Elders Share the Arts 2016-2017 Program Report

ESTA

ELDERS SHARE THE ARTS Elders Share the Arts offers high-calibers arts programming that ignites creative expression, cultivates elders' role as bearers of history and culture, and generates new pathways to connect them to their communities.

Photo Credit by Jeanna Sung

ELDERS SHARE THE ARTS Program Report

138 South Oxford Street Brooklyn, New York 11217 Tel: (718) 398-3870 Fax: (718) 398-3864 www.estanyc.org

September 2016 - June 2017 Legacy Arts (AKA Aging Creatively) Legacy Arts, ESTA's multi-disciplinary arts residency program, are conducted in a variety of community settings throughout NYC, and led by our roster of professional teaching artists. Each artist is trained in how to use our unique Living History Arts methodology, a blend of oral history and reminiscence, that is combined with art-making.

History Alive!

History Alive! is an arts-in-education, intergenerational arts program that partners youth and elders at schools, youth organizations, and senior sites. The program is based on New York State Learning Standards and takes place both in and out of school. This unique program uses the arts to enhance the classroom experience for grade 5-12. Participants share life experiences, learn oral history and art skills, then transform their stories into original works of theater, creative writing, and visual art that is shared with their communities

Arts And Memory Arts And Memory are designed for people in the early to late stages of dementia. Our Teaching Artists are trained to meet people where they are in the present moment, to guide them through an artistic journey. All programs culminate with an event designed to share the work created to develop a strong sense of community among center members and the broader public.

Pearls Of Wisdom The Pearls of Wisdom is ESTA's touring ensemble of elder storytellers. In richly crafted presentations, the Elders share stories on historic turning points, women, family, activism, culture, work, civil rights, and folk traditions.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS BETSEY NATHAN, MSW, J.D, Chair JOHN FLACK, CFA Ex-Officio SAJID ZAMAN Treasure NANCY AVITABILE, LMSW, CMC SUSAN FLEMINGER GUY LAWRENCE SUSAN PERLSTEIN, LSMW Executive Director sperlstein@estanyc.org JULIE KLINE Program Director jkline@estanyc.org JEANNA SUNG Development Manager ELIE JEANLOUIS FY2017 Intern FY2017 VOLUNTEERS JUDY RIVERA IRV WEITZMAN LYNNE WINTERS

LEGACY ARTS (AKA AGING CREATIVELY) Legacy Arts (Aging Creatively) is ESTA's multidisciplinary arts residency program, led by professional teaching artists, trained in our unique Living History Arts methodology, a blend of oral history and reminiscence, that is combine with art making.

MORNINGSIDE RETIREMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES MANHATTAN Method: Writing Culmination Medium: Final Reading Teaching Artist: Susan Willerman Number of Sessions: 18 Year: 23 Number Participants: 15

"At the age of ninety, I am limited in ways I can express my creativity, but writing still gives me an outlet for my creativity and adds meaning to my life."

- Lydia, Member of MRHS

MORNINGSIDE RETIREMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES Writing Teaching Artist: Susan Willerman Photo Credit: Julie Kline

GRIOT CIRCLE SAGE-GRIOT INNOVATIVE SENIOR CENTER FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN Method: Visual Arts/Life Collage Culmination Medium: Final Exhibit Teaching Artist: Susan Fleminger Assistant: Guy Aiossa Number of Sessions: 14 Year: 3 Number Participants: 12 LGBT Seniors

Photo Credit: Susan Fleminger

GRIOT CIRCLE SAGE-GRIOT INNOVATIVE SENIOR CENTER Life Collage Teaching Artist: Susan Fleminger Assistant: Guy Aiossa

Photo Credit: Susan Fleminger

WEILL-CORNELL, DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND PALLIATIVE MEDICINE'S HIV AND AGING PROGRAM LENOX HILL, MANHATTAN Method: Visual Arts Culmination Medium: Final Exhibit Teaching Artist: Paul Ferrara Assistant: Jeanna Sung Number of Sessions: 10 Year: 1 Number Participants: 12

"First and foremost it was fun. I was inspired by the work of others and their life stories. I made friends that I wouldn't have otherwise."

- Albert, program participant

WEILL-CORNELL, DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND PALLIATIVE MEDICINE'S HIV AND AGING PROGRAM Visual Arts Teaching Artist: Paul Ferrara Assistant: Jeanna Sung

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

DOROT LASTING IMPRESSION LEGACY PROJECT UPPER WEST SIDE, MANHATTAN

Method: Visual Arts Culmination Medium: Final Exhibit Teaching Artist: Emily Abramson Number of Sessions: 5 Year: 1 Number Participants: 9

"Everyone appeared to be thankful to have been given the time, attention, and space to create and explore their feelings and the art materials in new and old ways."

- Emily Abramson, Teaching Artist

DOROT

LASTING IMPRESSION LEGACY PROJECT Visual Arts Teaching Artist: Emily Abramson

Photo Credits: Jeanna Sung

DOROT LASTING IMPRESSION LEGACY PROJECT UPPER WEST SIDE, MANHATTAN Method: Theater/Story-Telling Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Robin Bady Assistant: Therese Schorn, Lifetime Arts Mentee Number of Sessions: 8 for Fall 2016; 7 for Spring 2017 Year: 1 Number Participants: 12

"Carol is one of the participants from the first class. She was my “go to” person when someone felt stuck or “did not have a story to tell.”

She helped Zora (who was really afraid) pull out the story elements and get that story told! She also helped a few others dig out and get the confidence to tell the story."

- Robin Bady, Teaching Artist

DOROT LASTING IMPRESSION LEGACY PROJECT

Story-Telling Teaching Artist: Robin Bady Assistant: Therese Schorn, Lifetime Arts Mentee

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

HOPE GARDENS SENIOR CENTER BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN

Method: Dance Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Penelope McCourty Assistant: Evelyn Sanchez, Lifetime Arts Mentee Number of Sessions: 10 Year: 2 Number Participants: 12

"We as elders need to be constantly moving - our bodies need this program!" - Mercedes, participant

HOPE GARDENS SENIOR CENTER Dance Teaching Artist: Penelope McCourty Assistant: Evelyn Sanchez, Lifetime Arts Mentee

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

CYPRESS HILLS-FULTON STREET SENIOR CENTER CYPRESS HILLS, BROOKLYN

Method: Clay Sculpture Culmination Medium: Final Exhibit Teaching Artist: Lisa Lincoln Assistant: Elie Jean Louis, ESTA Intern Number of Sessions: 14 Year: 3 Number Participants: 14

"The reason why I took the class was to try to find my creative juices.

And I found I had some!" - Ella, program participant

CYPRESS HILLS FULTON STREET SENIOR CENTER Clay Sculpture Teaching Artist: Lisa Lincoln Assistant: Elie Jean Louis

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

RIDGEWOOD-BUSHWICK SENIOR CENTER BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN Method: Plastic Bag Weaving Culmination Medium: Final Exhibit Teaching Artist: Antonia Perez Number of Sessions: 11 Year: 1 (Past relationship with site) Number Participants: 8

"During the classes, many participants expressed their enjoyment of the process and their happiness with learning something new and valuable that they could then continue to do on their own or with each other in the center." - Antonia Perez, Teaching Artist

Photo Credit: Judy Rivera

RIDGEWOOD-BUSHWICK SENIOR CENTER Plastic Bag Weavings Teaching Artist: Antonia Perez

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

EILEEN C. DUGAN AMICO SENIOR CENTER CAROLL GARDENS, BROOKLYN Method: Multidisciplinary - Visual Arts and Story-telling Culmination Medium: Final Exhibit Teaching Artists: Robin Bady and Susan Fleminger Number of Sessions: 13 Year: 1 (Past relationship with site) Number Participants: 22

"After I retired at age 60, all I was doing was babysitting for my daughter. But now I'm doing something on my own for me, and I'm really getting something out of it. I didn't think I had the talent to work with anything. But I do!" - Carmen, program participant

EILEEN C. DUGAN AMICO SENIOR CENTER Multidisciplinary: Visual Arts and Story-telling Teaching Artists: Robin Bady and Susan Fleminger

Photo Credit: Judy Rivera

STANLEY ISAACS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER UPPER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN

Method: Multidisciplinary - Visual Arts and Theater/Clown Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artists: John Leo and Emily Abramson Number of Sessions: 13 Year: 1 Number Participants: 22

"The whole experience was inpirational, a lot fun with weekly periods of selfdiscovery. The performance was delicious icing on perfectly baked cake."

- Ed Snyder, participant

STANLEY ISAACS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER Multidisciplinary: Visual Arts and Theater/Clown Teaching Artists: John Leo and Emily Abramson Assistant: Julie Kline

Photo Credit: Judy Rivera

HISTORY ALIVE! Photo Credit: Susan Newmark Fleminger

HISTORY ALIVE! History Alive! is an arts-in-education, intergenerational arts program that partners youth and elders at schools, youth organizations, and senior sites. The program is based on New York State Learning Standards and takes place both in and out of school. This unique program uses the arts to enhance the classroom experience for grade 5-12. Participants share life experiences, learn oral history and art skills, then transform their stories into original works of theater, creative writing, and visual art that is shared with their communities

SELF-HELP BENJAMIN ROSENTHAL INNOVATIVE SENIOR CENTER AND PS 24 ANDREW JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FLUSHING, QUEENS Method: Intergenerational Theater Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Marsha Gildin Assistant: Linda Cholodenko, Lifetime Arts Mentee Number of Sessions: 16 Year: 21 Number Participants: 44 Elders: 12 Youth: 32 "The children did wonderfully. And I want to thank you. I feel happy today being part of this show.

I lost my husband this year and today is my first Valentine's Day without him.

But God gave me you and my part in your show. And I feel very happy. Thank you."

- Connie, Elder Participant "At first I thought the seniors were not that interesting but now I realize my mistake!

The seniors were kind and their stories were inspiring. I realized that we have so many things in common."

- PS 24 Student

SELFHELP BENJAMIN ROSENTHAL INNOVATIVE SENIOR CENTER in association with PS 24 ANDREW JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Intergenerational Theater Teaching Artist: Marsha Gildin Assistant: Linda Cholodenko, Lifetime Arts Mentee

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

JASA BUSHWICK/HYLAN NORC AND GRAND STREET SETTLEMENT AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN Method: Intergenerational Theater Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Robin Bady Number of Sessions: 6 Year: 3 Number Participants: 18 Elders: 6 Youth: 12

"By the end, the children were instinctively offering to get the elders food, water, and to give them their seats, and the elders were offering the extra cookies to the children!"

- Robin Bady, Teaching Artist

JASA BUSHWICK/HYLAN NORC in association with GRAND STREET SETTLEMENT Intergenerational Theater Teaching Artist: Robin Bady

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

BETH-PEP FOR SENIORS AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF PARKCHESTER, BRONX Method: Writing Culmination Medium: Reading and Anthology Teaching Artist: Nina Gabriele-Cuva Number of Sessions: 8 Year: 7 Number Participants: 18 Elders: 12 Youth: 6

“People might know who they are but could they– would they share that and put it on paper? They did! One student remarked, “It’s almost like being in therapy for the creative soul.”

– Nina Gabriele-Cuva, Teaching Artist

Photo Credit: Elie Jean-Louis

BETH PEP FOR SENIORS in association with THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB Writing Teaching Artist: Nina Gabriele-Cuva

Photo Credit: Elie Jean-Louis

Photo Credit..............................

JASA CONEY ISLAND ACTIVE AGING AND IS 303 HERBERT S. EISENBERG SCHOOL CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN Method: Intergenerational Theater/Mask-Making Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: John Breen Number of Sessions: 10 Year: 4 Number Participants: 19 Elders: 11 Youth: 8

"One of the Seniors said that she relished the workshops because it enabled her to get to know the young people in the group really well and now they say hello to each other every-day on the street. She said the JASA/ESTA program helps to build community." - John Breen, Teaching Artist

JASA CONEY ISLAND ACTIVE AGING in association with IS 303 HERBERT S. EISENBERG SCHOOL Intergenerational Theater/Mask-Making Teaching Artist: John Breen

Photo Credit: John Breen

HUDSON GUILD NORC IN ASSOCIATION WITH HUDSON GUILD YOUTH PROGRAM CHELSEA, MANHATTAN

Method: Intergenerational Theater/Story-telling Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Thelma Ruffin Thomas Assistant: Sarah Bellatoni, Lifetime Arts Mentee Number of Sessions: 6 Year: 1 Number Participants: 26 Elders: 6 Youth: 20 "One of the students made a special connection with one of the seniors. She was an only child and she always insisted the senior needed her to translate his story." (from Spanish) - Thelma Ruffin Thomas, Teaching Artist

HUDSON GUILD NORC in association with HUDSON GUILD YOUTH PROGRAM Intergenerational Theater/Story-telling Teaching Artist: Thelma Ruffin Thomas Assistant: Sarah Bellatoni, Lifetime Arts Mentee

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

PS 150 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND TILDEN SENIOR CENTER BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN Method: Intergenerational Theater Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Margo Brooks Number of Sessions: 16 Year: 5 Number Participants: 36 Elders: 6 Youth: 30

"Willie (student) learned from Gwen (elder participant)'s story "that everyone is the same; we should respect each other, and not be mean." - Margo Brooks, Teaching Artist

PS 150 in association with TILDEN SENIOR CENTER Intergenerational Theater Teaching Artist: Margo Brooks

Photo Credit: Julie Kline

ARTS AND MEMORY Arts And Memory are designed for people in the early to late stages of dementia. Our Teaching Artists are trained to meet people where they are in the present moment, to guide them through an artistic journey. All programs culminate with an event designed to share the work created to develop a strong sense of community among center members and the broader public.

NEW YORK MEMORY CENTER PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN Method: Theater Improvisation Culmination Medium: Performance Teaching Artist: Kate Bell Number of Sessions: 20 Year: 6 Number Participants: 7

"This year’s group in particular really enjoyed sharing memories from their lives with one another, as well as being very open about some of the difficulties of growing older. I believe that our work together helped each of them to relieve stress (by having fun‌we laughed a lot!) and to find closer connections to other people, dispelling feelings of isolation."

- Kate Bell, Teaching Artist

NEW YORK MEMORY CENTER Theater Improvisation Teaching Artist: Kate Bell

Credit

Photo Credit: Mei Yu, Susan Perlstein

PEARLS OF WISDOM The Pearls of Wisdom are ESTA's touring ensemble of elder storytellers. In richly crafted presentations, the Elders share stories on historic turning points, women, family, activism, culture, work, civil rights, and folk traditions.

PEARLS OF WISDOM Sites: Selfhelp Virtual Senior Center New School of Drama Village Community School NORC Forest Hills - Queens Community House St. Peter's Church Valentine's Day ESTA Benefit Performance PS 150 Elementary School Duncan Genns Apartments Urban Assembly School, African Voices

Members of Pearls of Wisdom: 18 Number of Audience Members: 751 -> Virtual Audience Members: 24

Pearl Celestina Trower performing at Duncan Genns Senior Apartments, Brooklyn

Pearl Shirley Young performing for home-bound elders through the Self-Help Virtual Senior Center

Pearls of Wisdom Artistic Director Thelma Ruffin Thomas

Photo Credit: Julie Kline, Malik Jist, Judy Rivera

Pearl Gwendolyn Grant performing at Tilden Senior Center, Brooklyn

...and at PS 150 Elementary School, Brooklyn Photo Credit: Julie Kline, Malik Jist, Judy Rivera

TOTAL PROGRAM SERVED Arts and Memory 6%

History Alive!

33% Legacy Arts 61%

Total Program Served Arts and Memory 1 = 6% History Alive!

6 = 33% Legacy Arts 11 = 61% Total 18 = 100%

TOTAL UNDUPLICATED PARTICIPANTS SERVED (YOUTH AND ELDERS) Arts and Memory 5% Legacy Arts 39%

History Alive!

56%

Total Unduplicated Participants Served Arts and Memory 14 = 5% History Alive!

161 = 56% Legacy Arts 113 = 39% Total 288 = 100%

COMMUNITY AUDIENCES MEMBERS Arts & Memory 4%

Pearls of Wisdom 32% History Alive!

34%

Community Audience Members Arts and Memory 100 = 4% History Alive!

790 = 34% Legacy Arts 690 = 30% Pearls of Wisdom 753 = 32% -> Including Virtual Audiences (24) Total 2,333 = 100%

Legacy Arts 30%

FINAL TOTAL SERVED*: 2,638 (*Participants, Pearls of Wisdom, and Community Audience Members)

PARTICIPANT GENDER (ELDERS) Neutral 1%

Male 16%

Participant Gender (Elders) Male 29 = 16% Female 149 = 83% Neutral 2 = 1% Total 180 = 100%

Female 83%

PROGRAMS BY ART FORMS

Visual Arts 28%

Theater/Improv 33%

Writing 11%

Program by Art Forms Theater/Improv 6 = 33% Storytelling 5 = 28% Writing 2 = 11% Visual Arts 5 = 28% Total 18 = 100%

Storytelling 28%

PROGRAMS BY BOROUGH QUEENS 5%

BRONX 5%

MANHATTAN 37%

BROOKLYN 53%

Program by Borough Bronx 1= 5% Brooklyn 9 = 53% Manhattan 7 = 37% Queens 1 = 5% Total 18 = 100%

THANK YOU! We could not have done all this wonderful work without the support of:

New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Council Member Rafael L. Espinal The National Endowment for the Arts New York State Council of the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature Blick Arts Materials Michael Tuch Foundation UJA Federation The Brooklyn Arts Council Deutsche Bank Foundation New York Community Trust Craigslist Charitable Fund Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund Investors Fund Shin Kong Life Foundation

THIS REPORT WAS CREATED BY DIMAS GERSHMAN