YAC Scheme and Dream

Hello YACies!

Next Sunday, April 1st, we will be coming together for a "Scheme and Dream". We want to talk about how we can improve YAC, and about where we want to take YAC in the future. So, it would be great to have input from everyone- youth, staff, interns, board, and anyone else who might be interested!

The Scheme and Dream will take place next Sunday, April 1st, from 10am to 2pm. We will be at UMass, thought we're not quite sure of the exact location yet- updates to come. So if you're interested in improving YAC, or if you have ideas for the future, please come and share them! All input is welcome and valued!

Please let us know by next Wednesday, March 28th, if you intend on coming.

"Who Are 'We the People'?" Art Exhibition

From February 3rd to the 29th, we'll be hosting our first major exhibition of the year, "Who Are 'We the People'?" at the Northampton Center for the Arts. This is the theme all of our programs have spent time pondering since October, and the exhibit is a culmination of all the ideas, questions and creativity that has arisen through this process.

The Opening Reception will be on Friday 2/10, 5pm to 7pm during Arts Night Out. There will be refreshments and live music played by some of YAC's musicians!

The exhibition is organized in two parts. The East Gallery will feature photographic works by the members of GirlsEyeView Ware, GirlsEyeView Amherst, and E'Town Rising. The West gallery will contain a collaborative sculture/video instillation as well as individual works created by Get Up Get Down and Video Vanguards.

Everyone has worked so hard pulling their work together for this show. Be sure to visit the gallery between February 3rd and 29th. But no matter what you do, visit the gallery during Arts Night Out on February 10th for our opening day reception!

YAC is looking for performers!

Hey everyone!

We're looking for people who want to participate in a short spoken word performance at our annual fundraiser, "Lights, Camera, Youth Action!" Anyone who has been there in the past knows it's a wonderful event, and having a youth performance would add a lot. The date of the event is 2/12/12, and rehearsals for the performance will be held in January. Patrick will be around looking for interested people, so if you'd like to help out let him know!

Art Party Photos!

As promised, here are some photos from the YAC Unity Event a few weeks ago, where the YAC community put on display their multitude of talents. This slideshow was put together by Barry Scott, program coordinator for E'town Rising. Thanks Barry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb18psCU91U&context=C3cf5968ADOEgsToPDskItfql8xffT93AwomTqnAzw

YAC's Got Talent!

A huge thanks to everyone who attended, and to everyone who presented at our 2nd YAC Unity of the year this past Friday. We had an open mic/art share at the Mercy House in Amherst, and we saw just how talented our crowd is! Presentations ranged from musical performances, to slideshows of photography, to spoken poetry! This event left us eager for the next YAC Unity- and possibly even another open mic next semester!

On a different note, Video Vanguards will be having their Works in Progress and Classics Reel this Friday. Come to this screening to see the great work that the youth of VV have been doing all year. It will be this Friday, December 16th, at 6 pm, at Amherst Media (245 College St, Amherst).

Photos of the Unity Event to come!!!

A Congratulations, and an Invitation!

Hello everyone! First of all, we'd like to congratulate one of our Girls Eye View Ware youth, Annalee Clough! She submitted her photography to the Joy of Give Something Foundation's fall photo contest. See her work here: http://www.jgsinc.org/resolution/resolution-contest/gallery-fall-2011/contestant-annalee-clough-fall-2011/

These photos are a great example of work that is both technically sound and socially pertinent. Way to go Annalee!

Second, I invite you to come to YAC's 2nd Unity Event of the year, which will be an open mic/art share at the Mercy House in Amherst! It's going to be taking place next Friday, from 6-8pm. Come a bit early to help prepare food if you can, or prepare something at home if you'd like! But the only thing you need to bring is yourself, and whatever you'd like to show- whether it be music, art, photography, film- anything at all! For more details, check out the event on Facebook by looking through YAC's events. I hope to see you there!

Working in the Metal Shop with Get Up Get Down.

Having a few weeks in the shop has been lots of fun. We have been learning hand tools, power tools, and MIG welding. The first assignment was to create some kind of self-portrait using found materials.