News

On Thursday, April 21, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented an updated agenda with new goals for PlaNYC, the city's landmark effort to ensure long-term sustainability and improve all aspects of the city's environment. New initiatives include plans to install solar power plants on capped landfills, offer loans to businesses to help pay for energy-efficient upgrades, and launch a program to help buildings switch to cleaner heating fuels.

New York City's arts and cultural community is gearing up to welcome dozens of artists from Cuba and across the United States to partake in "¡Sí Cuba!" a three-month festival celebrating Cuban arts and culture that will encompass music, dance, cinema, literature, and the visual arts. The festival will run from March 31 to June 16 in venues across New York City.

Ash Hammond, development coordinator at F.I.E.R.C.E., an RBF grantee, has co-written a piece reflecting on the spike in LGBTQ violence in 2010, and the commitment to working for a more peaceful year in 2011. The essay, "Shoulder to Shoulder, Ending the Violence," appeared in The Huffington Post on Dec. 30, 2010, and was co-written with Sharon Stapel, executive director of New York City Anti-Violence Project.

RBF grantee the Global Action Project (GAP) was one of 15 organizations honored at the White House with a 2010 National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award. First Lady Michelle Obama presented the awards to the honorees.  More than 400 organizations were nominated, and GAP was selected from 50 finalists. The Global Action Project was recognized for its work in youth leadership and creativity.

The recent economic downturn has had a major impact on one of New York City's essential identities—its arts and cultural organizations.

The Asian American Writers' Workshop celebrated the launch of the Open City Project on July 27.

The Martha Graham Dance Company, an RBF grantee, made it possible for 35 New York City students to perform at the Joyce Theater. The Theater, which is a part of the Joyce Theater Foundation, another RBF grantee, is a premier dance performance venue in New York City.

Dancers from RBF grantee Chez Bushwick performed a choreographic work entitled "Replica" on the Kykuit forecourt at The Pocantico Center. The piece was choreographed by Daniel Arsham, Jonah Bokaer, and Judith Sanchez-Ruiz.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has updated its Pivotal Place: New York City and Democratic Practice guidelines.

The RBF, in collaboration with Cave Canem Foundation, North America's premier home for Black poetry, has selected by lottery Cave Canem fellows LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs and Duriel E. Harris to receive a cohort residency at the historic Marcel Breuer House at Pocantico.