Chen Arts Meeting This Saturday - May 21st

Next Chen Arts Meeting
The monthly Chen Arts meeting will be held this Saturday, May 21st at the House of Chen restaurant in Allentown. If you would like to attend, please email: chenarts.info@gmail.com to RSVP.

Baum School Art Auction
For anyone looking for something fun to do after the Chen Arts meeting, there will be an Art Auction at the Baum School of Art down the street later that evening. More information on the Art Auction.

Thank You Sarah!
Sarah has decided to step down from handling the communications for the group. We would like to say a huge thank you to Sarah for taking care of the Chen Arts communications for all of us, and wish her luck in all that she does! We hope to continue to see her at future Chen Arts meetings, thanks again!

For Chen Arts communications, questions, and information please contact Michelle Bodamer at chenarts.info@gmail.com.

Jazz Weekend - Tickets
Fabulous JAZZ WEEKEND this Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. Don't miss it! First, Our next Jazz Cabaret is Friday, May 20, 2011 featuring Craig Kastelnik & Friends with Bernard Purdie! 7:30 PM, Rodale Community Room, Allentown Symphony Hall. Sunday, May 22, 2011, 4:00 PM in the Concert Hall is the Jazz Benefit Concert for El Sistema (The Allentown Symphony Association's new program that will commence this fall at Roosevelt Elementary School - a program that will transform the lives of children through music).

ART NEWS - Help Secure Funding for the Arts!
PCA Faces 70% Reduction in HB 1485 - Contact your legislators by May 23, 2011!

From the Lehigh Valley Arts Council: "On 5/11/11 the PA House Appropriations Committee passed an amendment to the budget bill (HB 1485) that included a combined cut of over 70% to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) administrative and grants line items. The bill will now go to the full House of Representatives for consideration on May 23.

So, what would it mean to the Lehigh Valley if the budget for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts was cut from $8.2 million to $2.5 million next year, as proposed by the PA House Appropriations Committee in HB 1485? Thirty-one nonprofit cultural organizations in our region would lose $350,000 next year in operating support—including ArtsQuest with the largest award of $88,450 down the list to the Lehigh Valley Arts Council with $2,948. Take Action!"

Informational Meeting on Arts Grants

Attention Artists:
The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is hosting a meeting Tuesday, May 12 from 4:00-5:30 PM at Lehigh County Government Center located at 17 S. 7th Street in Allentown to provide information about the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) 2009-2010 Project Stream funding.

PPA Project Stream grant funding supports new arts projects or activities taking place in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties and focuses on reaching underserved communities. Applicants do not have to have nonprofit status with the IRS, but cannot be for-profit.

Projects must take place between September 1, 2009 and August 31, 2010. Grants awards available up to $3,000.

Submission deadline: June 19, 2009

To register for a FREE workshop or for additional information, comments or questions, please contact PPA Program Coordinator Frank Forestieri at 610-437-5915 or email fforestieri@lvartscouncil.org.

It is recommended that attendees download and print a copy of the grant from the PCA website to bring with them to the workshop.

Other workshops will be held:

Thursday, May 14 from 4-5:30 pm
Anita Shapolsky Art Foundation20 West Broadway, Jim Thorpe

Tuesday, May 19 from 4-5:30 pm
NCC SouthSide Center511 East 3rd Street, Rm. 605, Bethlehem