The workshops are Tuesday, May 22 at Eulenspiegel Theatre, West Liberty, and Wednesday, May 23 at CSPS Hall. Both workshops run from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Registration is $14 and includes admission to a performance of All Weather Ballads. Workshops are limited to 18 participants each. Register here .

Eric and Ines will also lead a free panel discussion Sunday, May 27 at 2 pm at CSPS. The panel, in keeping with the subject of the musical, will be how extreme weather can create community and identity.

Sandglass Theater has pushed the boundaries of puppet theater for 30 years. Founded by German immigrants Eric Bass and Ines Zeller Bass, the Vermont-based company mingles puppets and human performers to moving and whimsical effect. All Weather Ballads is essentially a fusion of puppet show and folk music concert. It is a musical love story portraying the rural experience with dry humor and ironic poignancy. The work follows the lives of two Vermonters from childhood to old age and is about a sense of place and those moments when we look both forward and backward in time. All Weather Ballads incorporates original ballads by Eric Bass with a haunting score by Keith Murphy. Eric and Ines are joined on stage by multi-instrumentalist Nick Keil.

“Each scene is beautifully imagined, filled with moments that are by turns whimsical, wistful, and at times profoundly moving,” wrote Broadway World in a rave review of the show. “The puppets, though no larger than their masters’ forearms…are wondrously detailed, supple at the joints, and manipulated by the Basses with great sensitivity to the slightest gestures.”

Sandglass Theater was founded in Munich, Germany, in 1982 as a company dedicated to collaboration with artists and composers. After moving to Putney, Vermont, in 1986, they opened an intimate 60-seat barn theater. Sandglass hosts guest artist series through the year, including “Voices of Community” (a series devoted to social activist theater). The company’s extensive repertoire for both adults and young audiences has toured worldwide and earned several Citations of Excellence from UNIMA and many other awards in Europe, Australia and the US. The National Endowment for the Arts awarded Sandglass a touring grant to bring All Weather Ballads to rural areas in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest.

The residency is made possible in part by a grant from the National Performance Network’s Performance Residency Program. The National Performance Network (NPN) is a multi-state group of cultural organizers and artists facilitating the practice and public experience of the performing arts in the United States. The NPN serves artists, arts organizers and a broad range of audiences across the country through commissions, residencies, arts-centered community projects and other activities. Major contributors to the NPN include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Altria and the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

Tim Eriksen

(April 2012) A pie-eating contest from Queens, followed by breakdancing from Bogota, followed by a banjo tune from Cedar Rapids….that’s the Low Lives performance festival.

CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids will be the Midwestern node for the two-day networked performance festival April 27-28. Folk singer and musician Tim Eriksen will give a short performance Saturday at 3:27 p.m. as part of the festival (a full ticketed concert will follow that evening at 8 p.m.).

Now in its fourth year, Low Lives is an international exhibition of over 50 live performance-based works transmitted over the Web and projected in real-time at venues around the world. CSPS Hall is the festival’s only participating Iowa and Midwest venue.

The event is free and open to all. Performances can be viewed on screens throughout CSPS from 7:30 to 10:30 pm on Friday and 2 to 5 pm on Saturday. The CSPS bar, Carlo, will be open. Viewers are encouraged to come and go as they please. Performances start roughly every six minutes.

Tim Eriksen is acclaimed for transforming American musical traditions with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle and guitar.

Tim will give a full concert April 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $14 in advance and $18 at the door. Tickets and more information are available here .

Low Lives curator Jorge Rojas will conduct the 2012 festival from the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City, Utah.

For more information, visit www.lowlives.net . A live simulcast of the event will be streamed April 27-28 at the Low Lives website.

About Low Lives

Founded in 2009 by artist and independent curator Jorge Rojas, the annual Low Lives festival highlights works that critically investigate, challenge, and extend the potential of networked performance practices. The project celebrates the transmission of ideas beyond geographical and cultural borders, offering global audiences the opportunity to consider live performance in both physical and virtual space.

By organizing performances at numerous venues and then broadcasting them via online networks, Low Lives provides a new model for efficiently presenting, viewing, and archiving live performance-based art. The annual exhibition embraces low-tech aesthetics, such as low pixel images and muddled sound quality, to emphasize the raw, inquisitive quality of the broadcast and reception of the works.

“Over the past four years Low Lives has developed a platform that invites and enables artists, audiences, and presenting venues to “plug in and participate” from anywhere an internet connection exists,” Rojas explains. “Low Lives is not simply about the presentation of performance art at a particular place and time, it is also about exploring the potential of live streaming networks as a medium to connect performance artists with audiences around the world.”

Low Lives has found new momentum after presenting Low Lives Occupy! in New York City on March 3, 2012. Low Lives partnered with Occupy with Art and The Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics at NYU to present a one-night-only festival of simulcast performances by 36 artists and collectives committed to the Occupy Wall Street movement. The well-received Low Lives Occupy! program offered new perspectives on the Occupy protests and expanded the reach of the movement by broadcasting to an international community.

Participating Artists

Austin Adkins | Regina Agu | Lindsey Allgood + Amy Luznicky | Emma Alonze | Mauricio Ancalmo | Angela Bartram + Mary O’Neill | Mariane Bourcheix-Laporte | Ruth Vigueras Bravo | Caryana Castillo | Khalil Charif  | Matthew Thomas Cianfrani | Gina Cuntstruct | Elwin Cotman | Dance Troupe Practice + Luciana D’Anunciação | Ian Deleon + Kara Stokowski | Stephanie Diamond | Bados Earthling + The Wild Audio Society | Michelle Ellsworth | Ursula Endlicher | Tim Eriksen | Francesca Fini | Les Filles Föllen | Marcel William Foster + Dunstan Matungwa | Future Death Toll | Lawrence Graham-Brown | Alejandro Guzmán | Matt Hawthorn | Joseph Herring | Kanene Holder | James Holland + Alycia Bright Holland | Linda Hutchins | Rima Najdi | Samantha Jones | Igor Josifov | Nathaniel Katz + Valentina Curandi | Elizabeth Leister | Jonathan Lemieux | Gideonsson/Londré | Jonatan Lopez | Tina Mariane Krogh Madsen | Soukei Matsuo | MoTA – Museum of Transitory Art | Nataliya Petkova | Blatta Orientalis | Alexandre Pombo-Mendes | prOphecy sun | Stefan Riebel | Tara Raye Russo | Nuria Guiu Sagarra | Maximiliano Siñani | Jonathan Sutton | Étienne Tremblay-Tardif | Elinor Thompson | Robert Tyree + Andra Rotaru | Marcus Vinícius | A.G. Viva | Alyssa Taylor Wendt | Amelia Winger-Bearskin | Martin Zet |

Presenting Partners

Aljira, A Center for Contemporary Art (Newark, New Jersey); Center for Performance Research (CPR) (Brooklyn, New York); Chez Bushwick (Brooklyn, New York); Co-Lab (Austin, Texas); Diaspora Vibe Gallery (Miami, Florida); Fusebox Festival (Austin, Texas); Grace Exhibition Space (Brooklyn, New York); Legion Arts (Cedar Rapids, Iowa); Little Berlin (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Living Arts (Tulsa, Oklahoma); Mascher Space Co-op (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) (Portland, Oregon); Real Art Ways (Harford, Connecticut); SOMArts (San Francisco, California); Space One Eleven (Birmingham, Alabama): Spread Art (Brooklyn, New York); Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) (Salt Lake City, Utah); Alice Yard (Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago); the temporary space (USA/Japan); Yamaguchi Institute of Contemporary Arts (YICA) (Yamaguchi, Japan); Dimanche Rouge (Paris, France); La Maison des Artistes (Paris, France); Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Bogotá (MAC) (Colombia); At The Vanishing Point (Sydney, Australia); Small Projects (Tromsø, Norway); Ateliers ’89, Contemporary Art Institute (Aruba)

About Low Lives Founding Director Jorge Rojas

Jorge Rojas is a multidisciplinary artist and curator. He uses traditional and new media, as well as performative elements to investigate communication systems and the effect of technology on artistic production, social structures and communities. Rojas’ work and curatorial projects have been exhibited internationally. In 2009, Rojas founded Low Lives, where he currently serves as director, producer, and curator.

By Steve Gravelle, Cedar Rapids Gazette

Heidi Eiffert started coming to Cedar Rapids’ New Bohemia neighborhood about four years ago in search of eye-catching photographic backgrounds.

“We had photographed outside the CSPS hall for years,” said Eiffert. “It was just one of our favorite locations because of the old buildings, the textures.”

Eiffert and her husband Troy Eiffert now work there full-time: their StudioU Photography is one of three businesses moving into ground-floor space at CSPS Hall, 1103 Third St. SE. A formal announcement of the businesses’ agreement with Legion Arts, the non-profit owner of CSPS, will be made at a press conference this morning.

“The momentum’s building for the downtown district and the New Bo district,” said Richard Marsceau, co-owner of the Brewed Awakenings coffeehouse. “It just all fits together. There’s momentum everywhere along the river, I guess, and it’s good to be part of it.”

“It’s such an emerging art and entertainment district,” said Mary Ann Peters, owner of New Bo Books. “The things that are happening now and are in the plans give it a whole personality that’s unique.”

“This is another example of the New Bohemia neighborhood returning with a vengeance,” said F. John Herbert, Legion Arts’ executive director.

Revenue from the tenants’ rent will help cover operating costs at CSPS, the subject of a 16-month, $8 million renovation and expansion after the June 2008 flood.

“We’ve gone from being a pretty small arts organization and a tenants ourselves to a pretty small arts organization that owns the building, so we’ve gone to quite a bit more responsibility,” Herbert said. “The retail spaces on the ground floor will be pretty critical parts of the funding for the building. We’re pretty excited to have three such locally-grounded businesses.”

Professional photographers since 2000, Eifferts and her husband moved to Iowa City from Omaha in 2008. They’ve worked strictly on location since, but decided it’s time to open a studio. Eiffert said they’ve already begun shooting in their new digs, but hope to have a public opening around March 1.

Peters said the entertainment district anchored by CSPS Hall is a natural for her new business, which will carry a broad range of titles from children’s books to the latest best sellers.

“I just saw that neighborhood as ideal for a small independent book store,” she said. “There has been a void here. Except for used book stores, there hasn’t been small bookstores (in Cedar Rapids) since Barnes and Noble opened.”

Peters said her store will  have access to the inventory of Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City. Orders will be placed with Prairie Lights, and New Bo Books will be tied into its sales and records system.

“It’s maybe a model that hasn’t ever been tried before,” said Peters, who expects to hire up to two employees. “That way, there’s not going to be the high learning curve for me. My experience is in libraries and as a consumer of books, but I’ve never sold them before.”

Both Peters and Marsceau expect the bookstore and Brewed Awakenings will be natural neighbors.

“It’s a great complement to our business,” said Marsceau. “We look forward to that – we need to have that growing-village feel down there.”

Brewed Awakenings already serves coffee, beer, wine, and light snacks in CSPS’ second-floor performance space. Downstairs, “we’re going to have more of a traditional coffee bar,” Marsceau said. “We’ll take some of our best sandwich sellers from here, but we’re going to add some things.”

Marsceau said Brewed Awakenings will remain in operation at its original location at 1271 First Ave. SE. The new location will employ up to a dozen.

It’s been a remarkable year.

Following the flood of 2008, and a successful capital campaign, Legion Arts had the great honor of repairing and reopening a landmark building that’s served Eastern Iowa for more than a century.

The renovation of CSPS Hall succeeded thanks to the generosity of people like you. Now we’re asking for your support as we move forward.

Built by immigrants 120 years ago, CSPS has always been a center, multidisciplinary and multicultural long before those terms were invented.

Today, we’re thrilled to maintain that tradition, in a completely updated facility.

Since Labor Day, a refurbished CSPS has hosted painters, sculptors and songwriters from throughout Eastern Iowa — ceramicists and potters from across the Midwest — and accomplished artists from such far-flung locales as Texas and Brooklyn, Italy and Poland, Ireland, Nepal, the Czech Republic and the Ivory Coast.

Performers coming through in the next few months include well-known names like Peter
Yarrow, Guy Davis, Peggy Seeger and Jonathan Edwards — as well as talented young creators just beginning their careers.

Bringing such artists to town is central to our mission. And yet, as proud as we are of our programming, we’re equally excited by our engagement with the community.

This fall, with additional space available in the redesigned building, we’ve been able to accommodate conferences and training sessions, parties and film screenings, nonprofit board meetings, a memorial service and at least one baby shower.

In December, we even hosted a live broadcast of CNN’s John King, USA.And that’s not all.

Legion Arts has emerged as a leader in connecting cultural activity to economic development. The renovation of CSPS brought with it an $8 million investment in the community, creating scores of jobs in the process.

That refrain will continue in 2012. In January we’ll launch the Arts Incubator at CSPS Hall, providing space and professional training for area artists and arts organizations. On the ground floor of the building, three retail businesses will soon open their doors. And as the historic anchor of New Bohemia, we’re eager to begin working with our newest neighbors, including New Bo City Market, KNBO neighborhood radio, Bata’s Restaurant, and others.

We’ve come this far thanks to people like you — people who had the vision and foresight to believe that a small arts organization in Iowa could combine (a) world-class programming, (b) a commitment to historic preservation, and (c) a distinctive approach to community development, in order to create (d) a cultural center unique in the region.

Of course, as you’d expect, the new building brings with it not only increased overhead, but some pretty extraordinary opportunities.

• A larger operation requires a larger staff.
• We need new tables and chairs.
• We really need to finish that parking lot next spring.
• We’d like to build a courtyard.

We can only do these things with your help. So as one year (marked by achievement) draws to a close, and another (full of promise) begins, I really hope you’ll consider making a generous, tax-deductible gift to Legion Arts.

You can donate online by clicking here; you can write a check to Legion Arts and send it to 1103 Third St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401; or you can donate over the phone by calling 319.364.1580.

If you’re interested in underwriting a few dozen chairs, a parking lot or courtyard, please feel free to phone me at CSPS or write  john@legionarts.org.

In any case, please accept our best wishes for a happy new year. We’re looking forward to a stupendous 2012, and we hope that you’ll be a part of it.

                                                                                                                          —  F. John Herbert
                                                                                                                              Executive Director

Photos: Still from Marina Zurkow’s Slurb; Ivory Coast singer Dobet Gnahore; view of the renovated stage; songwriter Kenny White; Carlo, the bar.

By Dave DeWitte / SourceMedia Group News

Carl Van Vechten, a famous photographer, critic and novelist from Cedar Rapids, has gained a whimsical immortality with the naming of CSPS’ renovated bar.

At ribbon cutting ceremonies Friday, Oct. 7, leaders of Legion Arts, which operates the performing and visual arts center, announced that the renovated bar area – little used in the past quarter century – will be named Carlo in Van Vechten’s honor.

The ribbon cutting was the culmination of a $7-million-plus renovation funded with public and private funds of the flood-damaged Czech social hall that CSPS had been leasing until the flood. Former governor Chet Culver and Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett were among the dignitaries attending the Friday morning event.

Carlo is decorated with photographs by Van Vechten of well-known artists and cultural leaders of his time.

The bar area is managed by Brewed Awakenings, which is in negotiations to lease space for a wine and coffee bar on the facility’s ground floor.

Also check out the River to River ceramics show featuring 84 pieces by 64 artists from Iowa and surrounding states. Cedar Rapids artist Vaclav O. Hasek is featured in the new first-floor gallery and New York’s Marina Zurkow christens the new project room with her flood-themed animation “Slurb” (pictured).

(Aug. 2011) Workers are painting walls and refinishing floors as work continues apace for a late August grand re-opening. Purchase tickets to the Aug. 26 grand re-opening event here. Only 200 spots available!

A new Arts Incubator will be located on the first floor with office space for up to six non-profits.

Over 90 of the 118 original windows, filled in with brick or glass block over the years, have been restored.

First-floor lobby area looking into the new gallery and the former home of the Bohemian-American Hose Company.

The restored 1916 firehouse will provide living and working space for visiting artists.

The new studio theatre will be a space for small performances, film screenings, rehearsals, workshops and poetry readings.

After the rip saw, the reclaimed CSPS wood is fed by Spur Millwork's Noah Douglas through the custom molder. Photo by David Van Allen

(July 2011) It’s true that a historic restoration on the scale of the CSPS project doesn’t allow for a LEED “green” building rating (more windows, bigger windows, anyone?). But Legion Arts and Solum Lang Architects have taken the opportunity to build “green” elements into the project wherever possible.

Some of these include:

* White roof surfaces to deflect sunlight and conserve on energy costs

* An energy-efficient zone controlled heating and air conditioning system in parts of the building

* Energy-efficient argon-filled windows for the new storefronts

Reuse and reclamation are another important part of the project.

“Old” roof joists have been refashioned by a local millwright into “new” finish trim for the renovated building. And local artist/furniture-maker John Schwartzkopf has created some exciting “new” art work from the same old-growth fir.

Part of the 1890s pressed tin ceiling over the auditorium was re-purposed for a newly constructed beer garden at Parlor City down the block.

And one more example…bricks from one of the old CSPS chimneys have been used to replace damaged brick on the exterior of the building.

Spur Millwork's Jen Hughes shows the final product: finish trim for the renovated CSPS created from the rafters of the demolished roof. Photo by David Van Allen

A worker installs the "new" finish trim around second floor windows. The old-growth fir was reclaimed from CSPS rafters.

In the end, architect Jeff Portman put it best: “By far the greenest thing we did was not tearing the building down. The entire building is in itself being recycled.”

Local artist/furniture-maker John Schwartzkopf created sculptures from the rafters of the old CSPS roof

With fifty workers on the site every day, construction continues, literally, all over the place: From the installation of the elevator and HVAC; to the new pressed tin ceilings over the galleries, theatre and bar; to the ongoing repair and replacement of exterior brick; to the restoration of some 100 windows; to the completion of firehouse next door.

A mini-story within this week’s presentation focuses on the recycling of the old roof beams, transformed by our friends at Spur Millwork into new window frames and other woodwork.

As we move toward the September reopening CSPS, this is the latest update, prepared by Ryan Companies. Click on the attachment and it should open automatically.

If you’d like to see additional photos as the work progresses, find and “like” the CSPS page on Facebook.

With fifty workers on the site every day, construction continues throughout the structure — from the new stamped tin ceiling over the theatre, to refinished walls in the retail spaces below. Next door at the firehouse, construction is nearly complete. And on the streets around CSPS, city-driven streetscaping is full steam ahead.