Croton Council on the Arts

WHAT THE CROTON COUNCIL ON THE ARTS DOES:

ARTIST FORUMS (Jan-May, Sept-Nov) - Ottinger Room, Croton Free Library, 171 Cleveland Drive, Croton-on-Hudson	ARTIST FORUMS, seasonal events sponsored and nurtured by the Croton Council on the Arts, are individual or small group presentations – primarily by local artists – offering specific themes, new art forms and techniques, art history, unusual experiences, music programs or anything else that CCoA feels will be of interest to the community. As many as six to eight Artist Forums have been presented annually during the past several years. Some of the Forums are in conjunction with exhibits of the artist's works in the Ottinger Room and can be seen during the Forums and when the library is open. Admission and refreshments are free; volunteers are always needed to man the refreshment table. See the announcement for the next forum. For library hours and other information about the library. For further information or to offer suggestions for future Forums, please contact: info@crotonarts.org. Free use of the Ottinger Room is a service of the Croton Free Library. top
Annual CET SECOND GRADE ART SHOW presented by Croton Council on the Arts and Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate at its office - 10 Old Post Road, Croton-on-Hudson	Second Graders at the Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School get a chance each year to show off their talent when CCoA sponsors an exhibit of their artwork. CCoA's mission includes encouraging children to pursue and enjoy art from their earliest years. To further that mission, the organization has mounted this show since 2002. It began when students in all grades at CET created colorful drawings of fish to decorate the walls of Cambridge House for CCoA's twenty-fifth anniversary fundraiser called "Hooked on Art." The student work was such a hit with the public that the exhibit was moved to the Library and later to Houlihan Lawrence. It has become an annual tradition. Past show themes have been "When I Grow Up," "Come Fly With Me," "All Creatures Great and Small," "In My Dreams," and "My Favorite Place to Be." The exhibit is mounted in two parts to insure that each child's work can be displayed. Each show opens with a reception for the public. Supervised by CET art teacher Mitchell Visoky, the children work in a variety of styles, including collage, mixed media and three dimensional art. For the next CET 2d grade show; for more information contact Maggie Loewenwarter, (914) 271-1037. For more information about, and examples of, student art from CET. top
Annual PHOTOGRAPHERS OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER exhibit - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton & Ossining - 2021 Albany Post Road (Route 9A), Croton-on-Hudson	First presented in 1972, the Photographers of Northern Westchester exhibit is the largest show of its kind in the county. Each Spring, 80-90 invited photographers, both amateur and professional, show their work at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship Meeting House in Croton. The week-long show features every style of photography from still life to landscape, from portrait to documentary, from traditional photographic processes to current digital photography, including also ultra-creative computer-enhanced pieces. Most of the works are for sale. The Show is sponsored jointly by CCoA and the Fellowship, open to the public, free, and always diverse and interesting. If you are a serious photographer, either amateur or professional, and are interested in participating in the next exhibit, please call either Steve Jacoby or Maggie Loewenwarter at the numbers listed below. Location: Route 9A just north of the Montrose exit and overpass of Route 9. Unitarian-Universalist website. For further information contact Maggie Loewenwarter, (914) 271-1037, or Stephen Jacoby, (914) 271-4868. top
Annual LOCAL COLOR ART SHOW - the Art Barn - 211 North Highland Avenue (Route 9) in Ossining	Started in 1997, the LOCAL COLOR ART SHOW, sponsored by the Croton Council on the Arts, is at the Art Barn each Spring. Local Color celebrates works of area artists who employ various media. Shows have included not only paintings and photographs, but also collages, sculptures, pottery, jewelry, and fiber and bead art. The annual show has been successful for both artists and art enthusiasts, and is one of the many programs organized by CCoA each year to nurture the arts as an important contribution to life in Croton and the surrounding area. Collectors from throughout Westchester visit the show each year. The public is cordially invited. Admission is free. This exhibition is yet another contribution to furthering awareness and appreciation of visual, literary, musical, and dramatic arts in the community. For further information on this Spring's show, check our Calendar or call Allison Stewart at (914) 271-9581. top
HUDSON STAGE COMPANY	The Hudson Stage Company, one of Westchester's premiere professional theaters, is "Dedicated to discovering, developing, and producing bold and unique plays, the company provides a haven for the pioneering writer, and an oasis for the theatergoer looking for challenging entertainment." Hudson Stage now has a permanent home on the Briarcliff campus of Pace University, in a comfortable 134-seat performance space with excellent acoustics and terrific sightlines: Woodward Hall Theatre, 235 Elm Road, Pace University, in Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510. Performances are made possible in part by a grant from the Westchester Arts Council, and by the generosity of Pace University. Prices are reportedly the lowest prices for any professional theatre in the county, and parking is free. In 2006, CCoA was a sponsor of the Hudson Stage performance of AFTER ALL, a new play by Gina Barnett. CCoA has also been a co-sponsor for several of Hudson Stage's past "Divas on Hudson" fundraisers, where internationally renowned sisters Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway were joined on the grounds of a private estate in Croton-on-Hudson with breathtaking views of the Hudson by some Broadway friends (such as John O’Hurley, Audra McDonald, Kathy Brier, and Julie Halston). For more information about Hudson Stage, call (914) 271-2811 or go to the Hudson Stage's website. top
CROTON TEEN THEATER	The CROTON TEEN THEATER is a theater group which gives opportunities to Croton teenagers to perform in outstanding productions. The Teen Theater has deep roots in the Croton theatrical scene. Croton Teen Theater’s “Broadway on Hudson” program was established by the Croton Council on the Arts to continue the long tradition of the Croton Shakespeare Festival, which, for a generation of Croton teens, had offered lessons in community-building as well as theater arts. For the better part of two decades, Teen Theater has kept such a legacy alive to appreciative reviews. "Each summer, the troupe puts together a full-scale musical in just under four weeks, working with professional directors, set designers, choreographers and sound engineers. The result, say Croton-on-Hudson residents, is a show that makes the village proud. ... The troupe's connection to theater professionals is evident each year in its 'Broadway on Hudson' fundraisers ...." 7-25-2006Journal News (Linda Lombroso reviewing 2005 production, Seussical). The month of July is given to evening rehearsals, culminating in three performances of a musical. The program is overseen by a volunteer board, but direction, musical instruction, set, light and sound design are all the work of professionals. This allows teens a different perspective from that afforded by the region’s many other fine high school programs. While several Teen Theater alumni have gone on to professional careers, the real reward of the program is sharing within the community the joys of theater and of watching young people willing to devote time, effort, and talent to community effort. Teen Theater's valuable program has been recognized in repeated grants it has received from the Westchester Arts Council. Teen Theatre again received an Arts Alive grant from the Westchester Arts Council in 2007, this time $1,000 to "Light Up the Night" to provide lighting for the Summer production. Past productions have included OLIVER; ONCE UPON A MATTRESS; GREASE; SEEN AND HEARD; DAMN YANKEES; FIDDLER ON THE ROOF; THE KING AND I; THE SOUND OF MUSIC; SOUTH PACIFIC; THE MUSIC MAN; ONCE ON THIS ISLAND; BYE, BYE BIRDIE and SEUSSICAL, THE MUSICAL (2005). Dates and specific contacts for the next production are on the Calendar page. For more information on the next production, to volunteer your services, or for general program information, please contact John MacLean at (914)271-1418. This project was made possible by the Arts Alive program of the Westchester Arts Council, with funding from the Decentralization Program of the New York State Council on the Arts. top
FILM	In the past, the Croton Council on the Arts sponsored an annual film festival. It is developing new and different types of film offerings, including artists' forums. Look for them on this website and its Calendar page. top
ARTISTS OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Briarcliff, Croton & Ossining - 2021 Albany Post Road (Route 9A), Croton-on-Hudson	Since 1965, the annual invitational ARTISTS OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER exhibit has been sponsored by the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship in Croton, with the active involvement of the Croton Council. This venerable show is another showcase of works in various visual media by local artists. Location: Route 9A just past the Route 9 northbound exit for Montrose and Buchanan. For further information contact Sharon Kullberg, (914) 271-5640. top
GRANTS	NEED A GRANT FOR YOUR PROJECT? The Croton Council on the Arts may be able to help you find dollars you need to make your arts project a reality. We can help you to secure an Arts Alive Project Grant through the Westchester Arts Council (WAC), of which CCoA is a member. What is an Arts Alive Project Grant? WAC defines it as "a single event or activity such as a performance or a series of related activities such as hands-on instructional workshops." These grants range from $1,000 to $5,000. Requested funds should be used primarily toward artist fees, marketing/publicity costs, direct administrative expenses, supplies/material and other direct arts related expenses of the arts project." Funded programs must be accessible to the general public and take place between January 1 and December 31, 2007. (Members: inquire by e-mail, including name, e-mail address and phone number.) WANT TO BE A RAINMAKER FOR THE ARTS IN CROTON? CCoA needs a volunteer to head up our search for other grant funds to support our local artists. Arts Alive Project Grants make up just one funding program. There are dozens of others. Volunteers: Please reach CCoA President Paul Loewenwarter via this e-mail link, providing your e-mail address and telephone number(s). top