New City Arts Initiative • Charlottesville, Virginia

A partner of ours in New Orleans, St. Roch Community Church, is accepting applications for visual artists. The artist studio resides in an apartment space that accompanies the church property-- a former corner store that sits on largest park in the Eighth Ward.

1. The residency supplies the artist with time, space, a modest stipend for groceries/supplies/living expenses, and health insurance.

2. The span of the residency is typically nine months, or an approximate academic year.

3. Additionally, the artist is nourished by their small but willing congregation, which is a mixture of folks and families from one of New Orleans' poorest neighborhoods.

4. There is no "return fee" placed on residents; they have ample opportunity to serve amidst the congregation, but the residency is intended to be a small gift from the church to the resident.

5. Residents, who come to New Orleans from beyond the city, are also given opportunity to build relationships with local artists through Staple Goods, a collective which has its exhibition and studio space just down St. Roch Avenue from the church.

The residency is perfect for those seeking to build up a body of work in preparation for applying to an MFA program.  Past residents include Stephen Crotts and Daniel Kelly. They would also welcome those who have recently finished MFA programs and need a "transition" year as they continue the momentum gained over the course of their program and look for potential jobs.  Of course, other artists outside of these professional stages are encouraged to apply.

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Aaron Collier for an application.

Featured image: Should We Leave a Record of Our Progress, Aaron Collier, oil on canvas, 60 x 48", featured on the cover of New Orleans Review, No. 37.1

The Forum is shaping up to be such a grand event. The more we finalize, the more we realize how much of this upcoming weekend could not happen without all of the New City Arts' friends donating their time and resources for this arts extravaganza.

A Pimento Catering will make sure you are fed all weekend. They have gone above and beyond with their time, resources, and talent to make sure that your food is as good as the session content.

In addition to A Pimento, Festive Fare, Skyline Tents, Mallory Joyce, Jackie Collmus and A New Leaf Florist are making the secret dinner possible. Your dessert at this dinner will be provided by Erin Sheets, Maddy Picker, Ashley Walton, Abigail Lee, Donna Lovett, and Marida Binsted.

Virginia National Bank, UVa-McIntire Department of Art, the International Arts Movement, Cramer Photo, MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, Nancy Race Art; The Center for Faith, Work, and Culture; Pat Jones and Jon McCray, Steve and Thanne Moore, Curtis and Ellen Hathaway, Frank and Brenda Cox, Philip and Lisa Lorish, Philip and Chris DeJong, and Greg and Lyndee Breeding all came on as generous sponsors to subsidize the cost of the weekend for attendees.

The Trinity Fellows Program (and a handful of other amazing volunteers) are giving up their weekend to serve as Forum staff. They'll be doing... well... everything that a staff team would normally do-- serving you, greeting you, making things for you, setting up, breaking down, and smiling a lot.

The Haven is graciously hosting all of our sessions and our performance. Heinz Pro AV is helping us with all of our sound needs. Les Yeux du Monde is hosting our presenters for an evening prior to the weekend at no cost. The Journey Group is printing all of our fabulous registration materials, designed by Creed Design. Andrea Hubbell Photography and Maggie Mae Photography are going to make sure we have lovely pictures of all the weekend's happenings. Mudhouse Coffee is donating coffee to make sure that all attendees are caffeinated each morning. Amanda Uhl is going to handwrite each name tag. We have tons of Charlottesville residents opening their homes to out of town guests. Market St. Market, Eppies, and Vita Nova are giving Forum registrants a lunch discount on Saturday. Wahooptie is helping us with transportation.

UVa-McIntire Department of Art, Kaki Dimock, and Doug Jenson have provided scholarships to many of our attendees.

Most of our amazing presenters and performers have donated something-- whether it be their time or expertise. (Calvin College even paid the way for Wolpa to get here and for his lodging!)

THIS IS AMAZING. We couldn't be more thankful for this crew! (We're moved to tears). And we can't wait for Friday!

We wanted to tell you a bit more about the performance we are lucky to be hosting on opening night at the New City Arts Forum, April 20th-22nd!

Internationally acclaimed dancer, Benjamin Holiday Wardell, joins us for a debut performance at The Haven. Benjamin has performed at City Center New York, Berlin Opera House, The Kennedy Center, and Zellerbach Auditorium, and joins us now here in Charlottesville for the New City Arts Forum. Benjamin has danced with LINES Ballet in San Francisco, Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago, and is currently working with Aszure Barton, a New York City based choreographer.

Also presenting an original piece of music is Isaac Wardell, Benjamin's brother and Director of Bifrost Arts. Isaac is currently a resident of Charlottesville and has worked with Sufjan Stevens, Shara Wardon (My Brightest Diamond), and Fleet Foxes.

This performance represents Isaac and Benjamin's first public collaboration.

________

Go here to find out more about the Forum, and register!

(Remember, registration closes at 5pm on Saturday!)

 

 

We just got the menus for all of the food for the New City Arts Forum (April 20-22), and we've decided to release one of the menu items for the Saturday night secret dinner.

One of the menu items for the main course is... announcing: Ragged Mountain Trout in Hazelnut Flour, Pan-Fried, with Chive Brown Butter

Our mouths are watering. We're talking a FANCY dinner. Our friends at A Pimento Catering are geniuses. And thanks to Skyline Tents and Festive Fare for coming on as new sponsors!

Reminder: you can only attend this dinner if you sign up online before Saturday, April 14 at 5 PM.

(And all of those art sessions are going to be delicious too).

Over the next few blog posts, we're going to introduce you to some of the artists whose work will be featured at the WVTF and Radio IQ Studio Gallery in April. These artists are tied together by a few common things, but by one thing in particular-- they are all presenting at this conference we're hosting at the end of April... and some of them are presenting together.

These artists inhabit the evolving landscape in which the artist works, and in some cases, they actually deal with the literal site and space around us. Hence, their collective exhibit at WVTF is titled, "Our Common Landscape."

First up: Adam Wolpa. Wolpa grew up in Los Angeles, and studied at The University of Virginia, where he earned a BA in Studio Art, and at the University of Iowa, where he earned an MA and an MFA in Printmaking. He is currently Associate Professor of Art at Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Wolpa's "Condimentalism" might've brought you a hot dog on the side walk by way of a train track coming out of Fayerweather Hall way back when. Or you might've recognized one of his prints in The Printmaker's Left.

His work spans sculpture, print, performance, and drawing. Whether it's a performance called "Cow Catchin' Days" or drawings in "Death Will Come," Wolpa notes, "the work is about investigating and manipulating the ordinary evidence of transcendence and terror in our world, ephemeral fragments of the great mystery that binds us."

Wolpa has participated in ArtPrize and shown work at The Garage. We've included some images of his work here for you to browse. A few of his prints will be on exhibit at WVTF on April 6, and he will speak on the responsibility of the artist (with Dean Dass) on April 20-22 at the New City Arts Forum.