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2 years ago
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Barry Komitor addressing students at orientation.
It is a great moment to witness the progress we’ve made over the last two years. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Art for Progress (AFP) transitioned its summer program to a virtual platform, as did most folks, institutions, and non-profit organizations at the time. But this year, our in-person comeback is even more solid as we offer an amazing assortment of workshops ranging from pattern-making to music theory, and New York’s young art enthusiasts are soaking it all in.
Although we are running traditional-style workshops, the program is running slightly differently. AFP’s summer program starts every week off with open arts on Mondays. Open arts was devised as an interdisciplinary lab where every student is encouraged to float between workshops or work on specific skills requested by the student. The arrangement was conceived to assist students in taking on a more fluid approach in their practice and garner inspiration from one genre to the next. By providing them with an allowance of space and fluidity to experiment with mediums and engage in collaborative discussions with one another, all possibilities to spark the creative mind, commence exploration, and conceptualize innovative ideas begin. We want to motivate our children to play again. Playing is where genius is born.
Ayden and La Vie working on their collaborative preliminary sketch.
During one of the music composition workshops led by Barry Komitor,[...]
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2 years ago
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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 Pa[...]
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4 years ago
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Event performance celebrating the end of the summer program (2019).
Now in its third year, Art for
Progress’ summer program gives students the opportunity to learn about life as
a professional artist, while also learning new advanced skills to help them
achieve their goals.
Funded by the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation with additional support from the Sansom Foundation, the program is taught by professional teaching artists with a long history of working with Art for Progress (AFP) in NYC’s Public Schools and other important projects. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, the program will be funded through 2021, which gives AFP the opportunity to expand and grow the program even more.
Over the years, the program has invited Grammy nominated musicians, prominent visual artists and high-level fashion designers as its guest speakers. It has been a valuable and exciting part of the program for students and highly rewarding for the artists. There’s no cost for students to attend.
Though the program for this summer will be hosted online, it will be one of the best yet, due in large part to Art for Progress’ newly developed online learning platform: https://learn.artforprogress.org, which was created to optimize the experience for both our teachers and students. The new website includes many valuable features which will enhance learning and promote better communication. This summer’s program is planned over four weekends beginning July 25th and ending [...]
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5 years ago
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Art for Progress Summer Arts Program 2018
Art for Progress (AFP) is pleased to announce The Pierre & Tana Matisse Foundation has awarded the organization a three year grant in support of its Summer Arts Program. After a highly successful launch of the program in 2018, the foundation requested a multi year proposal to support the program which was recently granted in May.
Art for Progress will receive $52,500 to fund the program through 2021. The program was developed with the purpose of providing instruction in both music and visual arts over the summer months for students and young adults who are interested in careers in art and music. Although the focus is to provide instruction, knowledge and insight for career oriented students, the program is open to anyone interested (ages 13-24). Some of the key objectives of the program include:
providing a challenging curriculum while giving students the opportunity to choose and learn skills they desirepresenting professional, engaging artists to speak to attendees about the challenges of choosing a career in artssharing information and knowledge that's typically not offered in formal school programs such as "Key Tenets for the Professional Artist."providing teaching opportunities for students who are interested in education careers
The workshops will take place on four consecutive Sundays beginning July 14th (July 21st, July 28th, August 4th) from 10:30am-4:30pm. There is no cost for students and lunch wil[...]
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6 years ago
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By Evan Jake Goldstein
August 30, 2018
It's hard to believe that nearly eight years have gone by since House of Vans Brooklyn first opened their doors, promising free concerts, art installations, and curated events for all to attend. Originally intended as a pop-up spot for Vans to showcase their signature skate style shoes, the repurposed Brooklyn warehouse became a major hot spot for skaters, hipsters, punks, and music connoisseurs alike. The first come, first serve, RSVP ticketing system for their free summer concerts offers equal opportunity for anyone to attend their events. You can't buy your way inside if you miss the sign-up period or are late to line up at the door. There are no $8 water bottles or VIP bathrooms, no balcony seating or members-only presales.
House of Vans feels like a magical place where beers are free for anyone of age willing to wait on line, and t-shirts, tote bags and posters are given away to attendees upon arrival and departure as souvenirs. Hispanic teenagers from the Bronx mosh with the middle-aged white businessmen of Manhattan, their mutual love for the music binding them. They book artists spanning all genres, decades,and levels of fame. The well-curated shows typically feature a headliner, a supporting act of the lead’s choice, and an unsigned opener. The penultimate show at House of Vans Brooklyn featured Deerhunter, Circuit des Yeux, and Standing on the Corner.
Post-post-genre openers Standing on the Corner were the first to hi[...]
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6 years ago
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Art for Progress is pleased to announce a summer music & arts program for NYC high school students. The program is designed for students who are interested in a career in the arts and music.
Workshops in music and visual arts will be offered over four dates between mid-July and mid-August. These 4 hour workshops will include guest speakers, professionals in both the visual arts and music. The guest speakers will share their knowledge, guidance and experience as professionals in the art world.
The main objective of the program is to provide continued instruction over the summer months for students who are considering a future career in the arts. Students can also be graduates who are looking for additional instruction before heading off to college or art school.
The planned student to teacher ratio will be 10-15 students with a total of 40-50 students for each date. Space will be limited, and will be on a first come first serve basis. Students can choose to attend one or more workshops, but we suggest you attend all four. Please sign up as soon as possible to secure your place. The specific dates, location (Manhattan) and times will be available soon.
These are the dates for the workshops:
Workshop 1- Sunday, July 22nd- 10:30am - 2:30pm (lunch provided)
Workshop 2- Sunday, July 29th- 10:30am - 2:30pm (lunch provided)
Workshop 3- Sunday, August 5th- 10:30am - 2:30pm (lunch provided)
Workshop 4- Sunday, August 12th- 10:30am - 2:30pm (lunch provided)
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7 years ago
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Jean-Michel Basquiat was a well known plastic artist based in New York and sponsored by Andy Warhol. Music was very important in the life and work of this artist, and in 1979 he formed an experimental band with the artist and actor Vincent Gallo.
They named the band "GRAY" as a tribute to the book of anatomy published by Henry Gray in 1950.
The band arises in the middle of the punk explosion of New York, but especially to a more experimental branch known as No wave. No wave has a very industrial sound where the electric guitar is used not as a musical instrument, but as a tool that generates noise. He was also interested in the frenetic and eclectic rhythms of the seventies and eighties, like the incipient rap of the hip hop movement.
Basquiat played the clarinet and the synthesizer and the band frequented famous venues like CBGB where Blondie and The Ramones made their debut, the Mudd Club, etc.
The music from "Gray" can be heard in several films including "Downtown 81," starring Basquiat, talking about his life as an artist in New York.
Nerea T. Ruiz
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7 years ago
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We recently caught up with the guys from the band Big Sweater to discuss their music, inspiration and their exciting new album they're currently recording.
In one way or another, members of the band have all been part of AFP's music education programs over the years. So, we're very proud and excited to see how they've progressed and evolved as artists. Check out "Platform Stare," a single from the new album.
Platform Stare by Big Sweater
1) What inspired you guys to become musicians, writers?
Collectively what inspired us to be musicians is that of which was instilled in us by our parents and their taste for the most part. Being shown things that would be considered "old school". Those things later becoming memories and what is now sense of nostalgia of car rides and long trips throughout the years subconsciously planting a seedling in a driving force that is creating sound as well as putting words together that sum up how we feel.
2) How would you describe your sound?
Our sound is derivative of multiple things that boil down for the most part to blues. Our upcoming album has a combination of really somber and light tunes and also some really upbeat ones but overall our sound is very mellow.
3) Have you been playing the songs off the new album live, and if so how has the crowd responded to the new songs?
We've played most of the upcoming album in a rotation for about a year now, the crowd now sings along and its one of the most gratifying feelings[...]
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8 years ago
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With each year the staggering list of shows grows larger, but we're here to help with this not so shiny, quite diverse list of recommendations to help you sort it all out.
Monday, March 13th
Idgy Dean - The Parlor Room, 88 Rainey St – 7pm
Sylvan Esso - AV Club Presents Just Another Manic Monday @ The Mohawk - 10:45 pm
Girl Pool - Do512 Party @ Hotel Vegas - 1 am
Tuesday, March 14th
Wu Tang Clan w/ Thievery Corporation - ACL Live at the Moody Theater - 11:00pm
The Districts - Buffalo Billiards - 1:10am
Spoon - The Main - 1:00am
Sleigh Bells - Stereogum Party @ Empire Garage - 1:00am
Plastic Pinks - Fine Southern Gentlemen - 2:00am
Wednesday, March 15th
Maybird - Taco Bell Feed the Beat - 1:00 pm
The Avett Brothers - ACL Live at the Moody Theater - 11:00pm
Tokyo Police Club - Bungalow - 12:00am
Grandmaster Flash - Clive Bar - 11:00pm
The New Pornographers - Stubb's - 12:20am
Field Trip - The Market - 1:00am
Thursday, March 16th
Julie Byrne - Pitchfork Day Party @ French Legation Museum - 12:30 pm
Lo Moon - YouTube @ The Coppertank - 3:00 pm
The Big Moon - South by San Jose @ San Jose Hotel - 4:00 pm
BBC 6 Music Presents @ Latitude 30 - 12:00 am
Beach Slang - BrooklynVegan @ Cheer Up Charlie's - 5:00 pm
Pell - Stub Hub party @ Bangers - 6:00pm
Ecstatic Vision - Grizzly Hall - South By South Death - 9:00pm
Girl Pool - Anti- Records Party @ Elysium - 11:00pm
Friday, March 17th
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8 years ago
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We recently caught up with musician, singer, song writer and visual artist Yoni Wolf to discuss the new album from his band Why?. Moh Llean will be released on March 3rd, and is the band's first release since 2013's Golden Tickets.
What was the band’s motivation/inspiration for the latest album, “Moh Llean” and how is it different than the band’s previous releases?
I can't say there is ever a specific motivation or inspiration. We are artists and we are drawn to making art in whatever state-- from whatever space we find ourselves. This one was no different, though of course it ends up with its own feel and identity based on our changes and developments as humans.
Is there a particular story you wanted to tell or message you wanted to send with “Moh Llean.”
I would say that whatever the album conveys thematically, it does so naturally without pre-conceptions or agenda. That said, I think it is an attempt at openness in the heart and acceptance and peace.
How did the hip hop element of the band’s sound come to be? Are you guys hip hop fans? Classic or modern day hip hop? Or, was it organic?
I started out as a rapper. Hip hop is at my roots and core. I don't think this album is very hip hop though.
Tell me about the band’s creative process. Do you work remotely or do you go off to the woods to write together as a group?
I wrote most of the stuff myself. My brother Josiah and I produced and arranged the stuff together. We have a couple musicians-- [...]
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8 years ago
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Brooklyn's Slothrust will be releasing their second full length album later this week (October 28th) on Dangerbird Records, and if you're unfamiliar with this trio, it's time to give them a listen. The new album titled, Everyone Else grabs you immediately with a surf rock instrumental track that makes you wonder what's coming next, and then you hear the melancholy vocal intro of track two- "Like a Child Behind a Tombstone." It's a slow build up into a guitar driven rocker with metaphors abound, and now you're hooked on lines like, "I think my face looks like glass, but my body feels plastic" and "I feel like a child hiding behind your tombstone."
As impressed as I am with Wellbaum's eloquent lyrics, musically the band has great range. From the punk-esque, Violent Femme's like, edgey cut, "Trial and Error" to the bluesy "Horseshoe Crab" and the jazz influenced "The Last Time I saw My Horse," they achieve a range of music that isn't often heard from today's one trick pony, cookie-cutter bands. And if you're into the more classic rock sound, "Mud" takes you on quite a journey with a blues inspired intro, to a classic guitar driven, drum heavy rocker. Dare I reference the greatest of the greats Led Zeppelin?
This is an album for music lovers who can appreciate the achievements of a band that's hitting it's stride and has the ability to capture the best of rock, jazz and blues on one album.
--Frank Jackson
You can see them live at Irving Plaza on Saturday, Oct[...]
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8 years ago
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Art for Progress’ after school music enrichment program at Hudson High School for Learning Technologies was especially inspiring this spring semester because of a dynamic group of multi-talented, and eager students. The program was reinstated this spring thanks to the efforts of principal Nancy Amling. The program had been inactive for the fall semester because a lack of funding, Ms. Amling was influenced in her decision to restart the program by an exceptional young student and musician named Terelle. Terelle’s enthusiasm and hunger for new knowledge were the ultimate catalyst for the formation of the program.
Tarelle wanted to learn about how music works beyond the shapes he was learning on the guitar. Hudson HS currently offers a beginning guitar class as a part of the school’s regular curriculum. The class is focused on the mechanics of playing the instrument, but like most beginning guitar classes, it did not address the underlying music theory necessary for students who to build their skills beyond the basic guitar vocabulary.
The group of students that comprise the AFP after school program at Hudson range from 9th-12th graders, and are led by Terelle. He expressed a desire to learn some more universal musical concepts in order to set up a foundation upon which to develop their musicality. They were made up of aspiring singers, guitarists, pianists, and bass players of varying levels of experience. We explored the construction of scales, chord building and common[...]
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