News Briefs: October 2021
Local Choreographer Sidra Bell Premieres New Work with New York City Ballet
Westchester choreographer Sidra Bell will premiere a new work with New York City Ballet (NYCB) during its upcoming season. Bell was the first Black female choreographer to create a work for the company with her 2020 “pixelation in a wave (Within Wires),” which had a digital premiere due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “New Bell,” will mark her first work to premiere on the NYCB stage. During the “Innovators & Icons” program on October 1-3, 6 and 12, Bell’s work will share the stage with Andrea Miller, who is also premiering her first main stage work for NYCB, as well as George Balanchine, who is considered one of great choreographers of the 20th century.
Call for Hudson Valley Artists: “Who Writes History?” Exhibition
ArtsWestchester invites Hudson Valley Region artists working in 2D, 3D, digital, performance and new media to submit proposals to create new work that considers the complexities of writing (or rewriting) history. The exhibition seeks to bring marginalized stories to the fore in an effort to work towards a more inclusive recounting of the past and present. Commissioned works will be included in ArtsWestchester’s exhibition, “Who Writes History?” where three artists will be selected to realize their project and be awarded $2,500. Deadline: October
Katonah Museum of Art Appoints Interim Executive Director
Katonah Museum of Art (KMA) recently appointed Leslie Griesbach Schultz as its Interim Executive Director. Schultz comes with experience from several nonprofit organizations, including BRIC Arts | Media House, a major arts and media venue in Brooklyn, where she led development and funding efforts. Schultz will lead the KMA while the Museum’s board conducts a nationwide search for a permanent Director. In the meantime, Schultz says that she plans to make the transition of leadership “meaningful, productive and invigorating.” Board President Vida Foubister explained that the Museum will seize this opportunity to “strengthen relationships with its community, collectors and patrons, and other arts and culture organizations that want to engage with its future in a full and vibrant way.”
MARSHA ON THE MOVE
Coda (Apple TV+)
I can’t tell you how much I loved this movie. A hearing girl, growing up in a deaf family, who loves to sing – that’s just the beginning of this beautiful story. As the movie-goer, we see a family that is different from many, with incredibly strong bonds and also some tough dynamics. The family is dependent on their hearing child who became the interpreter for the family, but also the translator for the family’s livelihood. We see a girl who goes to school, but also works incredibly hard on the fishing vessel owned by her family; we see her overcome the bullying abuse that she endured from her classmates; and we meet the teacher who sees her talent and the promise of a different life ahead. The very existence of the family’s ability to earn money is threatened by her dreams and yet, enough said. Rather than inserting any spoilers here, I’d urge ArtsNews readers to watch this film and make sure they have tissues nearby.
A version of this article first appeared in the October 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.