Attention Rhode Island Tellers

The Deadline to turn in your stories for the Friday evening Local Tellers concert of November 1st is fast approaching. This is just to remind you that we still need your stories. If you would like to tell in Friday evening Local tellers concert for Sharing the Fire 2009, we need your cd or tape of two stories you would like to submit. If you do not have or cannot come up with two stories on a cd or tape, please send an synopsis or short description of your stories to Jim Gillen by November 1, 2008. If you turn in a tape or cd it will be reviewed by the selection committee when they meet. If you do not, you will get a call from Jim to set a time for an audition.

planetcatfish@cox.net

Jim Gillen

44 Juniper Drive

West Warwick, RI

02893

NEFA

Reminder!  Funding Opportunities at NEFA's Open House

www.nefa.org/

NEFA's Info Session will be an open House! 

October 16th, 2008 12:30pm-4pm

145 Tremont St. 7th floor 

Boston,Mass. 02111

The New England Foundation for the Arts or NEFA is providing information sessions in an "Open House" format for organizations and artists to learn more about its funding programs and services available to the region, including

New England States Touring(NEST)

Meet The Composer/New England

Expeditions

CultureCount

Public Art

National Dance Project

American Masterpiece ;Dance

Native Arts@NEFA

space is limited;RSVP to apetrillo.org by October 14th

The Orphan Works 2008 Federal Legislation

posted 9/30/08

Information you should know about copywright and the Orphan Works
This could effect you!
http://www.artistsfoundation.org/orphan.html

The Artists Foundation (AF) is working very closely with several artists run advocacy organizations on tracking and advocating on the Orphan Works 2008 Federal Legislation. The proposed legislation, if it passes as it is now written, will change US copyright law. Such a change, as it is now written, will negatively impact artists of all disciplines (literary, visual, music, etc.), as well as every US citizen. There are two bills - one filed in the House H.R. 5889 and one in the Senate S. 2913. The bills differ from each other BUT both bills are highly problematic and should not pass as they are now written.

It is very important to note that the crafters of the legislation are trying to pass them before the legislative session ends.

Where the pieces of legislation are now:

The House Bill- On 5/7/08- the House IP Subcommittee unanimously approved H.R. 5889 by a voice vote, and it has moved to the House Judiciary Committee. There were no needed corrective changes made to the legislation (as of this date by the Subcommittee).

The Senate Bill- On 5/15/08- the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously reported S. 2913 out favorably with no needed corrective changes made to the legislation. A new version of S.2913 was introduced on Friday, Sept 26 in the afternoon in an effort to pass it in the Senate. In the late afternoon/early evening of 9/26/08 the Senate passed S.2913*

*OF particular note is that this was the weekend that Congress was trying to address the wall street/financial crisis.



Challenge Grant

Let's Win This Challenge!

Earlier this year LANES was the recipient of a challenge made by a generous and anonymous person who believes passionately in the power and potential of storytelling.

Our kind benefactor will match all contributions to a maximum total of $5,000. If we meet this challenge $10,000 will be added to our bank account.

As of September 1,members of the LANES BOARD of Directors have contributed $1200, leaving $3,800 to be added by deadline of December 31,2008. Achieving this goal makes it a valuable tool beyond its dollar amount. We can use it to show potential funders that LANES has the active support and participation of storytellers and listeners throughout region.

Your participation in claiming this gift is essential. Everyone is encouraged to make a single contribution or, if it is more convenient , a monthly or bimonthly donation. Consider making a contribution in honor or in memory of someone special. Your support,regardless of the amount,is welcomed and deeply appreciated.

Anyone with questions is welcome to contact me at storytellermama@yahoo.com . Please help us challenge and keep LANES growing. All contributions to this LANES grant challenge are tax deductible. LANES is federally recognized 501(c)(3).

Sincerely,

Catherine Conant

President

LANES

Please make your checks out to LANES and send checks by snail mail to

The League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling,Inc. (LANES)

411A Highland Avenue, #351

Somerville,Mass. 02144

Announcement for Sharing the Fire Conference

Attention anyone interested in submitting a workshop proposal. The deadline has been extended to Sept 15th, click on LANES logo to your right for further details and application directions. 

Let's Celebrate Kate Dudding winner of the Oracle

Kate Dudding:Articles in the news

Storyteller honored for Leadership, Service

Times Union, Albany,NY. First Published:August 29,2008

Photo of Kate after receiving her ORACLE Award Kate Dudding of Clifton Park was recently honored with the ORACLE Award from the National Storytelling Network. The ORACLE honors regional leadership and service among storytellers.(photo courtesy of Dianna Waite)

Dudding, who began telling stories professionally in 1995, is a member of LANES, the League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling. Producer of Story Sundays, a storytelling dinner series for adults, she recently led this program into its ninth season.

She is the founder of Storytelling--It's News. The site collects and archives articles from across the country that features storytellers or storytelling. Dudding received the leadership and service award for her work as a storytelling advocate.

Dudding accepted her award at the National Storytelling Conference in early August in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The next conference is scheduled for 2010 in Los Angeles. For more information on Kate, please visit her website  www.katedudding.com

Meet Your LANES Director Tom Brillat

Interview with Tom Brillat

Who is Tom Brillat? Like so many others, I am a gray-haired baby boomer.

That's pretty thin. Is there more? Sure I have,"a back story" but first let me say what I hope to do for LANES...

Ok I have several primary tasks for the next few months:

First, I want to concentrate on communications: to and from our members-,and, on a larger scale, introduce LANES and storytelling to those people and organizations not familiar with us. This includes making sure the website meets members' expectations, upgrading the quality and quantity of information within our data base, responding to inquiries and suggestions as quickly as possible, upgrading the services LANES offers, identifying new ones and keeping members informed about Board activities.

Second , with the help of the membership and that of the Board, I want to increase participation on our committees. The success of any tax-exempt organization is directly related to the activity of its committees. Please keep in mind committee members do not have to be members of LANES, but just willing to work. Our most pressing needs are on our Nominating, Fundraising and Membership committees.

Third, I plan to put together a reference document of policies and procedures. These guidelines are vital to maintain operational continuity as individuals move on and off our board and committees.

Fourth, I will do my best to explain our financial status. It is much easier to support LANES if members know where our funds come from and how they are spent. Our previous Treasurer, Steve Kelley, did a remarkable amount of work in gathering this information, making it available and beginning the budget education process. I will pick up where he left off and help people understand as much as they want to know.

and NOW the backstory

Who is Tom Brillat? Like I said I am a gray-haired baby boomer.

Hmm Ok-Let me be more specific. Where did you grow up? On Long Island, New York. In Nassau County- Massapequa Park, then South Farmingdale and finally in Westbury. All in all, it was an ok place to grow up. I had friends my age. There were places to play. I lived in a solid middle class neighborhood. Everyone went to public schools(except for a few staunch Catholics and a tiny handful of the very well-to- do.)

Anything you want to say about your family? Yes, I had one and still have one . Then-two younger sisters, parents, grandparents,cousins, the whole deal. Blue collar family-white collar ambitions. Now-married-very long time-two grown children, white collar family-blue collar clothes. Still have two younger sisters, parents a batch of cousins and have added nieces, a nephew and numerous assorted second cousins. I love them all.

What do you like to do? I like sports but was never a great athlete. I like to learn but was never a great student (good-not great). I like talking with friends as well as strangers , but I was never very outgoing. I like being active in a variety of activities, but I am fully capable of sitting for hours in front of the television without knowing what show I'm watching. I like strumming my guitar, albeit without great technical ability. I love to travel and I like to pretend I can speak Spanish and French, but I always enjoy coming home and I am most at ease with English.

Most folks usually want to know about education., training, and work experience. Did you attend college? yes

Can you please tell us a bit more? Ok.

College- United States Naval Academy, Class of 1973. Very proud to have gone, glad I don't have to go back. Talk about life changing. Grad School-University of Rhode Island(URI) I wrote an international marine research treaty for my thesis. Go figure. Teacher certification at Providence College. Never satisfied-I became certified in two areas: social studies and science. Maybe someday someone will hire me to teach one of them. Business management and non-profit certification at URI and Columbia University respectively. There needs to be a school for common sense. This is mostly what you learn in management programs.

Jobs Working for a living . Getting a paycheck . Necessary, I guess. I have been a naval officer, life insurance salesman, coastal planner, harbormaster of a major commercial sea port( Charleston, South Carolina), air freight manager at Hartsfield(Atlanta) and Logan airports for Flying Tigers-at the time it was the world's largest cargo airline, square-rig sailor and director of an historic ship foundation, Rainbow salesman (yes Rainbows)insurance adjuster ,jewlery display case maker, teacher, marketing manager and adult educator. And I'm sure I've left some out. I've enjoyed every one yet I've been fired, reduced in force, quit in frustration and resigned on my own terms."

How did you get involved in storytelling? Well , as executive director of an adult education program I received a grant from The Rhode Island Foundation at the end of 1999. I became part of the inaugural class of RI Foundation Fellows. I wanted to use my grant to help students in our programs improve their literacy skills. Most of them had problems with the written word;reading it or writing it, but they all had a story. I was lucky I used the grant to attend storytelling workshops and festivals with some of our best tellers. I quickly discovered that , not only did I have great info to bring back to work I enjoyed listening to and telling stories myself. I have been telling stories part time since Nancy Cavanaugh of NSN made me get up in front of a group at a workshop during the Tales of Graz in 2000 and tell. I recount original and personal stories with a few adapted traditional ones tossed into the mix.

Thank you Tom. I wish you all the best in your new position as Director of the LANES .