NEWSLETTER
Funding to be used for an exhibit and programs organized by Harlem Needle Arts in 2023.
Southampton, N.Y. – The Southampton History Museum has received a Regrowth and Capacity grant of $10,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts. This grant will support the organization’s PROGRAM, as they continue their ongoing recovery from pandemic challenges.
A collaboration, begun in January 2022, between Michelle Bishop, executive director at the Harlem Needle Arts, and Tom Edmonds, executive director of the Southampton History Museum, to mount an outdoor exhibit titled IYA ALARO by multidisciplinary artist Oluwaseyi (Shayee) Awoyomi.
Ms. Bishop says “Oluwaseyi’s installation tells the story and origin of the IYA ALARO translated as ‘Mother of Dyers,’ indigo dyers and women’s relationship to their community through textile design. Indigo dyed textile is known in Yorubaland as Adire which translates as (adi) ‘to tie’ and (re) ‘to dye.’”
“The honor of Mother of Dyers comes with great responsibility overseeing the process of harvesting the indigo plant, prepping the dye baths, composition of solvents, and organization of the community of women. Once the Adire is ready for market, the ‘Iyaloja’ translated as the ‘Mother of the Market’ is selected.”
“The Mother of the Market comes with its own honor of Chieftaincy and obligations. She is voted in by the fellow market women and/or nominated by the King or even politically chosen. The Adire textile is prepared for the coronation of Mother of the Markets who governs the business of women in the market and their welfare.”
“A fifth generation Adire dyer Oluwaseyi is birthed into a family of visual and performing arts with her parents being The Honorable Chief Nike Davies Okundaye and Prince Twins Seven-Seven.”
IYA ALARO, an outdoor exhibit with no admission and accessible to all, will be mounted at Halsey House and Garden located at 249 South Main Street in Southampton, NY beginning January 1, 2023 and ending December 31, 2023.
Halsey House and Garden was built in 1683 and is New York State’s oldest English-style building. Interior period rooms, open by appointment, reflect the life and work of the Halsey family who began farming the property in 1648. An outdoor herb garden, open year-round, contains herbs used in the 17th century for medicine, dying, household management and cooking.
Recovery Funding from the New York State Council on the Arts
The responsive funding of NYSCA is providing nearly 1000 organizations with over $13 million in recovery support in FY23, as part of their historic FY93 $90 million in grant making and $150 million in multi-year capital support.
“This unprecedented funding continues our investment into the vital role that the arts contribute to the health of our economy, our communities and our citizens,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “As we continue our comeback, we applaud the strength and innovation of arts organizations across the state and are all the better for their hard work and dedication.”
“NYSCA applauds Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature for their historic investment of $240 million for the nonprofit arts and culture sector,” said Mara Manus, Executive Director of NYSCA, “As we continue rebuilding the arts across our New York, [YOUR ORGANIZATION] will play a vital role in the renewal of our state’s economy and creative ecosystem. Congratulations on your award from the entire NYSCA team.”
“Council congratulates the Southampton History Museum on their grant award! These grants are from the people of New York State, for the future of New York State,” said Katherine Nicholls, Chair, NYSCA. “Arts and culture are crucial to the health of our citizens and the economic vitality of our communities, and we recognize the contributions of NYSCA grantees to the lives of all New Yorkers.”
About the New York State Council on the Arts
The Council on the Arts preserves and advances the arts and culture that make New York State an exceptional place to live, work and visit. The Council upholds the right of all New Yorkers to experience the vital contributions the arts make to our communities, education, economic development, and quality of life. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award record funding in FY 2023, providing support across the full breadth of the arts, including dedicated support for arts education and underrepresented communities.
The Council on the Arts further advances New York's creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit http://www.arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA's Facebook page, Twitter @NYSCArts and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.
PHOTO: Detail of IYA ALARO by Oluswasey Awoyomi 2021
Contact:
Tom Edmonds, Executive Director, Southampton History Museum
17 Meeting House Lane, Southampton, NY 11968 (631) 283-2494