Sept. 20-21 conclave will bring multidisciplinary performances, screenings, exhibitions and "pop-up" events to Syracuse
Syracuse, NY (May 8, 2013) -- The city of Syracuse will play host to a statewide arts festival and conclave this fall-the result of a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) through the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) round two competitive funding cycle.
Running Sept. 20-21, the program is titled "CRAVE," which stands for "Cultivating Resources in the Arts for Value in Our Economy."
CRAVE will feature multidisciplinary performances, screenings, exhibitions, and "pop-up" events throughout Downtown Syracuse and near the Syracuse University campus, including the world premiere of a multimedia "Happening" by Paul D. Miller, the composer and turntable artist who performs as D J Spooky. Artist-in-residence at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Miller will be joined by various local artists, many of whom are also performing that weekend along the Connective Corridor.
CRAVE is organized and presented by the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation (CNY Jazz), in conjunction with the Connective Corridor, a program of Syracuse University's Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development, and with the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information, call 315-479-JAZZ or visit the website.
"CNY Jazz is thrilled to partner with Syracuse University and the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau to celebrate one of our region's greatest economic resources: the arts," says Larry Luttinger, founder and executive director of CNY Jazz.
"CRAVE will not only reiterate the economic value of the arts, but also demonstrate how the arts revitalize communities; create new benchmarks for content relevancy; plan, create, and demonstrate innovative new performance models; and develop audience engagement strategies that turn fans into subscribers and subscribers into donors," says Luttinger. "CRAVE will establish Central New York as a national leader for events that immerse and engage audiences in the creative experience."
Luttinger expects CRAVE to target multiple audiences, including mobile and tablet users. ("The smartphone generation is just beginning to tap into the possibilities of interactive art," he says.) CRAVE will also serve as a platform for a statewide dialogue about how the arts and cultural activity can grow jobs, stimulate the economy, and sustain neighborhoods. "We are using CRAVE to help define Syracuse as a forward-looking and cosmopolitan city," says Luttinger.
Linda Hartsock, who directs the Connective Corridor in SU's Office of Community Engagement and Economic Development is pleased that Syracuse was selected for this venue. "The Corridor is the perfect linear stage for this multi-dimensional event, and we're thrilled that Syracuse will be the nexus for this creative energy," she says. "We look forward to seeing best practices in action from around the state and to learning how these models can advance community revitalization strategies."
SU's College of Arts and Sciences, home to the Janklow Arts Leadership Program, is one of several academic units playing an organizational role.
"CRAVE exemplifies our commitment to the public humanities by providing opportunities for interdisciplinary research and engagement," says Arts and Sciences Dean George M. Langford. "In particular, it will give our Janklow students hands-on training in strategic planning, entrepreneurial marketing, and cultural tourism."
CRAVE features three special guests who will participate in the festival and conclave:
Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky), an experimental and electronic musician, conceptual artist, and writer who is artist in residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His work as a media artist has been featured at the Whitney Biennial, Venice Biennial, and Miami/Art Basel; and his first collection of essays,Rhythm Science, was released by MIT Press. Download an image of DJ Spooky from DropBox.
Sam Read, director of advancement and communications at Theatre Bay Area in San Francisco and founder of the month-long Arts Crush festival in Seattle. Download a high-res image of Read from DropBox.
Surale Phillips, president of Decision Support Partners, a national leader in collaborative community-based research supporting arts and cultural development. Phillips is also a consultant to the IDEAS Collaborative, a local consortium of foundations and government that studies and supports audience-engagement initiatives. At CRAVE, Phillips will conduct a comprehensive economic and social-impact survey whose metrics, as well as its audiovisual records, will be published after the event.
The creation process for CRAVE has already started, with an advance visit by Sam Read, director of advancement and communications at Theatre Bay Area in San Francisco and founder of the month-long Arts Crush festival in Seattle, who on April 27th guided close to 40 arts leaders from throughout Central New York who gathered for a "Local Creators Retreat" to explore new engagement models and strategies for the arts to be performed and demonstrated at the fall event.
Attendees included representatives from Symphoria, the Syracuse Opera, Everson Museum of Art, Landmark Theatre, the YMCA Arts Branch, Society for New Music, Film in Syracuse, and Syracuse University.
Said Read at the conclusion of the retreat, "I am thrilled to be working with the creative community of Syracuse in the creation of this festival. CRAVE represents the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that is vital to moving the arts forward in our country. Investing in the creativity of our audiences and activating our communities as collaborators in the artistic experience are both essential to the sustainability of our cultural organizations."
CRAVE Festival and State Conclave Schedule
Friday, Sept. 20, 5-10 p.m. CRAVE Festival: Events include Connective Corridor "Arts Bus" tours for conclave attendees and the public, plus arts activities in Armory Square and other locations along the Connective Corridor. (7-10 p.m.)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Creators' Conclave: A statewide meeting at The Warehouse (350 West Fayette St.), SU's downtown facility in Armory Square, for content providers, arts presenters, arts councils, concerned community and urban stakeholders, and college and university arts faculty and students. This session will be led by Sam Read, and will explore, demonstrate, and design cultural content as an integral part of New York's new economic strategy. Three $1,000 planning prizes will be awarded for peer-reviewed projects, which, in turn, may be further developed for production or for grant purposes by the winners.
Saturday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. CRAVE Festival: Free events and activities will take place throughout the day, including a "C-RAVE Symphony" flash mob; pop-up performances in restaurants; visual and performance street art; and various shows, concerts, and exhibits. "Arts Buses" will transport attendees along the Connective Corridor, allowing them to sample interactive and family-friendly content. Some activities will support existing productions. The festival concludes with a "Happening" concert at 8 p.m., led by DJ Spooky, joined by a variety of guest artists.
More information about CRAVE, including requests for conclave registration, lodging, parking, a detailed schedule, and artist bios is available at the website. Discount lodging at the new Courtyard by Marriott (300 West Fayette St.), adjacent to The Warehouse in Armory Square, is available until Aug. 9.
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