News Briefs: February 2022

(photo courtesy of Matilde Steck)

Local Yonkers Teen Matilde Steck Publishes
First Novel


“I wrote this book to find my voice and confront my social and environmental anxieties through fictional storytelling…,” says Matilde Steck about her recently published book. The senior at Yonkers Middle High School recently self-published The Call: A Brief History of the Chirosapiencidae Revolution on Amazon. Steck, also a second-year member of ArtsWestchester’s Young Adult Leadership Council, describes the book as a YA science fiction novel. The Call explores environmental activism through Janus, a fictional colony of the first alien species with human level intelligence. Steck adds: “I want readers to be inspired towards change in the real world and maybe come to the realization that they aren’t alone in their fears or experiences.”

 

 

 

“Bald” by 2021 Larry Salley Award winner Elijah Goodwin (photo courtesy of the artist)
(photo courtesy of Matilde Steck)

Call All Photographers!
The Larry Salley Photography Award

ArtsWestchester, in partnership with the African American Men of Westchester, seeks nominations for Hudson Valley-based photographers who have a significant body of work with outstanding artistic merit. Nominees for the fourth annual Larry Salley Photography Award will be reviewed and chosen by a guest judge, with approval from both organizations as well as the family of Larry Salley. The winner and award finalists will have the opportunity to be included in an online exhibition, hosted on ArtsWestchester’s website and on its Google Arts & Culture partner site. Deadline: February 28.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maria Rosario Jackson (photo by David K. Riddick)

Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson Appointed New Chair
of National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently announced that Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson was appointed its new Chair. A vote by the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment, making Jackson the 13th Chair of the organization. According to her official statement, Jackson says that she will lead the NEA “with dedication to inclusivity, collaboration and with the recognition that art, culture and creativity are core to us reaching our full potential as a nation.” Jackson is a longtime member of the National Council on the Arts and a professor at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. In her statement, Jackson adds: “In addition to serving as an economic engine, arts and creativity are core to what it takes to heal our nation, our communities and ourselves.”

 

 

 

Governor Kathy Hochul delivering her ‘State of State’ address (photo courtesy of the Governor’s office)

Gov. Hochul Includes the Arts in State of the State Address

In August, New York welcomed to the helm a new governor, Kathy Hochul. The Constitution of New York State requires the Governor to deliver an annual message to the Legislature. The proposals included in her “State of the State” last month are the first step in defining the Governor’s agenda in 2022. In her message, Governor Hochul included the following message about the arts:

“In 2018, New York’s arts and culture economy generated more than $114 billion, providing jobs for over 460,000 workers.93 But the COVID-19 pandemic has levied immense challenges on the sector, which is contending with 21 months of revenue loss and significant workforce reduction. Beyond economic impact, a thriving arts and culture sector has overwhelmingly positive health and social benefits for a diverse population, including children, the elderly, veterans, and justice-involved individuals.

Expansive funding is essential to revitalize the arts and culture industry and reestablish New York State’s commitment to being the arts and cultural capital of the world. Governor Hochul will provide additional funds for arts recovery and capital improvements related to COVID-19 impacts on top of the agency’s annual base funding of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). NYSCA funding drives local economies, and the development of main street businesses across all 62 counties. This investment reflects the pivotal role of New York’s creative sector and its capacity to propel the economic growth and health of all New Yorkers.”

 

 

Kathleen Suss (photo courtesy of Concordia Conservatory)

Concordia Conservatory’s Executive Director Receives Milestone Award

Concordia Conservatory’s executive director, Kathleen Suss, was the recipient of the National Guild of Community Arts Educators’ prestigious Milestone Award. The annual award is presented to “individuals who have provided long-standing, exceptional service to the community arts education field.” Entering her 25th year as the Conservatory’s director, Suss has been at the helm as it created programs and need-based scholarships to ensure arts accessibility for all, including the establishment of a campus in Stamford, CT in 2018. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Suss led her team through a digital pivot that included recording, broadcast performance, livestream and remote delivery of educational music and art services in lieu of the group’s usual outreach. In the fall of 2021, she launched the Conservatory as an independent community music school when Concordia College New York closed.

 

 

 

 

(photo: Macall Polay/NETFLIX)

MARSHA ON THE MOVE
Monthly Web Feature

When Business Council of Westchester President Marsha Gordon, is not advocating for businesses in the County, she can be found at the cinema or theater. Read Marsha’s review of “tick, tick, BOOM!” on Netflix below:

I have seen Rent many times, but I never really knew about the life story of its creator, Jonathan Larson. For starters, he was a graduate of White Plains High School (Yay!).  

This film is not about Rent, but instead tells the journey that so many take before they (if they ever) achieve such success. The film focused on an early failure – Larson’s first musical, tick, tick, BOOM! – and the difficulty of getting the production made. We see it all: the anguish of rejection, the artistic mind and the lifestyle of the time. With all of this, he still had the determination to move on to the next thing, as difficult as that was. Of special interest was the support Larson received from Stephen Sondheim.  

While all of this is happening, we also see the beginning of the AIDS crisis, the loss of so many both within the theater industry and outside of it, and the ups and downs of Larson’s own relationship. Actor Andrew Garfield was fantastic as Larson and it was nice to be treated to the talent of Lin-Manuel Miranda, this time as Director.

A version of this article first appeared in the February 2022 issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.​​​​

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.