“Carolyn Livengood: Program offers cultural exchange - San Jose Mercury News” plus 1 more |
| Carolyn Livengood: Program offers cultural exchange - San Jose Mercury News Posted: 27 Jan 2011 03:36 PM PST The San Francisco Bay Area chapter of CISV is seeking 11- to 15-year-old youths to represent the U.S. this summer at several international camps and exchange programs. The camps and programs will be held in a variety of countries, including Japan, Italy, Egypt, Iceland and Indonesia. CISV, formerly known as Children's International Summer Villages, is a nonprofit, volunteer-based international organization that provides opportunities for participants to develop friendships with people from different countries, backgrounds and cultures. The programs focus on peace education, which is intended to inspire youths to become active global citizens. The programs with open spots are listed below: --Village: Comprised of a delegation of four 11-year-olds (two girls, two boys and an adult leader). One group travels to Cairo June 29-July 26 and the other goes to Cortina, Italy, July 1-28. --Interchange: A delegation of Indonesia youths is hosted in the U.S. June 24-July 14. Then a delegation of seven American 12- or 13-year-olds (mix of girls and boys plus an adult leader) is hosted in Jakarta, Indonesia, from Dec. 17 to Jan. 7 of next year. --International Youth Meeting: A delegation of six 12- or 13-year-olds (three boys, three girls and an adult leader) goes to Kyushu, Japan, Aug. 8-14. --Summer Camp: A delegation of four 14-year-olds (two boys, two girls and an adult leader) heads to Reykjavik, Iceland, July 1-23. --Summer Camp: A delegation of four 15-year-olds (two boys and two girls, plus an adult leader) visits Reggio Emilia, Italy, July 8-30.Note that children must be the specified age at least one day between June 1 and Aug. 31. For more information, including detailed program descriptions and costs, visit www.cisvsf.org, e-mail kathyk20@earthlink.net or call 650-533-0580. Special concerts Notre Dame de Namur University's music department is presenting two special concerts at the Ralston Mansion ballroom. The first concert is "Vive La France!" It will be performed at 4 p.m. Sunday by The Saint Michael Trio, which celebrates the music of the great French chamber composers, from Debussy and Faure to the jazz fusion of Claude Bolling. The Saint Michael Trio -- composed of artists Russell Hancock, Daniel Cher and Michel Flexer, all Silicon Valley professionals -- was established in 2007 and has moved to the front ranks of the music world. Drummer Bill Greenwald and bassist Miller Wren will join the trio for the concert's jazz portion. The concert is free -- a donation is suggested, however. The second concert, which starts at 3 p.m. Feb. 6, is a Ralston Series recital featuring pianist and faculty member Louise Costigan-Kerns. It will include works by Debussy, Chopin, Liszt and Ginastera. It's a mixture of romantic piano music with a touch of Argentina. Costigan-Kerns, who has performed internationally as a concert pianist, accompanist and conductor, is a native of Canada who has also lived in Boston and the Bay Area, where she has performed for Opera San Jose, Stanford University, San Francisco Conservatory and the San Francisco Symphony. General admission tickets are $20. Tickets for students and seniors are $10. For tickets or information, call 650-508-3729 or e-mail concerts@ndnu.edu. Filoli daffodils Filoli Center in Woodside will welcome spring with its dazzling "Daffodil Daydreams" celebration from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 25-26 and from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 27. Filoli's daffodil collection consists of nearly a million bulbs. They include daffodils grown by tens of thousands in many different landscapes, representing 122 different cultivars and 11 different divisions. Each year, about 20,000 bulbs from 60 different varieties are planted in containers throughout the 654-acre property. Nearly 600,000 bulbs are also planted in two large meadows. Even children will be fascinated by a new display of early-blooming, miniature daffodils planted in shallow containers so they can be viewed close-up. The event will also feature the gardens' early spring flowers, talks and demonstrations by experts, activities for children and families and garden walks. Artists are welcome to photograph and paint in the garden on Friday and Sunday. For admission fees, program scheduling, reservations, directions and other questions, call Filoli weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 650-364-8300, ext. 508, or visit www.filoli.org Roaring '20s Save the date! Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County will present a roaring good time, 1920s-style, with "Shh ... Speakeasy" from 6 to 10 p.m. March 5 at the Doubletree Hotel in Burlingame. For details, visit www.ossmc.org or 650-780-5707. If you have any news tips about our county communities, call or fax Carolyn at 650-355-5533 or e-mail her at carolynlivengood@sanbrunocable.com. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Tourism and cultural groups to feel the pinch - Berkshire Eagle Posted: 27 Jan 2011 09:05 PM PST Friday January 28, 2011 GREAT BARRINGTON -- Berkshire tourism and cultural organizations are bracing for a third year of sharp cuts in state support. Under Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed budget for fiscal 2012, the Massachusetts Cultural Council would get $8.4 million -- 7 percent less than the current year If the projected cut survives final action by state lawmakers this spring, the combined three-year reduction for the Cultural Council would be 33 percent, putting state support at its lowest level in nine years, said Executive Director Anita Walker. At the same time, the 16 regional tourism councils funding the Berkshire Visitors Bureau and similar groups statewide also are taking a big hit. "The Cultural Council cuts will have an impact throughout the Berkshires, especially on smaller and mid-sized organizations," said state Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield, vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development. "I don't think any will be shutting their doors," he said. "But some of the more innovative programs that directly benefit local residents and created with the help of this funding will go away. I'm not very optimistic that we'll be able to restore any cuts, though they're not set in stone." 'Seismic shift' He asserted that a budget solution would require reworking of the state's health-payment system, "a gigantic, if not seismic shift" that won't be resolved before the next fiscal year begins July 1."It's a big blow, but keep it in perspective," said state Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox. "The governor's budget is a political document, a template of his vision." Pignatelli described the arts and tourism cuts as "very distressing" because investment in those areas reaps big dividends for the county's economy. He called years of reduced funding "death by a thousand cuts. It's wrong, it may be good politics but not good sense." However, he voiced some optimism that the cuts could be eased if state tax revenue continues to rebound and if soaring health care costs can be contained. 'Cut to the bone' The Berkshire Visitors Bureau is being "cut to the bone," Pignatelli said. Visitors Bureau CEO Laurie Klefos, citing an 11 percent reduction proposed for regional tourism councils, said that this year, the state is funding only 12 percent of her current $865,000 budget, compared to 43 percent of the Adams-based organization's budget of $1.5 million in 2008. "We've done all the cutting we can do," Klefos said, noting that the staff of 14 when she arrived three years ago is now down to seven and that out-of-state advertising for Berkshire tourism has been cut back. Cooperation among Visitors Bureau members as well as the pending 1Berkshire alliance of four countywide economic-development agencies could help ease the effects of state cutbacks, Klefos said. Colonial Theatre and Berkshire Theatre Festival CEO Kate Maguire urged lawmakers to consider the economic impact of cultural organizations on the region's economic health. She pointed out that BTF and the Colonial draw over 100,000 patrons a year who spend over $4 million on food, goods, services and accommodations. "On top of that, we play a vital role in arts education, reaching well over 10,000 students through programs that improve performance in and out of the classroom," she said. At Barrington Stage in Pittsfield, Artistic Director Julianne Boyd acknowledged that "any cut hurts us, we're so lean." She said the theater gets grants from the state's Cultural Council for operations and the Playwright Mentoring program for at-risk youth. "We have to raise more money elsewhere," she added, "as we see less and less from government." CATAsupport slashed About 100 Berkshire residents with disabilities who are under 25 are aided by the Great Barrington-based Community Access to the Arts. CATA's Development and Marketing Director Liana Toscanini of Sandisfield, who describes the nonprofit as mid-sized, said state support this year is only $5,500, about half the level prior to budget cuts. Specific programs may go by the wayside, such as a planned collaboration with Monument Mountain Regional High School to bring in a drama program for youngsters with special needs. "This means a wide impact across all kinds of programs that need funding," she said. "We're spending a lot of time and energy figuring out how to make up that money," Toscanini said. For example, last May's gala at Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, which attracted 700 people, raised more than $50,000 for CATA after expenses. Another gala is scheduled at the theater on May 14. CATA is among the organizations planning direct appeals to state lawmakers in an effort to help restore at least some of the aid that's now on the chopping block. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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