Grant Programs

Bill Murphy, Visual Art

The waterfront of Staten Island has a special place in Murphy's work. He has been "chronicling" it since 1975, and thought he had exhausted all the "boneyards" of abandoned ships. However, last spring he discovered the waterfront of the 19th century industrial "Kreischerville" brick factory area, where many abandoned barges, ferries, and other wooden vessels are currently moored. His new project, "Eulogy for Kreischerville" will allow him to continue building a body of work that reflects his depth of feeling.

Lissette J. Norman, Literature

Lissette Norman is a full-time writer and she will support the rewrite phase of her book project, Longer than the Sky, with this grant. Longer than the Sky, geared towards young adults, depicts Dominican life and culture and contains a strong message of hope. Readers will experience the main character's emotional process of changing the fate of her family. Lissette has published work many times in magazines and anthologies and is the author of a children's book.

Jon Specter, Music

Specter has been a blues guitarist for 30 years, playing with many accomplished blues legends and famous musicians. His new project involves adding instrumentation and interpretations from other musicians to nine original love songs. This collection will be titled "Blue Passion." Through group sessions in a studio his original ideas for this collection of songs will be enhanced by the input of other musicians, reflecting the backgrounds of the musicians adding to the interpretations. The new music that is created in this atmosphere will highlight Specter's growth and broaden his scope as a musician as well as positively influencing those with whom he will work.

Return to Grant Overview | Home

2007 PREMIER GRANTEES

16 APPLICANTS/12 GRANTS RECEIVED TOTAL GRANT POOL: $25,000

Susan Amessé, Staten Island Stories: Workshop for Teen Fiction Writers

The project includes a series of four workshops that will assist, guide, and encourage ten teens who have an interest in writing fiction based on life on Staten Island. The final workshop will include a public reading of the manuscripts. $1,802

Century Dance Complex, Inc., Staten Island's Second International Dance Festival

This will be a follow-up to the first festival that took place in Tappen Park in August 2006. Performers in the event range from student to professional, classic to folkloric, ancient to modern, companies and soloists. The purpose of the program is to show the community how vast the world of dance is and how humanity is united in our enjoyment of it. $3,000

April L. Chen, I Love to Tell the Story- Ceramic Storytellers

Chen will create a series of ceramic storytellers representing cultures around the world. Storytellers are usually clay figures sitting on the ground, surrounded by children, in a recitation pose made by the American Pueblo Indians. The project is to create and bring together a United Nations of storytellers. $1,700

Gateway Community Outreach, Beginning Orchestral Programs

The Beginning Orchestral Program will provide instruction in violin, viola, cello, and bass with the intention of providing a positive arts experience through quality training at a reasonable cost to students at all levels in grades 4-10. $2,052

Growing Mind Safe Haven, Inc., Expression Through Music

This project will showcase the musical talents of African, African-American, and Hispanic children in performances in theaters, churches, and other places. At the end of the project, all the participating youth will create a CD that will highlight their experiences in the community. $1,552

Judith Hugentobler, Wetland Ecosystem in Bas Relief

Hugentobler will have an exhibit of her work at Blue Heron Park on the South Shore consisting of ceramic mosaic panels as well as three dimensional vessels. Blue Heron Park will be helpful in developing an accurate portrayal of the dynamic habitat of wetlands specific to Staten Island. $2,850

Ryan McGivern, Finding a Way Through

McGivern will create artwork of blown glass and wood sculpture commenting on the social, psychological, and emotional aspects of trauma on the Staten Island community resulting in variously-sized wood and glass structures, representing stages from trauma to recovery. $1,842

Anke Michaelson, Midnight Churches

Michaelson's project will provide a photographic view of church interiors during the nighttime hours with all interior light eliminated. The time-exposure photographs will suggest a sense of old-time artworks while having the contemporary twist of vibrant colors. $2,100

Murray, The Murray Ball

Murray will coordinate a concert through which the full potential of Staten Island's young art culture is made accessible to those who may not have had the opportunity to explore it. The goal is to establish Staten Island as a place no less legitimate in its creative voice than any of the more well-known centers of art in New York.
The Murray Ball will be a presentation showcasing the modern rock music of the band Murray and also offering a venue for other young Staten Island musicians and visual artists. $1,052

Janice Patrignani, Clay Culture and Community

Patrignani will lead six ceramic workshops for children and two sculpture exhibits culminating in a display of the children's sculptures at Port Washington Library. The ceramic traditions of the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia, will be introduced. $2,500

Chandini Pinilla, Exuberant Colors of Indian Landscape

This project will result in an exhibition of colorful paintings of Indian Landscapes. The essence of beauty of a distant land will be communicated through the universal language of color. The paintings will inspire viewers on Staten Island to get an insight into the wonderful colors of nature through Indian Landscapes. $1,800

Raymond Scro, Staten Island Jazz Composers

The project will be the production of a concert of music composed by Staten Island musicians, including Turk Van Lake, Chuck Wayne, Don Josephs, and Ray Scro; performed by a jazz quintet. $2,750

Return to Grant Overview | Home

2007 ENCORE GRANTEES

28 APPLICANTS/25 GRANTS GRANT POOL: $52,700

Melody Alesi-Pazian, Gounod's Faust

The project will be a concert version of Gounod's Faust. The purpose of the project is to give a "live voice" to the great music so often heard only on CD, because locals do not have the means to travel to and attend live performances. $2,650 Sponsored by CSI Foundation

Art Lab, Inc., "Animated Creations"

Art Lab will invite families to a showing of an animated film followed by a workshop where a teaching artist will lead families in creating their own art based upon the techniques used in the film. $2,500

Irma Bohorquez-Geisler, "Photographs of the Mexican Immigrant Community"

The aim of this project is to photograph the Staten Island Mexican immigrant community in different environments. The photographs taken in this project will show the progress of the Island's Mexican community as they establish themselves in New York. $1,150 Sponsored by New York State Institute on Disability

Friends of Westerleigh Park, Young Artists in the Park

This will be a continuation of the free art program that has been a success for three years in this community. Children will receive art instruction from a professional artist and explore watercolor painting. $1,060

Guy Klucevsek, Solo Accordion Concert of Original Music

Klucevsek will perform a program of solo accordion compositions at the St. George Library. He chose that library because while he performs all over the world, he is rarely able to share his music with his own community and wants to be able to reach a wide and diverse audience. $1,215 Sponsored by the Loris Bend Foundation

Loris Bend Foundation, Inc., Noisy Meditation Band Concert and Radio Interview

A concert of modern, meditative music, presented in The Noisy Meditation Band's eclectic style, will take place at the Tibetan Museum. A discussion will follow the performance. $1,150

The Mighty String Demons, "Jigs and Gigues" and "Joyful Music To Celebrate Winter"

There will be two concerts of traditional and classical music for families. "Jigs and Gigues" will present traditional dance music from Ireland among other works. "Joyful Music To Celebrate Winter" will be a concert of traditional music for the holiday with other "Winter" music. $1,400 Sponsored by the Greenbelt Conservancy

Music at Saint Alban's, Music at Saint Alban's 2006-2007 Concert Season

The grant provided will go towards funding two concerts in the series, presented at St. Alban's Church, The Saint Alban's Piano Quartet's Sympatico Spirits- German and English Romantics and Saint Alban's Festival Choral Society's Music of Hope and Consolation. $1,700

Musical Chairs Chamber Ensemble, "The X Factor"

"The X Factor" will be the ensemble's third concert season. The concert series features pre-concert panel discussions and explores unique programs and instrument combinations. The concerts will be presented in a cabaret setting to enhance the intimacy of the performances. $2,650

Musical Chairs Chamber Ensemble, Molly's Bird Adventures

The project will consist of two special children's concerts for ages 4-10. The concerts will present original stories narrated with live music accompaniment and a live illustrator- a three dimensional story that comes to life right before your eyes and ears! $1,650

Nylon Wound, Inc., Nylon Wound Neighborhood Concert Series 2007

Nylon Wound, Inc. will offer four free classical guitar duet concerts in four public locations on Staten Island. They will include selections from their repertory and offer new arrangements and original compositions created by the duo. $2,150

Raja Rajeswari, Nature Always in Motion: An Enthralling Afternoon of Indian Dances

Traditional Eastern Indian dance forms will be performed to show how the human world and the world of animal and birds are codependent in nature. The project will be presented at the Staten Island Zoo. $2,150 Sponsored by the Staten Island Zoological Society

Richmond Choral Society, Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem

The Richmond Choral Society will present Verdi's "Requiem" with orchestral accompaniment as its annual spring concert this year. $2,000

Seaview Playwright's Theatre , "Blithe Spirit"

"Blithe Spirit" is a comic play written by Noel Coward which takes its title from Shelley's poem, "To a Skylark." This particular project will bring to Staten Island audiences a classic English comedy/drama that is rarely performed here. $3,250

SERENADE, Classical Music Series

SERENADE will present a recital by bass-baritone Jan Opalach, a piano and cello duo featuring Astrid Schween and Gary Hammond, a solo performance by pianist Thomas Hrynkiw and music ensemble of period instruments by Ex Umbris who will present a program of Elizabethan music. $2,125

Staten Island OutLOUD, Public readings, staged readings, dialogues

This project will provide three types of events in 2007 including intimate readings of classics exploring Staten Island's diverse culture, community dialogues on art and civic life, and staged readings in picturesque Staten Island settings. $2,400 Sponsored by the St. George Civic Association

Staten Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Madame Butterfly in Concert

This project is a concert version of Giacomo Puccini's timeless opera Madame Butterfly, with 35 instrumentalists and 7 singers. The Philharmonic hopes to satisfy opera lovers and attract new listeners to this remarkable art form. $1,700

STOUT, The American Journey

STOUT will detail the development of American democracy in a program of folk and traditional songs and stories. The songs will represent the issues facing the new democracy; the stories will illustrate their effect on Staten Island. Five major periods will be illustrated. $1,200 Sponsored by the Noble Maritime Collection

Sundog Theatre, Scenes from the Staten Island Ferry '07

Sundog will recruit actors, directors, and playwrights in a unique process to create and present original one act plays based on the experiences of traveling on the Staten Island Ferry in 48 hours. Sundog first presented "Scenes" in 2003 and introduces new elements each year to offer additional challenge and focus for the writers. $3,650

Theatre Rehabilitation for Youth, Soap Opera

Soap Opera is an original play that provides satire of soap operas in an opera format. Although it has a serious musical score, the production is current, lively, and funny. The play will be performed three times in collaboration with Snug Harbor. $2,850

Tri-County Ramblers, Rescued Music II

The project identifies worthy songs from music archives which have not been performed in Bluegrass style in recent memory which will then be performed by the Tri-County Ramblers in a free concert in April. $1,400 Sponsored by the South Shore Band

Verrazano Foundation, Arts of Recovery 2007

Arts of Recovery 2007 is designed to give artists recovering from mental illnesses the opportunity to study with professional artists and participate in the collaborative creation of works of art which will then be displayed in exhibition in local Staten Island venues. $4,000

Viva Voce Chamber Ensemble, Inc., Four Chamber Music Concerts

This year Viva Voce is going to rock the world of chamber music with innovative, lively, and educational programs with such titles as: Viva Voce Goes to the Movies, Sensational Sextets, Hornsmoke, and American Salute. $1,900

WaFoo, WaFoo Seasonal Concerts at St. Peter's Church

A series of four concerts will be presented at St. Peter's Church, featuring seasonal themes at each concert. WaFoo's music, where contemporary Western jazz meets traditional Japanese folk music, are original compositions dedicated to the awe of nature and the joy of each season. $3,650 Sponsored by St. Peter's Church

Barbara K. Wesby, New String Quartet for the Staten Island Chamber Music Players

Barbara Wesby will be composing for the traditional string quartet: 2 violins, viola, and cello. The piece will be entitled Camaraderie and will include 4 movements entitled Pathways, Sensitivity, Connections, and Empowerment. $1,150 Sponsored by Danzaisa

Return to Grant Overview | Home

2007 JPMorganChase Capacity-Building GRANTEES

18 APPLICANTS/13 GRANTS GRANT POOL: $30,000

Century Dance Complex

This organization will use funds to update and greatly improve their computer infrastructure. $2,030 Sponsored by The Field

Music at Saint Alban's

Music at Saint Alban's will apply this award to the partial fulfillment of a salary and benefits package for their artistic director. $2,000

Musical Chairs Chamber Ensemble

MCCE requested these funds in order to help support salaries of administrative staff. $3,000

Nylon Wound, Inc.

These funds will be used to create and maintain a website to promote and offer their activities and artistry to a wider spectrum of the Staten Island community and the general public. $2,500

Preservation League of Staten Island

The funds provided by this grant will be used in support of the payment of the executive director's salary. $3,000

Richmond Choral Society

The money provided by this grant will be used to cover the operation costs such as director and accompanist salaries, rehearsal-space rent, music, and supplies for the Richmond Choral Society Youth Chorus. $2,300

Seaview Playwright's Theatre

The grant money will enable Seaview Playwright's Theatre to refurbish several areas of the theatre in need of maintenance and repair. $3,000

SERENADE

This grant will be utilized for piano repair, the creation of a seasonal brochure, and to hire a seasoned grant writer to support the 2007 concert series at Christ Church, New Brighton. $1,000

Staten Island Chamber Music Players, Inc.

The monies granted will aid the organization in modernizing their marketing and archival capabilities by providing funds for a digital camera and accessories. $1,600

Staten Island Philharmonic Orchestra

These funds will be used to assist in obtaining non-profit bulk mailing status from the US Postal Service, and creating brochures for the orchestra's 2007-2008 concert season. $2,300

Sundog Theatre

Grant money will be used for the updating and maintenance of Sundog's website, and to purchase the software program "Contribute." $2,870

Viva Voce Chamber Ensemble

Viva Voce will utilize these funds to hire part-time staff to organize their music library, and purchase such materials as music stands, stand extensions, sheet music, sheet music folders, and Finale and Smart Music software. $2,000

Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre

SIST is looking to purchase a video camera specially designed for low-light videotaping that will assist them in providing impressive work samples for future grant applications and in archiving material. $2,400

Return to Grant Overview | Home

2007
ORIGINAL WORK
Grantees

Allan Douglass Coleman
Bill Murphy
Lissette J. Norman
Jon Specter

2007
PREMIER
Grantees

2007
ENCORE
Grantees

2007
JPMorganChase
Capacity Building
Grantees

2006
Grantees

2005
Grantees

2004
Grantees

2003
Grantees

2002
Grantees

2001
Grantees

2000
Grantees

1999
ORIGINAL WORK
Grantees

Bill Murphy
Sarah Yuster
Peter Zummo

1999
PREMIER
Grantees

1999
ENCORE
Grantees

Return to top

2008
Grant
Applications

NEW 2008 The ABC (Arts Bring Change) Grant and JPMorgan Chase Capacity Grant are now available for download!

2008 Grant Applications

1999 ORIGINAL WORK Grantees

Bill Murphy Sarah Yuster Peter Zummo

NEW 2008 The ABC (Arts Bring Change) Grant and JPMorgan Chase Capacity Grant are now available for download!

2008
Grant
Applications

1999
ORIGINAL WORK
Grantees

Bill Murphy
Sarah Yuster
Peter Zummo