We are a little sad that next week will be our last week of the program and of course, summer is also winding down. We are fortunate and thankful that we can provide this program for NYC public school students. It was great getting to know many of our students. They were eager for the opportunity to learn from professional artists and find out more about careers in the arts.

LOCATION: Bayard Rustin Education Complex, 351 West 18th Street, Room 341, New York, NY. CONTACT: Barry Komitor (347) 661- 2469

The program will offer some workshops that will be ongoing while others will be one-offs. Each week we’ll post the schedule for the various workshops that will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays will be open arts day where students can work on music, visual arts and fashion design in an open, fun learning environment. Collaborations are encouraged! Special guest artists and speakers will also join us on Mondays.

Our main teaching artists for 2022 are Barry Komitor (music) and Beláxis Buil (visual art, fashion). We are planning to have many guest artist teachers and speakers this year as well.

Week 6: August 8th – August 12th

Monday, August 8th – 12:00PM – 3:30PM – Open Arts 

Open Arts happens each week and gives students the opportunity to choose what they want to work on. Our teachers and special guest teachers will offer guidance and assistance.

*This weeks special guest artist speaker is fashion designer Gabe Padilla! You don’t want to miss this!

Tuesday,  August 9th –  12:30PM – 2:00PM

MUSIC: Putting It All Together – The Whole Artist

Embracing the life of an artist takes more than learning some skills and attitudes. Being an artist is about taking those skills and attitudes and manifesting them into something new in the world. There are many decisions to make about what you want to show people. What is the intention behind what you are doing? This will change and evolve as you grow, but this class will be about checking in with those intentions and aligning them with real world goals and actions.

VISUAL ART: Critique

For our last week in art the students take a deeper dive at critiquing one another works of art. After demonstrating how critiques work and what language is used to critique artworks in the professional art field the students will take turns evaluating their peers.

Tuesday, August 9th – 2:00PM – 3:30PM

MUSIC: Getting In the Mix – How to Become Part of the Music Community

By enrolling in this program, you have taken an important step toward being a part of the music community in NYC. In this class we’ll talk about the many different opportunities for musicians. We’ll start with how to find and choose collaborators, then discuss how to get your group and your music out into the world. We’ll talk about how to get gigs, but also about joining jam sessions, performing at community events and parties, and busking in public. Music festivals are also a great place to interact with other players and producers. We’ll also go over a variety of ways to share and proliferate your music online and through a constantly changing landscape of apps and new technologies.

VISUAL ART: Production

During AFP’s last week at camp the focus turns towards finalizing projects and what steps must be taken to ensure production goes well. In the instance of art, this workshop aims to help students organize an exhibition as a team, understanding how each person has an important role to play and how each one must carry responsibilities that need to be met in order to facilitate a successful project.

Thursday,  August 11th – 12:30PM – 2:00PM

MUSIC: Basic Audio Mixing – How to Get Your Tracks to Sound Better

It’s so easy to layer a bunch of sounds together, that getting them all to sit right and sound like one cohesive piece of music can quickly get out of hand. Bass frequencies start flubbing out, and the master level gets more and more distorted unless we apply a few basic concepts. We’ll look at leveling, equalization, compression and reverb as tools to open up space in a mix and to make sure your tracks come across with the energy.

VISUAL ART: The Art of Assemblage (ongoing)

For decades artists such as Man Ray, Sarah Lucas, Jannis Kounellis, Karla Kantorovich, Beláxis Buil have practiced the art of assembling disparate elements. In this course the students are asked to recycle found objects, trash, and everyday objects to create a sculptural, well-textured assembled art piece. A variety of practices will be explored: sewing, collaging, painting.

Thursday,  August 11th – 2:00PM – 3:30PM

MUSIC: The Dynamics of a Band (ongoing)

In this class we’ll explore the roles of the different instruments and personalities in a musical group. We’ll explore both the sonic and interpersonal dynamics that go into preparing for and playing a live show including: active listening, rehearsal etiquette, personal attitudes, leadership and supporting roles, and achieving optimum sound in any situation.

ART: Portfolio Review

In this workshop the students will be extended an opportunity to gather their completed works of art which will then be submitted as their portfolio. Their workshop is designed to prepare those students who are interested in attending specialized art schools.