NCCCA welcomes artists, community

By Kaitlyn Affuso

Staff Writer

Published: Friday, February 18, 2011

Updated: Friday, February 18, 2011 11:02

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Jaime Thomas/Cardinal Points

The NCCCA, located on Brinkerhoff Street, offers plenty of activities for children and adults, including dance and art classes.

For anyone interested in the arts and looking for something to do, the North Country Cultural Center for the Arts is the place to be. They are located right near campus at 23 Brinkerhoff St.

The NCCCA holds many different events from art shows to parties, camps to lectures.

Just around the corner is their big annual New Year party, the 400 Club Fiesta. It will be held at the center on Feb. 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are sold in couples for $100 each, and automatically enter ticketholders into numerous drawings for a chance to win up to $5,000.

Not only are there drawings for the big bucks, but great food catered by the Adirondack Soup Company will be provided.

"It's a lot of fun, and the food is great," Anne Donahoe, NCCCA staff member, said.

Monthly, the center hosts an exhibition opening. These exhibitions have showcased a variety of art and artists. They have displayed local work, and featured artists from out-of-state and out of the country.

The genres of art vary from month to month, but the event always includes wine, hors d'oeuvre and punch.

The majority of the work displayed is available for sale, unless otherwise marked. The profits from art sales not only support the artist, but the NCCCA as well.

The Stonybrook Gallery and Seton Academy Exhibiton opened Jan. 29 and will end on Feb. 25. This exhibition showcases a variety of art including pottery, paintings, and jewelry. "All the kids' projects are up in the art room," Alison Della Bitta, NCCCA staff member, said.

The NCCCA also hosts free guest speaker lectures to the public. These lectures are often led by local artists, who typically discuss projects that they have done.

The arts center holds camps, courses and workshops, appropriate for all ages, are open to the public.

A winter camp for kids is being held during their break in school and has a circus genre.

"They will be studying paintings of the circus" and other activities related to this topic, Della Bitta explained.

For adults, there are workshops and classes as well, which include an open studio for drawing, making jewelry, Zumba and yoga. They also have a new addition of Poi fire dancing, which Della Bitta finds to be "something that's pretty exciting."

Instructors must qualify to instruct each particular workshop. They have tended to be local artists in the past, but some have commuted almost an hour to instruct a workshop.

With only four people on staff, the NCCCA is always looking for volunteers to help with cleaning, working in the gallery and organizing the mailing lists. The NCCCA is open to the public.