CREATE GOOD KARMA: HELP THIS BROOKLYN ARTS 'N CULTURE BLOGGER FIND HER NEXT WORK OPPORTUNITY!

Dear Friends,

I hope this note finds you well and enjoying Spring! I am excited to be celebrating the 10th year of my blog, Creative Times.

If, after taking a look at the info below, you have an idea of someone who you think I should meet, or an opportunity I should know about, please send me an email. I value your creative input!

I am looking for part time work close to my home in Carroll Gardens. Ideally, it would be a bike ride or short subway ride away.

I would love a job that allows me to use some combination of these talents:

• Community- and team-building
• Writing/researching/promoting the arts and culture scene in NY
• Connecting people of different generations
• Facilitating hands-on, interactive learning experiences

Specific settings that appeal to me are ones which center around these themes:

• Arts- and culture- related (especially the performing arts!)
• Literature/books (especially children's books!)
• Local community work
• The natural environment (e.g. parks and gardens)

Here's a little bit about my background: I'm a seasoned, Bank Street-trained educator and Brooklyn-based arts and culture writer with a history of providing hands-on, inquiry- and play-based learning experiences in school, nonprofit, and museum settings, including The Brooklyn Museum, The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and The Brooklyn Children's Museum.

Currently, I am a docent in the Education Department at The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. There, I welcome parents, caregivers, tourists, and children into The Fragrance Garden and help them connect to opportunities to learn about the natural world. I also help run children's activities for members-only and special events. I would like to do similar work in a similar setting.

My appreciation of the rich cultural landscapes of Brooklyn and Manhattan is reflected in my work as Editor-In-Chief of the blog Creative Times. Now in its tenth year, Creative Times shines the spotlight on the performances and projects of New York's literary, performing, and visual artists and cultural institutions.

Here are some sample work projects:

• Collaborated with a team of 25 organizers to plan and oversee GO, a historic borough-wide open studio weekend designed to foster personal exchange between 1700 Brooklyn artists, their communities, and The Brooklyn Museum. Resulted in 147,000 studio visits in a single weekend.

• Conceptualized and Co-produced The Brooklyn Blogfest, an annual event for 300 bloggers, journalists, and community leaders. Recruited and managed 30-person volunteer staff. Organized monthly, neighborhood-based gatherings of Brooklyn bloggers.

• Consulted with Bank Street College of Education to use social and new media platforms to publicize alumni events; galvanize alumni activity on LinkedIn group and Twitter accounts; and strategize content areas and recruitment of writers for alumni blog.

• Managed PlayNet, a grant-funded project at The Brooklyn Children's Museum designed to increase educators', parents’, and caretakers’ understanding of play and capacity to facilitate play with children.

Thanks so much for your support! Please feel free to email me with questions or ideas.

How to Contact Me

Eleanor Traubman
ETraubman@gmail.com
creativetimes.blogsgpot.com

WHO ARE THE PLAYERS IN THE BROOKLYN BLOGFEST PANEL DISCUSSION?

ABOUT THE "WHY WE BLOG" PANEL

ABOUT THE PANEL

The centerpiece of this year's Blogfest program is a panel discussion titled, Why We Blog: Voices, Visions and the Realities of the Blogosphere. Moderated by Megan Donis, a producer and reporter with Brooklyn Independent TV, the panel will feature five top-drawer bloggers who will talk about their reasons for blogging; how they define success in the world of blogging; how they balance their work and personal lives with blogging; and the future of blogging.
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MEET THE MODERATOR

Megan Donis is a TV producer, reporter and editor with 10 years experience working in documentary, news and culture programming. Megan is currently the Senior Producer of News Programs at Brooklyn Independent TV (www.briconline.org), an adjunct journalism professor at Long Island University and a freelance video producer and editor. Megan can be found at www.megandonis.com

MEET THE PANELISTS

Tracy Collins's recent work has focused on architecture, urban landscapes and street photography generally, and more specifically on the Atlantic Yards project in his neighborhood of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. For the past 4 years Tracy has been chronicling the changes to the area within and around the footprint of the project. His photographs can be seen at www.3c.com and his blog is www.freakinblog.com.

Anne Pope is the Founder and Co-Director of SustainableFlatbush.org, a neighborhood-based grassroots organization and blog promoting environmental sustainability in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Anne is grateful to the Brooklyn blogging community and Brooklyn Blogfest for providing her with friendships, collaborations, and journalistic inspiration.

With partner and pre-schooler in tow, Bed-Stuy Banana has walked every street in her neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, photographing everything from memorial murals to old signs. In her writing, she describes her struggles with gentrification, financial hardship, and the joys of being both a parent and a part of her new community.

Melissa Lopata created Hip Slope Mama, a community blog based out of Park Slope, Brooklyn. As a former Corporate Marketing VP who became a stay-at-home mom 1 1/2 ago when her son was born, Melissa reached out to the growing community of moms looking for advice and inspiration. Now with over 20 regular mom contributors, she is thrilled that HSM has taken on a life of it's own as a unique community site for all the interesting, vibrant and creative women who live in the area. She uses the site as a gateway to set up dynamic local "Mothership Events" that enlighten and empower women.

Jake Dobkin is the co-founder and publisher of Gothamist, the network of city-specific blogs. He was born in Park Slope and lives in Brooklyn Heights. He attended PS321, JHS51, Stuyvesant, Columbia, and NYU, where he got an MBA. He has never been away from New York City for more than ten weeks in the last thirty-two years. Surprisingly, his mortal enemy is... milk. You can learn more about Jake at jakedobkin.com.

For more information about the Brooklyn Blogfest, go to www.brooklynblogfest.com

SAVE THE DATE: BROOKLYN BLOGFEST 2009 IS MAY 7

Find out why Brooklyn is the bloggiest place in America at the Fourth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest on May 7, 2008 at powerHouse Arena in DUMBO. Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 is an exciting, idea-filled event for bloggers, blog readers and the blog curious, where you will find: Insight. Advice. Inspiration. Resources.. Here's your chance to meet your favorite bloggers; learn about blogging; be inspired to blog. "Where better to take the pulse of this rapidly growing community of writers, thinkers and observers than the Brooklyn Blogfest?" ~ Sewell Chan, The New York Times This year's event will take place on May 7, 2009 at 7 p.m. at the powerHouse Arena in DUMBO. In addition to a WHY WE BLOG panel, this year Brooklyn Blogfest introduces BLOGS-OF-A-FEATHER, special small-group sessions, where you can meet with other bloggers who share your interests. Once again, there will a VIDEO TRIBUTE TO BROOKLYN'S PHOTO BLOGGERS and the annual SHOUT-OUT: a chance to share your blog with the world! Whether you live to blog, blog to live or are just curious about this thing called blogging, you won't want to miss Brooklyn Blogfest 2009, the best Blogfest yet. For more information or to register, visit the Brooklyn Blogfest website. To find out about sponsorship opportunities for Brooklyn Blogfest, contact Louise Crawford (e: louise_crawford@yahoo.com, c: 718-288-4290). The Details: Fourth Annual Brooklyn Blogfest May 7, 2009 Doors open at 7 p.m. powerHouse Arena 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Admission: $10 Brooklyn Blogfest after-party Galapagos Art Space 16 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (right across the street from powerHouse Arena) Cash Bar About Brooklyn Blogfest 2009: Whether you live to blog, blog to live, or are just curious about this thing called blogging, you'll want to attend the premiere annual event for bloggers in Brooklyn and beyond. At Brooklyn Blogfest 2009: listen to some great speakers; shout out about your blog; and network with fellow bloggers during special small-group sessions. Meet your favorite bloggers; learn about blogging; be inspired to blog. Brooklyn Blogfest 2009 Insight. Advice. Inspiration. Resources.

VISIT WITH THE HEROES OF BLUEBARN PICTURES

I had a blast visiting with the crew at Blue Barn Pictures - Jim Baker, Steve Duke, and David Castillo. They work out of a sweet artist-oriented building in DUMBO and seem to have a brotherly connection to each other.

Last year, these guys took countless hours of volunteer time to document the stories of Brooklyn bloggers. Their film piece was then aired at Brooklyn Blogfest, an annual gathering of hundreds of Brooklyn Bloggers and their friends.

I think the piece is significant because it shows the collective story of Brooklyn's storytellers. We are people who care deeply about the daily goings-on the overall quality of life for people in our borough and beyond.

Here's the reel:

http://www.bluebarnpictures.com/home/reelMotion/movies/blogfest.mov

I'd love to have the Bluebarn trio be part of Blogfest 2009.

Keep up the good work, guys!

BROOKLYN BLOGGERS ARE BUILDING COMMUNITY

Three years ago, when I moved to Brooklyn with Mike, I had a very clear goal: to build community here. I wanted to lay down some solid roots in the way of relationships, and I was open to the forms they could take – creative collaborations, friendships, work partnerships, neighborhood acquaintances.

Writing a blog has turned out to be an excellent vehicle for building community. First, there are the people that I interview: I gathered some of those folks and started a monthly goal-setting group for women artists. Then there are other bloggers: I found them in 2006 when Louise Crawford of Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn organized the First Annual Brooklyn Blogfest. From there, a group of us decided that we Brooklyn bloggers would meet monthly. So we formed The Brooklyn Blogade .

Here’s what the Blogade does: In order to promote geographic diversity, we rotate the job of hosting the monthly get- together. So far bloggers from seven different areas of Brooklyn have hosted the brunch in a neighborhood restaurant or café. We also created a Google group so that we can communicate online. We talk about everything from how to get more folks involved to how to handle attacks from readers.

Last month, I helped organize the Third Annual Brooklyn Blogfest. What was great about this Blogfest is that at least half of the Blogade members, plus non-bloggers, stepped up to the plate and took on jobs to make the Blogfest a big success. My friend Pete Solomita, who I had interviewed for my newsletter, volunteered to be the DJ. Julio of E-String Technologies was the stage manager. Joyce Szuflita made the signs. Adrian Kinloch organized all of the technical aspects of the evening.

I’m talking about the world of Brooklyn bloggers because I want you to know that it possible to create community wherever you are. You can build community around your faith, your paid work, your work as a parent, your love of dogs, or your love of hiking in upstate New York. Start making in-person connections with people who share similar passions and concerns and watch the quality of your life skyrocket.

BLOGGERS IN THE HOUSE: A REPORT ON BROOKLYN BLOGFEST 2008

Last night, 200 or so people gathered at the Brooklyn Lyceum for the Third Annual Brooklyn Blogfest. Louise Crawford of Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn started the Blogfest in 2006. It was her way to pull together bloggers – new, veteran and aspiring – as well as the folks who read blogs and care about the impact of blogging on our daily lives.

For two years, Louise held the event in the Old Stone House. Last year, people had to be turned away from the door because of the risk of exceeding maximum capacity. This year, to accommodate the growing number of Blogfest participants, Louise chose the Brooklyn Lyceum as the venue.

The event started with a video montage of Brooklyn Bloggers from Bluebarn Pictures, followed by an official welcome from Louise. From there, a lineup of bloggers and guests from other medium – print, television and radio – spoke about different aspects of blogging.

I spoke about blogging as a vehicle for putting down roots and building community. Petra Symister of Bed-Stuy Blog talked about the importance of diversifying the blogging community in terms of race and class and geography. "We definitely need more place bloggers," she said.

Gersh Kuntzman, Editor of the Brooklyn Paper, asserted that bloggers need to moderate their readers' comments more carefully so that people don't have to sift through pages of hate-filled, purposeless stuff.

Brooklyn Optimist showed his Tribute to Brooklyn's Photobloggers.

Heather Johnston of So Good presented Top Ten Tips for New Bloggers.

Chris of Flatbush Gardener (the photographer of this post's photo) invited all bloggers to participate in the Brooklyn Blogade – a monthly gathering of Brooklyn bloggers who meet in the various neighborhoods of the borough.

The evening concluded with the Shout Out, where roughly 60 bloggers from the audience came to the mics up front to introduce themselves.

People stayed well past the ending of the program to dine on the donated edible goodies, mingle, and get their portrait taken by Hugh Crawford of No Words Daily Pix from Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn.

A personal highlight from Blogfest was being part of the team of bloggers and non-bloggers who pulled together as Staff to make every aspect of the event go well, from the food to the DJing, to the sound system. It definitely takes a village to raise a Blogfest.

FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE BLOGFEST CLICK HERE.