Bronx Council on the Arts 50th anniversary celebrates borough’s ‘art jewels’

11 listopada, 2011

When members of the arts community gather at the Bronx Museum of the Arts Thursday night, they will celebrate both the past and the future of the arts in the Bronx. The Bronx Council on the Arts is presenting its first annual APPLAUSE Awards, themed “Women of Bronx Arts.”

By TANYANIKA SAMUELS

“They are leaders in their own right,” said Deirdre Scott, who heads the Arts Council. “They are leading terrific organizations and we wanted to focus attention on these jewels in the crown of the Bronx.”

The festivities will include a cocktail hour, dinner, an awards presentation, dance party and a silent auction. A sneak preview of the art that will be up for auction can be seen at bronxarts.org

The awards honorees include Eva Bornstein, executive director of Lehman Center for the Performing Arts; Madaha Kinsey-Lamb, founder and executive director of Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center; Holly Block, executive director of the Bronx Museum of the Arts; Gail Nathan, executive director of the Bronx River Art Center; and Rosalba Rolón, artistic director of Pregones Theater.

The celebration also commemorates the Bronx Council on the Arts’ upcoming 50th anniversary. Since its inception in 1962, the group has established itself as the official cultural agency of the Bronx and a lifeline to thousands of artists and arts groups in the borough.

The Bronx Council on the Arts now offers a wide array of services to over 4,800 artists and more than 250 arts and community-based organizations.

“They are very dear to our hearts, ” said Kinsey-Lamb, whose performing arts program was among the first to be funded by the Council. “They are a tremendously effective advocate for Bronx artists and the arts in Bronx communities.”

Their role is especially critical in a borough where funding is scarce, Bornstein added.

“Artists have nowhere to turn but to the local arts council,” she said. “The arts have to thrive because it gives spiritual meaning to the community. It is of the utmost importance that we don’t forget the arts.”

Looking ahead, Scott is hoping to cultivate future leaders and generate even more enthusiasm for the arts.

“I want to see the lights in people’s eyes and get them excited about arts and culture,” she said.

For more information, visit bronxarts.org

BY TANYANIKA SAMUELS
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Originally Published: Wednesday, November 9 2011, 6:00 PM