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Freelancers Learn to Improv with Mopco

September 11, 2017 By upstatecreative

[rev_slider alias=”mapco”]On September 6th, ACE Freelancers met up at Mopco Improv Theater, a renovated firehouse at 10 North Jay Street in Schenectady, home to a 60-seat theater, classroom space, and the offices of Koppett, a delightfully innovative consulting group that uses improv techniques with corporate clients including Microsoft, Chanel, and Facebook, among many others, to help with team building, conflict resolution, and more.

Mapco co-director Kat Koppett paired up ACE Freelancers and asked one partner to explain what a microwave oven was to a partner from 500 years ago. Turns out that the communication challenges in the exercise apply quite readily to what Freelancers do when pitching new clients who might not understand a new business model or concept. Armed with new skills and perspectives, the Freelancers were then treated to a hilarious, full-blown Mopco improv skit by Koppett and Mopco co-founder Michael Burns, who had the house roaring. Mapco troupe members Livia Armstrong and Alex Timmis were equally adept and ridiculously quick!

Don’t miss the amazing Mopco Improv Theater, and tell them ACE sent you.

LUMBERYARD Contemporary Performing Arts Coming to Catskill!

September 1, 2017 By upstatecreative

[rev_slider alias=”lumberyard”] Lumberyard Contemporary Performing Arts is an exciting new addition to the upstate arts community. Its inaugural upstate season in summer 2018 is fast approaching and construction is underway for a state-of-the-art performance campus adapted from a historic lumberyard in the Village of Catskill, set to open in fall 2018. In the meantime, LUMBERYARD has been eagerly fostering relationships with its local community and neighboring arts organizations to demonstrate its commitment to partnership and revitalization.

LUMBERYARD is the only organization in the United States dedicated to providing technical residencies that culminate in premieres for performing artists finishing cutting-edge work. LUMBERYARD’s soon-to-open Catskill theater is designed with the ability to recreate many of the country’s most prestigious stages to ensure that artists can accurately design for their premiere.

This direct connection between Catskill and the world of contemporary performance is poised to bring lasting benefits to the region. “Our seasons will attract audiences from across the valley and the region— highlighting the critical role that tourism plays in the economic renewal of its immediate and surrounding communities,” said Willis. “The economic impact from LUMBERYARD will be substantial and felt by local arts organizations and Main Street businesses. This will deepen ties to the region for tourists, weekenders and the local community that calls the Hudson Valley home.”

Renovations to the remaining waterfront campus will create vibrant public spaces, studio space, a multi-disciplinary public courtyard as well as community and commercial investment opportunities. This fall, LUMBERYARD also launches a new community arts education program, LUMBERYARD Young Performers, which will provide free weekly afterschool workshops across a dozen performing arts disciplines for children in the Greene County School District ages 9-16. The program is offered in collaboration with the Catskill Community Center and combats significant cuts to school arts funding in 2008 that have left the community with virtually no free arts education opportunities. “This is our commitment to the youth of our community: that the transformative power of the arts will be a lifetime benefit,” said Willis.

In recognition of LUMBERYARD’s impact on the future of both American contemporary art and Hudson Valley’s economic growth, the organization has recently announced a partnership with the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), as well as the receipt of a $5 million social impact loan from the Rudolf Steiner Fund (RSF). Governor Cuomo has also pledged significant financial support as early leadership in a multi-year capital fundraising effort. While these partnerships have given the project momentum, we must all support LUMBERYARD to ensure it has the financial resources it needs to succeed. Visit thelumberyard.org/support to learn more.

LUMBERYARD invites the upstate community to its second annual End of Summer Shindig celebration at the LUMBERYARD campus. The event features a preview of Urban Bush Women’s highly anticipated new work, SCAT!, and bluegrass music from Steve Lutke and Appalachian Uprising. Attendees will sample local craft beer from Rip Van Winkle Brewing Company, cocktails, and American Glory BBQ while watching the sun set over LUMBERYARD’s waterfront studio. Tickets can be purchased at thelumberyard.org.

Fashion Upstate Visits MA+CH Textile Studio in Schenectady

August 14, 2017 By upstatecreative

[rev_slider alias=”marikacharles”] Fashion Upstate visited MA+CH Textile Studio in Schenectady on July 27 for a fantastic studio tour, where founders Charles and Marika Contompasis gave in-depth, hands-on explanation of the patented processes they use to create the high-end textiles and garments they ship to boutiques throughout the country. MA+CH was founded in 2002, and employs 15 in their Schenectady factory.

“MA+CH is a family company created by Schenectady natives, therefore it was a pleasure to host an event which brought other creative minds in the area together,” said MA+CH Marketing Director Sarah Contompasis, who recently relocated to this region from the West coast, after building a Marketing career in New York City and San Francisco. “My aunt and uncle, designers Marika and Charles, both graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and value Upstate New York’s close proximity to the New York City Marketplace. We appreciate being based in Schenectady as it supports inventiveness and is a business-friendly, art-aware, and naturally beautiful place to live and work.”

A sample sale, pastries by Crisan Bakery, and live modeling rounded out a high-energy evening.

Freelancers Photo Gallery: Troy Public Art Event, August 2, 2017

August 14, 2017 By upstatecreative

[rev_slider alias=”troypublicart”][/rev_slider]On Wednesday, August 2, over 100 Creative Freelancers gathered on a beautiful evening in Monument Square in Troy to meet, mingle and network. Ed Murphy of Workforce Development Institute handed out copies of his book “Creative Lives,” Rare Form Brewing Company offered $1 drafts, and our discussion topic of “Give Yourself a Break: Budgeting and Scheduling for Vacations” shed light on many ingenious ways to take time off while you’re freelancing. Troy Summer Square and Arts Center of the Capital Region were our partners on this great event.

Thank you to photographer Adrian Fernandez and Ken Kozak for sharing these shots.

Four Restauranteurs Give Capital Region Its Sizzle

July 7, 2017 By upstatecreative

[rev_slider alias=”Restaurant”][/rev_slider]The house was jam-packed at Albany Center Gallery on Thursday, July 6, for a discussion with four of the region’s most innovative restauranteurs — Vic Christopher (Peck’s Arcade, Lucas Confectionary), Claudia Crisan (Crisan Bakery and Edible Art Gallery), Corey Nelson (Troy Kitchen), and Ric Orlando (New World Bistro Bar) — who gathered in support of photographer Richard Lovrich‘s “Makers 365” exhibit.

These four restaurant owners were able to inspire multiple people who dream of opening their own food business in the near future. Starting your own restaurant is no easy task, even with this great inventory on restaurant supplies to help you. Although there are already many restaurants about, these business owners were able to tell people about other ways they can achieve their own food brand. One of them suggested that people should consider looking at franchising opportunities, from companies like mattsbigbreakfastfranchising.com, instead of opening a brand new restaurant which might never take off. These days, it’s about differentiating yourself from the competition and it’s much easier to do that when your restaurant already has an established brand. However, the restauranteurs were also able to discuss how their food businesses were able to flourish and grow.

Quite interestingly, all the restaurateurs involved in the debate stated that traditional marketing methods such as custom yard signs still proved to be popular with regards to promoting their establishments. In the digital age, it can be easy to forget just how much impact a physical advertisement can have on passers-by. Other marketing incentives discussed by the restaurateurs included printed discount cards, promotions, and loyalty schemes. In addition to marketing signs, it’s also important for businesses to have safety signs too, especially in restaurants. As so many of the public are entering these establishments, they need to have fire exit signs and other signs to help people stay safe during their time inside. Other restaurant owners can always click here to see some of the other signs that they might need to keep their guests safe.

The 90-minute discussion offered many thoughts on the advantages of living and working in the Capital Region. “The reasonable cost of living draws creative people to an area,” said Orlando, who paid just $390 a month to live in Soho in his youth. “Nobody’s getting rich when you’re starting out in a kitchen.” Crison added, “Albany has meant opportunity for a lot of people and you can own your own property,” she said, while also being open about the challenges of doing business on Lark Street, including lack of foot traffic and parking. Christopher had a different take on parking in Troy. “Young people don’t drive — they don’t want a car, they think it’s a pain,” and all agreed that Uber and Lyft will be great for their communities and businesses.

The ever-optimistic Nelson have shout-outs to all of his creative friends and collaborators in the audience, and spoke about the joy of offering food to friends and neighbors. “When you sit everyone down at the same time, you realize things ain’t so bad,” said Nelson.

Many thanks to Tony Iadicicco and Anna Wettergreen of Albany Center Gallery, and interviewers Michelle Hines Abram of Albany Chefs’ Wine and Food Fest, and David Alan King of The Alt.

Photos by Jamel Mosely | Mel eMedia

Click here for more on Makers 365.