HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0338.021 1998-2000 EAST HAWA1~1 CULTURAL CENTER
RECEIVED
June 11, 1999 ~A •,~gppyy~~ ,f.A~,
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Coundlman Yagong County Council ,
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
ENCC Lease
Dear Coundlman,
Thank you so much for your follow-up telephone call to me yesteniay. I appredate the interest that you
have shown. We are very grateful for your response and willingness to keep a dialogue open in
regards to the upcoming expiration of our lease.
For your information, I have endosed a list of the events and projects that we have hosted over the last
fiscal year. Mayor Yamashiro's plan to lease the Old Police Station Building to a group that will
exdusively promote hula seems to be based on his perception that, in his words, "ENCC has had
twenty years (in the building) and hasnY done anything with el."
At the time of my meeting with him in May, he had not approached Dottie Thompson or any one else in
the Hawaiian community to get their input on his plan. He corneyed to our representatives, at that
time, his desire to provide more attractions to keep visitors in the Downtown Hilo area. As a Board, we
feel that to remove us would be counterproductive and that he has not given enough though to the role
that we currently play in our community.
At this juncture, because there seems to be no solid plan or firm cemmitrnents, I would like to request
that we have the opportunely to address the County Coundl about our plans for the future of the Old
Police Station lease, the East Hawaii Cuelural Center and our place in the Downtown Hilo community.
As the Chairman of the Board I will be happy to represent the ENCC at a Coundl meeting, but will be
on the mainland until 10 July. Could we be placed on the agenda in the second half of the month of
July?
Please contact my secretary, Jessica, at 9359085 to notify us as to the date and time that I should be
available.
Again, I appredate your interest in our situation and any guidance or help that you can give us.
Sincerely,
Vcki Penney-Rohner " ~ ~ R• O~'
Chairman Comm. No, v
FSIe No. FI N
Ref. To: SE
Ref, Date ~ 2 1999
P.O. Box 1312 • Hilo, Hawaii 96721 • (808) 961-5711
Located at 141 Kalakaua Street in Historic Downtown Hilo
EAST HAWA1~1 CULTURAL CENTER
June 14, 1999
County Coundl Members
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
EHCC LEASE
Dear Coundl Member,
In May of this year Mayor Yamashiro contacted me in my posttion as Chairman of the Easl Hawaii Guttural
Council Board to inform me of a "conceptual plan" that he is considering in regard to the Old Police Station
Building, which we lease from the County. Our lease comes up for renewal at the end of December 2000, and
the Mayor indicated that he wants to move the Menie Monarch offices here and put a Hula Museum in the
building. The Guttural Coundl has been offered space in the remodeled JC Penneys building.
In subsequent cornersations with other community members, and me, the Mayor stated that he has not
discussed his plan with Dottie Thompson or any of the Hawaiian organizations. As we understand tt, he is
looking for a way to highlight and market hula on a year-round basis. While we agree that a fadltty for
pertornance, workshops, archives and a museum are a necessity, there have been many objections raised to
the use of the Kalakaua Street sgM. And while the Mayor expressed his desire to create a historical corridor
downtown, bring tourists to the downtown area, and in general breathe more life into our historic dty, moving the
Guttural Center out of town seems to be counter productive. There are so many empty buildings in the
downtown area that could be utilized for some of these ideas.
The County Coundl has already approved a new lease agreement with the Coundl, and our organization is
very dosely identified wtth this site. Cver the past 18 years, hundreds of volunteers have renovated a building
that was censideretl useless, and created a support group for the arts in our cemmunity that hosts over 15,000
visitors each year.
Our events indude art exhibtts, lectures, demonstrations, workshops, plays, and dance pertornances, concerts
and programs for youth. Endosed is a list of the activities, which took place over the last fiscal year.
Mayor Yamashiro himself has not, in anyone's recollection over the past ten years, attended one event here at
the Center. This would account for his statement to other community members and me, "They (EHCC) have
had the building fortwenty years, and what have they done wtth it?"
In an effort to bring this sttuation to light, EHCC has t~egun a letter-writing campaign to inform the Coundl of the
position that we hold for the education in, and preservation of, the arts and culture of our mufti-ethnic
community. We thank you for taking the time to look through this information. We have also requested an
opportunity to address the Coundl and discuss the possibilities that are open to us as we partnership together to
find answers for improving the lives of residents and increasing business for our downtown merchants.
Sincerely,
Vicki Penney- ohner
Chairman
P.O. Box 1312 • Hilo, Hawaii 96721 • (808) 961-5711
Located at 141 Kalakaua Street in Historic Downtown Hilo
EHCC ACTIVTI'IES -FISCAL YEAR 1997-1998
EHCC GALLERY EXHIBITIONS
Date Event
7/5-8/2 "Na Aumakua Mai Ka La Hiki A Ka La Kau" (Ancestors form the Rising
to the Setting Sun) -Sculpture by Rocky K. Jensen & photography by
daughter Natalie M. Jensen
8/8-30 "From Spirit to Paint: New Work 1993-97" -Steve Irvine
9/5-27 "The Trash Show: Hawaii Artists Recycle"
10/3-11 "Tonetsu -Feelings of Fire =Passion" -wood fired ceramics by Clayton
Amesniya, abstract oils/caligraphy by Lauren Okano
11/7-28 "Fall Arts Fest '97 -group show by BIAG
11/7 "Creativity -Ron Kowalke -slide presentation
12/5-25 "Art off the Wall" -group sale
1/10-24 "Dementia, Opus 45: the Naked Monk", a site specific installation by
Randy Takaki
1/26-28 China's New Yeaz Flower -The Narcissus
2/6-28 "Decisive Moment" -photographs by Chiu Leong
3/7-28 "The Young at Art" -multi-media art from K-12 grades
4/5-25 "A Vietnamese Artist's View of Hawaii -paintings by Nguyen Dinh
Thuan
5/1-30 "The Dark Side of Xanadu" -paintings by Peter Kowalke
6/6-27 "Ka'ai Lope, Kei Manawa" (Past, Present) - a retrospective of the works
of Eric Summer
CENTER STAGE EXHIBTTIONS
Date Event
7/5-8/2 "Mr. Toad & Mrs. Turtle" -paintings by Sue Mailander
8/4 "The Young Artists" (from summer class)
8/8-30 Paintings by Karen K. Vanatta
9/5-27 "S Matrix Drawings/Collages by Colleen Cannon-Kazlos
10/3-31 Recent works, mixed media by Erna Woo
11/7-27 "Alternate (and framed) Realities" -oil and acrylics by Wes Bogner
12/6-24 "Cosmic Art" -paintings by Damascus Aquazian
1/3-31 "Watercolors" - by Bobbye Belcher
2/6-29 "Primal Paintings" by Susan Lewis
3/7-28 "The Young at Art" -photography
4/5-25 Recent works by Diane Renchler, mixed media
5/1-30 "Puna Series" -paintings by Amy Sullivan
6/5-27 Oils and Pastels by Vicki Penney-Rohner
WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES
Date Event
Every Mon. Life Drawing Group
Every Wed. Okinawan Court Dances
9/20-11/1 S Drawing & Painting -Children's Art - Arenzo Smith
12/6 Reed Art -Christmas ornaments -Pam Barton
12/7-8 Rainforest Wreaths -Alice Aumua
1/5, 11, 18, 25 Narcissus Bulb Carving -Gilman Hu
1/24 "Reseazching East Hawaii's History" -East Hawaii Historical
Society
1/10-2/28 "The Basics of Perspective Drawing" (once per week) - Arenzo
Smith
3/21-5/23 Children's Art - Arenzo Smith
5/10,24,17,31 Modern Dance with Andre Moris, Peter Rockford Espiritu
6/13-8/8 "Drawing with aBrush" -Children's Art - Arenzo Smith
6/16-7/21 "Experimenting with Movement" -Grace Chao
6/22-8/14 "Art for Children" -Eva Anderson, Arenzo Smith, Andrea Vinson
EHCC SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
Date Event
7/31 Film Festival - "Hawaiian Sting, Humuhonua, Kapa Haka"
4'~' Annual Pacific Island Images Film Festival
7/10-12, Play: "Measure for Measure" -Shakespeare. Directed by
17-19, 24-26 Don Moody, Hilo Community Players
7/21 Slack Key Festival - "Ki ho'alu" - 13 artists
7/5 Slack Key Concert - Ledward Kaapana
7/23 Poetry Reading -Martha Webb, poet
7/16 Slide presentation - "Japan" -narrator/photographer, Paul
Buklarearcz
8/16-17 Theatre - "Tutu's Tales" -written and directed by Cathy Punch
and Angie Baker -Hilo Community Players
8/28-30, 9/4-6 Theatre - "Ten xTen" -directed by Paul Clazk -Hilo Community
Players
8/23 Slack Key Concert -Ozzie Kotani, guitar artist
8/20 Reading - by Carolyn Han, author, "Nakhi Stories of China"
8/13 Slide presentation - "Kathmandu" - Dr. Mazlin Spike Werner,
speech and hearing scientist
9/] 8 Presentation - "Shipwrecks & Landings" -Pete Hendricks, State
Department of Land & Natural Resources
10/] 0, 11, 17, Theater: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' -directed by Steve Slater
18, 24, 25 Cast of I 1 actors
10/22 Reading - "Poets Four" -works of four local poets -Ann
Gleason, Tracey Lambe, Diana Burroughs, Rosalyn Smith
10/23 Lecture/Slide - "Who were the First European Visitors to
Hawaii?" -East Hawaii Historical Society
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11/22 Kimono dressing for children — 3' Annual Hilo Shichigosan in
cooperation with Mizushima International Kimono Program
12/3 Theatre discussion — "Knives, Fans & Whipping Sticks" — a
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theatrical adaptation from "Noli Me Tangere" by Nicholas Picky
and Chris B. Millado: In cooperation with Hawaii Alliance for
Philippines Performing Arts, The Center for Philippine Studies,
Hawaii Committee for the Humanities, Center for Southeast Asian
Studies, Hawaii Community Foundation and Pacific Asian Affairs
12/5, 6, 7, Theatre — "A Christmas Carol" — directed by Laura Andres,
12, 13, 14 Hilo Community Players, Cast of 22 actors
12/20 Concert — "The Gift: A Celtic Christmas Celebration" — a benefit
for EHCC by the Pacific Academy of Music
1/16 Concert — "Second Annual First Jam Session of the New Year" by
Mark Mallory and Friends for EHCC
1/15 Slide /lecture — "The Debt of Hawaii's Native Animals to Hawaii's
Native Plants" — Sierra Club
2/27, 28 Theatre — `Beyond Therapy" — Comedy by Christopher Durang
3/6 -7, 13 -14 directed by Don Moody, Hilo Community Players
2/14 Panel discussion — "Captain Cook: God or Guest ?" — East Hawaii
Historical Society
2/24 Poetry Reading — Michael McPherson & William Chillingworth
3/28 Tour /lecture — "Native Plants of Hawaii and Their Place in
Hawaii's History" — East Hawaii Historical Society
3/9 Forum — "Arts Education" — Jane Resner, lecturer, editor,
consultant, author — Big Isle Dance Council & SFCA
4/9 Poetry Reading — "Strange Voices" — poets Alan McNarie & John
Threlfall
4/11 Comedy — Comedy "Women's Comed `98" — AAUW, Puna Branch
4/22 Storytelling — "Hawaiian Legends Come to Life in Land of Pele" —
storyteller Mahealani Kuamo'o OHenry
4/23 Poetry reading — Presentations by 8 women writers
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4/23 -25, 5/7 -9 Theater — "One Act Festival: Round One" — in cooperation with
Hilo Community Players
4/30 -5/2, 15 -16 Theater — "One Act Festival: Round Two" — in cooperation with
Hilo Community Players
5/2 Festival — May Day Celebration — in cooperation with the County
of Hawaii, Department of Parks & Recreation, Culture & Arts
Section
5/29 Concert — "Jazz, the Listener's Art" —10 professional performers
6/19 -20 Dance Concert — Big Island Dance Council & the County of
Hawaii, Department of Parks & Recreation, Culture & Arts
Section
6/27 Fundraiser — "Art Alive" — Art auction, food, entertainment