Category Archives: Youth

WCCA TV Needs Your Support To Keep A Valuable Youth Program For Underprivileged Youth From Ending

The following testimonial is from Dee Wells (a professional Photographer and Filmmaker) about how WCCA TV helped him in pursuit of his career.

WCCA TV offers opportunities and training for people in Worcester of all incomes. This summer we hope to have a youth program for underprivileged youth in our community, but the funding that used to pay for that annual program has been cut. We need your help to keep it going this year (2018) while we search for a sustainable way to pay for the Community Connections youth program for underprivileged youth in 2019 and after.

Please send a generous donation by going to the following link web address: www.wccatv.com/donate or calling during office hours M-F at 508-755-1880. Donations may, also, be sent to WCCA TV, 415 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608. Please state that your donation is for youth programs.

Thank You for your support.

You Can Help Create the iSMARTT Center! WCCA TV is Seeking Your Assistance in Bringing A Brighter Future for Downtown Worcester through the iSMARTT Center Project — Please Make a Donation — If you’re interested in volunteering for our capital campaign please contact Joseph at 508-755-1880 or joseph@wccatv.com .

THIS MONTH AT WCCA TV WE ARE “YOUR VISION TELEVISION”

The WCCA TV Newsletter, January 2018

This Month at WCCA TV, The People’s Channel

WCCA TV is very appreciative that it has been awarded a Worcester Arts Council Grant for New Voices 2018. The Worcester Arts Council is part of a network of 329 local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. It is through programs like these that give access and assistance to Worcester’s creative community. Thank you, WAC!!

Want to stay healthy all year long, both physically and mentally? Then be sure to tune into our WCCA TV programming to help YOU be the best YOU possible! We offer such valuable locally produced programs as Work Out World, Health Matters, A Bridge to Better Mental Health, and Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds. Tune into these shows weekly on WCCA TV , Channel 194 in Worcester, or go to www.wccatv.com, Video on Demand, and search for your favorite show.

WCCA TV is seeking your assistance in bringing a brighter future for downtown Worcester through the iSMARTT Center Project. Your donation is highly appreciated! If you’re interested in volunteering for our capital campaign, please contact Joseph at 508-755-1880 or joseph@wccatv.com. As always, thank you for your support!

WCCA TV Special Presentations

Hops & Harmony is brought to you by Mechanics Hall with partner WCCA TV and supported by Atlas Distributors, Bay State Savings Bank, and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. The second Hops & Harmony was held on December 2017 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. It was a fun night with live music and audience participation. The guest artist was Blue Light Bandits. Next Hops & Harmony is on February 12, 2018. Join us for this special Valentine’s event – Hops & Harmony with a twist!

The League of Women Voters of the Worcester area held a public forum on fake news and media literacy at the First Baptist Church in Worcester. The forum, titled Media Literacy and Fake News: Decoding Media in 2017, featured a panel of journalists and media to address questions regarding the distortion of truth in the modern media world and how news influence civil discourse.

WCCA TV Program Notes

  • Tune into new episodes of Soapbox in February, hosted by the WCCA TV Executive Director Mauro DePasquale. New episodes will feature Sally Jablonski from Hebert E Berg Florist; artist Esther Solondz; Ray Pfau and Bob Johnson, volunteer
    organizers of the local Repair Cafe; Mark Baldi, Peter Dunn, and Shyla Matthews who chat with Mauro about brownfields. Soapbox can be seen on WCCA TV, Channel 194 in Worcester, and streaming live online at wccatv.com on Saturdays at 10:30 pm and Sundays at 6:30 pm. To be a guest on the show, contact tracy@wccatv.org.
  • Time for a coffee break and another episode of Coffee with Konnie. Join Konnie Lukes and her guests as they discuss city issues at Worcester area coffee shops. Konnie has coffee with Chantel Bethea and Robin Currie. Tune into this episode to find out what they talk about.
  • Rosen’s Round Table is a political and current issue program hosted by Gary Rosen and produced by WCCA TV. This week’s panel members are Gary Vecchio, Moe Bergman, and Walter
    Bird. The city of Worcester has a new website: www.worcesterma.gov . Watch this episode to find out what the guys thinks about it. In another episode, Gary Rosen and his panel members talk about a lawsuit brought against Worcester for an inflated sewer fee.
  • Know Your Rights is a show to inform viewers of their civil rights, hosted by Ron Madnick. In this episode, Ron talks about Government Funding to Active Churches. In another episode, the topic is a Case of Abuse Defended in the Name of Religious Freedom.
  • What It’s Worth is a WCCA TV show definitely worth watching! Host of the show, Tommy Colletta, welcomes attorney Blake Rubin, candidate for the District Attorney. In another episode, Tommy talks to Mark Pinkham about home improvements.
  • Perspectives with Asima Silva is a WCCA TV program that features local and national guests sharing their perspectives on politics, current events, mental and emotional health, as well as religion. Today’s episode features Zaza Sakhat to talk about the girl’s perspective after a sexual assault.
  • Exposure With Mosher is a WCCA TV show that spotlights entrepreneurs, innovators, and good news. Host Amy Mosher Berry welcomes Russ Wigen, Suzanne Wigen, and Randal Meraki to the show.
  • Activate Worcester, hosted by Ron Motta, is a WCCA TV program that shows viewers how to participate and become active in Worcester. Ron welcomes his wife Louise to the show.
  • Connecting The Dots is a non-traditional legal program with the emphasis on the attorney as a trusted advisor, with an interdisciplinary approach to solving life’s issues. Host of the program, Attorney Liz Myska, welcomes Casey Burns, the new Director of The Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester. In another episode, Liz welcomes Jayne Schack from Acclaim Home Health Care.
  • Tune into Hidden Treasures, a program that shows the viewers how to find that hidden antique or collectible that just may add cash to their life. In this episode, Bill welcomes James D. to talk about comic books. In another episode, Bill welcomes auctioneer Ron D’Auteuil back to the show. Ron and Bill chat about reality shows that involve collectables.
  • Video Jam is your source for eclectic music videos. Your favorite host, Tracy Foley, has been presenting mainstream and indie rock for more than 10 years on cable TV public access stations. Today’s Playlist includes: Aaron Shust – My Hope is in You, My Silent Bravery – Girl You Think You Know, Anana Kaye – American Smile, TLUXX – 7th Angel, Steve Aoki – All Night, Calum Scott – You’re the Reason, Dev – Come at Me, and more. Keep jammin’ with WCCA TV!
  • Tune into Video Jam Country and spend an hour enjoying the latest and greatest in country music with host Tracy Foley. This show will feature: The Texas Red Dirt Choir – Faith in the Water,
    Little Feather – Hillbilly Love Song, Indigo Summer – Wants What It Wants & A1A, Robert Stowell – I’d Die for You, Cash Campbell – Cannonball, Anthony Orio – Undeniable, Tracy Lawrence feat. Big & Rich & Brad Arnold – The Good Ole Days, Aaron Watson – Outta Styel, Mo Pitney – Clean Up on Aisle Five, Smith & Wesley – Superman for a Day, Jenna Paulette – Coolest Girl in the World, Melanie Meriney – Life Boat, Olivia Lane – Devil & You, Jerod Niemann – I Got This, Lucas Hoge – Dirty South. Shout-out to all country music fans!!
  • Ben Behind The Scenes is a WCCA TV program that showcases music videos, interviews, reviews, and short films. The show is produced and hosted by Ben Allotey, one of WCCA TV’s longest active producers. Tune into another episode of pure entertainment.
  • Tune into another yummy episode of Cooking with Georgia and Dez. In this episode, Georgia and Dez show the viewers how to prepare Mediterranean style beef stew and Georgia-style biscuts. Real Food, Real People, Real Simple!
  • Senior Speak is a program by WCCA TV in collaboration with the Worcester Senior Center. Senior issues are discussed and a good time is had by all. Senior Speak is recorded at the Worcester Senior Center, located at 128 Providence St., on Tuesdays at 2 PM. Stop by and be a part of the show!
  • Nuestra Esperanza is a Spanish-language religious program hosted and produced by Lucy Tomey. This program has been airing on WCCA TV since 1990! Programación christiana de inspiración en Español, de mas larga duración en WCCA TV desde el año 1990, anfitriona y productora Lucy Tomey.

About WCCA TV

Worcester Community Cable Access is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation administering public access cable television for Worcester, Massachusetts. Our mission is:

  • To advance democratic ideals by ensuring the people have access to electronic media
  • To provide a platform for first amendment rights and for artistic and cultural expression
  • To promote co-operative relations with those who serve the public interest
  • To promote communication through community use of media

LEARN, CREATE, CONNECT!

WCCA TV is Very Appreciative That We Have Been Awarded A Worcester Arts Council Grant for New Voices 2018!! Thank You Worcester Arts Council!!

Worcester Arts Council Announces

New Grants Awarded for 2018

Worcester, MA- City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. and Samantha Fiakofi, chair of the Worcester Arts Council (WAC), have announced the award of 48 grants totaling $114,375 for cultural programs in Worcester.

The Worcester Arts Council is part of a network of 329 Local Cultural Councils serving all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. The LCC Program is the largest grassroots cultural funding network in the nation, supporting thousands of community-based projects in the arts, sciences, and humanities every year. The state legislature provides an annual appropriation to the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency, which then allocates a portion of these funds to each community including Worcester.

It is through programs like these that give access and assistance to Worcester’s creative community. This year WAC is announcing the recipients of funding for the 2018 grant cycle. Through an in depth selection process, WAC’s volunteer members reviewed numerous applications this fall during a series of meetings conducted to evaluate the overall quality of the proposed programs, their public benefit, viability and whether they met the 2018 local priorities for funding  which  included : Public Art, Children’s Programing, and Visual Arts.

This year WAC will award a total of $114,375 to 48 Worcester area applicants. The 2018 allocation also includes two $5,000 Artist Fellowships, awarded to individuals to assist in the funding of their endeavors in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences. This year the Worcester Arts Council is proud to award Artist Fellowships to two local artists: James Dye and Jennifer Carey.

Samantha Fiakofi, Chair of the Worcester Arts Council said, “We are excited to announce our 2018 grant recipients. Each year we are impressed by the creativity and innovation WAC grant recipients bring to Worcester’s cultural community. This year’s projects will attract diverse audiences and hopefully inspire new projects throughout the city.”

Decisions about which activities to support are made at the community level by a board of municipally appointed volunteers. The members of the Worcester Arts Council are: Samantha Fiakofi (Chair), Meghan Hardy-Lavoie (Vice-Chair), Jacob Poplaski (Treasurer), Amanda Schall (Secretary), Thomas Conroy, Jose Castillo, Hansani Archibald, Hank Von Hellion.

City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said, “I congratulate all the recipients who continue to enhance the creative vitality of our community. I also thank the Worcester Arts Council for its diligence in reviewing so many worthy submissions.”

Statewide, more than $3.3 million will be distributed by local cultural councils in 2018. Grants will support an enormous range of grass-roots activities: concerts, exhibitions, radio and video productions, field trips for schoolchildren, after-school youth programs, writing workshops, historical preservation efforts, lectures, First Night celebrations, nature and science education programs for families and town festivals. Nearly half of LCC funds support educational activities for young people.

The Worcester Art Council will seek applications again in the fall. For guidelines and complete information on the Worcester Art Council, please contact Lindiana Semidei, Staff Liaison to the Worcester Arts Council at 508-799-1400 x 31414 or by email at SemideiL@Worcesterma.gov. Applications and more information about the Local Cultural Council Program are available online at www.mass-culture.org.  Applications are due in October of 2019.

 

This year’s grants include:

2018 Worcester Arts Council Grant Awards
Applicant Project Title Award Amount
James Dye Fellowship $5,000
Jennifer Carey Fellowship $5,000
Worcester Arts Council Make Music Day $6,000
Girls Inc. of Worcester Girls Inc. Dear World: Voices of Worcester Girls Enhancement $3,500
Music Worcester Boston Brass Worcester Residency $5,000
Ascentria Community Services Inc. Worcester World Refugee Day $2,500
Greater Worcester Opera Hansel and Gretel Opera Workshop $400
Timothy Loftus A Musical Taste of Irish Culture $200
Valley Residents for Improvement, Inc. VRI’s Camp Freedom Summer Music Program $2,400
Worcester Art Museum Southeast Asia Artist-in-Residence Program $5,000
Worcester Youth Center Youth Center Mural $2,500
Woodland Academy Instant Alpha Art Show $2,693
Worcester Center for Crafts Family Experiences 2018 $2,000
Mihoko Wakabayashi Seed to Fashion $3,250
ArtsWorcester Teen Nights $3,500
Joy of Music Program Boys and Girls Club and Great Brook Valley Outreach $3,000
Worcester Arts Magnet School Paper Stain Glass and Glass Making $3,200
Black Heritage Festival/Stone Soup Black Heritage Juneteenth Festival $2,000
Worcester Chamber Music Society Peter and the Wolf: Free Family Concert $3,000
Worcester Public Library Visual Arts Instruction $2,000
Elder Services of Worcester Area, Inc. Rainbow Lunch and Supper Clubs $1,200
Refugee Artisans of Worcester Community Connections Through Indigenous Refugee Crafts $2,550
Main South Community Development Corporation Main South Pop-Up Plaza $3,000
EcoTarium Nature Explore LIVE! 2018 $2,370
Understanding New Identifiers To Empower Youth(UNITEY) UNITEY Culinary and Musical Arts Series $5,000
Elizabeth Wambui Takashi Murakami Theater Project $2,500
Worcester County Light Opera Company The Laramie Project $2,800
All Saints Church Graeme McCullough Afternoon Tunes $3,500
Vietnamese Community of Worcester County Vietnamese New Year Celebration $1,750
African Community Education Program Saturday Program Field Trips $1,478
Worcester Community Action Council Creative Connections – Poetic Pathways $2,800
Latino History Project of Worcester Latino History Week $2,100
Elm Park Community School The Moral of the Story:  Bringing Fables to Life Through Puppetry $280
Michelle Memnon 4th Annual Summer Gospel Fest $2,500
Southeast Asian Coalition of Central MA 15th Annual Asian Festival and 13th Moon Festival $2,500
Cinema Worcester Four Great Films from the 1950s/ Four Countries $504
Boys & Girls Club of Worcester Wall of Art $2,500
Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, College of the Holy Cross Worcester Public Schools Outreach $250
YWCA Central Massachusetts Visual and Musical Arts for Pre-Kindergarten Students and Child Care Families $900
Audio Journal, Inc. Access to Culture for the Blind $1,250
Ariana Falk Worcester Bach Festival $1,350
Lynne McKenney Lydick To My Dearest: The Civil War Letters of General George Ward and Emily Ward $275
Cathy Weaver Taylor Luminaries in the Library $850
Elizabeth Bacon Clemente Children: The Child

Education Program of the Clemente Course in the Humanities

 $1,500
The Hanover Theatre Creative Drama Workshop $775
Worcester Community Cable Access, Inc. (WCCA TV) New Voices Awards 2018 $2,500
Worcester Earn-a-Bike, Inc. Stone Soup Public Art/Mural $750
Joseph Realbuto Therapeutic Arts for People with Disabilities $2,500
Total Awarded $114,375

 

 

About the Worcester Arts Council:

The Worcester Arts Council is a municipal body consisting of nine members appointed by the City Manager. The Council is charged with promoting the cultural affairs of the City of Worcester and allocating funds received by the Council for cultural projects and programs. The mission of the Worcester Arts Council is to promote excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretative sciences to improve the quality of life for Worcester residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our City. The Worcester Arts Council is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Additional information about the Worcester Arts Council can be found by visiting: http://www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-development/grants

 

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council:

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grant programs, partnerships, and services for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists. For more information visit: http://www.massculturalcouncil.org

 

The WICN 90.5 FM HOLIDAY JAZZ JAM A Warm and Wonderful Holiday Treat seen on WCCA TV

The Holiday Jazz Jam 2017 has been posted on the WCCA website at

http://www.wccatv.com/video/specials/WICNCHRISTMAS2017

This is an amazing and festive treat for music lovers everywhere. Enjoy some of the best local music artist !

WCCA TV was at the WICN’s annual “The Holiday Jazz Jam” , a live broadcast from WICN’s Studio 50 with notable performers including Kenny Hadley, Arnie Krakowsky, Michelle Wilson, Bobby Gadoury, Steve Gagliastro, Wendee Glick, Mauro DePasquale, Amanda Carr and Maia and her Fellas, Michelle Willson, Pamela Hines, Bob Simonelli, and Ken Hadley. Hosted by Pamela Hines and Ed Gardella.

WCCA TV’s BANDEDGE HOLIDAY MUSIC TREAT featuring WPI Big Band

Band Edge #66 WPI Cool Yule Celebration has been posted for free On-Demand Viewing

http://www.wccatv.com/video/band-edge/BANDEDGE66
Band Edge is a WCCA TV13 produced local music show shot live spotlighting Worcester area bands, solo singer/songwriters, and instrumentalist. The WPI Jazz Band performs Big Band holiday music.

BB-Photo-MauroDePasquale2

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MEANINGFUL MEDIA WCCA TV

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WCCA has a new revised monthly e-newsletter. To receive a copy you need
to get added to the mailing list by visiting the WCCA website at
wccatv.com and clicking on “Join the mailing list” which will take you
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http://wccatv.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=48f898c016d0899151f159717&id=3c4fdd54f6
WCCA TV
The People’s Channel.

WCCA TV is a regional leader serving Worcester’s community media public access needs and an anchor institution that stands for Media Democracy, Media Literacy and Creative Innovation. Learn Create and Connect at WCCA TV.

Since 1986, WCCA TV has always bee a creative space and a place that has engaged people of all backgrounds in bringing the city to life through creative expression of story telling, engaging community television talk programming, music, dance, television journalism, dramatic arts and film/video making, public art and multi media works, and to exercise free speech. It’s a space for everyone to get engaged in the arts in an active way.
A diversity of thousands of people attended WCCA educational class and workshops, participated in content creation, our public events, and our programs are seen in Worcester and around the world on line.
We have added over 630 videos to the WCCA website Video On Demand library in 2016! ALL AVAILABLE FOR FREE “ON-DEMAND VIEWING” at http://www.wccatv.com/video . This would not be possible without such an amazing video-prolific community and also with the tremendous work and effort of our own WCCA TV Staff of professional video technicians and video production artist.
WCCA community projects and programs are seen around the world and we have many letters expressing appreciation of this from many different countries. BRAVO !!
There is no denying WCCA TV is an anchor institution that stands for Media Democracy, Media Literacy and Creative Innovation.

For more information browse this website, watch our programming on cable channel 194 or here ( at wccatv.com) , streaming live or “On-Demand”, and or contact Mauro DePasquale our Executive Director. We offer community volunteer memberships, special sponsor membership plans for businesses, Workshops and training for ALL ages, and whole lot more. Get involved, create, network, share your story, opinions, and fresh ideas on “THE PEOPLE’s CHANNEL” WCCA TV

Thanks for your support.
NOTE this blog may be updated and the views and opinions expressed in the news articles embedded herein are not necessarily those of WCCA TV, it’s Board of Directors, It’s Staff, It’s sponsors and associates.