AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

Today is International Women's Day.

Check out the website here: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

And here are some relevant articles from Art4Development:

MIDEAST: No Day Is a Woman's Day in Gaza
By Mohammed Omer
GAZA CITY - Mahasen Darduna suffers in ways the world recognises; her
suffering comes at the hands of the Israelis. But there are many
Palestinian women whose suffering the world does not see, because
their hell is inflicted on them by Palestinians.
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41498

KENYA: Equal Pay in Theory, Not Always in Fact
By Kwamboka Oyaro
NAIROBI - On Mar. 8, a century ago, thousands took to the streets of
New York in demonstrations aimed at improving life for women. Burning

http://www.communiversity.org.uk/worldcommunityartsday.htm

Click here to learn more about World Community Arts Day. AMP's contribution is AMPer Federico Hewson's Valentine's Peace Project.

Learn more about the Valentine's Peace Project here:

http://www.valentinepeaceproject.org/

The following was posted on the Art4Development Yahoo! Groups listserv, a wonderful and highly-recommended source of fascinating worldwide arts information.

Good Vibrations: Arts-in-medicine programs aim to heal by cutting stress, promoting good feelings
By Kurt Loft
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE TAMPA

When Robyn L'Heureux checked into Tampa General Hospital earlier this
year to receive a new heart, she knew that the road to recovery would
be arduous.

After six weeks, she was back in her Tampa home, on the mend from a
life-saving transplant. But she has more to thank than her doctors
and nurses. Mozart and the Beatles, of all people, played a part in
her return to health.

"You get depressed being in a hospital for that long, and music helps

From the Art4Development Yahoo! groups listserv:

Online directory of Arab cinema launched

Filmmakers in the Arab world can now access the Arab Cinema Directory, a Web site that aims to boost the visibility of movies from Middle East and North African countries.

Launched last month, the directory provides details on Arab films of all genres since the 1930s – especially those from Mediterranean countries. Documentaries are included, as well as dramas, experimental films, shorts and full-length features, etc. Each film has a page dedicated to its description, technical details and more.

This YouTube clip gives a really clear explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk

Hey all,

here's a great project from AMP member Farzad Kohan, made just to connect artists all over the world. It's fun, easy, and creative, and it will be really interesting to see what happens with it! Please send a boat to Farzad and contribute to the River of Life - just have a look at the attachments and start folding!

And look here for bigger and even more readable instructions! :)

http://farzadkohan.com/fk_riveroflife.html

Terri

Artists Feel Painted Into a Corner in Baghdad

By Megan Greenwell
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 5, 2007; Page A19

BAGHDAD -- Ultimately, it won't be the constant threat of violence
that drives celebrated ceramics artist Mahir Samarrai out of the
place of his birth. When he finally, reluctantly moves out of
Baghdad later this year, the cause will be much more mundane.

"To do ceramics, you need to fire the pieces in the kiln for eight
hours. Since 2004, we've had one or two hours of electricity here
each day," said Samarrai, 57, who said he cannot afford a
generator. "So what is the choice?"

In discussing my vision for AMP with ever-more people, I am continually refining and specifying it. We're having an event in Amsterdam (AMPsterdam?) on Friday, September 28. In writing to my co-organizer for this event, AMP member Paul van Dijk, I specified thus:

I see the website as only a beginning tool. There is a lot that can be done with the website, that much is clear already - it's a way for members to learn about each other and connect - eventually in real life too, post their art and their thoughts, post and learn about opportunites and events, learn about the world's art worlds...but the eventual goal is to have a physical AMP center (or affiliate) in every major center of the world (for some reason I have the number 30 in mind). Each center would have performance space, workshop space, gallery space, office space, and a kind of artists' hostel upstairs, where members could stay for short times while passing through, for either a nominal fee, or workshop instruction, art creation, maintenance of the center, and so on. If they need to stay longer, they can connect with other AMP members in the area - longer still, and they can be pointed to artist-friendly resources throughout the area. Each center would also be an information and networking hub for the area, connecting visiting artist members with other artists and arts communities in the area, as well as with the appropriate resources. The basic idea: when you fall into a new space, you don't fall hard on the ground - you are caught by a connecting web of fellow creatives - everywhere, really opening a world of art. That is what I'm trying to build from the ground up. The parties and ticketed events are to build community between members, raise AMP's profile, and gather more members and friends, not to mention have a good time. :D The website is a tool. The big idea is much, much bigger.

http://www.newbevcinema.com

My favorite movie theater in the world has always been the New Beverly Cinema here in Los Angeles, where I've been going for over 15 years. It's the kind of place that's beat up really nicely, with crunchy seats and cheap candy. The kind of place where they put up an apology sign in the window when they have to raise the price. Sherman Torgan had been running it for nearly 30 years, and it was a wonderful place. He died Wednesday morning of a heart attack while riding his bike. I'm really sad, and I know a lot of other people are too.

Obituary:

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-torgan21jul21,1,2652698.sto...

From the San Francisco Chronicle - could you help to create something like this in your community?

***

MAKING MUSIC, ART, COMMUNITY
Computer parts, plastic bottles, old car hoods just part of recipe
at Panhandle band shell
Justin Berton, SAN FRANCISCO Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, July 9, 2007

On Friday afternoon, a guitarist sat inside the Panhandle's new band
shell that's made from old car hoods, plastic water bottles and
French doors. He sat center stage, restrung his acoustic instrument,
tuned it to perfection, and walked into the eucalyptus-scented park
without playing a song or singing a word.