Ringling International Arts Festival
What do you get when you combine one of the country’s leading Art Museums with a contemporary NYC performance space nobly focused on providing precious resources for the creation of new work to the most vital artists in their fields? What happens when the traditional meets the radically new? What occurs in the community that gets to witness it all up close for the first time? Is there a word, title or phrase for that experience anywhere… The Ringling International Arts Festival – a creative collaboration that captured the imagination of the west central Florida community – and the world – last month.
WEDU viewers can get a front row seat to witness the birth and brilliance of this inaugural performing and visual arts festival which brought together more than 100 of the world’s great artists, representing seven countries and four continents, under one umbrella. Through the use of back-stage interviews, natural sound, and onsite content featuring a variety of festival artists, viewers will experience an unparalleled insiders’ view into rehearsals, performances, post-performance conversations and more. This exclusive one-hour WEDU production will present and preserve the stunning, vibrant images of the incredible RIAF five-day experience and transport the viewer into an awe-inspiring cultural labyrinth.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the remarkable legacy of circus entrepreneur, collector of art and financier John Ringling and his wife Mable. Upon his death in 1936, John Ringling left his art collection and estate to the people of the State of Florida. In 2000 the State of Florida transferred stewardship of the Ringling Museum to Florida State University, establishing the 66-acre Ringling estate as one of the largest museum/university complexes in the nation. The art collection in the Museum of Art is valued among the top 20 museum collections in the United States.
The partnership between Florida State University and the Ringling estate is designed to preserve the legacy of John and Mable Ringling, Today, the Ringling educates and enables a large and diverse audience – more than 300,000 visitors a year – to experience and take delight at this world-renowned estate featuring the Museum of Art, Cà d’Zan Mansion, Circus Museum and Historic Asolo Theater.
The Baryshnikov Arts Center
BAC opened its doors in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen in November 2005. BAC serves as a creative laboratory, meeting place, and performance space for a vibrant community of artists from around the world. BAC is also dedicated to building audiences for the arts by presenting contemporary, innovative work at low or no cost to ticket buyers. The organization recently purchased a 299-seat theater in its performing arts complex, which will undergo renovation in 2009 to be transformed into the state of the art Jerome Robbins Theater. Scheduled to open in 2010, the theater will serve as an organic extension of the existing center, featuring multi-disciplinary work, emerging talent and international artists, and including artist-centered activity that fosters creative exploration.
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