News in Brief
ArtsWestchester Appoints New Board President Michael J. Minihan
ArtsWestchester recently announced the appointment of Michael J. Minihan as its new Board President. Minihan is an international tax attorney, entrepreneur and lifelong resident of Westchester County. His roots in Westchester run deep, having grown up in Ossining, and attended both college and law school at Pace University. Minihan also holds an LLM in Taxation from New York University, and currently resides in Croton-on-Hudson. He joined the Board of ArtsWestchester in 2013, assuming the role of Treasurer that year before becoming Executive Vice President in 2016. He has also been a member of the Executive Committee for the duration of his time with the organization.
Ballet des Amériques Dancers to Compete in Prestigious Competition
This summer, two dancers from Port Chester’s Ballet des Amériques have been accepted to compete at the prestigious International Ballet Competition Varna in Bulgaria. Isodale Alexis will compete in the Senior category and Alexandra Ina Rose Bocca will compete as a Junior. The bi-yearly competition for pre-professional students and young professional dancers consists of three rounds, during which the dancers must perform classical ballet and contemporary variations. Previous competitors include Natalia Markova and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The dancers will be coached by Carole Alexis, choreographer and Artistic Director of Ballet des Amériques. Isodale Alexis will receive additional coaching from Maitre Nikoloz Makhateli as well.
Artist Antoinette Wysocki Partners with FairPlay, MTV
Westchester artist Antoinette Wysocki has partnered with MTV and accessories brand FairPlay to harken the nostalgia of the early days of Music Television (MTV). The partnership is meant to highlight the impact that MTV has had on the creativity of Generation X and Millenials. Of Wysocki’s work, FairPlay’s Brand Director Jeff Scott said: “She is MTV; blending a business mind with a punk aesthetic.” Wysocki’s collaborative works, which integrate the original MTV logo and the station’s popular shows, will be printed on a line of t-shirts. Shirts will be available online and at retailers such as Azalea, Blue Ox and Urban Outfitters. For more info, visit shop.fairplaybrand.com.
Arts Alive Grants Available for Local Artists and Arts Groups
Artists with an idea for new work and emerging arts groups, as well as schools, agencies in under-resourced areas and community-based cultural organizations can each consider applying for 2019 Arts Alive Grants. New York State Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Program enables ArtsWestchester to award grants in Rockland and Westchester Counties. This year, $105,000 in funding is available.
Applications will go live by July 10. Application deadlines are September 26 (Westchester County) and October 2 (Rockland County). For guidelines and information about pre-application workshops, visit artsw.org/artsalive or call 914-428-4220 x304.
Farooq Kathwari Honored by Yale School of Management
Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors, Inc., was recently honored at Yale School of Management (YSM)’s Chief Executive Leadership Institute. The ArtsWestchester board member accepted the Lifetime of Leadership Award at the Institute’s 93rd CEO Summit. Senior Associate Dean for Leadership Studies at YSM Jeffrey Sonnerfield, who organized the summit, said: “Farooq Kathwari represents the finest of American innovation, triumphant entrepreneurship and social responsibility.” The Summit’s other two awardees were Chairman and CEO of Bank America, Brian Moynihan, and Founder of the Legend Maverick footwear company, Stuart Weitzman.
A version of this article first appeared in the July-August issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
