Donation Time - Materials for the Arts

Every 6 months I clean out the On the Leesh storage unit. I try to get rid of all the things that we really don’t need anymore. In the spirit of the What You Can Do project we never like to just throw things away if we can donate the items to people who could use them.

Here in New York City it can often be a big hassle to get rid of things because most people do not own their own car. My husband Greg and I are one of those transplant New Yorkers who used to own two cars but gave them up when we came to the Big Apple. Every so often I can see that spark in Greg’s eyes when he sees a fast car zipping through the streets of New York City and I can tell that he misses driving. Come donation time however, Greg gets a rare opportunity to get behind the wheel when he provides the OTL crew with a service I refer to as Chief Office Stuff Mover and Mario Andretti Audi 5 race car driver. Translation: Greg helps me donate items and in return he gets to drive Alicia’s car to Long Island City where my favorite donation spot, Materials for the Arts, is located.



(Greg Gallagher Master of Transportation)

Materials For The Arts is an amazing program that collects donated items and provides them to “thousands of New York City’s arts and cultural organizations, public schools and community arts programs.” These supplies are used to help run and expand art programs. MFTA collects fabric, paper, computers, household items, building materials, office furniture and supplies, frames, wallpaper and home decorating supplies, ladders, telephones, etc.

The items are then sorted and collected into the MFTA warehouse. According to their website, they invite not-for-profit and cultural arts groups, NYC educators and arts teachers, social organizations and government agencies to browse the donated items for use in promoting the arts around the city.



If you live in the New York Metro area and are interested in donating to MFTA you can contact them at:

Materials for the Arts

Please Note that you must have to get your donation pre-approved and drop off times are Monday, Wednesday, Friday between 9:00am-4:00pm.

Cheers!!

m-

Go Green Fall

I am not crafty. And by crafty, I’m not referring to whether I’m wily or cunning (though I don’t really think I’m those things either). I am referring to my ability to make and/or build crafts – you know – knitting, decoupage (I’m not even really sure what that is), crocheting, scrapbooking etc… I, in fact, have been known to staple my pants instead of having them hemmed (or god forbid, hemming them myself).

So why indeed was I the one to write the Go Green Fall Decorations script? Is there a touch of ‘do as I say, not as I do’? Perhaps. It’s true that I’m not making any promises to take found materials and “make” something. For a while I was going to try to learn how to knit but that faded as soon as the reality of actually knitting hit.

But there is a BUT… and here it is…

I LOVE things that have been made by friends and family. Somehow, I’ve managed to surround myself with people much craftier than myself and I’ve certainly been the better for it. In my apartment are blankets, drawings, sketches and photographs created by the people I love most in my life. So, although I may not be searching for fallen leaves this Fall to put into my latest art project, I can speak to the benefits of surrounding yourself with homemade, personal items that you could never buy from any store.

Story Pirates Tells Us About a World Without Art

Story Pirates Tells Us About a World Without Art

Starring - Sam Reiff-Pasarew, Rolo Vincent, Benjamin Salka, Peter Russo, Lee Overtree, Drew Callander, Francois, Dodge, and Zola
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Edited by - Julie Tortorici
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Special Thanks to The Story Pirates

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Get Families Involved in the Arts

Think there's nothing you can do to Get Families Involved in the Arts in 1 Minute?

Starring - Karen T. Hartline and Jackson Hartline
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission, and Young Audiences New York

Statistical Information provided by: Americans for the Arts, www.artsusa.org

Special Thanks -Jessica Crone, and everyone at Young Audiences New York, Americans for the Arts, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Support the Arts

Think there's nothing you can do to Support the Arts in 1 Minute?

Starring - Maria Christina Perry
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission, and Young Audiences New York

Statistical Information provided by: Americans for the Arts, www.artsusa.org

Special Thanks -Jessica Crone, and everyone at Young Audiences New York, Americans for the Arts, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

Arts in Education

Think there's nothing you can do to Support Arts Education in 1 Minute?

Starring - Chris Keane, Shannon Keane and Winnie Keane
Written by - Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Consulting Producer - Mary Micari
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission and Young Audiences New York, www.yany.org

Statistical Information provided by: Americans for the Arts, www.artsusa.org

Special Thanks -Jessica Crone, and everyone at Young Audiences New York, American for the Arts, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

How the Arts Affected them - a talk with Young Audiences New York

Interview with Katie Miller and Brad Malow from Young Audiences New York, www.yany.org
Shot by - Alicia Arinella
Edited by - Julie Tortorici

For more information, please visit - What You Can Do

In Honor of National Arts Advocacy Day...

What You Can Do presents: A WORLD WITHOUT THE ARTS with The Story Pirates

Videos from our Arts in Education video and shoot

Want to find out how you can support Arts in Education in one minute? Visit What You Can Do to find out how. Be the change you want to see in the world. Come on, let's show them what you can do.


What You Can Do to support Arts in Education







Meet the Keane Family









Shannon calls her principal to request Arts Education in her child's school.






Winnie draws with her mom.








And with her dad.










Have more time? Talk to your employer about matching gifts programs for organizations such as Young Audiences New York.





Your minute is up.








Want to find out how to take action on other social issues? Visit What You Can Do to find out how. Be the change you want to see in the world. Come on, let's show them what you can do.

Arts in Education

Think there's nothing you can do to support Arts in Education in 1 Minute? Watch this.

Starring: Shannon Rigney Keane, Chris Keane and Winnie Keane
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Consulting Producer: Mary Micari
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission & Young Audiences New York (www.yany.org)

Special Thanks to: Jessica Crone, John Schultz and everyone at Young Audiences New York
Dennis Arinella and everyone at WLIW