"Follow the Passion" Features David Carroll
And David Macaulay Friday, April 3

The Alliance is proud to be working with the NH State Council on the Arts as they present "Follow the Passion: A Celebration & Exploration of Arts, Literacy & Creativity in Education" with authors, artists and MacArthur "Genius" Fellows David Macaulay and David Carroll at Bow High School on April 3. This professional development opportunity begins at 9 am; registration fees will include a box lunch, book sale and signing, and a day pass for the Currier Museum of Art's exhibit "Building Books: The Art of David Macaulay." Download registration form here. PDF / DOC (PDF file can be opened & filled out for printing)

Macaulay's books include "Cathedral," "Pyramid," "Mosque," and "How Things Work." His most recent publication, "The Way We Work," illustrates the remarkable workings of the human body. Carroll, a naturalist, author and illustrator has the eye of an artist, the mind of a scientist, the voice of a storyteller and the soul of a conservationist. His books include: "Swampwalker Journal," "Self-Portrait with Turtles," "Trout Reflections," and "The Year of the Turtle."

A new book, "Following the Water, a Hydromancer's Notebook," will be published this spring.

Author and storyteller Rebecca Rule will lead the interviews and discussion. The event, which is open to the public by registration, is designed especially for teachers, childrens' librarians, teaching artists, parents and middle through high school students.

From March 7 to June 14th, the Currier Museum of Art invites the public to view the whimsical and enchanting original drawings, paintings, and sketches of David Macaulay. His gift for conveying complex concepts in a fun and understandable way has delighted children and adults for decades. He has a special genius for explaining the wonder of the way things work—from gadgets to gargantuan buildings—and for bringing readers on extraordinary journeys of the imagination. "Building Books: The Art of David Macaulay" is the first in-depth museum exhibition to explore the work and process of this popular artist. For more information go to: www.currier.org

"Follow the Passion" is a partnership event of the NH State Council on the Arts with Bow High School, the Currier Museum of Art, and the Arts Alliance. Pre-registration is required. Registration fees, forms, agenda and other details will be posted here and on the State Arts Council's website by Feb 1. For additional information, or to be included on the conference e-list, call us at 323-7302 or email info@aannh.org

Arts, Culture & Heritage in the White Mountains:
Brochure Offers Guide for Visitors & Residents

The North Country in the fall isn't just a place to bike, hike and watch leaves - it also offers great arts programs and opportunities for learning about New Hampshire heritage, culture and craft. Check out our annual brochure that helps visitors and residents of our region find exciting performance and viewing opportunities, highlighting more than 50 member organizations and businesses, large and small, and many of the performances, exhibits, and events they present. If you would like to receive a print copy, you can pick one up at any NH state rest area and at cultural venues and information and hospitality sites throughout the region. If you'd like us to mail you a copy, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope big enough for a 9" X 4" brochure to AANNH Guide, HC64 Box 223, Wonalancet NH 03897. Or you can download the entire brochure as a pdf here or by page here - page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4. We encourage you to ask your hosts at inns and restaurants to share them with guests. If you own a hotel or business and want multiple copies to distribute, please give us a call at 323-7302 or 638-2858.

AANNH School and Community Programs
Download Our Brochure

If you work at a North Country school, or for an after-school program, child-care center or pre-school, senior center or nursing home, or any other organization or agency that might be interested in presenting arts or cultural programs, we're happy to work with you to develop customized programming, or to offer you a chance to be part of a block-booking program with other presenters. AANNH programs for schools and communities bring outstanding professional performers and traditional, visual and literary artists to towns throughout our region. They can present school residencies, assemblies, classroom programs, community workshops, public concerts, and professional development sessions. Programs range from World Music to Franco-American fiddling to authors' visits to hands-on art making of all kinds. AANNH will work with your school and/or community organization to customize programs and address your particular audience, goals and themes through cultural experiences. Download our 2009 brochure on Programs for Schools and Communities here. You can also view AANNH's listing of artists who are interested in coming to schools and communities throughout Northern New Hampshire. Click here. More...

Northern New Hampshire History and Heritage: A Map & Guide

The Arts Alliance, in collaboration with partner organizations throughout our region, has produced a brochure that serves as a map and guide to historic sites throughout the North Country, from Plymouth to Pittsburg. It includes a brief history of our region, great vintage photographs, and a comprehensive listing of historical societies, museums, and heritage sites.
We are in the process of adding a new "History & Heritage" section to this site, with additional information and links to related websites. We invite you to visit it – and comment on it – now, by clicking here.

Free copies of the History and Heritage Map & Guide are available at NH Visitor Information Centers throughout the state, and will soon be available at historical societies and heritage sites. You can also get a copy by mailing a stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope to our branch office, Peacefield, HC64 Box 223, Wonalancet NH 03897.

Poster copies of the map will also be available for purchase; email us at info@aannh.org for more information. Meanwhile, we invite you to check out the "Country Store" for books and historical items available for purchase from our member organizations.

HandMade in the Northern Forest:

A guide to fine art and craft traditions in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York showcases our region through 13 driving tours that traverse the beautiful landscape and inviting towns of northern New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont and New York's Adirondacks and Tug Hill region. The Arts Alliance is a proud partner in this regional endeavor.
HandMade in the Northern Forest's 365 listings – among them Arts Alliance members like the ARTS Gallery, Chapel Arts New England, Contreras Gallery of Fine Arts, League of NH Craftsmen (Littleton), and Old Mill Studio – showcase a wide variety of craftspeople, from basket weavers and potters to painters and stained glass artists, furniture makers, woodworkers, blacksmiths, sculptors and others inspired by the landscape. It features studios where visitors can watch artists in action, as well as galleries, restaurants, inns and special attractions such as museums, historical sites and working farms. Each chapter includes colorful maps, local lore and detailed contact information for each listing.

The guidebook is the cornerstone of the HandMade in the Northern Forest program, which is designed to build recognition of heritage crafts as a growing part of the region's economy, and to build a network among the region's artists and craft producers. Co- published by the Northern Forest Center and Businesses for the Northern Forest, the project was funded in part by Great Bay Foundation, Maine Community Foundation, John Merck Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, Northern New Hampshire Foundation, and USDA Rural Development in New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. HandMade in the Northern Forest retails for $19.95 (US) and is available from:
• Participant businesses
• Bookstores throughout the Northern Forest...and beyond
• amazon.com
• Enfield Publishing & Distribution
Call us for local vendors or if you'd like to buy a copy.

Arts Alliance Programming

Call or e-mail the Arts Alliance for details about additional programs. Click here for information on current programs. If you are interested in helping coordinate a local program, or just in attending one, let us know. Upcoming programs include:

• Heart of the Silk Road: A Two-Year Initiative supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Using the extraordinary history and arts of the Silk Road, and working with a group of outstanding artists, scholars, and teachers, this program will create a model for arts- and humanities-based interdisciplinary teaching that brings to life the ways in which studying and practicing the art of a region or culture illuminates its environmental, economic, religious, historical and political life and also offers a rich pathway to the teaching of mathematics, science, and the language arts. An array of opportunities will provide direct experience with Silk Road artforms to classroom teachers, special educators, and media-center resource people as well as to parents, students, and community members. Call or email us for details.
• Classroom & Community Concerts, with outstanding professional musicians presenting a wide variety of school and community performances and workshops from chamber music to African drumming and Franco-American fiddling.
• Workshops for artists, educators, and staff and boards of non-profit organizations, plus like-group meetings for presenters, galleries and museums.
• Heritage programs & workshops, including Community Story gatherings.
• Artist training for local artists interested in work in school and community settings.
• Music and other programs at senior centers and nursing homes.
• Math, Science & Art programs for families & schools, including "Learning Math and Science through the Arts" at North Country schools, funded by the Walker Fund of the NH Charitable Foundation, and "Interpreting Natural Science through the Arts: A Hands-On Workshop Series" presented in partnership with Tin Mountain Conservation Center. Call Tin Mountain at 447-6991 for details of the workshop series.