The mission of First Fridays is to promote and support local artists and musicians by providing them with an outlet to showcase their work. Every first Friday night of the month, participating Bixby Knolls businesses will unite to promote local artists and musicians through extended operating hours. In doing so we hope to encourage a dialogue between businesses, artists and the community. For complete information regarding the different venues, check the First Fridays website www.firstfridayslongbeach.com

Read the entire story in the Long Beach Post. Click here.

This weekend will signal the start of an eight-month-long campaign called ArtPEACE that seeks to unite Long Beach’s youth and artists to promote respect, harmony, unity and cultural appreciation and understanding through creativity.

The Creativity Network and the city’s Human Dignity Program have teamed up to sponsor the campaign, which begins Saturday (Sept. 27) and ends with the Unity Festival on May 30, 2009. They are partnering with local artists and organizations...

Read the entire story in the Gazette Newspapers. Click here.

On September 27, 2008, from 1-5 PM, Project Oasis will be working with local youth to Create art based on the theme of “Peace” utilizing prepared 5’ X 7” Hardboard and crayons.

A reception and showing of the completed project will be held at the offices of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association during October First Fridays Long Beach on October 3, 2008 from 6-9 PM.

The reception will kick off the first of many ArtPeace events throughout the next eight months.

Anyone wishing to participate in the project need only show up at the Fairfield YMCA on Saturday September 27th between 1-5p.m.

ArtPEACE is an eight-month campaign for Long Beach’s Creative Community to create positive change for youth through their Art. ArtPEACE offers a creative approach to networking resources for our valuable youth at a time when city and school budgets are getting leaner. We know that our youth are creative and able, if provided with encouragement, support, mentoring opportunities and creative outlets for expression. Their talent, when elevated and engaged, can provide a meaningful, positive peer pressure and promote the powerful messages of inter-group understanding, respect and, ultimately, peace.

ArtPEACE offers a creative approach to network adult Creatives and emerging youth Creatives through a mentoring process to celebrate the rich diversity of Long Beach.

ArtPEACE will provide an artistic outlet for young people to express their perspectives on peace as well as their visions and dreams. It will also provide them with training and incentives to pursue careers in the creative arts. The Creative Community will participate with young people in a series of mentoring and art-making workshops focused on video art, public art, musical / performance arts, and visual arts leading to a series ofArtPEACE viewings, installations, performances and exhibits. The guiding principles will include Respect, Harmony, Unity and Cultural appreciation and understanding; all centered around the ArtPEACE theme.

The Bixby Knoll Chess Club at the Y will be a registered affiliate of the United States Chess Federation and hopes to hold at least two sanctioned tournaments a year. The Club is open to people of all ages and abilities. The cost is $8 per session, or pay for four sessions in advance for $25. Boards and lessons are provided as part of the cost, and we have some for purchase as well. Membership at the YMCA is not required to participate.

We’d like to thank the Fairfield YMCA for their generous support of this club. The Club is sponsored by Project Oasis.

“We are very pleased with the response. During the two sessions we had 221 players. There are so many people to thank that contributed to our success. We have to thank Elise and Marcos for allowing us the use of the Tea Room. They provided such a wonderful location and were such gracious hosts. Also Blair Cohn of the BKBIA for putting us in touch with Elise and Marcos and for helping us spread the word throughout the community. And of course our wonderful campers who came wanting to learn, play, and meet new friends,” Peter Dopulos stated.

Based on the success of the summer camp Project Oasis is considering running a chess club throughout the year. “We’ve had quite a few of our campers and their parents ask us if we would run some type of weekly program during the school year. We are exploring those options and hope to have a definite answer on that within the next few weeks,” said Keith Lewis.

Project Oasis was founded by Peter Dopulos and Keith Lewis. Project Oasis Inc. works to build community through the arts. Our goal is to accomplish this vision through a sense of place where adults and children find pride and purpose, strengthen bonds and communications in Long Beach, the most diverse city in the nation.

]]> http://www.project-oasis.org/kids/inaugural-session-of-project-oasis%e2%80%99-summer-chess-camp-a-success/feed/ http://www.project-oasis.org/press/the-creativity-network-interview/ http://www.project-oasis.org/press/the-creativity-network-interview/#comments Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:54:16 +0000 swoop http://www.project-oasis.org/?p=36 On Saturday June 14, 2008, while attending the Tour des Artistes in Long Beach, Project Oasis founders Peter Dopulos and Keith Lewis were interviewed for Creativity Network Radio by Antonio Pedro Ruiz. The Creativity Network is a network of representatives from a wide range of creative industries including visual arts, television, and performance arts, and includes gallery owners, arts administrators, patrons, artists and art lovers. Founded two years ago, the Network sponsors events at artful locations throughout the city in order to bring the creative community together for dialogue and creative action. The Creativity Network endeavors to partner with the Creative Community to build a diverse and strong advocacy network and proactive strategies for the Arts and Creative Industries. Click here to listen to the interview.

Enroll your child today in the Long Beach Chess Camp at Elise’s Tea Room, brought to you by Project Oasis.

Help keep your student-child in mental shape this summer while having fun. Whether your child is a new-comer to the game or an experienced hand, playing chess is a fun way to stay mentally sharp, make friends and learn a game that can stay with them through the rest of their life. Our approach is to teach the game, tactics and strategy, while putting special emphasis on sportsmanship.

Chess Camp Session 1 Session 2 Weekly

By John Canalis, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 06/29/2008 10:37:19 PM PDT
(Photo by Jeff Gritchen / Staff Photographer)

Miya Parry knows kids who click away summer days playing video games.

"Then they lose their brain cells," she says.

Miya, 10, is more captivated by a low-tech challenge, one that dates to 15th century Europe (even earlier when counting antecedents).

The Los Cerritos Elementary School pupil goes to the Bixby Knolls Chess Camp sponsored by an uptown nonprofit arts and culture program, Project Oasis.

Determining where to move 32 pieces on 64 squares could make youths smarter. Studies link the capture-the-king game to higher IQs, grades and levels of concentration in children...

Read the entire story in the Press-Telegram. Click here.

The purpose of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association is to promote the interests of its professional, service and retail members, to enhance the common areas within the BIA area, to facilitate the exchange of business information and ideas, and to promote the highest business and ethical standards.

Contact BKBIA Phone 562-595-0081, E-mail info@bixbyknollsinfo.com.