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CONTACT Jody Fried, Executive Director PHONE: 802-748-2600 ext 105 EMAIL: jfried@catamountarts.org It has always been the mission of Catamount Arts to make the publicaware of issues of social and community concern through its diversepresentation of films, gallery exhibits and other art forms. Now the local arts organization hopes to engage the communitydirectly in a series of Courageous Conversations about some ofthe most important issues facing the nation in general and theNortheast Kingdom in particular. Beginning this June, Catamount will host and present an ongoingseries that focuses each month on a different topic of socialconcern. A wide variety of special events with the monthlyfocus as its topic will be presented free of charge in the hope ofcreating a serious dialogue in the community about issuessurrounding the highlighted subject. These events include aMonday evening film series, a Thursday evening monthly live conversation featuring a panel of local and state wide expertson the topic as well as other regular events such as galleryexhibits that will help bring the topic into sharp focus for thecommunity. Each of these topics will be of immediate importance to ourcommunity, said Catamount Executive Director Jody Fried inannouncing the series. The more everyone in the communityshares in these conversations, the closer we will be tounderstanding how best to deal with them. The first three topics for the series have been set, with Povertybeing the focus for June, Mental Health the focus for July andDisabilities the focus for August. During June, Catamount will host a live conversation at 6 pmThursday, June 14, that will bring members of the communitytogether to discuss the far ranging implications of poverty as theyrelate to the Northeast Kingdom especially. The panelists for this important conversation will includeMelissa Bourque, of the Vermont Workers Center; Greg MacDonald, thefield director for the Agency of Human Services; Joe Patrissi, theexecutive director of NEKCA; Pru Pease, representing Bridges Out ofPoverty; Wilhemina Picard, of Vermont s Corrections High School;and local resident Margaret Drew. Steve Gold, the interimpresident of Lyndon State College and former Vermont Commissionerof Corrections, will facilitate the discussion. Members of the audience will also be encouraged to become part ofthe conversation during the evening and it is hoped that avariety of residents will be able to share their experiences andideas. As part of June s focus on poverty, area artist and photographerLibby Hillhouse will also present an art exhibit of photographicportraits titled Parallels, which features local residents. This exhibit will be on view for the entire month of June with aspecial reception from 5 pm 7 pm Friday, June 8. Monday evening s free community film screenings will also bededicated to the topic of poverty, with PRECIOUS showing on Monday,June 4, WINTER S BONE on Monday, June 11, AMERICAN VIOLET onMonday, June 18, and FROZEN RIVER on Monday, June 25. Each freescreening, which will begin at 7 pm, is open to the public,including those residents who are unable to attend the live conversation on June 14. During the month, participants in the conversation and otherinterested residents will also be encouraged to create art of theirown around the focus topic and exhibit it in a special displaysection at Catamount that will be open to the public. While the panelists for July and August have not yet been set, thelive conversation on Mental Health will be held at 6 pmThursday, July 12, while the conversation concerningDisabilities will be held at 6 pm Thursday, August 9. It isexpected that the format for these events will be the same as forthe June forum on Poverty. The free community schedule for July and August has also beenselected, with the topic of Mental Health prominent in AWAYFROM HER on Monday, July 2, GIRL, INTERRUPTED on Monday, July 9,LARS AND THE REAL GIRL on Monday, July 16, ORDINARY PEOPLE onMonday, July 23, and AS GOOD AS IT GETS on Monday, July 30. In August, the free screenings focusing on Disabilities willinclude TEMPLE GRANDIN on Monday, August 6, THE DIVING BELL AND THEBUTTERFLY on Monday, August 13, DOOR TO DOOR on Monday, August 20,and CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD on Monday, August 27. As a special added feature for August, Catamount will also behosting the state wide touring art exhibit ENGAGE, whichfeatures a wide variety of works by Vermonter s withdisabilities. This exhibit, which just finished an extendedshowing at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, will be seen atCatamount from July 1 through August 31. It will be sponsored byVSA Vermont The State Organization on Arts and Disabilities. In the coming months, Catamount will continue this series of Courageous Conversations with focus on such topics asEducation, Economic Conditions, Diversity, Food Systems, theEnvironment, Women s Rights, the Corrections System, Politics,Health Care and others. The specific topics for the fall willbe announced soon. Residents who wish to join the conversations on-line may do so byvisiting / courageousconversationsthrough art at any time. We hope that these conversations will be the beginning of anon-going and positive dialogue among all of the residents in ourcommunity, Fried said in conclusion. For more information on this series of CourageousConversations, and for details on specific events, pleasevisit . I am an expert from obding.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Launch Lift & Garage Equipment , Auto Diagnostic Tool, Professional Diagnostic Tools,and more.
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