East Village Arts

Groovy meets chic at The Blind Pig FABnyc’s Annual Benefit!

Enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and stunning views of the City from The Penthouse at The Standard, East Village. Try your luck in a raffle and silent auction, and shake a tail feather to speakeasy-themed live music.

Purchase Tickets at www.fabnyc.org/blindpig.php

FABnyc is proud to be an active leader helping to cultivate the dynamic, creative community of the Lower East Side. We provide year-round support to our 28 member organizations, connect local partners to one another, and ignite lasting relationships that help make our community and City better.

The Blind Pig will not only be a celebration of this, but will also help us kick-off (in style) another year of innovation and community building.

Get excited, FABnyc’s very own Nuyorican Poets Café is featured in the latest episode of MTV’s “Washington Heights.” Missed the show yesterday? No biggie, you can watch the whole episode on MTV’s website. Pay special attention to 32:30 onward to catch one of our favorite Lower East Side cultural icons since 1973.

Click HERE to watch the whole episode.

Congrats Nuyo!

Lots near the levees in the lower 9th ward in New Orleans

Last month, The Network of Ensemble Theatre raised several questions to engage with presenters, participants, and writers at MicroFest USA: New Orleans as a way to create important discussions about race and gentrification in art and theater:

• What does the work look like?
• What makes the work work?
• How does place impart art?
• How does art impact place?

New Orleans native and researcher Catherine Michna shares her own responses to these questions in a thought provoking post entitled “How NOT to be a gentrifier with your theater: a starter list,” giving us a list of suggestions about “how white artists might use their work to push against, rather than roll with and increase, structures of racism and gentrification in the city.” Though her thoughts are specific to New Orleans, we highly recommend checking out this post.

Michna mentions The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond as a valuable resource, and, coincidentally, FABnyc staff recently attended one of their Understanding & Undoing Racism/Community Organizing workshops. We can’t stress enough the importance of tapping into and understanding these discussions to our own East Village/Lower East Side arts community. MicroFest, Michna, and The People Institute The People’s Institute are great places to start!

See a bit of our Executive Director, Tamara Greenfield’s, own experience at MicroFest USA: New Orleans here!

- Written by Erica Cheung & Edited by Hannah Krafcik

FABnyc’s newest member, The Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, ventured from their home in the East Village this past week to hold their 8th Encuentro (January 12-19), in São Paulo, Brazil.

The Hemispheric Institute, along with the SESC Vila Mariana, Universidade de São Paulo and the SP Escola de Teatro brought together artists, performers, scholars and activists to present performances, music, videos, installations, exhibits, activist projects, and more at this week-long event, which examined the intersections between urban space, performance and political/artistic action in the Americas.

Among those participating in the Encuentro was Zena Bibler of the The Movement Party, who happens to be one of our long time Dance Block participants! Thanks to her, we have snapshots of the Encuentro from an insider’s perspective. If these pics peak your interest, check out Hemi’s website for video updates from the Encuentro. Enjoy!

Urban Interventions performance series in the Praça Roosevelt

"Requiem for a Lost Land" by Violeta Luna at SESC Vila Mariana

Viewers interact with Nicolas Dumit Estevez during his endurance performance installation "The More I Dance..." at the Trasnocheo (after-hours performance space)

Samba lessons with Brazilian Encuentro Volunteers

Performance by Oi Nois Aqui Traveiz at SESC Vila Mariana

Desvio Colectivo performs "Cegos" at SESC Vila Mariana during Encuentro registration

The Movement Party and guest performer dance the B Sides at SESC Vila Mariana

La MaMa Kids is a series of creative workshops for the young and the young at heart. Master artists from La MaMa teach theatre crafts in workshops that encourage imaginative play and hands-on learning. Children and adults learn the basics of storytelling, dance, mask and puppet-making, and more!

Immerse Yourself!

Jane Catherine Shaw – February 9, 2013:

Assemble a colorful shadow fish puppet! Use pre-cut parts, or cut out your own parts and learn the basics of shadow puppetry construction and manipulation. Add rods and then dive in the light pond and take your fish for a swim! Recommended for the whole family!

Sweetbeatz

Meredith Wright – March 9, 2013:

Sweetbeatz is a band for young audiences that keeps little ones on their feet and dancing to the beat! Listed by blogger Mommy Poppins as one of the top shows to see for kids in NYC, you’re certain to enjoy her original soulful and silly tunes too!                                                                                                                       

Julia Martin – April 13, 2013:

What happens when a magical pot that doubles everything is discovered? Will the finders be rich forever or will their trouble double? A magical, mathematical fairy tale from ancient China retold  with music, puppets, and much more.  Includes craft-making for kids.

Mask Making 

Federico Restrepo – May 11, 2013:

A fun movement workshop for the whole family with an interactive jungle where children get to make their own an animal mask and create their own dance as you move through the jungle of your imagination! *This workshop will take place at La MaMa Galleria at 6 East 1st Street

Dear Friend,

We all know that great communities don’t just happen - it takes a dedicated, passionate group of residents, advocates and supporters to make a community flourish.

If you spend a day in our storefront office on East 4^th Street, you will witness firsthand the many roles that FAB’s staff plays to knit together a stronger community fabric.

Each winter, we ask you to consider making a donation in support of FABnyc and our vibrant community. A donation of $25 will significantly benefit the work we do; and every donation, no matter the size, is a huge help.

If you want to get a taste of how your donation can make a difference, come by our storefront and let us tell you a little more about who we are, what we do, and why we love our neighborhood.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!

Sincerely,

Tamara Greenfield & the FABnyc Team

Judy Kuhn is starting a Kickstarter project to record her own album! Kuhn has played Cossette in the original Broadway cast of Les Miserables, Florence in the original Broadway cast of Chess, was nominated for 3 Tonys, and–last but not least–sang “Colors of the Wind” in Disney’s Pocahontas. For this new album, Kuhn hopes to record songs that have personal meaning to her, including ones that have been written by her favorite songwriters.

With only 3 days to go, help Kuhn reach her goal of $40,000 by donating to her Kickstarter campaign here.

A Message from FABnyc…

Dear Friends,

Thank you all for the valiant efforts, empathy, and generosity that continue to invigorate our neighborhood during this time of need!

As of today, FABnyc has aggregated A LOT of information useful to individuals, organizations, and business, recuperating from Sandy.

This will all be accessible via our homepage as well. Please keep in mind that we haven’t been able to verify the accuracy of all this info. At this point, we are simply gathering and communicating what we find from reliable sources.

While this may not be relevant to all of you, in the spirit of community connectivity (which has only been strengthened by the storm) we encourage you to pass this info along to anyone and everyone who you think might find it helpful! Read on for the breakdown…

Relief & Assistance information relevant to individuals, small businesses, and organizations:

Unemployment Insurance for Freelancers:

• If you are self-employed you could be eligible for unemployment insurance in areas where a federal declaration of a disaster has been declared. We encourage you to apply.

Federal Disaster Resources (for individuals, small businesses, and organizations):

• Federal disaster resources will be available to you only if you register at FEMA. Go to www.disasterassistance.gov and register as soon as you have the capacity! [FYI: New York City Arts Coalition is a good resource for arts organizations that have difficulty or questions about registering.]
• It is also advisable to take pictures, document any damage, and keep a good record of what you spend post-Sandy.

Emergency Loans, New York City Business Assistance Programs, & Other Resources (for businesses and organizations):

• For info on Federal Loan options, visit the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• For info on the City’s Department of Small Business Services visit the new Hurricane Sandy Business Recovery site, which contains info relevant to:
  • Small- to mid-sized businesses that have experienced business interruption
  • Mid- to large-sized businesses that need to undertake rebuilding
  • Any business that is temporarily displaced from its space
  • And any business in need of other emergency assistance
• Lucky Ant also announced that they have decided to host any business that needs help raising funds to clean up free of charge. Email  jonathan@luckyant.com  personally if your small business has suffered damage during Sandy, and they will do their best to get you up on their site.

*BREAKING NEWS: Requirements to obtain a permit for placing a commercial refuse container are waived until Thursday, 11/15/2012! Click here for details.*

Local businesses return to chalk promotion. Photo by Jeff Hittner

Additional resources for artists and cultural organizations:

More on funding and emergency relief:

• NYFA Source lists information on Emergency Resources, including Current Disaster Resources, Emergency Grants, Financial Resources, Health and Insurance Resources, and more.
• Dance, theatre, music, multimedia and the spoken word artists working in the East Village & LES should check out The Howl Emergency Life Project (H.E.L.P.) for prospective financial assistance and other resources.
• Painting, sculpture, or printmaking artists may be eligible for an emergency grant from the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation.
• Professional craft artists may visit the Craft Emergency Fund for potential financial support and brokered assistance.
• If you work in performing arts and entertainment and need assistance, reach out to The Actors Fund New York Office at 917-281-5936 or The Actors Fund Work Program NYC at 212-354-5480.They have stated their availability to support!

Recuperation and sustainability: 

• If you are looking for looking for alternative space to teach, to rehearse, and or produce cancelled shows, check out NYC Performing Arts Spaces.
• For arts organizations looking to build post crisis sustainability, visit ArtsReady, a web-based emergency preparedness platform.
• Artists may visit CERF+ and Studio Protector for further emergency response information.

Conservation, wet recovery, and salvaging:

• Get current information to identify and locate professional conservation services by checking out AIC’s Find a Conservator.
• Learn more about wet recovery with resources via the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.
• AIC-CERT responds to the needs of cultural institutions during emergencies and disasters through coordinated efforts with first responders, state agencies, vendors and the public. For 24-hour assistance from trained volunteers, call (202) 661-8068.

For Volunteers:

• We encourage you to visit our homepage for a list of opportunities to help out in the wake of Sandy.

Email info@fabnyc.org if you have any volunteer opportunities, needs, or tips you would like to have listed with us or shared through social media.

Please take care!

Residents gather in front of cell phone charging station on Ave C between 9th & 10th. Photo by Jeff Hittner