Tags archives: Alternative

  • We recently caught up with the guys from the band Big Sweater to discuss their music, inspiration and their exciting new album they're currently recording. In one way or another, members of the band have all been part of AFP's music education programs over the years. So, we're very proud and excited to see how they've progressed and evolved as artists.  Check out "Platform Stare," a single from the new album. Platform Stare by Big Sweater 1) What inspired you guys to become musicians, writers? Collectively what inspired us to be musicians is that of which was instilled in us by our parents and their taste for the most part. Being shown things that would be considered "old school". Those things later becoming memories and what is now sense of nostalgia of car rides and long trips throughout the years subconsciously planting a seedling in a driving force that is creating sound as well as putting words together that sum up how we feel. 2) How would you describe your sound? Our sound is derivative of multiple things that boil down for the most part to blues. Our upcoming album has a combination of really somber and light tunes and also some really upbeat ones but overall our sound is very mellow. 3) Have you been playing the songs off the new album live, and if so how has the crowd responded to the new songs? We've played most of the upcoming album in a rotation for about a year now, the crowd now sings along and its one of the most gratifying feelings[...]
  • PHILOSOPHY While public schools in New York City have been working hard to meet federal and state mandates for student test scores, arts education programs have become scarce. At Art for Progress, it is our mission to reverse this trend by delivering quality Arts Education programs to the students of New York City’s public schools. Our programs are designed and implemented by professional educators and teaching artists who have a wealth of experience in arts education in public schools and community-based after school programs. In addition, Art for Progress works closely with teachers and administrators at client schools to design programs for students that deepen their understanding of core subject areas. Through arts education, students make connections between material covered in class and their community; they will explore other cultures and examine human experience from a variety of perspectives and artistic forms. In 2008 the our Arts Initiative became official when teaching artists began residencies in New York City public schools. The first beneficiaries of this innovative program were Landmark High School in Manhattan and Shorefront Y After- School Stars @ PS 225. At Landmark High our artist in residence designed a weekly visual arts elective for students in grades 9 and 10. In addition, AFP developed a multidisciplinary arts and humanities curriculum that worked in conjunction with Landmark’s Global Studies program. The purpose of this curriculum was to provide st[...]