Grabbing Space in Sleepy Hollow

Grabbing anything is considered rude, and yet grabbing is what it takes sometimes to get a foothold on something that seems out of reach.  That something for many Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown artists is space to make and show their work.  

Rivertown Artists Workshop (RAW) a new non-profit co-founded by Naomi Vladeck and Sara Levine launches it first official season in October with RAW HOUSE, a performance program for (re) emerging choreographers living or working in the Rivertowns.  Naomi and Sara grabbed the first space they could, their living rooms, and have invited guests to watch and discuss work-in-progress over potluck dinner.  The result is an intimate and entertaining evening that builds audience for the artists and an understanding about the value of space to the artistic process.

Last weekend, RAW hosted RAW:Talk, an informal discussion to vet their mission and program ideas with a small group of local artists ranging from Latin jazz musicians to sculptors to puppeteers to choreographers to painters and more.   What was confirmed for them by this group, and through a pre-event survey that was conducted, is that the artist residents of these two neighborhoods are ready to claim space to make work in their home town.  They are looking for affordable workspace, viewing and performing space, and they are willing and wanting to share their process with community members of all ages, stages and backgrounds. 

RAW will formally announce its programs in early November, but it will include a roster of new work by local choreographers working in contemporary dance and an innovative community supported model for commissioning new work from a range of artistic disciplines.   RAW will be securing space to produce RAW House and will advocate for additional local workspace in the year ahead.

In the meantime, if you want to be part of making Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown a destination for emerging and new contemporary performance work, visit www.facebook.com/rivertownartistsworkshop, or if you are interested in collaborating with RAW to bring artists to your space, contact Naomi at Naomi@rivertownartistsworkshop.org or Sara at Sara@rivertownartistsworkshop.org.  Artist who want to get on the RAW mailing list, please send an email.