Awards and Art Programs Announced at PAC Meeting

The Patchogue Arts Council (PAC) recently met to induct their 2011 trustees, present the 2010 volunteer award and offer a multitude of new opportunities for artists.

Trustees elected to a two-year term include Joel Peck, President; John Cino, Second Vice President; Vicki Fleming, Corresponding Secretary; and Damon Hagan, Trustee.  Elected in to a one-year term was Beth Giacummo, First Vice President; Charlie Baker, Treasurer; Jennifer Brady Cotter, Recording Secretary; and Karen Ferb, Parliamentarian. 

The DiNicola family was awarded with the 2010 volunteer award, "in recognition of your extraordinary commitment to serving the Patchogue community by encouraging, promoting and supporting the arts," as stated on the framed award.  Krystle DiNicola, a Patch.com reporter, was responsible for creating PAC's new website. 

Several art programs and creative opportunities in Patchogue were also discussed:

The Patchogue Lofts are still accepting applications according to members of the PAC trustee board.  Cino says Artspace will be open for residents in February 2011. 

PAC has created a program dubbed "Impact Long Island" that teaches visual artists how to maximize their business potential and sell their work at the local, national and international levels.  Impact is eligible to all New York artists and modeled after the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) MARK program. 

Beth Giacummo, who created Impact for PAC, says the program teaches participants "the business side of being an artist." 

at 225 West Main St in Patchogue has sponsored Impact.  The 25 artists who are selected are only responsible for paying $100; applying for the program is free.   

The six intensive sessions will be held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in April and May at Briarcliffe College and the Islip Arts Council, at 50 Irish Lane in East Islip.

"The program will help Long Island-based artists acquire resources for local, national and international opportunities," according to a written description of the program.  Visit PAC's website at www.patchogueartscouncil.org for more information.   

PAC and at 155 West Roe Blvd will host a juried exhibition at the college's Callahan library from March 21 to May 22.  The general public can visit the library to view the work at no cost.  Only PAC members are eligible to submit work.  A reception for the two-month-long event will be held on April 16 from 5 to 7 p.m., also open to the public.

The Plaza Media Arts Center organization will host a screening of "All My Babies," a documentary film by George Stoney, on Feb. 23 from 7 to 10 p.m. on the second floor of the Brickhouse Brewery at 67 West Main St.  Tickets cost $10 and include unlimited soda and popcorn.  Visit www.plazamac.org to purchase tickets and for more information. 

In addition, Plaza Media Arts Center is offering classes in screenwriting, acting, directing, editing and documentary film production.  The screenwriting course offered in January 2011 and meets for three hours on ten different Wednesdays at a cost of $450, as stated on Plaza Media Arts Center's website.

Though PAC's recent meeting offered a plethora of new opportunities, member Nancy Duncan urged her peers to advocate for more funding for the arts in New York State.  According to Duncan, the New York State Council on the Arts is receiving a mere .0003% of New York State's 2011 budget. 

Duncan urged members to participate in an "Arts Advocacy Day in Albany" on Feb. 8.  Arts Councils across Long Island will plead for more funding that day.  Buses are being offered free of charge through the Huntington Arts Council by calling 271-8423, extension 10.