ACE

Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy

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ACE In Catskill!

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Check out great coverage from this event! WAMC: “Catskill’s Role Ramps Up in ‘Creative Economy’”  |  Hudson Valley 360: “Lumberyard to Start Construction in Two Weeks”

Catskill is in the midst of a Creative Economy boom, with new restaurants, a tap house, boutiques and galleries, a performing arts complex, and reimagined historic sites. ACE recently went “Behind the Scenes” at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and LUMBERYARD in one of the coolest little villages in the region.

We met at LUMBERYARD for a tour and heard the exciting plans for the four-building complex that will house some of the most innovative programming and partnerships north of NYC, including the first-ever residency program with the renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music.

After that, we visited the Thomas Cole National Historic Site and learned about the innovative reinterpretation of the artist’s 1815 home. The Thomas Cole site has employed multimedia installations within the authentic historic spaces in innovative and engaging new ways. ACE members saw the paint chips that were a product of a paint analyst’s task of discovering wall colors in Cole’s time; stencils that helped recreate the hand-painted border by Cole; and stencils that the Cole estate’s floor cloth designer used to hand paint the entryway floor cloth from an historic design.

Presented by ACE. Special thanks to our event sponsors Crossroads Brewing Company and the Greene County Council on the Arts

New Video Highlights Albany Symphony & Creative Economy

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[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_video_embed no_container=”false” type=”16:9″][/x_video_embed][cs_text]Check out this terrific video tour hosted by Albany Symphony’s David Alan Miller, created by the Capital Region Economic Development Council to celebrate and spotlight some fantastic projects around our region, including Creative Economy star Melissa auf der Maur of Basilica Hudson.

Interested in all of the CREDC’s priority projects? Find them here in the 2017 “Capital Region Creates” Progress Report.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

Congratulations, 40 Under 40 Honorees!

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Dan Cullen, Workforce Development Institute. Photo credit: Victoria Kereszi

Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy (ACE) congratulates the 2017 honorees of the Albany Business Review’s “40 Under 40” list. This year, 10 of the 40 honorees are involved with ACE, or are leaders in the industry segments that compose the region’s Creative Economy. Among them:

  • Dan Cullen, regional director of the Workforce Development Institute (ACE Leadership)
  • Alejandro del Peral, founder and owner of Nine Pin Cider Works (Culinary Arts sector)
  • William Gamble, CEO and owner of Pinhole Press (Visual Arts and Handcrafts sector)
  • Dave Gardell, owner of the The Ruck/Rolling Stock Co. (Culinary Arts sector)
  • James Hardesty, medical strategy, Fingerpaint (Media sector)
  • Kristen Holler, executive director of the Albany Barn (Performing Arts, Media, and Visual Arts sectors)
  • Tony Iadiccio, executive director of the Albany Center Gallery (Visual Arts sector)
    Kristen Holler, Albany Barn. Photo credit: Donna Abbott Vlahos, Albany Business Review
  • Cory Nelson, owner of Troy Kitchen (Culinary Arts sector)
  • Banni Singh, principal, D2D Green Design (Design sector)
  • Ali Skinner, director of strategic communications for CDPHP (Media sector)

“We’re really glad to see that so many of the ‘40 Under 40’ honorees are working in the Creative Economy,” said Maureen Sager, ACE’s project director. “Their businesses and organizations add so much vibrancy, excitement, and real competitive edge to the Capital and upstate region.”

ACE has recently begun working with the Culinary Arts and Agriculture industry. This group, estimated to employ 5,000 people in the region, is an integral part of the local Creative Economy, and ACE will have much more to announce about this sector in the coming months.  Until then, toast these ’40 Under 40′ winners at Nine Pin Cider Works, Troy Kitchen, or the Ruck!

Cory Nelson, Troy Kitchen. Photo credit: Donna Abbott Vlahos, Albany Business Review

Schuylerville’s Creative Economy: Revibe

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Revibe Kristi Carraraby Thomas Dimopolous

Kristi Carrara opened Revibe in a 350-square foot space on Broad Street in October 2015, but always had her eye on a larger venue. Today, she has expanded into a two-floor, 3,000-square foot building where she provides a combination of traditional retail and consignment sales, and a space for others in the community to sell their own goods and services.

“I’m an accountant. That’s how I started. I’m best at putting businesses together – that’s where my creativity flourishes,” Carrara said.

Among the offerings at Revibe are singing bowls and dream catchers, handpainted buddhas and chakra candles, murals, and stones and minerals for healing purposes and natural beauty. “Everything I have focuses on nature,” she said.

Approximately a quarter of what she sells is on consignment. Carrara also rents out a large room upstairs to others in the community for events such as workshops, painting classes and meditation-themed events.

“It’s for people starting their own business, but who don’t have to worry about things like rent, bills and overhead. A big part of it is they come in and do their classes and I take care of the rest,” she said.

Carrara’s personal love are air plant holders, which are handmade. She allows customers the opportunity to build their own terrariums and fairy gardens, from base to fill, container and theme.

Contact:

Revibe, 94 Broad Street, Schuylerville

(518) 507-6473  //  Revibe Website

Schuylerville’s Creative Economy: GypsYoga

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gypsyoga carol dimopoulosby Thomas Dimopolous

For much of the 20th century, the second floor space inside the brick building at the corner of Broad and Front streets housed the Ackshand Knitting Company, manufacturers of unique gloves. In October 2016, Carol Dimopoulos re-opened the space as the GypsYoga Center to promote health and wellness through movement, meditation and the arts.

“The goal is to provide a loving and welcoming environment and community for students of all levels, and to train teachers in the hatha yoga lineage with yoga masters who come from the yoga capital of the world,” said Dimopoulos, a certified yoga teacher and president of Perillo’s Learning Journeys, an educational travel company.

A handful of master teachers at GypsYoga provide regular classes in hatha, kundalini, and bhakti disciplines for kids, adults and families. Specialized workshops provide opportunities for a variety of freelancers – from master teachers providing gong meditations, to photographers, poets and musicians—who stage collaborative events focused on movement and the arts.

“Giving back is also at the core of what we do,” said Dimopoulos, referring to community yoga events centered on class donations which raise funds to support local and global NGO communities.

GypsYoga is the international teaching center of Yoga Vedenta in India – one of the most prestigious schools of yoga, and located in the ancient spiritual city of Rishikesh. The center promotes journeys and retreats to global destinations, and as an international teaching center offers Yoga Alliance Certified RYT 200 and 300-hour yoga teacher trainings with yoga masters brought to the center from Rishikesh.

“The mission is to bring people inside of themselves and explore their inner world through the holistic teachings of yoga and meditation, pranayama, lifestyle and the creative arts,” Dimopoulos said.

Contact:

GypsYoga Center, 120 Broad Street, Schuylerville

(518) 260-9305  //  GypsYogaWebsite

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