“Cultural Olympiad: No sugar-coating - Vancouver Sun” plus 3 more |
- Cultural Olympiad: No sugar-coating - Vancouver Sun
- Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant ... - Investors Business Daily
- New Jersey Cultural Organizations host a Statewide ... - PRLog (free press release)
- Among acres of diamonds, Temple's real gem: Baptist ... - Philadelphia Daily News
| Cultural Olympiad: No sugar-coating - Vancouver Sun Posted: 12 Mar 2010 06:07 PM PST Out from Under: Disability, History, and Things to Remember When: Open daily Mon to Fri, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat and Sun, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to March 21. Where: University of B.C., Robson Square Tickets: Free For disability rights activist Catherine Frazee, the personal overlaps with the political even when she doesn't intend it. That happened with Frazee's recent journey to Vancouver from Toronto for Out From Under, a unique exhibition on the social history of disability in Canada. As one of its three curators, she felt it was important to be here for the exhibition's opening during the Paralympic Winter Games. Frazee, the director of Ryerson's Institute for Disability Studies, can't fly for medical reasons having to do with living with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic neuromuscular disease characterized by the degeneration of the motor neurons. When she travels, she is accompanied by an attendant and Patricia Seeley, her life partner. The only option for her was to take the train. Frazee was willing to make sacrifices to travel out west, such as sleeping in her electric wheelchair. She can't be separated from her wheelchair, which is uniquely customized to her body's needs. At times, for example, she has to tilt it slightly back to help with her breathing. When she contacted Via Rail, she was told that she and her wheelchair had to travel separately. "There was a failure to understand the intimate relationship between me and my chair," Frazee said in an interview. "It might be an exaggeration to call it a form of life support, but it is pretty close. To be separated from my chair for four days was impossible. So we attempted to cajole, persuade, challenge VIA to find ways to solve the problem, to make it their problem and not my problem, but we were unsuccessful." Like anyone faced with a roadblock, she decided to find a way to go around it. Everyone advised her to go south to the U.S. where Amtrak has sleeper cars adapted for people in wheelchairs. Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, the U.S. public transportation system has been required by law to provide physical access for disabled passengers. From Toronto, Frazee and Seeley drove south to Chicago where they got on a train that had a railcar with an accessible room. They travelled across the U.S. to Seattle, where they rented a van with a ramp and drove north to Vancouver. The irony of not being able to cross the country for a disability exhibition during the Winter Paralympic Games wasn't lost on Frazee, one of the country's most articulate advocates for the rights of the disabled. "I felt a kind of sadness," Frazee said. "The railway is such an integral part of the Canadian identity, I was looking forward to crossing the country and going to Vancouver. There was something magical about that. I felt a loss. But nevertheless I was very, very glad to get here." On her journey across the U.S., Americans were constantly surprised that Frazee couldn't travel across Canada by train. In Chicago, they got a little surprise before heading off on their cross-continental trip. The porter brought Frazee and her partner a little bottle of Amtrak champagne so they could toast the 1990 ADA, whose long title is "An Act to establish clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability." "It was a lesson," Frazee said. "In many ways, making a journey in this way may ultimately help raise awareness of the issue and help us get further reform in this country." The reform Frazee refers to is an integral part of the story of the exhibition Out from Under at Robson Square. The exhibition's unique idea was to organize history around 13 groups of objects that represented the untold political, social and personal stories of the disabled. There's Mae Sophia Brown, for example. In 1972, she became the first deaf-blind Canadian to earn a university degree when she graduated from the University of Toronto. The exhibition includes her brailler, a typewriter-like office machine she used to type out braille. I couldn't help but marvel at how she typed out the equivalent of the 26 letters of the alphabet with only nine levers. Close by is her wristwatch. On its face, beside the Arabic numerals, are their equivalents in raised braille dots. Because the glass cover is open, it made me think of Brown herself opening the cover and feeling the time. Another person I'd never heard of is Rev. Roy Essex. His daughter Sheila caught polio and was facing a future in hospital should her chest-sized ventilator or cuirass break down and leave her unable to breathe. He brought her home to be with her family and one day, the ventilator broke down as predicted. Essex found himself talking to the U.S. manufacturer, who helped him repair his daughter's cuirass by phone. He then spent the next 30 years as a volunteer servicing and repairing ventilators for the Ontario March of Dimes. Perhaps the most difficult part of the exhibit to look at is called Naming, which is all about how language is used to classify and marginalize. It includes a poster from a 1924 public education exhibit by the Canadian National Committee for Mental Hygiene. Influenced by the western world's eugenics movement, the committee used words such as "idiocy," "Mongolian imbecility," and "moron" to classify people and legitimize their forced confinement. "Disabled people today remain wary of powerful people with good intentions," the exhibition says. "Wouldn't you?" The exhibition also includes the best audio tour I've ever heard. Designed to explain the exhibit for people with intellectual disabilities, it's clear, informative and straightforward without being condescending. It's formatted as a discussion with Jake Anthony, an autistic actor from Vancouver who is terrific. The exhibition had its premiere in 2007 at the Abilities Arts Festival and was then showcased at the Royal Ontario Museum a year later. Out from Under is social history by disabled people. It isn't history by victims, although it doesn't in any way sugar-coat what people with disabilities have and continue to experience. It's history by a feisty, outspoken group of Canadians who refuse to stay forgotten. "We felt as curators," said Frazee, referring to to Kathryn Church and Melanie Panitch, "and our contributors felt this, that it was really important to bring to the surface those stories, not to make everyone feel bad, but to make everyone realize the incredible resilience of disabled people, of what we have survived, shared. "That is a very important part of declaring our place and demanding respect for what we have endured." kevingriffin@vancouversun.com Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant ... - Investors Business Daily Posted: 12 Mar 2010 01:50 PM PST Mar 12, 2010 (STATE DEPARTMENT RELEASE/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- Announcement Type: New Grant. Funding Opportunity Number: ECA-PE-C-PY-10-05. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.415. Key Dates Application Deadline: April 30, 2010. Executive Summary The Youth Programs Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for up to three Global Connections and Exchange programs in specified countries from the following regions: Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Israel, West Bank/Gaza and Lebanon), East Asia/Pacific (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam), and Africa (Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia). Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501c(3) may submit proposals to facilitate online and face-to-face exchanges between overseas schools and counterparts in the United States. The Global Connections and Exchange (GCE) program utilizes technology to create an American presence in areas where citizens have little opportunity to travel or participate in exchange programs. Through webchats and discussion boards, foreign youth participate in dialogue with American peers about their lives, families and communities. In addition, a theme-based curriculum will increase understanding of issues relevant to both U.S. and overseas participants. Each regional program also captures the spirit of activism through extracurricular projects that harness the energies of youth to affect positive change. Applicants may propose to host only one regional project listed under this competition. Should an applicant submit multiple proposals under this competition, all those proposals will be declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process. I. Funding Opportunity Description Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is "to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world." The funding authority for the program above is provided through legislation. Overview: The Internet and social networking sites have become prevailing tools of influence among youth throughout the world. Social media such as Facebook, YouTube, mobile technology and blogs offer young people opportunities to connect with peers across borders and tear down misperceptions that lead to misunderstanding. In order to harness these powerful technology tools to remove stereotypes and impel change, youth need to be better equipped to use social networking sites and new technologies in a positive way. See Also
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| New Jersey Cultural Organizations host a Statewide ... - PRLog (free press release) Posted: 12 Mar 2010 11:19 AM PST PR Log (Press Release) – Mar 12, 2010 – The Cultural Access Network, New Jersey Theatre Alliance and Paper Mill Playhouse present Building Bridges for EmployABILITY in the Arts - A Statewide Forum for Performing Artists with Disabilities
This event will offer cultural employers and performing artists of all abilities the opportunity to network and participate in a series of sessions designed to provide them with tools and resources to heighten the awareness of each others needs. The day will include a panel discussion entitled: Strengthening the Relationship between Employers and Performing Artists with Disabilities; The event will also feature a keynote address from Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, actor and hip-hop artist. A recent NAACP Image Award Winner, Mitchell had considerable success as an actor, appearing in 'House Party' and its sequel, 'Galaxy Quest,' '10 Things I Hate about You,' and the popular TV sitcoms 'The John Larroquette Show' and 'Veronica's Closet.' Then, in November of 2001, Mitchell was in a motorcycle accident and became paralyzed from the waist down. After the accident, he appeared on the TV program 'Ed' between 2002 and 2004 as the manager of a bowling alley who was paralyzed after an accident not unlike Mitchell's own. He is currently starring on Fox's 'Brothers.' "The New Jersey Theatre Alliance is so proud to partner with Paper Mill Playhouse on this forum," says Alliance Executive Director John McEwen. "Events like these are vitally important because they not only give a face, voice and platform to performing artists with disabilities, but they also bring an awareness to industry professionals and potential employers that these artists offer a wealth of talent and shared humanity that audiences of all abilities are hungry to see." Paper Mill Playhouse's Executive Director Mark Jones adds: "Paper Mill Playhouse has long been a leader in making theatre accessible to audiences with disabilities, so it seems only natural to take the next step - crossing to the other side of the footlights - with this forum and showcase for performing arts groups and performers with disabilities." Cultural employers and artists of all abilities will have an opportunity to network and participate in a series of sessions that will provide them the tools and resources to heighten the awareness of the artist abilities and the employers' needs. Event highlights include: • Strengthening the Relationship between Employer and Performing Artists with Disabilities ... a panel discussion
Participants will include representatives from The Actors Fund, Amaryllis Theatre Company, Inclusion in the Arts, Heidi Latsky Dance Company, Paper Mill Playhouse, and Two River Theater Company. The Forum is free, and takes place at Paper Mill Playhouse – 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ – on Thursday, May 6th from 4 – 9 pm. Advance registration is required; contact Robert Carr at the New Jersey Theatre Alliance: rcarr@njtheatrealliance.org; For more information, please visit http://www.culturalaccessnetwork.org. Funding for the Building Bridges for EmployABILITY in the Arts forum for performing artists with disabilities and employers is made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and The Kessler Foundation. The Cultural Access Network is a co-sponsored project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. Additional support provided by The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, The F.M. Kirby Foundation, and The Prudential Foundation. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Among acres of diamonds, Temple's real gem: Baptist ... - Philadelphia Daily News Posted: 12 Mar 2010 11:12 AM PST THERE ARE striking surprises inside the renovated Baptist Temple, on Broad Street at Temple University's North Philadelphia campus. The 119-year-old former church, designed by architect Thomas P. Lonsdale as an example of the Victorian Romanesque-revival style, was originally known as simply "The Temple" when it opened in 1891. In fact, the university took its name from the church, which had been built to accommodate the large crowds who literally had to wait in shifts to hear the speeches and lectures of Temple's founder, the Rev. Russell H. Conwell. Conwell taught night classes at The Temple between 1891 and 1894, said James W. Hilty, a Temple professor of history and community and regional planning. But the congregation pulled up stakes in the early 1970s and built a larger facility in Montgomery County, leaving the the Baptist Temple, as it later became known, to sit empty, deteriorating for more than 30 years. Now, after a two-year, $29 million renovation, the university is ready to reopen the Baptist Temple on April 14 as a cultural center to anchor the northern section of the city's Avenue of the Arts. "It's going to be much more than a performing arts center," said Charles Henry Bethea, executive director of the Baptist Temple. It is planned as a multipurpose cultural and performing-arts center. (The first concert, by Patti LuPone, is scheduled for April 17.) The new Baptist Temple will be a gathering place for film screenings, lectures, symposia, commencement ceremonies and a space for private events, from corporate meetings to weddings and other events. The university is restoring the Baptist Temple's role as a cultural landmark that Conwell predicted 119 years ago, said Hilty. Originally, the Temple could seat as many as 4,600 people, Hilty said. His new book, Temple University: 125 Years of Service to Philadelphia, the Nation and the World, is expected soon in bookstores. But critics warned Conwell that the building would never succeed "as a religious and educational institution," Hilty wrote. To that, Conwell replied: "If we don't make it a success as a Temple, we'll turn it into a theater." Hilty wrote that Conwell intended "The Temple to be a multipurpose spiritual, educational, and community facility where 'entertainments' could be held for the 'mutual and spiritual advantage' of the people of Philadelphia." The newly renovated Baptist Temple, restored by the architectural firm RMJM in Philadelphia, now includes 36,000 square feet and has several unique venues within its walls. Lew Klein Hall, the main-stage space, is in what had been the church sanctuary. It features a thrust stage with seating for about 2,000 on three sides. Most of the building's 140 stained-glass windows can be seen from the theater. The historic Chapel of the Four Chaplains has a new street entrance and has space for up to 130 guests. It was named for four chaplains who perished at sea when a military transport ship was torpedoed during World War II. The four chaplains, two Protestants, one Catholic and one Jewish, had given their life jackets to other men. Among the architectural surprises is a "porch area" inside the building's front wooden doors that will become a box office. From that space, visitors will walk through original red-leather, metal-studded doors that lead into an airy, modern lobby with three turquoise walls. "We call it a marriage between the old and the new," Bethea said during a recent tour of the building. One of the Baptist Temple's most impressive elements, the iconic, large stained-glass window at front of the church, known as the Rose Window, filters colored light throughout the lobby. But visitors who take the stairs up to the balcony area are in for another treat, one that Bethea said surprised even the architects who restored the building. As people walk up the stairs, the Rose Window, behind patrons on the outer wall facing Broad Street, is reflected through two sets of glass walls outside the balcony. The result is that visitors see a holograph-like reflection of the window as they walk upstairs.
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