2010-11  NY Public Library Pilot

With funding from the Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels' Healthy Aging Program, six New York Public Libraries partnered with a wide range of teaching artists – bringing new creative aging programs – and transformative experiences to older adults in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.

Sing for Life, Sing for Joy

Tuesdays, 1:30 – 3:30 PM
Sept. 14 – Nov. 30
Culminating Performance: Saturday, Dec. 11 at 2:00 PM
Baychester Branch Bronx
2049 Asch Loop North (north of Bartow Ave.)
Bronx, NY 10475
(718) 379-6700
Irina Kuharets, Library Manager
Pamela Warrick- Smith, Teaching Artist

A 10 session choral program will focus on a capella singing to encourage vocal improvement and build a sense of community for Co-op City's large older adult population. While enjoying music making, exploring folk music and spirituals, participants will work on vocal and performance techniques, music theory, improvisation and composition.

Drawing from Experience

Wednesdays, 2:30 – 4:00 PM
Sept. 8 - Nov. 3
Culminating Event: Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 2:30 PM
Morris Park Branch, Bronx
985 Morris Park Avenue (between Radcliff and Colden Aves.)
Bronx, NY 10462
(718) 931-0636
Grace Tellez-Cardona, Senior Librarian
Josh Millis, Teaching Artist

Delving into the unique qualities and mark-making capacities of pencil, charcoal, and oil pastels, participants will explore line, contour, perspective, value, and color mixing. They will look at and discuss artists and their work using books and digital images and apply their discoveries to their own work.

Life Maps

Wednesdays, 10:30 AM - 12:00
Sept. 15 - Nov. 3
Culminating Event: Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 5:30 PM
Countee Cullen Branch, Manhattan
104 West 136th Street (near Lenox Ave.)
New York, NY 10030-2695
(212) 491-2070
Jyna Scheeren, Senior Librarian
Paul Ferrara & Celia Caro, Teaching Artists

Focusing on line, texture, point of view and color, participants will examine a variety of maps and the work of map artists such as Romare Bearden. They will create their own collage life maps as they achieve an understanding of the principles of art and design and gain skills in the use of basic vocabularies, materials, tools, and techniques as they apply to collage.

LiveStories: A Personal Journey through Memoir and Performance

Wednesdays, 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Sept. 22 - Nov.10
Culminating Performance: Saturday, Nov. 20 at 2 - 4 PM
Grand Central Library, Manhattan
135 East 46th Street (between Lexington & Third Aves.)
New York, NY 10017
(212) 621-0670
Ronni Krasnow, Senior Librarian
Michael Wiggins & Ann Montgomery, Teaching Artists

Through journal writing and performance and participants will reflect on their lives, find and express their unique personal voices and learn skills for documenting and sharing their personal experiences with others. They will be introduced to the work of established writers working in the area of memoir including Edwidge Danticant and Spalding Gray. The series will culminate in a live performance of original written work by members of the workshop.

Self-Expression in Art: A Hands-on Workshop for Adults

Mondays, 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Oct. 4 - Nov. 29
Culminating Event: Friday, Dec. 3
67th Street Library, Manhattan 328 East 67th Street (near First Ave.)
New York, NY 10065-6204
(212) 734-1717
Karen Grenke, Library Manager
Sabra Friedman, Teaching Artist

Each of the 8 sessions includes an introduction to the work of a variety of artists, styles and techniques, art-making and shared reflection. Participants will learn to use a variety of drawing and collage materials including graphite and white pencil, charcoal, ink and torn paper. They will experiment with positive/negative shapes, abstraction, and the use of lines, create volume and mass. Importantly, participants will be encouraged and inspired to take advantage of the neighborhoods great museums.

Roaring Chorus Workshops for Older Staten Island Adults

Mondays, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Sept. 13 - Nov.15
Culminating Performance: Saturday, Nov. 20th at 2:30 PM
West New Brighton Library Branch, Staten Island 976 Castleton Avenue (at N. Burgher Ave.)
Staten Island, NY 10310
(718) 442-1416
Jeffrey Sperber, Library Manager
Musical Chairs Chamber Ensemble

Up to 30 older adults will receive sequential, skill-based music instruction focused on vocal training, introduction to basic harmony and music theory, basic ear training, and chorus singing. The repertoire will focus on popular music o f the 1920s, 30s and 40s including work by Gershwin, Berlin and Porter.