Latest News

Saltonstall Arts Colony Teacher Residency extends deadline to Jan 15

Posted Tue, 01/05/2016 - 1:59pm

Saltonstall Arts Colony Teacher Residency has been extended to January 15 from January 8 to give teachers a bit more time to apply post break.

Check the Saltsonstall website for the simple application form.

Women's Works Young Composer Competition

Posted Sun, 11/01/2015 - 8:37am by Gail Brisson

Women’s Works of Ithaca is pleased to announce a Young Composers Competition. Women’s Works is dedicated to performing and promoting music written by women. This competition encourages the development of emerging female composers by providing a professional performance and monetary prize of $100 for the grand prize entry. The selection committee will meet in February 2015 to award the grand prize along with winners for categories for 1) under 19 and 2) 19 – 22 years old. Winning compositions under 5 minutes will be performed and recorded in March 2015 by Women’s Works.

Guidelines:

Composers must be female, and no older than age 22 by January 1, 2016.
Submissions of short works will be accepted until January 31, 2016....(read more)

Gail Brisson's blog

Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts Partners with Fine Arts Boosters to Host Teacher Retreat: Deadline for Applicatio

Posted Sun, 11/01/2015 - 8:36am by Gail Brisson

The Saltonstall Foundation and Arts Colony, in partnership with the Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG), an affiliate of IPEI, is offering a five-day, four-night retreat for Ithaca City School District (ICSD) teachers February 12-16, 2016. This residency is designed to provide a residency-type retreat for local ICSD teachers in the following disciplines: creative writing, photography/film/video, and painting/sculpture/visual art. The program is totally free to attend. Hearty vegetarian dinners will be prepared each night. Overnight stays are encouraged but not mandatory. Five teachers will be selected through a lottery system. The deadline for the simiple online application is January 8, 2016....(read more)

Gail Brisson's blog

FABG Funds Grants for Teachers and Drama Programs

Posted Thu, 10/29/2015 - 9:51pm

The Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG), an affiliate of IPEI, has awarded $5,330 in mini-grants to 13 Ithaca City School District (ICSD) projects that will reach 2,095 students. Funded projects include support for DeWitt, Boynton, Lehman Alternative Community School and Ithaca High School drama programs grants; Enfield Band Mentors Program; technical theater hand tools; a dance residency in pre-K classrooms; Maori sticks for Beverly J. Martin and Caroline Elementary schools; artist visits following a Kids Discover the Trail! Ithaca Johnson Museum field trip; Boynton Middle School music sight reading assistance; Beauty and the Beast; and Ithaca High visual arts tools for ceramics....(read more)

Retired Teacher Supports Music in Schools: Check IPEI grant deadlines

Posted Sun, 10/18/2015 - 2:54pm by Gail Brisson

A retired teacher has made a gift to IPEI designated for “Grants”. She wants to facilitate additional creative integration of music into elementary curricula. In 2015-16, IPEI can fund one Teacher Grant, totaling up to $1,500; and one Red and Gold Grant, up to $500, for projects that do this. Examples include students composing songs related to subject matter, use of instruments, creating instruments from found objects, and writing poetry to music.

Gail Brisson's blog

Young Artists Show Off Their Self-Portraits

Posted Sun, 10/18/2015 - 2:53pm

Some of ICSD’s young artists show off their beautiful self-portraits!

FABG To meet Tuesday, October 13

Posted Wed, 10/07/2015 - 7:15pm by Gail Brisson

The Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG), an affiliate of IPEI, will hold a general meeting Tuesday, October 13, 2015, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the Ithaca High School Performing Arts Center lobby. The public is invited to hear arts updates from interim Fine Arts Director Steve Beamish and arts teachers Callie Bryant and Jenna Jordan, as well as information about FABG goals. The boosters serve all the elementary and secondary schools in the Ithaca City School District (ICSD). The public is invited. Food will be provided.

For more information about the booster group, contact Co-Presidents Vanessa Wagner and Alice Wu at president@fabgithaca.org or (607)256-4734....(read more)

Gail Brisson's blog

Visiting Musicians Jodie Blackshaw and David Worrall in ICSD Secondary Schools

Posted Fri, 10/02/2015 - 3:04pm

On Thursday, October 15, 2015, the Boynton Middle School Music Department will welcome Australian Composer, Jodie Blackshaw and her husband, David Worrall (former director of the Australian National Air Force Band) to our school. Ms. Blackshaw and Mr. Worrall will work with students in the Concert Band and Symphonic Band during regularly scheduled rehearsals. In addition, all grade 6 - 8 band members will participate in an interactive masterclass with Ms. Blackshaw in the cafeteria at 2:00pm.

The visit to Ithaca by Ms. Blackshaw and Mr. Worrall is a collaborative effort by Ithaca College, DeWitt Middle School and the Ithaca City School District.

This project received support from a Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG) Mini-Grant....(read more)

Reminder of Upcoming Grant Deadlines

Posted Wed, 09/30/2015 - 4:11pm

All teachers are encourage to explore these grants.

October 15: Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG) Mini-Grants due applications and information

October 19: Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) Red and Gold Grants due applications and information

and think ahead to….

November 1: Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) Teacher Grants due applications and information

November 19: Community Arts Partnership (CAP) Arts Education Grants due applications and information

Come to Little Apple Fall Follies This Saturday - Jazz at 7 and Show starts at 7:30

Posted Wed, 09/30/2015 - 3:26pm

The Rotary Club of Ithaca and the Savage Club are pleased to announce their collaboration on a Fall Fundraiser / Variety Show event! The SIXTH annual “Little Apple” Fall Follies (LAFF) will be held in the Kulp Auditorium at Ithaca High School on Saturday, October 3 at 7:30 pm. The local talent showcase features more than 20 stage acts, ranging from singing groups and instrumental numbers to rock and jazz bands. Proceeds from the event go to support community grants from Rotary and Savage Clubs as well as the important work of the Ithaca City School District Fine Arts Booster Group. Tickets are just $12 for adults and $6 for students are available at the door, at Pastimes Antiques in the DeWitt Mall, and online at SavageClubOfIthaca.com....(read more)