The Ellenville Area Arts Alliance (EA3) met on the fourth floor of the new Village Hall building on Saturday to discuss the results of this summer's completed events and fundraisers, and to figure out what the future holds for the group.

EA3 Chair and Ellenville's Director of Visual Arts, Judy Sigunick, started the meeting by asking the assembled members about their thoughts regarding the past summer's events: the second installment of 10x10x10, the E6 collaborative mural and auction fundraiser event, and the artist panel conducted at 10x10x10's close at the Ellenville Public Library.

E6 mastermind Chuck Davidson expressed his satisfaction with the event's energy and the community turnout, but added that there was still a need for more community members not already associated with the arts to get involved. Discussion moved around the room, from people saying how pleased they were with the fundraiser, to suggestions for holding the next E6 event outside to enable even more people to attend.

Mayor Jeff Kaplan stressed the importance of making sure that Ellenville is more than just a "summer arts" community, and that events ought to be taking place year-round. He then asked the assembled group how to best expand.

To answer his challenge, artist Sarah Harris, whose work was recently featured at the Ellenville Regional Hospital, proposed the idea of monthly artist presentations and slideshows. Later she volunteered to be the first artist to participate. The group then explored different options for getting more young people involved with the arts, such as another E6 event that incorporates student artists from the local high school, as well as the suggestion of events that attempt to reach out to and incorporate the village's diverse ethnic and racial population.

The next order of business regarded the introduction of EA3's new treasurer, Iris Friedman. Friedman and Sigunick had talked about the soon-to-be-opened Ellenville Arts and Ceramics Center's and EA3's overall need for help concerning fund management, and in reaction to these conversations, Friedman had volunteered.

Friedman provided a treasurer's report that found $2,801 in the group's coffer. Since the group is still not an independent, not-for-profit organization, EA3 is still relying on the village as a source of financial support, though becoming independent from village government is the group's goal.

Sigunick then informed the group about the upcoming Hudson River Quadracentennial in 2009, and that there were going to be funding opportunities as the event approached. She suggested that those interested could visit the event's website at www.exploreny400.com

Next on Sigunick's list of discussion points was the upcoming opening of the aforementioned Ellenville Arts and Ceramics Center on Market Street. The center, set to open for a six-week stint starting on October 15, will run until November 24. Due to the rushed nature of opening the center's doors, there are no artists set to produce work or teach classes so Sigunick will be doing so. There are, however, professional artists scheduled to take over when the center reopens for two more six-week stints from January 1 to February 16, and then again from April 6 to May 17, at which point the next 10x10x10 exhibition would begin.

Hal Brill, the center's landlord, is donating rental expenses for the upcoming inaugural stint, during which the studio will open its doors to students and will offer them hours to work alongside Sigunick, attending class once a week for 2 to 3 hours, all for a tuition of $150, and with a target of between 8 to 10 students. The tuition costs will cover materials and kiln firing, essential for ceramics work, and the cost to supply the center with one month's electric, water, and heat which was estimated to about $1,500, not counting the cost of powering the kilns.

After the first six-week stretch comes to an end, there will be a December 1 exhibition and sale of work produced, with 30-40% of proceeds going back to the center.

In a replay of last month's meeting, Cragsmoor resident Linda Rogers noted that there was a conspicuous absence of support and funding from the Town of Wawarsing. The group was then reminded that even though the Town Board is aware of EA3's initiatives and receives their e-mails and notices, a formal proposal for funding has never been submitted. Debate and discussion ranged around the room about the best ways to try and get the town interested in contributing support. Finally, when she was asked about whether or not she would be interested in getting the ball rolling, Rogers accepted the task to begin work on a formal proposal.

Village Manager Elliott Auerbach announced that Summitville photographer Chris Ramirez, whose work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, plans to host a photography workshop in the village.

The meeting wrapped up with local business-owner Marty Rabkin of martinrabkin.inc announcing an inaugural donation to get the ball rolling for a public donor program for EA3.

Sigunick then adjourned this month's meeting, which is scheduled to reconvene on Saturday, October 27.

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