What We Do

• THE VISION FESTIVAL (17 years running)
– A Lifetime of Achievement - Each year, AFA dedicates an evening to honoring the achievements of one living artist whose music has inspired and influenced the world around him/her.

– Multi-generational Artists: It is important that all the generations are he ard together, so while the Vision Festival’s main focus is on creative achievements by mid-career artists and Legends in the music, we focus as well on the important contributions of younger emerging artists.

– Vision Festival Outreach – music educators who have participated in AFA’S T.I.M.E., bring their students to perform original music at the festival.

– VF @ Campos – Seizing an opportunity to share creative music with an underserved population, AFA brings free Vision Festival performances & workshops to NYCHA’s Campos Plaza Housing Development.

– Advocacy – the festival include talks, that focus on issues relevant to the innovative art community.

• EVOLVING MUSIC (9 years running)

AFA’s showcase for original creative music, the series makes available shows of original creative music each week, exposing artists and audiences to a range of creative possibilities being explored today. Each month, we dedicate an evening program to honor great artists who are no longer with us and in this way we are able to share our history and legacy. To strengthen the legacy of the music, we have put together the intergenerational Sound band. In general, we are committed to building content and context for the art we present. We also feature the Creative Sounds of Dissension to give time and space to our concerns for the world we all share.

• IN GARDENS SERIES:Autumn (4 years running)

AFA takes a direct approach to connecting innovative art to communities.  These FREE In Garden shows take place in community gardens, making music available to students, parents, fans, garden members and passer-bys.

• VISION COLLABORATION NIGHTS (8 years running)
AFA’s Vision Collaborations Festival, has been encouraging and supporting creative growth by giving opportunities for dance/ creative jazz / visual art to develop work in collaboration.

• EDUCATION/OUTREACH PROGRAMS (5 years)
– AFA began an after-school music & dance program called Music Is Mine.  Building upon the success of workshops that took place in June 2010 at Campos Plaza NYCH Development, this pilot program brings complex art Into a low-income neighborhood.

– AFA will continue to develop Teaching Improvised Music Effectively (T.I.M.E.) which brings together music teachers to develop curriculum for teaching innovative and improvisational music to youth in schools and afterschool programs.

• AFA’s commitment to ADVOCACY (17 Years)
Since the first Vision Festival Arts for Art has maintained a commitment to social justice and innovative art. In 2008 we began holding artist meetings to address the creative, political, and practical concerns of artists through advocacy and action utilizing: Town Hall Meetings / Panel discussions / Salons AFA has been organizing these meetings, salons and panels to provide ways for artists to identify common problems, find solutions and network. In this way AFA strengthens NY’s innovative community.  We are planning to feature blogs and hold workshops to stimulate a depth of engagement by an expanding artist and audience base.

• SPECIAL EVENTS
AFA is responsive to what is happening around us. For example, in 2001, 2002 and this year On September 11, 2011, AFA has produced From The Ashes. In November, 2009 we presented a multi-arts marathon, 28 Hours.