Studio 344


	***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: See Chicago through the eyes of urban youth in "Life's Creative Side" – a new exhibition of photography at Studio 344.** On Friday, November 2, 2007, 6-10 P.M., Studio 344 and The AboutFace Project at the Historic Flat Iron building proudly present “Life's Creative Side", an exciting new exhibition of photographs taken by homeless and formerly homeless youths from the Chicago area. With the generous help of PICTURE THIS Projects and The Night Ministry’s Open Door Youth Shelter – West Town, Chicago area youths were given a unique opportunity for creative self-expression through photography. The reception will showcase the work of several youth photographers from The Night Ministry's 120-day Interim Housing Program at Open Door Youth Shelter – West Town. Through a series of prints and slides, shot with donated cameras and film, gallery goers will be treated to range of subjects from the very personal to new takes on the people and places they visited in the city they call home. PICTURE THIS Projects is a Chicago-based, not-for-profit organization of volunteer photographers, journalists and community members supporting and creating photography projects that encourage creative expression and self-esteem to help bridge the gap between people of different backgrounds. The Night Ministry is a non-profit social service organization that connects with Chicago’s youth and adults on the street, at their three youth housing programs and from their Health Outreach Bus. Together, they provide free community based services and resources in non-judgmental, compassionate environments, including health care, housing and supportive services for youth, and referrals to other agencies. Their 120-day Interim Housing Program at Open Door Youth Shelter – West Town serves homeless youth, ages 14-20, who are not wards of the State, including pregnant and parenting youth and their children. In further support of the PICTURE THIS Project, Studio 344 and the AboutFace Projects will be donating a portion of the proceeds from AboutFace book sales to further the PICTURE THIS photography program. A pre-press book sample of AboutFace will be available for viewing at the reception so people can see first hand, the two outstanding programs that their book money will be benefiting. A bin for donations of working cameras and unused disposable cameras and film will be set up at the reception. For more information contact Mia Aigotti at mia@miaaigotti.com or Heather Eidson at heidson@gmail.com. For information about The Night Ministry’s programs, contact Kari McLean at kari@thenightministry.org. For further Information contact: Heather Eidson at heidson@gmail.com 773-576-9744 Mia Aigotti at mia@miaaigotti.com 309-868-1741 Chicago, Illinois, October 15, 2007 # # # FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Around the Coyote Announces 2007 Fall Arts Festival Friday, October 12: 6pm- 2am Saturday, October 13: 11am- 2am Sunday: October 14: 11am- 2am Festival Opening Party is Thursday, October 11 from 8-12pm at the Around the Coyote Gallery, 1935-1/2 W. North Ave. $20 includes food and beer by Peroni. CHICAGO – At Around the Coyote, change is good. That’s why we have decided to move our festival to October—that’s October 12- 14th, to be exact – smack dab in the middle of Chicago Artists Month! But that’s not all-- in our constant effort to make our festivals reflect the newest and most outstanding emerging art in Chicago, Around the Coyote has hired a new team of curators to bring an even more dynamic lineup of theatre events, literary performances, live music shows, film and video presentations, and special visual arts projects. We are also continuing our efforts to diversify the nature of our festival’s offerings, with new initiatives in interdisciplinary performance, installation and public art projects including site-specific outdoor installations at the Nelson Algren Triangle at the intersection of Milwaukee and Division Aves. visual art venues close at 10pm except on Sunday when they close at 6pm Festival Opening Party is Thursday, October 11 from 8-12pm at the Around the Coyote Gallery, 1935-1/2 W. North Ave. $20 includes food and beer by Peroni. Some things however are best left the same: In the coming weeks, we will be announcing this year’s auspicious guest curator, who will organize the annual Curator’s Choice Show, a ‘best of the fest’ exhibition based on visual arts exhibitors—past guest curators have included Tricia Van Eck of the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Matthew Teti, of NOVA Gallery. In addition, we will also have our annual fall artist-in-residence, who will debut a completely new work in a section of our gallery. And, as always, the festival will be riddled with amazing parties, exhibits and performances at venues throughout Wicker Park. In addition to our nightly after-parties and our wildly popular closing night bash, we will be kicking things off with our Opening Night Party (on Thurs, Oct. 11 from 8 - midnight at the Around the Coyote Gallery, 1935 1⁄2 West North). The Opening Night Party serves as the official debut of our artist-in-residence project, Curator’s Choice Silent Auction and raffle, a fundraiser for Around the Coyote’s free arts education program. Party-goers will be able to indulge themselves with food catered by a fabulous area restaurant and quench their thirst with plenty of Peroni Beer. Our 2007 Fall Arts Festival will take place in multiple venues throughout the Wicker Park/Bucktown neighborhood, but the best place to start the festival and pick up your festival guide is the Around the Coyote Gallery in the Flatiron Arts Building 1935-1/2 W. North Avenue. Over 300 painters, sculptors, photographers, installation artists and printmakers join up with emerging artists from Chicago’s theatre, music, literary and film communities to offer a weekend packed full of exhibits, lectures, art tours and performances. Check www.aroundthecoyote.org for all updates regarding new festival curators, projects, parties, and venues! Around the Coyote will again offer the popular Beginning Collectors Tour (Saturday, October 13 at 1:00pm; $10 in addition to festival admission; limit 20; begins at the Around the Coyote Gallery) during our Fall Arts Festival. Around the Coyote Executive Director Allison Stites offers a tour of the fall festival meant to demystify the art buying experience. Tips on how to start and maintain an art collection will be given. Allison will highlight some of her favorite festival artists, introduce the tour to those artists, and answer questions. To reserve space on the tour call 773-342-6777. Our resident artist will give a Fall Artist-in-Residence lecture on the concept and execution of the site-specific piece created in our gallery space. His motivations, trials and tribulations, and career as an artist will all be discussed. Sunday, October 14 at 1pm. Free with festival admission or $10. We will also be offering a Curator's Choice Tour highlighting artists included in the Curator's Choice exhibit. The tour will be guided by our guest curator, one Chicago’s leading art professionals. Their methods of curating exhibitions, how they find their artists, and how collectors can build solid collections will all be discussed (Sunday, October 14 following the Artist-in-Residence lecture; $10 in addition to festival admission; limit 20; begins at the Around the Coyote Gallery). To reserve space on the tour call 773-342-6777. Festival hours:* October 11, Opening Party 8-midnight October 12, 6pm to 2am (visual art venues close at 10pm) October 13, 11am to 2am (visual art venues close at 10pm) October 14, 11am to 2am (visual art venues close at 6pm) Closing night party TBA Main venues: (more will be added as confirmed): Around the Coyote Gallery. 1935-1/2 W. North Ave. (Curator’s Choice Show and music) Chopin Theatre. 1543 W. Division (visual art, music, literary readings, theatre) Flatiron Arts Building. 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. (over 60 artists) Wicker Park Field House and Grounds. 1425 N. Damen Ave. (over 35 visual artists, literary readings and music) Festival Tickets: Festival Day Pass: $10 (includes all parties, visual art, literary, film, music, and theatre venues all day long) All-Access Weekend Festival Pass (includes Opening Night Party and all venues all weekend long): $40 To purchase Festival Day Passes or All-Access tickets in advance call 773.342.6777. Tickets are also sold at the door throughout the festival. All-Access tickets are good for any performance throughout the weekend while seating is available. We recommend getting to any performance 30 minutes early to assure seating. Tickets held at Will Call can be picked up at the Around the Coyote Gallery and office 1935-1/2 W. North Avenue. Around the Coyote, a 501(c)3 non-profit, supports, promotes and makes accessible Chicago's multidisciplinary arts community. Our activities enhance public discourse and provide creative outlets for emerging artists. Yearround programming includes multi-media arts festivals featuring visual art, theater, dance, video and poetry in the spring and fall; art exhibitions in the Around the Coyote gallery; an artist-in-residence program; membership opportunities for artists and art aficionados; educational outreach for all ages through multi-media art workshops, lectures, collaborations with local schools and agencies, and career development workshops for artists. This programming is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the CityArts Program 2 grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Gallery/Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday 10-6pm and Saturday 12-6pm. Directions: Located in the historic Flat Iron Arts Building, take the Blue Line to Damen Avenue. Chicago, Illinois USA For questions or images contact: Allison Stites, Executive Director t:773-342-6777 allison@aroundthecoyote.org ###

		PAST RELEASE FIAA announces first annual Flat Iron Fine Art Festival. Chicago 08/04/07 - The newly formed Flat Iron Artists’ Association is proud to announce the first annual Flat Iron Fine Art Festival. This inaugural event will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 7, 8 & 9 and will feature the work of more than 2 dozen established resident artists; most notably Mia Aigotti, Zoe Asta, Eric David Hamilton, William Augustus Hunter, Kevin Lahvic, Alex Magana, Charles Rees, Adam Seigel, Marketa Sivek and Howard Webb. Also exhibiting will be over 30 outstanding guest artists who have been juried into the show. Located on the southeast side of the six-corner intersection of Milwaukee, North and Damen Avenues, Chicago’s Historic Flat Iron Arts building has long been regarded as the “Heart of Art in Wicker Park.” Visitors to the three-day event will be invited to wander both upper oors of this unique, grand structure as they view a rich variety of art in the intimate setting of the artists’ studios as well as the vast common areas of the Flat Iron. Primarily a visual show and sale, there will also be many “spontaneous” performances throughout the weekend. Friday evening will feature a building wide opening reception beginning at 6PM and lasting “officially” until 10PM. This is the perfect night to experience the famous Flat Iron “energy”. Saturday’s long hours; Noon until 9PM make exploring the show a perfect component to a day or evening out in Wicker Park. Show-goers can dine at the marvelous restaurants within walking distance of the Flat Iron, browse the areas unrivaled mix of shops and boutiques, or head out to any of the neighborhood’s many night spots. The show wraps up on Sunday (Noon until 6PM) with afternoon hours and a slightly toned down atmosphere that is very “Family Friendly.” Everyone is welcome. Admission to the show is Free, a suggested donation of $5. is encouraged.
Flat Iron Fine Art Festival Show Dates: September 7, 8 & 9, 2007. Show Hours: Friday, 6PM-10PM Saturday, Noon-10PM Sunday, Noon-6PM Show Location: Flat Iron Arts Building 1579 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60622 USA Show Contacts: Zoe Asta Phone: 773-489-4759 E-mail: contact@zoeasta.com Kevin Lahvic Phone: 708-415-6370 E-mail: Kevin@kevinlahvic.com GUEST ARTISTS Alexander Villalobos Barri Ellyn Friedlander Benji Gonzales Bill Mead Brett Swinney Candace Hunter Candace M. Zynda			Caroline Machuta Cathleen Cramer David Dillinger Liz Martino Erin H. Nelson Jeremy R. Sportel Jim Arnoldt Lee Klawans Mark Tyle Nem Perez Nicolette Verone Rich Green Rine Boyer Roderick De Jesus Russ Savage Ryan Katz Sara Renae Jones Sarah deHebreard Stacey Colangelo Tara H. Alexander Victor Lopez Zso a Otvos Chelcie Porter Chris Knight Dan Colcer Douglas Trujillo Lenny French Marcy Capron The Nerve Gallery.