Paramount Theatre :: March 3, 2010

The Paramount Theatre in downtown Rutland is alive and well!   Executive Director Bruce Bouchard says the theater is “rapidly achieving its goal to be the night time economic driver of south-central Vermont!” 

The Paramount received a Cultural Facilities grant in FY09 of $13,313 for the "Big Flicks at the Paramount" initiative. They installed a state-of-the-art large screen and both 35mm and digital projection systems. To date, the “Big Flicks” Series, which focuses primarily on classic film from the AFI Top 100, has brought in 3,614 patrons for ten events (18% were under twelve, and many of them were having their first “Big Screen” experience). They plan to continue the initiative, with another thirty-six screen events scheduled this year. Additionally, the Theater continues to function as a rental space for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, other performers and promoters, and recently hosted the Vermont Arts Council’s “Breaking Into Business” workshops in the Brick Box meeting space.

The Paramount is in the midst of their “Passages at the Paramount” series. The series is presented in association with Young Concert Artists, Inc, an organization that has been fostering young classical musician careers through annual international competitions since 1961. Among the celebrated alumni are Emanuel Ax, Dawn Upshaw, and Pinchas Zukerman. Two more concerts are scheduled this season: violinist Noi Inui (February 26) and clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester (March 13).  Previous concerts in this series have functioned as “warm up sessions" for artists about to make their professional debuts.  Soprano Carolina Ullrich debuted at the Kennedy Center, cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan at Carnegie Hall and marimbist Pius Cheung at the Lincoln Center.

The Paramount received an FY10 Community Arts Grant of $2,500 to hold master classes in conjunction with the “Passages at the Paramount” series. Prior to their concerts, the artists conduct master classes at Rutland High School with students from other schools in the region. Ullrich’s master class was attended by 125 students. Students in that session learned about the context of art songs and lieder, with five singers receiving coaching on singing technique. Her pianist, Marcelo Amaral, fully participated in the educational exchange, managing to make the class appreciable to players as well as singers. 

Bouchard projects the Paramount Theatre’s economic impact on the greater community to be $1.5-2.0 million during the 2010-2011 Season.  “In the new era of the Paramount, we dreamed of de-mystifying the theatre experience, removing the “elitist” label, and truly becoming a theater for everyone,” he said. “With ticket prices to two of our series at $15 and $10, offerings for a wide range of tastes, and the advent of the “Big Flicks” series at $6 and $4, we have finally laid in the final brick in our programming dream. There is so much potential in Rutland – it is just a matter of discovery, entrepreneurship and hard work. We sense a rich and rewarding future.”

To see the wide variety of upcoming events at the Paramount, visit www.paramountlive.org

 

 

Brendan Taaffe :: February 17, 2010

Brendan Taaffe is a teaching artist whose school residencies focus on the dance traditions of North America and the British Isles and on world folk tales.  In addition, Brendan plays for contra dances and concerts with his band, Magic Foot, and leads adult singing workshops through the vehicle of Turtle Dove, an arts organization he founded and directs. After being accepted to the Vermont Arts Council’s Teaching Artist Roster, he applied for and received an FY10 Artist Development Grant of $400 to create a color brochure. He was completely clear in his application about what his goals are: “…a full time musical career that balances school residencies, performances, and adult workshop experiences.” When you speak with Brendan he is just as clear. “This is what I want to do,” he says with resolve.

Brendan’s first career was as a vegetable farmer. He left farming because it was exhausting, but brought certain lessons with him that are useful in his art. “There is a certain attitude of resourcefulness that comes from farming,” he explains. “The margin of survival is so slim. That ingrained a certain attitude in me. When I need to do something, I ask myself what resources are available. I ask myself how I can do what needs to be done without paying someone.” He says that the payoff is that he doesn’t have to feel limited by income. Describing his life as full of a rich diversity of experiences, he is currently on his way to Scotland to lead singing workshops. “What could be better than that?”

Many self employed artists struggle with marketing and promotion but Brendan has a good handle on that. He has an attractive and easy to navigate website, gets his name listed in directories and rosters, and is creating brochures for broad distribution.  He says, “It would be great if we could just be artists. I would love to wake up, think ‘I’ll compose a new piece today’ and do just that. But I make time to pay attention to other things because I want to play music and work with people as a musician. I also don’t want to be desperately poor. People aren’t going to beat down the door.”

Another challenge artists face is the lack of a clear boundary between work and the rest of life. The day often flows between things that are clearly work related, things that aren’t, and those unclear things in the middle. But those middle-ground events might feed creativity, so it all comes full circle. For Brendan that could be a walk outdoors, taking a bartered puppet lesson with Eric Bass, or making a table. “Good food and wine also seem to help,” Brendan adds.
 

The Carving Studio & Sculpture Center :: February 3, 2010

The Carving Studio and Sculpture Center in West Rutland received an FY09 Cultural Facilities Grant. The funds were used to make their 155 year-old building more accessible to the public.  The $18,000 grant help support a number of enhancements including building an accessible door and ramp for the main building, restoring an existing historic door with access in mind, installing a new ADA-compliant door in Winter Studios Building, and creating an accessible parking area near the ramp. These improvements are the result of thoughtful planning, and according to Executive Director Carol Driscoll, the work wouldn’t have been possible without the grant.

The Carving Studio is facing the challenges of growth. They needed to expand into the Winter Studio next door. At the same time, they had to be sensitive to access while preserving the historic nature of their building. Their plans are broad and proactive. They developed a master plan for the property that was prioritized by Tom Warner, an architect from Middlebury. They are using the current economic climate to focus on some of the necessary building issues and have been able to rely on Nancy Boone, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer for the Division of Historic Preservation, for guidance.

Frequently, people equate access strictly with wheelchairs. “Universal Design” is actually a much broader concept, intended to create spaces that are usable by all people, whether they're young, old, tall, short, with or without limits to mobility. The renovations had an immediate impact.  “As soon as the ramp was done everyone began using that instead of the steps quite naturally,” said Carol.  “Also, between the two buildings, there are two long picnic tables. That became an active space.”

Last fall, the Studio hosted a literary event with about twenty-five members in attendance. This included members who are elderly and have disabilities. Carol reported that everyone accessed the facility through the new ramp and automatic entrance. “Since then we have hosted several tours through the main building, down the access ramp and into the Winter Studios building without concern,” she added.

The Carving Studio’s vision for further improvements continues to be realized. The Board considers this lean time perfect for implementing a plan that anticipates growth in the next ten to twenty years. The next step is a low cost improvement that demonstrates change and viability. They will be working in the sculpture garden to add pathways and to remove invasive plants.  

To learn more about the Carving Studio and Sculpture Center, visit www.carvingstudio.org.
 

New England Center for Circus Arts :: January 20, 2010

The New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) teaches circus skills to students of all ages and abilities. This year, they received an Arts Learning grant to create a circus arts curriculum in collaboration with the Windham Regional Career Center (WRCC).

By their nature, circus arts are non-competitive, culturally diverse and socially inclusive. NECCA describes their courses as a place where “creativity and hard work trump traditional discriminations such as gender, sexual orientation, skin color and physical shape and size.”

WRCC is a natural partner for developing a circus arts curriculum. Students at the Career Center attend local high schools for the academic courses necessary for graduation.  They also receive credit for their career and technical education courses at WRCC.  Programs choices vary from accounting and digital electronics to automotive technology and performing arts.

Director David Coughlin has been supportive of the Circus Arts curriculum as an outlet for students needing non-traditional education paths to help them learn important career tools. “Working with the Center for Circus Arts will allow us to expand our programs, providing the necessary balance students require to successfully move forward to Arts careers after high school. Circus Arts provide an engaging way for our students to learn about working with a group, long-range planning, and connecting science, math and language in a cohesive course with clearly visible goals and accomplishments. And in this age of childhood obesity, adding the physical component is also a benefit.”

The idea has been percolating for some time. “We’ve been entertaining the concept for years,” says Elsie Smith, the Artistic Director at NECCA. “The possibility of a grant was the catalyst in moving toward the creation of an actual curriculum. When the Arts Campus first was conceived, there was the hope that the WRCC would be a part of it. The possibility of receiving funding and having enough growth in our business to support this kind of project were clear indicators that it was time to proceed.”

The grant has allowed NECCA to meet with a variety of circus arts educators to begin designing the curriculum.  In addition to the physical learning, students will study history, writing, math and science using circus as a starting point. Students will write about famous circus personalities through the ages, and because of NECCA’s international reputation, they get to interview some of these people as they travel through the area. When learning about the physicality of certain skills, students will investigate anatomy and physiology and how it relates to the movements they are working to accomplish. NECCA is still developing the day-by-day outlines, and specifics about the staffing and homework assignments.

To find out more about the New England Center for Circus Arts, click here.
 

Focus on Film :: January 7, 2010

The Green Mountain Film Festival (GMFF) began in Montpelier in 1997 with a short series of films and no real intention of becoming an annual event. It is an annual event, however, and has grown steadily every year. In 2009, there were 113 presentations and nearly 10,500 attendances for the 10-day festival.

The 2010 Festival will be the largest yet with three film venues in Montpelier (the Savoy Theater, City Hall Arts Center and the Pavilion Auditorium) and satellite screenings at Catamount Arts in St. Johnsbury. Montpelier’s events will take place March 19-28 and St. Johnsbury’s events are April 9-11.

Focus on Film is the organization that presents the Festival. Last spring they were awarded an ARTS JOBS* grant of $5,000 to support the positions of Chief Programmer, Graphic Designer and Web Designer. Funding for these positions has a significant impact on the organization and the Festival’s future course.

“Film programming is the single most important aspect of festival planning,” says Executive Director Donald Rae, “and a more complex process than many would imagine.” The Programmer strives to bring films from all over the world at an affordable price. Film selection for the GMFF is carried out year-round with the assistance of a loose-knit body of about 16 volunteers.

The internet plays a key role in the Festival's promotional strategy. They have maintained a presence on Facebook for several years, and are increasingly using Twitter (@Festivius) to communicate with festival goers. The majority of festival goers are from Central and Northern Vermont, but visitors are drawn from all over the region. Invited guests travel from much further afield: New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, and on one occasion, Tel Aviv.

“Social networking and a functional website are both very important to us,” says Rae. “We have become ingenious by necessity. The real genius is our web designer Carter Stowell of Fig Rig Webcrafters, who every year elegantly bridges the gap between what is possible and what is affordable. The same is true of Linda Mirabile of Ravenmark Design, our Graphic Designer. They’re both based right here in Montpelier. They both like the festival. Online and on paper, our design dollars go a long way.”

To find out more about the Green Mountain Film Festival, visit: www.greenmountainfilmfestival.org

* In August, 2009, the ARTS JOBS program, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, awarded $606,000 in grants to 42 Vermont arts organizations. The purpose of this funding is to help preserve jobs in Vermont’s nonprofit arts sector that have been threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn.
 

Gordon Stone :: December 16, 2009

Gordon Stone has been writing and performing banjo and pedal steel guitar music for more than thirty years.  His music has been described as “a blend of jazz-flavored groove-driven funk and buoyant bluegrass.” Gordon recently received a Community Arts grant to support the creation and performance of a collection of new songs that reflect Vermont's ethnic diversity. The result of that grant was a performance piece titled The Sacred Forest.

His goal in this project was to work musically with a portion of the diverse cultures that exist in Vermont.  The inspiration for the collaboration began on a day Gordon wore his African-made mud cloth jacket to Shaw’s supermarket. The jacket sparked a conversation with Elhadji Mamadou Ba, a Senegalese percussionist, and led to Elhadji’s playing hand drums on Gordon’s CD, Night Shade. Elhadji, who also teaches dance, choreographed a group of dancers for the two performances of The Sacred Forest (one in Burlington and one in Barre).  The result was both an interesting new piece of music and a DVD. Gordon said he believes this is the first collaboration involving American pedal steel guitar and banjo and Senegalese drumming and dancing.

Gordon described a noticeable difference in the relationship between music and dance in the American and Sengalese cultures. In traditional genres, American dancers respond to the music. In the Senegalese style, the lead players leave the groove of the ensemble and follow the dancer emotively.  During the Sacred Forest performance the djembe player actually moved around on stage with the dancers.

Gordon and his partner, Jennifer Harwood are looking forward to more projects like this as well as the possibility of beginning a new non-profit organization. They have already made contact with Brazilian, West African and Rwandan musicians living in Vermont. The goal would be to bring the sound of Vermont’s own world music to the rest of the globe.


To learn more about Gordon Stone and his music, visit www.gordonstone.com

St. Johnsbury Academy :: December 2, 2009

St. Johnsbury Academy is a private school with a large international attendance. Vermont students can also attend this school by way of a voucher system.  The Academy has a widely diverse population and a philosophy that learning is most effective in a community atmosphere where collaboration and respect for others is part of the common daily business.

The school received a Teaching Artist Residency grant of $1,000 this year to support a residency and culminating performances with Vermont poet Verandah Porche. Verandah, who is from Guilford, VT, conducts performances, workshops, residencies, and collaborative "told poetry" projects. Students from the Academy’s ESL (English as a Second Language) Program and local students worked together during an 8-day residency that explored international poetry forms.

Prior to Verandah’s arrival, students shared memories and life stories via email. She wrote back, and introduced them to the concept of stories becoming poems. During the residency she helped students set their narratives in poetic form. The poems were shared with each other as well as the St. Johnsbury community.

Robyn Greenstone, the ESL teacher who coordinated the event, described the results saying, “Cross-cultural friendships were made, international poetic forms were experimented with, poetry positively infiltrated the school, and new interests were born.” One student echoed, “…my classmates’ poem helped me know more deeply about their feeling, and I think they also did the same, so that helped us understand each other to help a better friendship.”

Poetry to touch anyone’s heart came from the residency. A student named Trevor wrote this remembrance of his grandmother:

When I was born,
She hold me on her hand
And I cried
(in) the first crying
Three years old
Fighting with neighbor friend
My eye was injured
She took me to doctor
When I was crying
At five,
I came back to city
With my parent
I cried, and
She cried
Since that,
I have gone
To visit her
Every week
Suddenly…
She got sick
When I was six grade
In the hospital she was so weak
Until one night,
She has gone
I cried a lots
For me
And for her…

Find out more about Verandah Porche, who is listed on the Council’s Teaching Artist Roster.  Or, click here for more information about St. Johnsbury Academy.

November 18, 2009 :: Catamount Film & Arts Center

The Catamount Film and Arts Center is in downtown St. Johnsbury. The organization was founded in 1978 and currently resides in a structure rebuilt in 2008 to house two theatres, two classrooms and a gallery space. Catamount presents films, exhibits and performances. They were given an FY10 Community Arts Grant of $2,500 to support the presentation of Vermont performers in three performance series: Music at the Morse (look for Banjo Dan and the Midnite Plowboys in December and the Star Line Rhythm boys in January), School Time Performances (to include Jennings and Ponder, the National Marioneete Thetre, Jeh Kulu and Inkas Wasi) and the Catamount Cabaret (featuring a monthly singer/songwriter series).

Jody Fried is the Executive Director at Catamount Film and Arts, which is one of St. Johnsbury’s current success stories. He has been the Executive Director since March this year. He is a Vermont native who spent years in the area’s small business community, and took this current position to allow him to return to the arts. In this short time, Catamount’s membership has almost doubled and programming has dramatically increased. Increasing membership and programming is usually a parallel; an increase in one will push the other. 

Jody talked about the programming, saying “There is an incredible infrastructure available in St. Johnsbury. We have the Atheneum, the Fairbanks Museum and Catamount Film and Arts. With the grant and other funding sources, we have been able to put some excellent programming in place. On any given weekend you might have opera, a poetry reading, or open mic for high school students. We have offerings to rival any metropolitan setting here in this small town in the Northeast Kingdom.”

The Council’s objectives for Community Arts grants include raising awareness of, and respect for, the value of the arts in community; fostering collaboration between artists, arts organizations, schools, community groups and businesses; and to advance and preserve the arts at the center of Vermont communities. Most recipients of the awards (the Catamount included) acknowledge the role the funding plays in helping to build partnerships and to leverage other funding. These are exactly the kind of cooperative and united alliances grant funding can help to enable.

Find out more about Catamount Film and Arts by clicking here.

November 4, 2009 :: Sarah Frechette

Sarah Frechette makes her living as a puppeteer.  She has loved playing with dolls, costumes, and stages since her childhood in Georgia, Vermont. When she was little, Sarah and her dad would build stone cities on the shores of Lake Champlain, complete with stone characters. She was drawn to the drama program in high school and her interest in creating masks and costumes inspired her to attend the University of Connecticut’s unique Puppetry Arts Program.

Sarah received a $3,000 Creation Grant in FY09 to create a puppet show titled “The Snowflake Man.” It is the story of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, the Jericho, VT native who attracted world attention with his pioneering work in the area of photographing and studying snow crystals, commonly known as snowflakes. The characters in the play are primarily string puppets but Sarah is also in the show.

Sarah’s grandfather was her inspiration for learning about Snowflake Bentley. He was a fan of Bentley’s work and owned three snowflake prints which he had purchased in 1927 for five cents each at Camp Abenaki. She describes both her grandfather and Bentley as “gentle Vermont characters” and has created marionettes of both men.

A commitment to learning is a big part of Sarah’s success. She also stresses the importance of collaboration and relationship building. Sarah learned about technique and materials from German Master Puppeteers Albrecht Roser and Phillip Huber (Huber performed the marionette manipulation in Being John Malcovich). The woman who taught her to sew, Kathy Wieland, made the 1927 outfit Sarah wears in the show and her Aunt Donna Ryalls knitted the mittens. Her Uncle Don Bell who “has warmed up to this vagabond puppeteer,” allowed her to use his shop to create the puppets. Artist Jason Thibodeaux sculpted and painted the puppet's heads, and is the show’s director. Puppeteer Carole D'Agostino helped carve puppet bodies and composer Oviedo Menedez will create the music. The stage is a handmade pop-up book with pages painted by watercolor artist Bruce Lee.

Sarah, who is on the Council’s Teaching Artist Roster, says “this project would have been impossible without the Council’s support.” The funding allowed her to purchase most of the materials and to pay a stipend to the other artists involved. “Much of what I do is inspired by the people around me,” she says. “It has been a blessing to have some of my closest family and friends as an instrumental part of this production.”

For more about Sarah’s work, click here.
 

October 21, 2009 :: MRC and Company

Waitsfield’s MRC and Company, Inc. is one of fifteen recipients of this year’s Arts Learning Grants. Their $4,000 award supports the Vermont Young Singers’ Chorus (VYSC), a choral program with high-level musical instruction and outstanding performance opportunities. The program is staffed by Conductors Piero and Andrea Bonamico, Assistant Conductor and Manager Alexis Murphy-Egri and Accompanist Mary Jane Austin-Reynolds. Four groups have been formed. Their five-concert season began in September and will conclude at the Barre Opera House on June 6, 2010. About sixty young people from Central Vermont are already involved in the program and applications for additional singers can still be submitted.

VYSC was created by the Bonamicos with several guiding principles: there is a strong focus on teaching musicianship; enough personnel are available to create an outstanding musical experience; instrumentalists are involved in the performances; and rehearsals are accessible to a broad population. Rehearsals take place at U-32 High School in East Montpelier and at Crossett Brook School in Waterbury. Although not every school has taken advantage of the opportunity, every music teacher in the region has been invited to send two singers (one boy and one girl) at no cost.

Andrea is the Choral Music Teacher at U-32 and Piero has been involved with the Mad River Chorale community chorus since 1996. From MRC also came the Mad River Theatre Troupe (now Café Noir) as well as VYSC’s predecessor, the Mad River Kids’ Chorale. As a conductor and pedagogue, Piero’s sentiments for community chorus are absolutely passionate. He believes that focusing on common good, enabling artistic expression and empowering potential are all part of the process of making music. “These are critical elements in the development of dynamic life skills,” he says. “A community chorus is like a small miracle. People of different backgrounds, interests, and levels of experience come together and make something beautiful.”

Click here to find out more about the Vermont Young Singers’ Chorus.

October 7, 2009 :: Bethel Schools

Bethel Schools received a FY10 Arts Learning Grant to support a dance residency titled Bethel Gets Up and Movin’. The impetus for the project came about at this year’s town meeting when residents called for more dance to be brought to the community. Susan Rule, Bethel Schools’ music teacher, worked with other members of the school community to respond to this demand by hiring Karen Amirault for a week-long school program.  Karen is one of the Vermont Arts Council’s American Masterpieces artists and a member of the Council’s Teaching Artist Roster.

Ms. Rule said that many parents and faculty still remember an Amirault residency that took place twenty years ago, and even one of the school’s lunch ladies was excited to hear Karen would return. Every student in the school had the opportunity to work with Karen. Elementary students spent 30 minutes four times a week and high school students had 90 minutes three times a week. Art teacher Wendy Wells got involved by helping students create journals about  their experience.  On the last day of the residency students reviewed video footage of their work and engaged in self-assessment and further reflection.

A final performance took place on September 24, with eight dances.  Kindergarten students kicked off the event, followed by four two-grade clusters of 1st through 8th graders, and finally two high school groups.  The finale featured school staff and administrators in a routine to Aretha Franklin’s “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” that brought down the house. One parent commented, "It was so good to see K-12 and staff-- ALL participating in the ARTS!"  And many students talked about what a great way it was to start out the year working together as a school.

Andra Bowen, assistant to the principal, noted that while every student participated in the residency, there were a notable number of high school boys missing at the evening performance who may have gotten cold feet at the last minute. But what stood out was the excellent performances of the students who did participate.  One high school student showed up decked out in a head-to-toe tie-dyed outfit, complete with matching wrist and headbands. One parent reflected, "My son gained a new perspective on life during these two weeks of dance."

Karen’s awareness and expertise in modern dance made a strong impression on students who learned that strength and conditioning are critical to the execution of dance. Vermont’s Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities lays out a clear pathway for the skills students should learn in school--and dance is considered a core subject area. However many schools lack the resources to provide an ongoing dance curriculum. Bowen said the $2,787 Vermont Arts Council grant “helped enormously” to bring this residency to the school. Funds were also contributed by the Bethel Council on the Arts, the school Parent Boosters, and the Bethel Historical Society. 

September 23, 2009 :: Chandler Center for the Arts

Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph received an FY10 Community Arts Grant of $5,000 to support the 17th annual New World Festival. The festival is a celebration of Celtic and French Canadian music, dance and culture and is held every Labor Day Sunday. Rebecca McMeekin is the Executive Director of Chandler Center for the Arts and the person who administers the event. Talking to her about the New World Festival is a conversation about relationships and community.

McMeekin lists a number of community players who help create the festival, including Kevin Dunwoody. Kevin has served as the volunteer Music Director since the Festival’s inception and has worked to maintain strong relationships with the artists. Each year he mixes some of the best and most established artists with up-and-coming performers. On one end of the spectrum, there’s Claude Méthé and Dana Whittle. They performed separately at the festival 17 years ago. This year they performed and brought their children as part of Les Poules à Colin, a five-member group of performers under the age of 16. On the other end, there are emerging artists like Hot Flannel, a group grounded in the traditions while exploring new boundaries.

McMeekin sites Randolph’s business community as a key partner in promoting the event. Chandler Center developed a strong marketing plan that included area merchants selling advance tickets and conducting a drawing. Anyone who spent $50 at a local business was entered into a raffle for free admission to the festival. 230 people signed up. The Festival drew about 2,000 attendees from all over New England. They shopped, dined and stayed in the area, thereby returning the investment to local businesses.

Despite economic challenges, the New World Festival has continued to garner sponsor support. “A few reduced their sponsorship levels this year and some passed on the opportunity,” said McMeekin, “but the Arts Council’s grant helped to bridge the gap.”

To find out more about the New World Festival, click here.

September 9, 2009 :: Tim Tavcar

Tim Tavcar is the recipient of an FY09 Arts Council Creation Grant and the artist who created WordStage Vermont. According to Tavcar, “Using letters, diaries, recorded conversations and contemporary chronicles underscored with musical compositions of the era, a WordStage Vermont performance will entertain, inform and educate audiences who have a love of the performing arts and humanities in their purest forms.” Tim says, “Everyone knows who Beethoven is, but including this source material paints a more interesting picture—not so academic.”

Tim has completed the second season of WordStage Vermont performances and is in the process of planning the third. Subjects for the upcoming season include Moliere, Lully and the Court of Louis XIV; Master Luthier Antonio Stradivari; Marcel Proust and Reynaldo Hahn; and members of the infamous Algonquin Round Table. Tim cites the Vermont Arts Calendar as a valuable tool for scheduling presentations and avoiding conflicting dates with other performances.

The “Buy Local” movement is important to Tim and a strong thread in all that he does. In addition to his online research, Tim has purchased many books in local bookstores to pursue the self-described nosiness which drives this enterprise. Tim also feels strongly about hiring artists who have chosen to make their living in Vermont.

How did the Creation Grant help the project? Tim says he was able to put aside some of his contracted commitments (it’s not unusual to find him writing for The Bridge, serving as Chorus Master for Green Mountain Opera, and holding down an administrative position at T.W. Wood Art Gallery all at once), in order to develop a strong second season. The scheduled performances led to two additional commissions and have provided him with momentum for marketing further work.

Tim hopes to use recorded material in marketing efforts that will enable him to take his shows beyond Central Vermont, and eventually, beyond Vermont. He’ll be applying for a Technical Assistance grant to help with that effort.

Click here to learn more about Wordstage Vermont.