Senior Moments

Of late, the phrase “senior moments” has taken a negative turn. However, within the context of many intergenerational arts programs, “senior moments” inspire, captivate, and educate. For the past seven years, I have had the privilege to work with arts organizations, teaching artists, seniors, students, and teachers in an attempt to use the arts to bring together New York City elders and New York City public school students.

Although I do not feel the need to preach to the converted, I will share a few thoughts on the subject of intergenerational arts programs. For the most part, young people do not spend much quality time with seniors, unless, of course, grandma and grandpa are raising them. Therefore, all that is contained in the heads and hearts of seniors—all the experiences they have had and all the hopes they have for tomorrow—go unheard and unheeded. Luckily, arts organizations such as Elders Share the Arts, the Noble Maritime Collection, Henry Street Settlement, Early Stages, and the Isamu Noguchi Museum understand the value of seniors to children, communities, and a shared future. This past year, these organizations partnered with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs to bring the arts to seniors and students who may not have had any recent arts experiences. In the case of the Noble Maritime Collection of Staten Island, several seniors also acted as teaching artists.

During this past year, I heard children refer to seniors as their “best friend,” saw children cry when they left, watched children gift artwork to seniors, as well as learn about their personal stories and share in the making of art and music. Music took a center stage this year within several of the partnerships. The Early Stages program featured the Daughters of Jacob Senior Facility. At CES 53, Isadore Fertel, a lovely elderly Jewish man, sang and taught his own song about Susan B. Anthony and the fight for women’s rights, in which he had been an active participant. However, I will never forget the seniors, students of IS 61, and their classroom teacher Ermina Gaudio, who, with the help of teaching artists Ann Marie McDonnell and Diane Matyas, wrote an original song inspired by John A. Noble’s lithograph Ghost of a Bygone Ferry. This beautiful and detailed piece of art juxtaposes the stacks of a steam ferry with the two towers of the almost completed World Trade Center and how, as the seniors and students put it, “invincible they seemed.”

Percent for Art Slide Registry

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art program maintains a slide registry that is open to visual artists all over the world who are interested in creating public art. The registry is Percent for Art’s main resource for selecting artists to receive commissions for the creation of permanent public art at city-owned buildings and facilities, such as libraries, hospitals, schools, courts, parks, piers, and esplanades. It is also used by the MTA Arts for Transit program for public art commissions, consultants, architects, curators, and designers. If you are an artist interested in establishing a file in the registry, or if you would like additional information, call (212) 643-7770 or visit www.nyc.gov/html/dcla/html/pct2.html.

Percent for Art Open Call for Panelists

The Percent for Art program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs is seeking art professionals to participate as panelists in the selection process for upcoming commissions. Each artist selection panel is composed of three art professionals, one of whom must be an artist. In addition, DCA and the design and sponsor agencies are on the panel. Representatives from the Borough President’s Office, the City Council Member’s Office, and the Community Board serve as advisors to the panel. The art professional panelists are expected to have current knowledge of the community or borough in which the artwork will be commissioned. We are currently searching for visual arts professionals, including—but not limited to—curators, artists, directors, arts program administrators, art critics, writers, public art professionals, and professors.

What Does a Panelist Do?

In addition to providing current knowledge of the visual arts, panelists are responsible for:

The artist selection process usually consists of two meetings. During the first meeting, the panel reviews artists’ slides and develops a list of finalists to be interviewed for the commission. At the second meeting, the panel interviews the finalists and selects an artist(s) to receive the commission. The panelists are consulted in advance to schedule the meetings, which can last four to six hours. Panelists are paid a modest honorarium of $150 by DCA.

How to Apply

The Percent for Art program maintains a file of eligible panelists’ résumés that will be consulted when new artist selection panels are formed. The résumés will be sorted according to borough and professional experience. To be considered as a Percent for Art panelist, please send a cover letter that explains why you are interested in becoming a panelist along with a résumé. Please list your borough affiliations in your cover letter. For example, if you live in Queens, but work in Manhattan, please let us know. Please send résumé and cover letter to: Percent for Art Program, 330 West 42nd Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10036.

For questions or further information, please call (212) 643-7770 or visit www.nyc.gov/html/dcla.

Grant Announcement: Parents as Arts Partners

The Center for Arts Education, with support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, will award Parents as Arts Partners grants of $3,000 to 100 New York City public schools in collaboration with arts and cultural organizations for programs that involve parents and families in arts education activities. Grant guidelines and applications will be available after September 1 at www.cae-nyc.org or by calling (212) 971-3300 x319. The deadline for required intent to apply forms is October 21. The deadline for the application is November 4.

The Producers of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and Early Stages Share the Spotlight

Through the generosity of Kristin Caskey and the producers of Thoroughly Modern Millie, as well as Caskey’s assistant, Amanda DuBois, two serious students of the arts were gifted tickets to the Tony award-winning musical. Acting, as it often does, as a facilitator, Early Stages ensured that a UNESCO Laureate in Composing received tickets for her first visit to New York City, along with a dance student who wrote the following letter of thanks.

Thank you for the opportunity to experience the Broadway show Thoroughly Modern Millie. I found the choreography to be cleverly inventive, using tapping to simulate the typing of the stenographers. The stylistic movement for numbers such as “The Nutcracker Suite” was fascinating.

As a dance student myself, I was greatly inspired by the choreography and skilled dancers in this show. It was moving to see men and women living out their dreams to dance on stage in New York City! Seeing the show broadened my own view of how dance can be used both as pleasing to the eye while still conveying the plot of the show. Thank you again for this memorable experience.

Sincerely, J.R. Lopatin, Dance Student, Muhlenberg College, PA