Wednesday, December 29, 2010

40 Below News and 2010 in Review!

My Fellow 40 Belowers,

As we look forward to the excitement of 2011, I just wanted to take a couple of moments to highlight 40 Below's successes over the past 12 months:

Lipe Art Park, a public art installation park along Fayette St in the Near West Side, has grown! Local artist Brendan Rose installed the Art Shark in May and Josh Mushaty was commissioned to paint a mural on the Shark entitled the "Rebirth of Syracuse." The Stewards of Lipe Art Park (SLAP) have developed a phased master plan to grow the park (viewable at www.lipeartpark.com) and has secured $12,000 in grant funding to start implementation.

This past Summer the Public Arts Task Force (PATF) was a key partner in ArtsWeek in Downtown Syracuse as they brought together over 30 local artists for a spontaneous public gallery show called ArtStrong. ArtStrong transformed a vacant store front on Warren St. into a pop-up gallery from July to August and hosted a 5 @ Dime Party, which sold local artwork at the low cost of $10. PATF also helped lead the 2nd annual Syracuse Mp3 Experiment, which brought together improv enthusiasts for an event that was part guerrilla theater, part flash mob, and all fun.

The Civic Engagement Task Force (CETF) held exciting monthly meetings on the 1st Monday of every month and provided the opportunity for 40 Belowers to learn more about Syracuse First, the new SUNY Oswego Metro Center, Food Bank of Central New York, the American Heart Association, Assault City Roller Derby, and the Humane Association. CETF also hosted informal social networking receptions on the 3rd Monday of every month; past locations included World Lounge, Dolce Vita, Funk N Waffles, Al's Wine and Whiskey Lounge, and the new Dey Brother's Building. Finally, CETF hosted its fourth Successful Involvement Fair in May, which allowed 40 Belowers to directly network with over 30 local non profits.

The It's All Here Syracuse Task Force had a great 2010, with outstanding participation from new and returning members, and a focus on bringing to its members some of the great things Syracuse has to offer. In 2010, It's All Here developed partnerships with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Stage, and the Syracuse Opera, offering discount tickets and pre-performance happy hours for 40 Below members. Attendance far exceeded expectations, and 40 Below looks forward to long-term relationships with these incredible cultural organizations and more in the future. It's All Here also led a research effort with Syracuse University that targeted students and 40 Belowers to learn about perceptions of our city and what 40 Below can do to better engage our constituents. Currently in development is a brand new website for It's All Here: www.itsallheresyracuse.com the new site will be launched in the coming months and will feature more robust information about all of the great resources and activities in Syracuse, and how to get involved. Additionally, It's All Here is working on a new TV spot and extended-length web-based videos to post on our new site and facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Syracuse-Its-all-Here-campaign/39838064422). Look out for an invite to a launch party for these great new assets to promote our fabulous city!


Instead of hosting our annual Summit in 2010, 40 Below decided to partner with Pipeline 4 Progress-the Young Professional group in the Southern Tier-in planning a statewide Summit on behalf of We Live NY-an organization of young professional leaders from across the state working to attract and retain young talent in both upstate and downstate communities.

This conference, the 2011 We Live NY Summit, will take place from March 24 - 26 at the Statler Hotel at Cornell University. Registration is now open and tickets cost only $25 at www.welivenysummit.com. To get involved in our planning effort please email Ben Sio at bsio@centerstateceo.com for additional information.


40 Below will use the successful Summit as a kick-start for new programming and initiatives in our community so stay tuned.

I'd like to wish each of you a peaceful and relaxing rest of the holidays. If you are looking for any exciting activities during your time off, check out some of the events we've listed below.

WCNY New Year's Eve Celebration
Looking for a fun party to attend on New Year's Eve? WCNY, CNY's Public Broadcasting station, will host and air a live televised event that celebrates CNY's great accomplishments of 2010. Enjoy delicious cuisine, live music from Atlas, and a champagne toast at midnight! Be a part of a broadcast that your friends can watch at home! 315-453-2424 x268 or http://www.wcny.org/


First Night CNY at Onondaga Lake Park

AmeriCU Credit Union's First Night is a family friendly festival celebrating the Central New York community. This event is perfect for families of any age! How do you get in on all the fun? Pre-sale tickets will be available for $5. Day-of tickets will be sold for $8. Ages 5 and under free! Show your tickets at the Dunkin' Donuts stand and receive one free complimentary hot beverage at the festival (while supplies last)! Tickets will be sold at Wegmans, Herb Philipson's, and local area NAPA Auto Parts stores.

5:00 PM- Lights on the Lake Stroll and family fun activities begin.
5:00-7:00 PM- Kids songs on stage
7:15 PM- Early balloon launch for kids
7:00-9:00 PM- Live local entertainment
9:30 PM- Todd Hobin Band followed by
Pop Sensation SEAN KINGSTON!
11:59 PM- "Orange" ball drop with Gerry McNamara
Midnight- Fireworks over Onondaga Lake


It's All Here Task Force's next two events include a Happy Hour/Task Force Meeting on January 20 at Empire Brewing Company at 5:30pm. We'll provide snacks and 1 free drink ticket for each attendee. Syracuse Stage is also hosting a 40 Below Happy Hour on Thursday, January 27 before the showing of RENT. More information and where to buy tickets can be found here: http://itsallheresyracuse.com/new-partnership-syracuse-stage

Happy Holidays from the Staff, Steering Committee and Task Forces from 40 Below!

Rory Lawrence
Steering Committee Chair

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