Members of the Park Slope Civic Council donate a great deal of their time and energy to initiatives and events that build the quality of life in our neighborhood. One such event, the Annual House Tour, attracts people from all over the metropolitan area looking for an in-depth Brownstone Brooklyn experience. Proceeds from the House Tour, however, aren’t used to do the work of the Civic Council — rather, our members and other amazing volunteers make things happen – throughout Park Slope. In addition, funds from the tour are donated to other non-profit organizations, all with a view to making our neighborhood an even more livable and inclusive place.
The Civic Council’s annual grants program helps a wide range of local groups. This year, we are pleased to provide grant support to 9 nonprofits, for a total of $7,600.
• NEW VOICES
New Voices is a middle school located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Eighteenth Street. New Voices is creating a Team Tech/443 program to learn technical production techniques, and enable the school to take its student-run performances to the next level. Funding from the PSCC will help underwrite the expense associated with student training and production based assistance.
• PS 321 TREE PIT EXPANSION PROJECT
PS 321 is a primary school located in the heart of the one of the neighborhood’s thriving commercial districts. Expanding the existing pits, which the trees have now outgrown will help maintain the longevity of the trees on the 1st st side of the school. It will also provide many environmental education opportunities for students. PSCC grant money has been awarded to expand affected tree pits, and to try a permeable paving material which the PSCC is proposing as a prototype to maintain walking surfaces in certain tree pits.
• BROOKLYN ART EXCHANGE –BAX
BAX, located at 421 5th Ave., has been in existence for over twenty years. Their request is for
a grant to be used for the YOUNG WOMEN’S PROJECT, to engage female students 9-12 in movement based exploration of identity and popular culture. Grant will be used to support the institutionalization of the new program, bringing guest artists and teaching artists to the after school program. The finished product will be seen on their web site, social media, program playbill and their monthly e-news.• SPOKE THE HUB – STH
SPOKE THE HUB has been in the Park Slope community since 1979. The grant will be used for a new Green Roof installation, in coordination with Gwen Schantz of Brooklyn Grange, including hiring the consultant as well as young people from the neighborhood to help with installation. Garden used for classes, camp and visitors.
• FSOSP BLOOMSDAY
The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, founded in 1861, 5th Annual Bloomsday. Dramatic readings from sections of James Joyce’s Ulysses, traditional Irish music & pub crawl at local Brooklyn pubs. Grant request to support program and poster printing, and pay for musicians.
• BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
Grant request to support a new series of Open Stage events: aspiring musicians of various ages, from the community, come to perform in front of their peers. BCM provides the setting and the instruments.
• SPELLBOUND THEATRE
Purpose of grant: Spellbound Theatre will host 3 free, public Community Arts Days to reach out to the Park Slope community and provide free puppetry, storytelling, and creative drama activities in public spaces. The performances will take place in Washington Park, The Park Slope Branch Library, and Prospect Park in summer 2014.
• BRIC Arts| Media | Brooklyn
Grant request to support a special 2014 Ezra Jack Keats Family Concert as part of the Celebrate Brooklyn Performing Arts Festival, this summer at the Prospect Park Bandshell. A 15-minute reading of EJK works by a guest celebrity reader, with video projection of the EJK illustrations for approx. 5000 kids and family members. Jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood will perform in a family show.
• PIPER THEATER
Grant request for a new Project, Off the Page Workshop for Children. To increase diversity and reach underserved communities in the Piper Theatre Workshop, using drama techniques, historical recreation, improvisation, storytelling and more in a 4 week workshop for 6th to 8th graders.