julian and Oneida County Executive, Ralph Eannace will be on hand to greet the conference attendees.

The gathering will be paced and punctuated to provide valuable time for participants to make friends and renew acquaintances. Evenings will be programmed to promote social interaction and networking at the Stanley Theater and Munson- Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, an incomparable museum, compliments of our enthusiastic hosts, Central New York Community Arts Council and Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute.

Fees will be $165 for Members with second person attending from an organization $150. Room rates at the elegantly restored and historically significant full service Hotel Utica will be $89/night, with an option for conference attendees to stay over Friday night to enjoy the extraordinary fall foliage at the height of the season, take an optional excursion on the Adirondack Railroad or attend Sculpture Space's "Chairity Auction."

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AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS CONFERENCE

The National Arts Conference will take place in Portland, Oregon, June 7-10. This is the largest annual gathering of arts advocates in the country. Alliance Executive Director Judith Kaufman Weiner will attend this gathering and network with 1,000 community arts and business leaders. Through conference sessions, we will explore new business strategies which will strengthen our effort to advance the arts community in New York State. As Treasurer of the National Community Arts Network, Ms. Weiner will also represent New York's voice in the community arts and advocacy network. For further information about the convention, please contact Americans for the Arts 202-371-2830, www.AmericansForTheArts.org

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FROM THE UPSTATE OFFICE: By Martha Strodel, Director of Rural Arts Program

As you read this, I'm on my way to the early May rural workshops for boards, both of which focus on planning for growth and/or new projects. They are:

Friday, May 2, 1:30 - 4:30 pm: BUILDING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: GETTING YOUR PROJECT OFF & RUNNING with Dyan Wiley at Unison Learning Center in New Paltz. For more information, call 845-255-1559.

Saturday, May 3, 1-4 pm. PLANNING FOR ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH with Kevin Geoghan at Earlville Opera House, 6-22 East Main Street, Earlville, NY. This workshop is directed toward small to mid-size organizations planning growth and/or a new project. Call 315-691-3550 or email: earlopra@dreamscape.com.

Saturday, May 17, 1-4 pm. HOW TO DEVELOP AND KEEP AN EFFECTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS with Anne Ackerson at Roxbury Arts Group, Vega Mountain Road, Roxbury NY. Selecting & securing effective board members; board job descriptions & evaluation; educating board members to share the vision, build commitment and effective team action; providing for smooth board transitions. Cost: $10 per person; Contact host Roxbury Arts Group at 607-326-7908 or by email at artrox1@catskill.net.

Tuesday, June 3, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm. EFFECTIVE BOARDS with Dyan Wiley
at the Clinton County Community College Campus, Plattsburgh, NY. This workshop will cover the basics of board development, training and evaluation. The cost includes lunch and is $27.50 per person with a second person registering from the same organization at $23.50. Host is Council on the Arts for Clinton County. Call 518-563-5222 or email coacc@primelink1.net for more information.

Wednesday, June 4, 7 - 9 pm. FUNDRAISING IN YOUR COMMUNITY with Gail
Schilling at GOArt's new space, 201 East Main Street, Batavia NY. Gail is the Development Director for the Y of Genesee County. Her presentation will include a focus on effective membership drives. Cost is $10 per organization, with up to three individuals representing an organization. Host: Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council. For information, contact GOArt at 585-343-9313 or by email: lblanchet@goart.org.

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NEWS FROM THE FIELD

Welcome to SYDNEY WALLER, Executive Director of Sculpture Space

Welcome to ROBIN KERR-WILSON, Executive Director of Hornell Area Arts Council

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RESOURCES

CONNECTING DISPARATE WORLDS OF COMMUNITY BUILDING
www.communityarts.net/readingroom/archive/45borrup.php
Tom Borrup, on sabbatical from his job as executive director at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis, MN, recently completed a yearlong fellowship at the University of Miami School of Architecture's Knight Program in Community Building. His essay is a valuable comparison of strategies for exploring the community building from different perspectives.

CENTER FOR ARTS AND CULTURE
www.culturalpolicy.org
Investing in Culture: Innovations in State Policy is meant to assist legislators who want to strengthen their states'cultural agenda.

ACTORS FUND
www.actorsfund.org/ahirc
The Artists' Health Insurance Resource Center is an online database designed to meet the critical need for health insurance information in the arts community.

CULTURAL POLICY AND THE ARTS NATIONAL ARCHIVE
www.cpanda.org
The Cultural Policy and the Arts National Data Archive is a fully interactive digital archive of policy-relevant data on culture and the arts.

OPPORTUNITIES

ARTS EXTENSION SERVICE
www.umass.edu/aes
June 19-21, 2003 Summer Program in Arts Management.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS DEADLINES
www.arts.gov
Deadline: June 2, 2003 Challenge America: Access to the Arts (Fast-Track Review Grants)
Deadline: June 16, 2003. Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth (Standard Review Grants)
Deadline: August 18, 2003. Challenge America: Access to the Arts (Standard Review Grants)
Deadline: August 18, 2003. Heritage and Preservation

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The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations has a long history as New York's primary service association for community based arts and cultural organizations. The Alliance provides leadership and vision, and delivers services, resources and tools that strengthen community cultural organizations. The Alliance monitors, informs and mobilizes the field on statewide and national issues affecting the arts and assists local arts agencies in building community support and developing effective grassroots public policy.ing community support and developing effective grassroots public policy.

245 Love Lane, P.O. Box 96
Mattituck, NY 11952-0096
Phone (631) 298-1234 / Fax (631) 298-1101