Thank YOU for making 2019 an incredible year!
2019 was quite a whirlwind for us over here at the Arts Council of Rockland, but we have enjoyed every minute of building community with artists, arts supporters, arts organizations, and other community groups and leaders in Rockland County. Here’s a rundown of some of the year’s highlights:
Offered professional development workshops to 75 participants on a broad range of topics
Launched a NEW “Master Class Series” in collaboration with the Rockland Center for the Arts
Provided solo exhibit opportunities for 6 local artists, as well as a group show for 40 member artists, at the ACOR Members’ Gallery
Facilitated exhibit opportunities for 30+ artists through our Hidden Treasures Gallery program at the Rockland County Courthouse, in collaboration with Commissioner of Jurors, Patricia Zippilli (with approximate reach of 500 people each week, or up to 24,000 people each year!)
Resurrected the Arts Awards, which is the only event of its kind that focuses on recognition of Rockland artists, and brought 200 people together to celebrate their accomplishments
Established an Arts Advocacy Coalition to help identify the greatest needs of the artist community, as well as action-oriented solutions
In developing and delivering the above programs and services, we have grown our membership, established great relationships with many community leaders and organizations, and attracted enthusiastic donors and committed volunteers. THANK YOU for your support, which is truly what drives our success.
We are growing in 2020!
Welcome to our new Membership Coordinator, Beth E. Brown!
The Board of Directors of the Arts Council of Rockland proudly announces the appointment of Beth E. Brown as its new Membership Coordinator.
Please join us as we welcome Beth E. Brown who brings over 25 years of administrative experience to ACOR. Over the course of her career, Beth has held various administrative positions in the fields of government, communications and the law. After graduating in 1990 from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications, Beth began her professional career working for the New York State Legislature, both in the Senate and Assembly, where she managed legislative staff and assisted elected officials in all aspects of office administration.
Beth continued her career, working for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation as Deputy Public Information Officer, assisting the Commissioner in all aspects of communications on behalf of the Agency. Beth also worked for the New York State Bureau of Refugee and Immigration Affairs where she co-authored the 2001 New York State Citizenship Initiative (NYSCI) Program Request for Proposal (RFP), a state-funded grant that provided citizenship application assistance to individuals eligible for naturalization.
For the past 17 years, Beth served as Office Director at The Law Offices of Composto & Composto, where she managed legal staff and oversaw all administrative operations. After 85 years of active practice, the firm closed in 2019. Since that time, Beth has worked part-time as Administrative Manager and Publishing Assistant at SureShot Books Publishing LLC, in Nyack.
In her role as Membership Coordinator, Beth brings a wealth of administrative, organization and communication skills and experience to ACOR. Beth’s efforts will focus primarily on building and maintaining ACOR’s membership, by promoting programs of interest to its members and community, and assisting in the professional development of artists and educators. In addition, Beth will maintain regular office hours at ACOR where artists and members may have regular access to information on grant opportunities, scholarships and networking collaboration opportunities.An avid lover of music, Beth is also an accomplished singer-songwriter and musician who plays both the guitar and piano, and has copyrighted five (5) of her own compositions. Originally from Upstate New York, Beth lives in Nyack with her wife, Andrea F. Composto, Esq.
Beth Brown, ACOR’s new Membership Coordinator
Welcome to the New Members of Our Board of Directors!
ACOR was busy in the second half of the year recruiting new board members, and we are thrilled to share that the following individuals have accepted board positions:
Lisa D'Amico PhD Artist, Curator, Educator
Andrea Giraldo Certified Business Advisor, Rockland Regional Center NYS SBDC
Lisa Levart Artist/Photographer, LUSH Photography / Goddess on Earth
Carole Perry Carole Perry Art Consulting
Brenda Ross Author
Lucas Ruderman Filmmaker
Paul Speziale Professional Guitarist/Multi-Instrumentalist
They join our continuing board members John Wagner, Chair; Laura Shapiro, Vice Chair; Lorena Shaw, Secretary; Francesca Lopez, Treasurer; and Bob Marino.
Back Row (L to R): Bob Marino, John Wagner, Cheryl Baun, Andrea Giraldo, Carole Perry, Lorena Shaw
Front Row (L to R): Lisa D’Amico, Brenda Ross, Lisa Levart, Lucas Ruderman
New Weekly Office Hours!
We are working on getting our office in order to have an even better space for the community! While we do that, we have decided to start weekly office hours! We welcome the community to drop-in on FRIDAYS from 10:00am to 2:00pm at our office within the Garner Arts Center, located at 55 W. Railroad Avenue, Building 24, Suite A, Garnerville, NY 10923. Come by to view our current exhibit, chat with us about opportunities, and learn how you can get more involved. If you would like to schedule an alternate time to meet or visit us, please reach out to Cheryl Baun, executive director, at cheryl@artscouncilofrockland.org or Beth Brown, Membership Coordinator, at beth@artscouncilofrockland.org.
Upcoming Events!
“From Transaction to Transformation: Artists as Changemakers, Community Builders, and Creative Entrepreneurs”
Saturday, January 11, 2020 | 10:30am to 12:30pm | ACOR, 55 W. Railroad Ave, Bldg 24, Suite A, Garnerville, NY 10923
Leveraging the power of art, culture and creativity to bring about positive impact and community revitalization – formally referred to as creative placemaking – is an evolving field of practice. At the same time, ‘artists’ have a long established tradition of stimulating local economic development, promoting enduring social change, and shaping the physical environment into thriving, vibrant destinations and communities.
In this highly interactive, facilitated panel discussion, we will explore how the new dynamics of this ‘evolving field of practice’ expands revenue-generating and associated opportunities for artists and other creative entrepreneurs.
Local artists, and other creatives including small business owners, along with other place-based stakeholders - including nonprofits, community development corporations, anchor organizations, arts and cultural groups – are especially welcome, and well positioned to take advantage of and even drive these creative placemaking opportunities.
Kick-start your New Year by connecting with like-minded change makers and community builders, and leave with:
- a deeper understanding of the creative placemaking landscape and new opportunities for transformational change and impact
- resources to jump-start your 2020 goals
- an expanded network of change makers and community builders who share your sense of possibility and ‘get it’
Join Bruce Arbit, consultant, entrepreneur, and change maker along with a panel of local artists and changemakers.
About the Presenter
Bruce Arbit, founder and president of Melarbit Partners, has more than 20 years of professional fundraising, marketing and organizational/business development experience in the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Bruce has been a strong proponent of working across sectors and taking an entrepreneurial approach to social sector engagement, long before there were terms such as social entrepreneurship and impact investing. He has a special interest in new forms of social enterprises/businesses; testing new approaches to philanthropic/social sector engagement; and local community investing.
This workshop is part of our 2nd Saturday Series, which is made possible through the generous support of the Rockland County Legislature and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). These workshops are FREE for ACOR members, and $10 for non-members. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome, too! Register for this workshop here.
Join us for our New Year’s Celebration Closing Reception of our Members’ Show! Come and meet ACOR board and staff members, learn about what’s in store for 2020, how ACOR can help you, and how you can get more involved. We will celebrate our accomplishments as a community in 2019 and look forward to all that is to come in 2020!
There is no charge for this event, but please RSVP via the Facebook event here.
“What is Your Art Worth?”
Saturday, February 8, 2020 | 11:00am to 1:00pm | ACOR, 55 W. Railroad Ave, Bldg 24, Suite A, Garnerville, NY 10923
The reality of modern life for any working artist is diversification. If you want to make an income as a photographer or artist, sometimes it’s not always enough to rely on gallery exhibits and freelance clients. Luckily, as the world has changed, the opportunities for artists to make money from their creativity have also expanded. We will explore different ways to monetize your art in order to achieve both creative and financial strides.
Deciding what price to put on your artwork can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With simple steps, you can take the guesswork out of placing a price tag on your artwork. We will discuss key aspects of pricing including comparables, negotiation techniques, and long term strategies.
Jane Coco Cowles Bio
Jane Coco Cowles is a designer and attorney. She graduated from Drew University with a B.A. in English and Fine Arts. She began her career in fashion working for for Lacoste, Richards of Greenwich and as a photo editor for Arts & Antiques magazine. Her keen eye for detail is an asset that helped her graduate with honors from law school and later receive an LLM in taxation from New York Law School. Jane has worked in law firms, taught business law at the European School of Economics and worked in accounting at Ernst & Young focusing on the areas of corporate law, business formation and contracts. Art has been a constant in her life. Jane’s fine line illustration is influenced by her her love of precision and career beginnings in fashion. Jane’s designs can be seen in Conde Nast Traveler and GQ. She has received many design awards including the Drew University Dean’s Prize for Art. Her work is exhibited in galleries in New York, Connecticut and Italy. She resides in New York with her daschund, Pico, where she works as a communications strategist and advises artists.
Lisa D'Amico PhD Bio
Lisa D'Amico is an ivy league educated artist and educator with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine Arts in addition to a Doctorate in Education. She is a NY and NJ certified art teacher with over 20 years teaching experience. She is an award winning artist, published writer and an accomplished curator. She has curated over 25 art exhibits for individual and group artists as well as conducting regional 'call for artists' opportunities. She has dedicated her life and career to the arts and education.
This workshop is part of our 2nd Saturday Series, which is made possible through the generous support of the Rockland County Legislature and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). These workshops are FREE for ACOR members, and $10 for non-members. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome, too! Register for this workshop here.
ACOR Exhibitions through January 2020!
Don’t forget to visit our current exhibitions at both the Rockland County Courthouse and the ACOR Members’ Gallery! (Click on image to view Slide Show.)
