Uncertain Future

Due to the recent funding cuts, the future of the Visual Connection Project is uncertain. If I can secure more permanent employment through my recent searches, then the VCP will be dissolved. As I previously mentioned there is also a chance that I will try to find another non-profit organization to host the project. Given the recent funding cuts, however I am not sure this will work. If the VCP is dissolved this blog site will also be deleted as well. A decision will be made by March 28th.

Worst News

I have just learned that Veith Street Gallery Studio Association will not even receive a cessation grant from the United Way of Halifax. Unfortunately this may mean the end of the road for Veith Street Galley.

SAD NEWS

Unfortunately Veith Street Gallery Studio Association received bad news from its primary funder, the United Way of Halifax, that neither the proposed VSG programs nor the Education and Outreach Programs (Visual Connections Project) fit their new funding criteria. As a result of this, funding has been cut and the organization is awaiting word on a cessation grant that may allow the gallery programs to remain in operation, but not the Education and Outreach programs (Visual Connections Project).

This means that my position with Veith Street Gallery Studio Association as the Education and Outreach Curator will end on March 28th. I am not sure what will happen to the Visual Connections Project, as I am pursuing other employment opportunities. It may show up as a program in another non –profit organization or it may just fade away.

For me the past five and half years with Veith Street Gallery Studio Association has been both challenging and rewarding. I feel I have grown as an educator and artist. I will miss the artist of Creative Spirit East and working with the other community service providers in HRM.

Changes

In our last post we said that after a review of the programs and services we would begin to implement  a number of changes. The first of these changes is the elimination of the professional development programs. Even though we said that we would not change these programs, we felt that these programs should be offered through another service in Halifax.

The second major change in programming is the expansion and renaming of the Creative Start Open Studio Program. The new name for the program will be the Visual Connections Open Studio program, which will be expanded from a ten week program to thirty week long program. This newly expanded program will also have an employment component, in which program participants will also do a work placement within the visual cultural industry. Of course this expansion will only happen if the funding come through.

Changes are Coming

Over the next couple of months there will be a review and redevelopment of the programs offered through the Visual Connections Project – Community Education Programs. Some programs will be transformed while other programs will be replaced by new programs.

The Visual Connections Project – Professional Development Programs will not change, and we hope to offer the MIX: Integrating the Visual Arts into Adult Education in the fall. There are also plans in the works to develop a brand new social enterprise.

Some of these changes will take place in September, while others will be more long term.

ART AT APSEA

The images below are samples of artworks by students at APSEA (Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority). I had the students do giant artist trading cards.

CSOSP Final Exhibition

Here are some images from the final exhibition for the Creative Start Open Studio Program held the Bloomfield Centre, Halifax June 1st, 2012.

Time Frames Program Final Exhibition

Here are some images from the final exhibition for the Time Frames Program held at the Alderney library on May 31st, 2012.

CREATIVE START EXHIBITION

CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM 

ART EXHIBITION

Come help us celebrate the artworks created over the past ten weeks by the participants in the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM.

The CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM has been developed for youth, 17 to 21 years of age with disabilities and related challenges so they can explore different types of visual arts. Through this program, participants decided what kinds of art materials and processes they want to explore such as drawing, painting, printmaking, and more.

DATE: Friday June 1^st, 2012

TIMES: 1:00 – 3:00PM

LOCATION: Room 117, Bloomfield Centre, 2786 Agricola Street, Halifax

The CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM 

Has been made possible through a grant from             

TIME FRAMES EXHIBITIONS

TIME FRAMES PROGRAM

ART EXHIBITION

Come help us celebrate the artworks created by the participants in the TIME FRAMES PROGRAM

The TIME FRAMES PROGRAM is a ten week long program that provides a vehicle for adults 55 and older with disabilities and seniors to express themselves through a community based arts program while at the same time addressing various issues facing the communities that they are a part of.

Date: Thursday May 31^st, 2012
Times: 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Location: Maxine Tynes Room, Alderney Library, 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth

The TIME FRAMES PROGRAM has been made possible through a grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors – Positive Aging Fund.

NEW WORKS

Here is an example of some of the art works by the participants in the Creative Start Open Studio Program.

More Artworks from the Time Frames Program

From the Time Frames Program

Here is a small sample of artworks created by participants in the Time Frames Program.

PROGRAMS RESUME

Both the Creative Start Open Studio Program and the Time frames Program will resume in the next week or so. The start date for the Creative Start Open Studio Program will be March 23rd and the start date for the Time Frames program will be March 29th.

TRANSIT STRIKE IMPACT

I just wanted to speak on the impact that the HRM Metro Transit strike is having on both the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO and TIME FRAMES PROGRAMS. To date both programs have now been postponed going on five weeks. As a transit user myself, and the facilitator of the programs, I have had to walk quite a bit but because I carry some thirty pounds of art supplies to the programs there is no way that I can walk and taking a cab is not an option. It is however the program participants in these two programs, and program participants in many others around the city that have been left out in the cold so to speak. I have also seen first hand how this strike is affecting peoples physical and mental health. There has not been enough dialogue between the two sides but far too much propaganda. There has to be another way to resolve this.

PROGRAM POSTPONMENTS

Due to the transit strike in HRM we have been forced to postpone both the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM and the TIME FRAMES PROGRAM. Once the strike has been resolved we will start the programs.

NEW WAY TO REGISTER FOR PROGRAMS

Due to technical problems with the online registration form on Veith Street Gallery Studio Associations' web site there is a new way to register online for both the Time Frames Program and the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM. Just go to the link below and you will find two different registration forms, one is for the Time Frames Program and the other is for the Creative Start Open Studio Program.


http://visual-connections.blogspot.com/p/registration-forms.html

Programs for Youth and Seniors

The Visual Connections Project will be offering both the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM and the TIME FRAMES PROGRAM starting in January. You will find more information about both programs below.



CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM


The CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM has been developed for youth, 17 to 21 years of age with disabilities and related challenges so they can explore different types of visual arts.
Through the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM, participants will decide what kinds of art materials and processes they want to explore such as drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed - media, graphic story - telling, zines, and more. Participants will be provided with one - on - one support from a Community Arts Educator. There is no cost for this program, and all art supplies are provided. At the end of the program, we will celebrate the artworks created by the youth participants, through an exhibition open to the public. Program participants may also be eligible to become a member of the Creative Spirit East Artist Collective and exhibit their art works through Veith Street Gallery Studio Association’s exhibition venues, Veith Street Gallery and the Pedway Picture Gallery. There is a limit of ten participants for this program.


DATES: Friday January 27th – March 30th, 2012
TIMES: 1:00 – 3:00PM 
LOCATION: Bloomfield Centre, Room 117, 2786 Agricola Street, Halifax


For more information about the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM, contact Gerard McNeil by phone at 456 – 0861 or by e-mail at visualconnectionsproj@gmail.com


To register for the CREATIVE START OPEN STUDIO PROGRAM
 on line go to http://visual-connections.blogspot.com/p/registration-forms.html





TIME FRAMES PROGRAM


The TIME FRAMES PROGRAM is a brand new 10-week long program that provides a vehicle for adults 55 and older with disabilities and seniors to express themselves through a community based arts program while at the same time addressing various issues facing the communities that they are a part of. In effect, this program is a community development program for under - served communities that tap into the lived experiences of community elders. There will also be an inter-generational component in the program. Elders and youth will collaborate on community based art projects that address identified needs or issues within a community.
Program participants may also be eligible to become a member of the Creative Spirit East Artist Collective and exhibit their art works at Veith Street Gallery Studio Association’s exhibition venues, Veith Street Gallery and the Pedway Picture Gallery.


DATES: Thursday January 26th - March 29th, 2012 
TIMES: 1:00pm - 3:00pm 
LOCATION: Alderney Gate Library, Maxine Tynes Room, 60 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth


For more information about the TIME FRAMES PROGRAM, contact Gerard McNeil by phone at 456 – 0861 or by e-mail at visualconnectionsproj@gmail.com


To register for the TIME FRAMES PROGRAM online go to http://visual-connections.blogspot.com/p/registration-forms.html

CSOSP Exhibition

Here are a few images from the final exhibition of artworks created by the participants in the Creative Start Open Studio Program.

Time Frames Program Exhibition

Here are a few images from the final exhibition of artworks created by the participants in the Time Frames Program (Halifax).