Cultural Understanding Through the Arts

Can arts be more than just leisure, hobbit, or entertainment? What are the intrinsic benefits of arts that all of us can enjoy even if/when we aren’t “artists”? At a time when the world sees increasing division across race, ethnicity, class, gender, and ideology, the Cultural Understanding through the Arts (CUTA) workshop provides a space where we can find a common ground through arts and cultural activities.

CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE ARTS

A Workshop Led by Michael C. Liu

Saturday, October 23, 2021, 2-4pm

Muscata Marsh (near the picnic tables) in Inwood Hill Park

Entrance at 218th Street and Indian Road

Donate what you will to attend

WHAT TO EXPECT

Come for an adventure where you will be guided through the various steps of exploring your and others’ cultural heritage and discussing the subjects of arts and culture. With simple exercises and engaging conversations, every participant at CUTA will gain a refreshing perspective of how they can be a (more active) patron of the arts while building a deeper understanding across various cultures.

Be open to sharing and listening. You will be given some useful tips on the “how-to”, and no one can decide “how to” use them except you.

No previous background, training, or experience in the arts is required. In fact, CUTA welcomes and embraces different levels of and perspectives on how to enjoy arts and cultural activities. At CUTA, everyone’s lived experience is equally respected, and we will explore as much as possible within just one hour!

Co-presented with Inwood Art Works, a nonprofit organization with a mission to create and curate professional performing and visual arts in Inwood and its surrounding community, the CUTA workshop will be an opportunity where art lovers and art makers regardless of their backgrounds and disciplines can find ways to building a deeper understanding for one another through the arts.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is required.

*Rain date is Sunday, October 24 at 2pm.

Michael C. Liu (M.A., M.F.A., Ed.D. candidate) is an NYC-based actor, educator, and art maker with international experience across disciplines and genres in for-profit and non-profit sectors. He received an M.A. in Arts Politics from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, an M.F.A. in Acting from Taipei National University of the Arts, and a B.A. in Diplomacy from National Chengchi University (Taiwan). He is a Leadership Fellow (2017-2019) of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals. Liu is currently pursuing an Ed.D. at St. John’s University, where he focuses on how the joint force of culturally relevant pedagogy and performing arts’ intrinsic benefits can enhance the learning experience of students in higher education. More about Michael can be found at www.michaelcliu.org.

This program is made possible by the New York City Artist Corps. Additional support for CUTA is provided by the Chinese American Arts Council.

Starting Your Song

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inwood Art Works in association with The Rally Cat presents

Starting Your Song

A Virtual Musical Workshop for Young Adults 13-15 years old.
Saturday, November 7, 2020 – 10am-11:30am via Zoom

Admission by pay-what-you-can donation to Inwood Art Works.

Is there a song in your heart?
Is there a story you are bursting to tell through words and music?
Do you love listening to songs on the radio or Spotify and want to try writing one yourself?

Join us on Saturday, November 7th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM for a virtual lyric-based songwriting workshop led by librettist and lyricist Marella Martin Koch.

You will 1) find your title, 2) choose a song form, and 3) leave with a first draft of lyrics for your song. Plus, you will have fun and meet new friends!

Perfect for first-time songwriters, there will be plenty of time for questions and many opportunities to learn by doing in this Zoom workshop presented by Inwood Art Works in association with The Rally Cat.

This virtual workshop is limited to 8 participants, and is first-come-first served.

To sign-up, email info@inwoodartworks.nyc with “Starting Your Song” in the subject line. Please include the name and age of the participant in the body of the email. Accepted participants will receive a confirmation email.


Marella Martin Koch is a librettist, playwright, and director originally from Los Angeles. Her mission is to create healthy collaborative environments that foster courage, innovation, and connection. She has been commissioned by opera companies across the country, from Music of Remembrance in Seattle to Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center in DC. She teaches acting, improvisation, and songwriting to middle and high school students across NYC, and has been a guest director for NYU/Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing and a guest lecturer in libretto-writing at UCLA School of Music.  

Founded in 2017 by Marella Martin Koch, The Rally Cat generates high-quality performances of new work by emerging artists and facilitates creative educational opportunities for students of all ages.