FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Anna Van Lenten
anna@cpw.org
347-254-0009
Empowering Young Visionaries: CPW and Place Corps Create New Photography Program for 2023-24 Fellows
Kingston, NY, September 14, 2023–The Center for Photography at Woodstock (CPW), in partnership with the Kingston-based nonprofit Place Corps, announces a new program for Place Corps 2023-2024 Fellows aimed at empowering young individuals who are exploring alternative paths after high school graduation. This collaborative initiative in Visual Storytelling and Media will be led by esteemed photography educator Lesly Deschler Canossi. Place Corps’ robust, nine-month, gap-year program will offer five fellowships to young people between the ages of 18 and 21; it will begin during the week of September 18th with classes at CPW’s headquarters at 25 Dederick Street, Kingston.
In alignment with Place Corps’ comprehensive three-part curriculum “Know, Love, Serve,” Fellows will gain tools and techniques for storytelling in various media, primarily visual. Students will work with Deschler Canossi to learn how to apply these skills to their own projects and communities, fostering personal and creative growth. CPW’s facilities will serve as a creative hub for the Fellows, providing access to a dedicated classroom, studio space, and state-of-the-art digital media lab. Additionally, they will have the unique opportunity to interact with visiting artists who will further enrich their learning experience. CPW is one of eight curriculum partners collaborating with Place Corps to create an integrative learning year for these five young Fellows, who will undertake other residencies over the course of their fellowships.
“We are thrilled to be able to connect Kingston youth with photography, and to spark their imaginations,” said CPW Education Coordinator Sarrah Danziger, who organized the initiative. “With Lesly Deschler Canossi at the helm of our Visual Storytelling and Media course, CPW continues to expand its education programming at a time of pivotal growth for the organization.”
This innovative partnership between CPW and Place Corps exemplifies a shared commitment to nurturing creativity, empowering youth, and providing alternative pathways to success. The Visual Storytelling and Media course aims to equip young people as they shape their futures and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world at large.
“I am delighted to lead the inaugural CPW and Place Corps collaborative initiative in support of a youth-centered space for creative expression and personal agency,” said Deschler Canossi. “Through image-making and community-focused engagement there is a tremendous opportunity for connection and growth. It is my hope that fellows leave this experience with increased visual literacy, strengthened leadership abilities and viable real-world skills in Visual Storytelling and Media – ready to confidently navigate the next stage of their careers.”
About CPW
Founded in 1977, the Center for Photography at Woodstock is a not-for-profit arts organization with a two-fold mission: to support artists working in photography and related media; and to engage audiences through creation, discovery, and learning. At the heart of CPW’s mission is programming that is community-based, artist-centered, and collaborative. To foster public conversation around critical issues in photography, CPW provides exhibitions, workshops, artists’ residencies, and access to a digital media lab. In 2022, CPW relocated from Woodstock to Kingston, NY, where it operates galleries at 474 Broadway and 25 Dederick Street.
About Place Corps
Place Corps is a progressive educational institute nestled in the heart of the Hudson Valley. The organization is dedicated to supporting the next generation in building radical solutions for sustainable and joyful livelihoods. Rooted in the belief that change starts with a deep connection to oneself, one’s community, and one’s environment, Place Corps offers a 9-month fellowship program in Kingston, NY, tailored for 18-21 year-olds who are curious about exploring alternatives to immediate college enrollment or full-time workforce engagement post-high school graduation. This bridge program, aligned with the academic year, empowers participants to understand and explore their passions while nurturing personal, professional, and practical skills necessary for a fulfilling and empowered adulthood.
Lesly Deschler Canossi is a distinguished photography educator and co-founder of Women Picturing Revolution, a dynamic organization dedicated to women-identifying photographers documenting conflicts and crises in both private realms and public spaces. Her educational approach fosters deep creativity and community connection, with a focus on themes of care, motherhood, and grief. In 2023, she coedited the volume “Black Matrilineage, Photography, and Representation: Another Way of Knowing” (Leuven University Press). Deschler Canossi has an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and is on the faculty of the International Center of Photography. She resides in Beacon, NY, with her family on a micro homestead featuring honeybees and fruit trees.
Press images and interview requests
To request high resolution images for press reproduction and interviews, please contact CPW by clicking here.