My.Arts.Blog
Welcome to ArtsWave Rebecca Bromels!
ArtsWave is pleased to announce the addition of Rebecca Bromels to its Communications team. Ms. Bromels will begin work as Director of Communications on January 4, 2011. A twelve-year veteran of the local arts community, Ms. Bromels brings a unique perspective to ArtsWave and its expanded focus on creating and sustaining community through the arts.
“I am thrilled to have this opportunity to serve the larger community, and to find new ways to engage Cincinnatians in discovering the incredible spectrum of music, theatre, dance, and visual arts in our region. I have long admired the work of the Fine Arts Fund and I am eager to play a part in its expanded mission as ArtsWave.”
Ms. Bromels comes to ArtsWave after a dozen years at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, a professional not-for-profit theater located in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati. In her eight years as the company’s Managing Director, Ms. Bromels helped achieve goals for growth and stability, working with Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips and the Board of Trustees to grow the company’s operating budget by 40%, and establish a broader base of support for its increasingly acclaimed artistic work. Since moving to Cincinnati in 1999, she has also directed plays for New Edgecliff Theatre, sung with the May Festival Chorus, and coordinated projects between Cincinnati Shakespeare and other arts organizations, including Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
“Through her work at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Rebecca has long been one of ArtsWave’s collaborators. She was also one of the first to share her enthusiasm for what we learned about residents’ appreciation for the way our region’s art centers, museums, dance, music, theatre and more make our community exciting,” said Mary McCullough-Hudson, ArtsWave President & CEO. “We’re excited to have her officially on board and working with us to support and promote the mission of ArtsWave.”
As Director of Communications, Ms. Bromels will work with ArtsWave staff and volunteers to bring the organization’s new mission to life through unique events and engaging dialogues that connect people and advance the vibrancy of our community through the arts.
ArtsWave Movies
It's a week for saying THANK YOU! We're grateful for friends and supporters of greater Cincinnati arts -- our theatre, music, dance, festivals, museums, galleries, art centers, and much more. We're thanking everyone by sharing some fun from our friends. Watch.
Paint the Street Artists
Hundreds of Citizen Painters
(Watch full screen for the most fun.)
ArtsWave at crafty supermarket!
This is a slideshow presentation - click on the arrow, then "more" and "autoplay".
We had a fun time at the wonderful crafty supermarket! (And we did a bit of our holiday shopping BEFORE Thanksgiving, thank you very much!)
Big applause to ALL the artists involved: the organizers and vendors and local food purveyors -- and all the other sponsors. Clifton Cultural Art Center is a great host and a beautiful historic space for the art and music (courtesy of more local artists from PROJECTMILL). We heard there was a line around the block at the opening, with people coming from all over the area to see and buy the arts and crafts. 2100 people came in one day!
This is another excellent event that makes greater Cincinnati unique and fun. We were glad to be a sponsor of this community happening!
Art Games: It's All About Connection
Submitted by Liz Glaser, Xavier University Communications Team Intern
Gallery hopping on Final Friday, I stumbled across a new gallery at 1417 Main Street. YES Gallery, which showcases the works of local artist Andrew Neyer and several other local artists, held its grand-opening on Friday. What immediately caught my eye was the life-size Connect Four game I saw through the window.
As I entered the gallery, three children followed right behind, and headed straight to the Connect Four game and the Peg Solitaire game next to it. When Andrew told them they were actually allowed to play with the games, their eyes lit up and they spent the rest of the evening standing on their tip-toes trying to put large wooden Connect Four pieces into the game. Of course they couldn’t reach the top, and everyone attending the opening took turns dropping them into the positions dictated by the children.
One little girl ran straight to the Peg Solitaire, grabbed one of the pieces, which was nearly her size, and maneuvered her way through people socializing to rearrange several pieces on the board. One child, Andrew’s brother-in-law, Josh, sat on the floor under the Connect Four board and listened intently as Andrew explained exactly how it functioned.
There was something special about the curiosity and innocence of the children as they ran around playing games with the help of total strangers never fearing to ask for their help.
And it struck me that perhaps, this is what an ideal community looks like, one where strangers socialize, where children play and, instead of fearing adults, include them.
And it was all built around art, around an idea brought to life by an artist and a community of people who nurture, support, and appreciate that idea. As I watched a nine year old girl place a red Connect Four game piece next to three others to create four in a row and win the game, I knew that Andrew had it right; it’s all about connection, and how fitting that a life-size Connect Four board would be the tool needed to create real-life connections between people in a community.
As I left the gallery, I heard the Connect Four pieces slam to the ground as the board was cleared for another game. Let the connections begin.
The Problem with Talking about "The Arts", Again
Our research on how to build broad public support for the arts came to the same conclusion about use of the word “arts” as the recent review of arts advocacy campaigns by the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies.
Their summary is: “Campaigners should be aware that the term ‘the arts’ can be vague and can have less than desirable associations.”
Here's what we found by talking with people in and around Cincinnati.
First, people don’t know what we mean. And if/once they figure it out – they think about high/fine arts – which they think of as something for OTHER people, supported by rich donors and ticket sales or memberships.
This perspective gets in the way of considering the arts a public good, worthy of public funding.
The other thing that people think about when we use the word arts is entertainment. That's fine when you are marketing an event – but since choice of entertainment options is a PRIVATE choice, entertainment is also not something we think of as a public good. So — we can use the words arts, but always define it.
At ArtsWave we say things like: “the arts — our theatre, music, dance, festivals, galleries, museums, and more!” to ensure that the public knows what we mean and finds it relevant. Read more about our research here.