2011 ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Award honorees announced;
public reception slated for Tuesday, Nov. 1

ERIE, PA — Each year ArtsErie honors individuals and groups for their contributions to the arts community with ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards. The awards are presented each year at ArtsErie’s Fall for the Arts Annual Meeting and awards ceremony. ArtsErie will host the 2011 Fall for the Arts celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 1 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Harlequin Ballroom, Sheraton Erie Bayfront (55 West Bay Drive, Erie).

 

At the event, ArtsErie will present three Arts Appreciation Awards. Erie Art Museum will receive the Leadership Award. Mercyhurst College & Michael Fuhrman will receive the Applause Award. Madelyn Simmons, educator in Wattsburg Area Elementary Center, will receive the Imagine Award.

 

Doors will open at 5:15 p.m.; the awards presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. A reception will immediately follow, featuring new hors d’oeuvres by Chef Michael Cerrie of the Bayfront Grille.

 

Fall for the Arts is sponsored in part by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, BNY Mellon, Erie Insurance and Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel. This year’s awards have been created by metal artist Evan Everhart.

 

For more information or to inquire about purchasing tickets, priced at $10 each, please contact ArtsErie at 814-452-3427 or info@ArtsErie.org.

 

 

About the ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards

Nominations for the ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards are accepted from members of the community and voted upon by the ArtsErie Board of Directors. The award categories are as follows:

 

The Leadership in Arts Award recognizes a business, government, or foundation that (1) has exhibited long term art support, or (2) whose work has had a significant impact on the region’s arts/cultural landscape, or (3) has demonstrated a successful collaboration between an arts organization and business.

 

The Applause Award recognizes a dedicated individual(s) or group whose outstanding volunteerism and contributions, either currently or in the past, have supported ArtsErie or the arts in our community. (The Applause Award now incorporates the Art Service Award given out in previous years.)

 

The Imagine Award recognizes an educator, instructor or individual whose efforts have made an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of arts education by consistently inspiring and encouraging arts excellence in their students or an education affiliate (PTA, Board of Ed., Performing Arts/Music School) or other organization that has demonstrated outstanding efforts to evoke interest and understanding in the arts both having worked over time to implement excellence in and for arts education.

 

 

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

Each year ArtsErie salutes individuals and groups for their contributions to the arts community by presenting them with ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Awards. 

Individuals and organizations are urged to use the nominating form on the ArtsErie website to submit nominations before the August 15 deadline to honor achievements in any of the three categories.

• The Leadership in Arts Award recognizes a business, government, or foundation that (1) has exhibited long term art support, or (2) whose work has had a significant impact on the region’s arts/cultural landscape, or (3) has demonstrated a successful collaboration between an arts organization and business.

• The Applause Award recognizes a dedicated individual(s) or group whose outstanding volunteerism and contributions, either currently or in the past, have supported ArtsErie or the arts in our community.

• The Imagine Award recognizes an educator, instructor, or individual whose efforts have made an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of arts education by consistently inspiring and encouraging arts excellence in their students or an education affiliate (PTA, Board of Ed., Performing Arts/Music School) or other organization that has demonstrated outstanding efforts to evoke interest and understanding in the arts both having worked over time to implement excellence in and for arts education.

In 2010, ArtsErie saluted the Corry Community Foundation (Leadership Award); Union City Area School District (Imagine Award); and Andrew Kauffman for the Arts 'n Drafts Festival (Applause Award). A complete list of past Arts Appreciation Award recipients is available online.

Awards will be presented in October 2011 at ArtsErie’s Fall for the Arts celebration.

Arts project funding available from PA Partners in the Arts

ArtsErie to host free workshops in Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango,

and Warren Counties to assist prospective applicants

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie announces the workshop schedule for the 2011 Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) Project Stream grants. The PPA program provides opportunities for arts organizations, individual artists and community-based groups to apply for up to $3,000 in funding to support performances, exhibitions, and other arts projects that are presented to the public and take place between September 1, 2011 and August 31, 2012. Grant applications are due June 17, 2011. ArtsErie supports the program in Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties.

The workshops are designed to provide detailed information on the program, and to guide prospective candidates through the application process.  In addition to the PPA program, workshops in Erie County will also provide information on the ArtsErie grant programs due August 15, 2011.

 

ArtsErie PPA Grant Workshop Schedule:

• Erie: Thursday, May 5 — 7 p.m.
  WQLN
  8425 Peach Street, Erie
  
  
• Girard: Saturday, May 7 — 9:30 a.m.
  Mercyhurst West
  824 Main Street East, Girard
  
  
• Corry: Monday, May 9 — 7 p.m.
  Corry Higher Ed Council
  221 N. Center Street, Corry
  
  
• Titusville: Tuesday, May 10 — 4:30 p.m.
  Towne Center
  101 W. Spring Street, Titusville
  
  
• North East: Thursday, May 12 — 5:30 p.m.
  North East Arts Council
  25 Vine Street, 2^nd Floor, North East
  
  
• Meadville: Monday, May 16 — 5:30 p.m.
  Meadville Council on the Arts
  910 Market Street, Meadville
  
  
• Warren County: Thursday, May 19 — 5:30 p.m.
  Allegheny Artistry/ Local Artist’s Co-op
  106 East Main Street, Youngsville
  
  
• Mercer County: Monday, May 23 — 5:30 p.m.
  Midwestern Intermediate Unit #4
  453 Maple Street, Grove City
  
  

Please contact ArtsErie at info@artserie.org or by phone at (814) 452-3427 to register for one of the workshops.  All workshops are free and open to the public.

PPA Project Stream guidelines and grant applications will be available online at www.pca.eGrant.org. Applications must be submitted electronically through the eGrant system on or before Friday, June 17, 2011. 

The PPA program is a partnership initiative between local arts organizations and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), a state agency. State government funding for the arts comes through an annual appropriation by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. ArtsErie administers the PPA program in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

 

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of Northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education, and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.artserie.org

 

About the PA Council on the ArtsErie

The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts is a state agency under the Governor’s Office that works to foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of the arts in Pennsylvania and to broaden the availability and appreciation of those arts throughout the state. For more information on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, visit www.pacouncilonthearts.org  

  

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Students, teachers and families from three area schools invited to attend “Hua Hua’s Visual Expressions” on Tuesday, April 19 at Edinboro University

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie’s Art in Action project will provide a family cultural experience for students and teachers from Cambridge Springs Elementary School, Cambridge Springs, Pa.; Second District Elementary School, Meadville, Pa.; and Union City Elementary School, Union City, Pa. Teachers, students and their families are invited to attend the performance “Hua Hua Zhang’s Visual Expressions,” part of the Performing Arts Series, at Edinboro University on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. The event showcases a blend of Chinese and Western puppet art with dance, music, masks and lighting.

“Hua Hua Zhang is absolutely amazing,” said M. Holly Nowak, Art in Action's Project Director and ArtsErie's Arts in Education Director. “She taught students in the Clarion area as part of an ArtsErie artist residency several years ago. Everyone remembers how wonderful it was to have her there in residence. We’re so excited to be able to have a new group of students experience her performance.”

The three elementary schools are partners in Art in Action, a four-year program funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination grant program (AEMDD). ArtsErie’s Art in Action project will provide the opportunity free-of-charge, including event tickets and transportation to and from their schools, to the attendees.

 

About Art in Action

The Art in Action project is a partnership between ArtsErie, Union City Elementary School, Second District Elementary School, Cambridge Springs Elementary School and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Through Art in Action, ArtsErie and its partner agencies propose to develop, document and evaluate a model that will enhance both the quality of teaching in the classroom as well as student academic achievement and engagement in the learning process by 1.) integrating the arts into existing curriculum, and strengthening in-school art experiences for approximately 900 elementary students living in rural northwestern Pennsylvania, and 2.) strengthening quality relationships between teaching artists and classroom teachers.

About ArtsErie

ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.

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Harding Elementary Welcomes Famous Children’s Book Author & Illustrator Ruth McNally Barshaw on April 28th

ERIE, PA — Later this month, Harding Elementary Students will be treated to a workshop hosted by children’s book author Ruth McNally Barshaw. Barshaw has published three books’ to date and is currently working on her forth, due out later next year. Her famous series chronicles the adventures of a young girl, Ellie McDoodle, who loves to doodle in her sketchbooks, but often runs into trouble along the way. Barshaw’s books aren’t just popular with children, but they have also been nominated for numerous awards across the country and in her home state of Michigan.

 

Barshaw’s visit correlates with what the forth grade students at Harding Elementary have been working on, alongside Artist-in-Residence, Mike Bocianowski. Bocianowski is a local graphic artist and animation instructor, who has been sharing his passion for the arts with Harding Elementary students since 2009, which has been made possible through a grant from the PA Council on the Arts known as a Teacher Artist Partnership or TAP. Jeanne Kraus, 4th grade teacher, along with Bocianowski, arranged this meeting along with support from  ArtsErie and the PA Council for the Arts. They are excited to be able to share the work of a practicing artist and author with their students at Harding Elementary.

 

Barshaw will spend the day at Harding Elementary, conducting workshops on creativity through each individual grade level. Her schedule is as follows:

• 9:30- 10:00 – Room 15
• 10:00 - 10:30 – 4^th grade workshop – Room 201
• 10:45-11:15 – 3^rd grade workshop – Room 201
• 11:30-12:10 – 5^th grade workshop – Room 201
• 12:15-1:15 – Lunch
• 1:30-2:00 – 6^th grade workshop – Room 201
• 2:00 - dismissal –Lobby display

 

Students will have the opportunity to work closely with Barshaw, asking her questions and learning the unique aspects of writing and illustrating. For more information on Ruth McNally Barshaw, you can visit her website here. You can also visit Mike Bocianowski’s blog, containing his latest projects and updates of Harding Elementary students with their work here. If you would like more information on ArtsErie’s Artist-in-Residency program, you can visit our website at artserie.org

 

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ArtsErie Joins Forces with the Pennsylvania Art Educators Association to Honor Students at Their Annual Art Show

On Sunday March 20^th, ArtsErie partnered with the Pennsylvania Art Educators Association to honor local Erie students who took part in the Annual Student Art Show. This year’s event took place at the Millcreek Mall with over 100 people in attendance to congratulate the winner’s.

 

The event honored students in three different age groups: Elementary, Middle School, and High School. Within each age group, awards were handed out to the top three students based on specific criteria determined by the judges. ArtsErie donated $25 to each first place winner along with art supplies to each second and third place winner. This year’s contestants were honored in the following order according to age group:

 

In the Elementary age group, Anna Rose Morton, a first grader from Grover Cleveland Elementary, took first place. Second place was awarded to Eliza Reynolds, a second grader from Union City Elementary, and third place was given to Victoria Mott, a forth grader from Montessori Regional Charter School.

 

In the Middle School age group, first place went to eighth grader Nicholas Huggler from Jefferson School. Second place was awarded to eighth grader Riquel Corder from Roosevelt Middle School and third place was given to Rachel Barczynski, a sixth grader from North East Middle School.

 

In the High School age group, first place was awarded to Mike Green, a senior at Cambridge Springs High School. Second place was given to Meagan Younkin, a junior at Iroquois High School, and third place was awarded to Katie Lewis, a senior at North East High School.

 

This year’s Student Art Show was a huge success with over 50 teachers participating and over 500 pieces of student art work submitted.

 

For more information on the PA Art Educators Association, you can visit their website at paea.org and for more information on ArtsErie you can visit our website at artserie.org




                                                                                                                                                                               

Arts in Education Director, Holly Nowak, Partners with Harding Elementary School for “Read Across America”

 
    This past week, students across the country participated in the 13^th annual Read Across America program, which focuses on engaging children of all ages to read through programs and events held through their schools and communities. National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. During this week, schools across the country spread the important message of reading through fun, age-appropriate activities.

    Local Erie elementary schools got in on the fun by transforming some of their libraries and classrooms into “Seussville.” Students at Ridgefield Elementary, in Millcreek Township, were delighted to find their schools library made over into five learning stations. Each station contained a theme from Dr. Seuss’ books. Students at Harding Elementary participated by not only reading Seuss books, but culminating the week with a parade through their auditorium, dressed as their favorite literary character.

     ArtEries’ Arts in Education Director, Holly Nowak, also helped spread the message of Read Across America by reading to kindergarten and second grade students at Harding Elementary. Ms. Nowak chose to read the popular children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak. Along with reading the book out loud to the students, Ms. Nowak had them engage in the text by playing along with instruments. This not only made the experience more enjoyable for each student, but also allowed them to interact with the text. Ms. Nowak expressed how incorporating the instruments made reading the story more exciting, and in turn demonstrated just how fun reading can be.

 For more information on National Read Across America Day, you can visit http://www.nea.org/readacross

 

 

 

 

ArtsErie Announces “Poetry Out Loud” Regional Champion;

Winner to Compete in State Finals on March 14

            ArtsErie announces that Jillian Johannes, a sophomore at Mercyhurst Prep, has been selected as the winner of the regional finals for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program, created by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation, which encourages the study of poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

ArtsErie and the PA Council on the Arts presented the 2011 regional competition, held Saturday February 19, 2011 at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA. This year, three students participated in the regional finals. In addition to Johannes, the following students competed: Katelyn Baker, a home-schooled student with the Western Pennsylvania Christian Orators, who placed second in this year’s contest. Placing third in the competition was Megan Kibler, a student at Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy.

The three poems Johannes chose to recite for her portion of the competition were “Hope” is the Thing With Feathers” by Emily Dickenson, “Altruism” by Molly Peacock, and “The Unknown Citizen” by W.H. Auden. She was awarded an all-expense-paid trip to the Pennsylvania State Finals for Poetry Out Loud, which will be held on Monday, March 14^th 2011 at the Governor’s Residence, in Harrisburg, PA. There she will be vying for the opportunity to compete at the National Finals, to be held on April 29, 2011 in Washington, D.C., where Poetry Out Loud will award $50,000 in scholarships and school prizes to the winner.  

For more information regarding the Poetry Out Loud competition, click here. You can also contact our Arts in Education Program Manager, Holly Nowak, at holly@artserie.org or by phone at (814) 452-3427

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie and the Pa. Council on the Arts are proud to present the 2011 Regional “Poetry Out Loud” competition on February 19, 2011. This year’s competition will be held from 11 AM-1 PM at the Vukovich Center for Communication Arts at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program, created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, which encourages the study of poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

This year’s participants include Megan Kibler from Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, Katelyn Baker from Western Pennsylvania Christian Orators, and Jillian Johannes from Mercyhurst Prep. Each contestant will be responsible for memorizing three poems chosen from the Poetry Out Loud anthology and reciting these poems before the judging panel. Each judge will score the contestant based on certain criteria such as level of difficulty, posture and presence, pronunciation, and evidence of understanding. After each round, their score will be tabulated and at the conclusion of the last round, their final scores will be announced, determining the regional champion. The winner of this year’s competition will go on to compete at the State Finals at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg, Pa.

This year’s panel of judges includes Conneaut Valley High School English teacher Donna Baker, ArtsErie Poetry Out Loud coordinator Lora Zill, coordinator of The Creating Landscapes Educational Programs for Children, Teens, and Young Adults, Jan Hyatt, and Associate Director of Public and Professional Writing at the University of Pittsburgh, Pam O’ Brien. ArtsErie is also proud to welcome Pennsylvania Senator Mary Jo White as a judge to this year’s panel. Senator White has served the 21st Senatorial District since 1996.

The 2010-11 academic year mark’s ArtsErie’s sixth year as regional host for area high schools. Eligible schools allowed to participate as part of ArtsErie’s region include Erie, Crawford, Warren, Mercer, Lawrence, Venango, Forest, McKean, Potter, Elk, and Cameron.

To receive information about participating in next year’s competition, contact Holly Nowak, ArtsErie’s Arts in Education Director, at (814) 452-3427. Additional information about Poetry Out Loud is available online at www.poetryoutloud.org.

2010 ArtsErie Arts Appreciation Award honorees announced;
public reception slated for Tuesday, Nov. 9

ERIE, PA — ArtsErie will celebrate a major milestone, its 50th birthday, at its annual Fall for the Arts event. “We liked the idea of celebrating a birthday and have planned our Fall for the Arts to be a big birthday party,” stated Charlotte Mashyna, ArtsErie executive director.

The event will be held on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Hemingway Room at the Ambassador Center (7794 Peach Street, Erie). Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. with the presentations beginning at 5:30 p.m. ArtsErie will share highlights from its 50 years of service to Erie County throughout the evening.

Also at the event, ArtsErie will honor individuals and groups for their contributions to the arts community with Arts Appreciation Awards. Honorees for 2010 include the Corry Community Foundation, which will receive the Leadership in the Arts Award; Union City Area School District, which will receive the Imagine Award; and Andrew Kauffman, who will receive the Applause Award for the Arts and Drafts Festival. According to Mashyna, the nominations for the awards came from a variety of community sources. “We’re excited to be able to honor the work that is being done out in the county this year,” Mashyna noted.

In addition to the awards, ArtsErie will thank its ArtsErie United Fund contributors and recognize ArtsErie Grantees. The birthday party will immediately follow the presentations.

Major sponsors for Fall for the Arts are Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Erie Insurance. Additional sponsors include BNY/Mellon, Samuel P. Black & Associates and the Knox Law Firm.

For more information or to inquire about remaining tickets, priced at $10 each, please contact ArtsErie at 814-452-3427 or info@ArtsErie.org.


About ArtsErie
ArtsErie strives to nurture the arts and enrich the lives of the people of northwestern Pennsylvania through leadership, financial support, education and advocacy. Additional information about ArtsErie is available online at www.ArtsErie.org.