July 18, 2003

Contact: Doug Rice, ARTWalk Executive Director

(585) 256-3336

artwalk@rochester.rr.com

ARTWalk Alive! Seeks Dance and Music Performances for September Event

Rochester, NY – The ARTWalk event planning committee is seeking dance and music performance entries for this year’s event, titled ARTWalk Alive!

The date of the annual celebration (formerly called Dances on the Avenue) is September 14, 2003. ARTWalk Alive! will take place along ARTWalk, on University Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and Upton Street, from 12-4pm. The competition for performance entries is open to all residents of the eight-county Greater Rochester Area.

Individual dancers, musicians, dance companies, music ensembles and

collaborations are all invited to submit performance proposals. Eight performances (four dance and four music) will be selected by a prestigious jury and will be presented at different sites on University Avenue as part of the third annual ARTWalk celebration.

An informational meeting for musicians and dancers seeking more information about the event and the entry submission process will be held Thursday, July 31 at 7:00pm at Writers & Books, 740 University Avenue.

"We want to provide the audience with a variety of experiences, dancing

and beyond," says Dr. Danielle Fraenkel, ARTWalk Trustee and co-curator of

the dances with choreographer and ARTWalk Trustee Thomas Warfield.

This year ARTWalk is adding an open call for musical performances to the event that has been exclusively for dance in the past. “Each year we grow to include more opportunities for more types of artists,” according to Executive Director Douglas Rice. “We are excited to have Judy Binder and Linda Fullerton (of the Rochester Music Coalition) co-curating our first music ‘open call’ this year.”

A group of independent jurors, made up of residents, business owners and

arts professionals, will review submissions for both competitions, which

must be received by Friday, August 8.

Applications and guidelines for both open calls are available upon request

via e-mail at artwalk@rochester.rr.com or by calling 585.234.6670. The

application can also be downloaded from www.rochesterartwalk.org.

ARTWalk Alive! will also feature music, art displays, prizes, refreshments and

activities for kids and families. "ARTWalk parties are extremely popular with people of all ages from all over the Rochester area," says Rice, "But this will be the best one so far.”

While ARTWalk is still in its early growth stages, recognition has come from a wide variety of sources, including the Common Good Planning Center’s “Uncommonly Good” award and the US Conference of Mayors “2003 City Livability Award.”

ARTWalk is an interactive urban outdoor museum that runs along

University Avenue in the Neighborhood of the Arts. ARTWalk’s mission is

to foster, create and maintain a distinctive public walkway connecting

art destinations and cultural centers in the neighborhood, in order to

provide an environment that encourages increased exposure to a variety

of artistic experiences and build community spirit.