After a few months of discussions and research we've found a way to offer a sweeter deal for the people who perform on our stage. Beginning December 8th, the first $50 collected at the door goes to AS220 and the rest of the money will go to the performers. This is a little more generous and a heck of a lot simpler than our old policy ($40 to AS220 and the balance split 50/50 between AS220 and the performers).

Please note that this new deal does not guarantee that you'll be leaving AS220 with money in your pocket, though. You will make money if (and probably only if) you promote your show; if there aren't any paid customers, nobody gets any money! We do basic publicity and promotion for every event, and Lizzie Araujo is more than willing to help you get the word out if you give her a call. She's in the office (831-9327) Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 2 and 6, and in the Cafe (stop by) Friday And Saturday nights after 9pm. Emailing lizziea@as220.org will also get her attention. She's got a trick bag of press contacts, fax numbers, radio pals and flyer hangers to get your name in front of your audience, but she can't help you if you don't talk to her!

AS220 has always been committed to the idea that artists deserve to be compensated for their work, and we don't rely on gate receipts and gallery commissions to make our ends meet. We do need the $50 to pay our sound people, though.

Membership Drive

Check your mailboxes for our new membership drive, produced by the potent team of Mark Pedini and Sheri Van Antwerp. What do you mean you're not on our mailing list? If you want to get all our paper products (including the new newsletter, coming January 1st), send your address to sheri@as220.org.

Silk Screen Studio Ribbon Cutting

On December 7th, the 57th anniversary of the Attack at Pearl Harbor, the basement Silk Screen Studio passed an important milestone. At 2:30pm, the first honest-to-god never-been-here-before member of the public used the equipment to pound out a bunch of Christmas Cards. Congrats to Mark Pedini, who's been working for a year now to bring that resource up to full public accessibility. Questions about the studio can be directed to pedini@as220.org.

Book Drive

AS220, in collaboration with RISD, is running a book drive to get art books (instruction, history, pictures etc.) for the library at the Rhode Island Training School. Books can be dropped off at AS220 M-F 10am-5pm. For more information contact Kim Kazan at 831-9327 or kazan@as220.org

Thanks, Fish Bundy, for including the Book Drive in her column for December's Providence Monthly.

A Call For Napkins

AS220 wants you to become a member of the AS220 Action Object Orchestra. The price of membership is one (1) cocktail napkin. Gallery Director Chris Kilduff explains it all for you:

The AS220 Action Object Orchestra presents +RED.
AS220, an organization founded on the idea of showing and promoting all artists from southern New England, was presented with a dilemma in the early part of '98. We were motivated to showcase AS220 artists on the road, but how? We have more artists and artistic visions than could sit comfortably in any gallery together. The solution we arrived at was The AS220 Action Object Orchestra installation team: a group of artists working on bringing AS220's unjuried, uncensored, all-inclusive attitude on the road.
All artwork will be done on a cocktail napkin, +RED. Who hasn't scrawled on a cocktail napkin? This handy object has been used to capture everything from phone number and doodles to the beginnings of great ideas. It's the art of the incidental. The disposableness of the cocktail napkin is a priceless vehicle for artistic freedom and now it's all that +RED.
Work should be brought to the AS220 office (M-F 10am-6pm) by January 15th
The resulting show will be hung at The Waiting Room Gallery, 904 Pauline Street, New Orleans LA, from February 13th to April 4th.

Open Houses

In January, AS220 will begin a monthly series of Open Houses, each hosted by the leader of a different AS220 program. We're doing these to offer people one more way to learn about what we have to offer, and also give our staff and volunteers a chance to learn more about what the Rhode Island arts community needs.

Each night will start off with a basic presentation about AS220 from Mark Pedini. Next, there will be a chance for the program that's hosting the evening to give a special presentation of their own design, and then the floor will be opened to discussion.

The January Open House will be hosted by the Darkroom folks, who will be talking about their Youth Programs. February's will be hosted by our Galleries, and Gallery Director Chris Kilduff will lead a discussion of what Rhode Island has to offer visual artists.

If you've ever wondered how these programs work, or if you have ideas about how they could work better, please come! Any questions you have about AS220 and what it can do for you are welcomed, too.

Jan. 28th at 7pm: Darkroom Open House
Feb. 25th at 7pm: Gallery Open House

TV220

Dennis Hlynsky has formulated his plan of attack for TV220, which is included below. Also, a fond farewell to star video suite user/volunteer Jamie Verenis, who'll be leaving Rhode Island in January.

Dennis Hlynsky is the new director of video at AS220. He is has been living and working in Providence since 1970. Dennis is a teacher of video and 3D animation at RISD. He is the proprietor of thelheatre of Hope and Intimacy (a small object and puppet theatre) and is a member of El Studio La Mano of Pine Street where he is the resident gear head. He is a long time collaborator on the annual Seance.

Call for videotapes

TV220 is looking for artist videotapes; also works which document the cultural events of Providence. If you would like your videotape in the AS220 video artist archive, cable cast on AS220's monthly slot on Cox Interconnect A, or available for upcoming screenings; contact Dennis Hlynsky at dhlynsky@risd.edu, or contact Dennis by letter or parcel (include self addressed return) to TV220 at AS220 (115 Empire St. Providence RI 02903).

Call for help

AS220 is currently looking for a group of artists interested in making videotapes. This team of videographers would continue to build a video archive and to produce content for TV220.

The team will consist of seven people. We are looking for organizers, editors videographers and teachers. Some video skills are necessary although training is available for persons with intrigue. Members of the team will manage and share access to AS220's production and editing equipment.

Under Dennis' leadership, we will continue to accept anybody's submissions for TV220, but our equipment will only be available to the TV220's production team.

Original work produced at AS220 will focus on documenting the cultural terrain of Providence, with an emphasis on what's going on at AS220. Members of the video production team will be expected to generate work for the archive, but there will be ample time for team members to work on independent projects as well.

Call for equipment

AS220 is a S-VHS facility. We are currently looking for donations of equipment. We are in desperate need for other cameras and other production equipment. Equipment can be vintage but should be in good working condition. Camcorders with broken decks are useful as well. We are also looking for microphones.