NEW YORK, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, today shared that Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) has raised its outlook on Stagwell from stable to positive and affirmed its B1 corporate family rating, B1-PD probability of default rating (PDR), and B2 senior unsecured notes rating.

In a release from Moody’s, analyst Mikhil Mahore commented, “The positive outlook reflects our expectations that growing scale, improved operating profile and recent cost reduction measures will support Stagwell in maintaining financial leverage below 4x at year-end-2023 and through 2024, despite macroeconomic pressures.”

The full release from Moody’s can be found here.

“A year ago, we were awarded an upgraded corporate family rating; today, our newly raised outlook is another welcomed recognition of our progress as we approach Stagwell’s second anniversary,” said Stagwell Chairman and CEO Mark Penn.

Stagwell will report financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2023, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, before market open. Register here for the earnings webcast taking place 8:30 AM ET the same day.

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

IR Contact:
Ben Allanson
[email protected]

PR Contact:
Sarah Arvizo
[email protected]

SOURCE Stagwell Inc.

The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers has issued a call to artists for its September exhibition titled “Storm Stories.” The call asks artists to encapsulate their experiences during and after Hurricane Ian in two and three dimensional works of art.

“’Storm Stories’ is a project centered on community healing,” says Gallery Manager Emily Radomski, sharing the exhibition’s rationale. “We really wanted to find a way for people to process their experiences after the storm — basically anything documenting their experience during or after the storm. It can be any medium as long as it’s an original piece, not a print. And it has to be smaller than five feet in any direction.”

In the past year, Florida and its Gulf Coast and Caribbean neighbors have weathered earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and drought, all amidst a global pandemic. Artists have helped disaster-impacted communities move forward, rebuild, and prepare for the next crisis. The Alliance hopes that “Storm Stories” will do likewise.

The exhibition includes both an oral and written component.

“For the oral history side of it, we’ve been collecting voicemails,” Radomski notes. “People could call and leave a voicemail just documenting their experience or what happened to them during and after the storm, and we’ve been collecting them since late October or November of last year.”

During that same time frame, the Alliance’s exhibition partner, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, has also been collecting written accounts provided by people impacted by Ian. There was no age or word limit, and submissions could be in prose or poetry.

“So they’ve compiled about 50 stories into a book documenting different people’s stories, and that will be available here during the month of September for sale, and they’ll be giving an author talk as well during the month with some of those contributors.”

As GCWA Program Director Mary Charles notes, both the written accounts and oral histories are now part of Hurricane Ian’s permanent record and lasting legacy.

According to Radomski, the idea for both the book and associated art exhibition evolved from a discussion that occurred at the Alliance’s first weekly staff meeting following their re-opening some three weeks after the storm.

“We all sat down and it was kind of just like a check-in, where we all just talked about what we had experienced, and I think it was really helpful for us to talk about it as a group and talk about what we had seen and what we had done, and everything. And so we thought maybe the community needs that as well.”

There’s a third component to September’s “Storm Stories” exhibition, and it comes to the community compliments of the Disaster in the Body Project conducted by the University of Florida’s Center for Arts, Migration and Entrepreneurship. According to Professor of Epidemiology Burton Singer, natural disasters and pandemics result in widespread toxic stress which can lead to negative health effects in an event’s aftermath.

“It’s basically about how the body holds trauma,” Radomski observes. “And so they’ll give a talk, a lecture, about trauma in the body and then they’ll lead visitors through some movements to help release some of the tension and the trauma that the body can hold.”

Artists interested in participating in the visual art component of “Storm Stories” have until 5 p.m. on August 7^th to submit digital images of up to three works in any media, except giclees, that either use found objects and recycled materials collected after Ian or express their experiences during and after the storm. There is no entry fee although the show is juried to ensure theme.

A prospectus for the exhibition can be found on the Alliance’s website (provided below).

“The art exhibit will be up for the whole month. It will open on the first, but there will be no reception. We’re doing a closing reception on the anniversary of the storm on the 28th.”

Radomski adds that the Alliance has witnessed the healing power of art and is bringing “Storm Stories” in that spirit.

“We just hope this will be helpful for the community without re-opening wounds, I guess. We really want the concentration to be an outlet for the community to heal.”

MORE INFORMATION:

• The Alliance for the Arts is a nonprofit community visual and performing arts center located in the heart of Fort Myers, Florida. Since 1975, the Alliance has been committed to transforming lives and improving community through the arts. The Alliance campus and galleries are open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. It’s 10-acre campus is located at 10091 McGregor Boulevard just south of Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. For more information, please call 239-939-2787, visit us at www.ArtInLee.org. You can also follow the Alliance on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• Founded in 1995 and incorporated in 2004, the Gulf Coast Writers Association, Inc. (GCWA) provides a forum for fellowship, education, and information for writers. GCWA’s well-regarded annual writing contest draws a wide-range of authors. Based in Fort Myers, the organization attracts members from throughout Southwest Florida from Marco Island to Tampa. At monthly meetings, speakers and workshops offer expert advice on such topics as writing techniques, publishing, and marketing. Participants at these meetings also have the opportunity to read their works. The organization’s members include published as well as unpublished writers and professional editors, agents and publicists. The literary genres run the gamut from poetry, adult fiction and nonfiction to children’s and young adult, historical fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, memoir, essays and screenplay. Members include full-time writers as well as corporate professionals, teachers, and business owners, all still working or retired. GCWA’s website is gulfwriters.org.
• The deadline for written “Storm Stories” submissions closed May 15, 2023. However, the Alliance is still collecting oral histories. Some of the latter may appear on the walls of the gallery during the September exhibition.
• The juried exhibition in the Alliance’s main gallery will be on display September 1-30, 2023. The exhibition will culminate in a closing reception on the anniversary of Hurricane Ian’s landfall on September 28, 2023 from 5 to 7 p.m. This event will be in place of an opening reception and will include light refreshments.
• “At the Alliance for the Arts (AFTA), we believe in the healing power of art,” says Gallery Manager Emily Radomski. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, we have seen a great need for healing in our community.”
• With respect to the University of Florida Trauma in the Body Project, new research, published in the Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology explores a concept known as allostatic load, which represents the price paid by the body for responding to repetitive and diverse forms of stressful experiences. It is based on the idea of allostasis, which is a process of physiological adaptation to acute stress that restores a condition of homeostasis in the face of challenges. Over time, cumulative exposure to stressful challenge leads to wear and tear on the body, accumulation of allostatic load, and an increased susceptibility to disease. Singer and his coauthors developed a framework that melds aspects of psychosocial and physiological allostatic load to estimate its burden in people affected by disasters and traumatic events. These estimates could be used to gauge the short- and long- term health effects of disasters, or to predict or mitigate prevention of specific illnesses or conditions. The framework could even be leveraged for use in an observing system focused upon post-disaster human health, the authors say.
• In 1936, German psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich postulated that the body develops chronic muscular spasms in order to block the release of emotions such as anxiety, rage and sexual excitation. He termed this phenomenon as “muscular armouring” and developed a system of releasing these spasms through physical manipulation which concurrently released the associated repressed childhood memories giving rise to the blocked emotions.
• Ida Pauline Rolf similarly developed a system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education now called “Rolfing” that seeks to release trauma encapsulated in the body’s muscles, thereby returning the skeleton and musculature to proper, health-promoting alignment. [See also, Moshe Feldenkrais’s Awareness Through Movement system of physical exercise that aims to improve human functioning and overall health by increasing awareness through movement.]
• In the same way, the UF Trauma in the Body Project proposes certain movements as a way of releasing allostatis associated with events such as Hurricane Ian.
• “We’ll have availability during the month [of September] for people to come in and work with a massage therapist,” Radomski notes. “So I think we’re planning on having one day that’s dedicated to first responders to come and get a free massage and free meditation. And then we’ll have different ones available to different groups of people who went through a lot during that time.”

To read more stories about the arts in Southwest Florida visit Tom Hall’s website: SWFL Art in the News.

Spotlight on the Arts for WGCU is funded in part by Naomi Bloom, Jay & Toshiko Tompkins, and Julie & Phil Wade.

Published on: July 13, 2023
Last updated: July 13, 2023

After starting at CHOC 15 years ago as a part-time music therapist, Eric is now CHOC’s creative arts supervisor.

Link: https://inside.choc.org/defender-profile-eric-mammen-creative-arts-supervisor-of-the-cherese-mari-laulhere-child-life-department/



Syrian-German filmmaker and animator Waref Abu Quba takes viewers on a fast-paced tour through the ornate art and architecture of Istanbul in his short film “Takrar.” Comprised of 270 shots culled from about 2,900 photos, the stop-motion animation zeros in on the elaborate motifs and impeccable craftsmanship spotted throughout the Turkish capital. “When I first visited Istanbul in 2021, I was captivated by its timeless beauty and decided to capture it through my lens,” Quba says. “Creating each frame of this film was an utter joy, and every new scene brought unexpected and beautiful surprises.”

Two years in the making, “Takrar” spotlights the mélange of Islamic, Ottoman, Greek, and Byzantine influences throughout the city. The film is set to an upbeat percussive track played by Robbe Kieckens at the direction of Alex Story that appears to make ancient statues, decorative patterns, and architectural structures dance to the beat in a striking celebration of art and design, past and present.

Watch “Takrar” above, and find more of Quba’s works on Vimeo.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Art and Architecture Dance to a Percussive Beat in a Stop-Motion Tour of Istanbul appeared first on Colossal.

At the New Museum, Pepón Osorio’s exhilarating assemblages and installations hold a mirror up to Latino communities and reflect his experiences in Puerto Rico and New York.

For small-business owners, July is the perfect time to start planning their holiday
season. This time of year allows small businesses time to step back and look at that
critical season more objectively so they can develop a plan based on data and strategy.

Audie Cunningham will discuss and evaluate holiday marketing strategies in July during
a Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network and workshop titled “Business
Fitness: Create Your Holiday Marketing Plan” Thursday, July 20, from noon-1 p.m. To
register, go here. Registration is free.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think
about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is
hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council
and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business
Administration.

Topics covered in this webinar may apply to holiday planning but can be applied to
any time of the year. Cunningham will discuss what to include in your holiday marketing
plan and why; common pitfalls and how to avoid them; and tips and tools for holiday
advertising plans.

Cunningham is the Wyoming SBDC Network’s regional director for Fremont and Teton counties.
She enjoys seeing community members bring their business ideas to life and is eager
to help them grow and thrive. As an entrepreneur, Cunningham has worked in art licensing
and graphic design, and has 10 years of experience in customer service and marketing
through her work in public libraries. Her education and experience have given her
knowledge in print and digital marketing, creating marketing plans, social media marketing
and business planning. 

For more information, call Maureen Johnson, marketing, communication and database
manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email mjohn125@uwyo.edu.

Here are the latest arts moves in Washington, with news from The National Building Museum, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Arena Stage and more.  

Phillips Collection to Restore Two Cézanne Pieces  

The Phillips Collection has been awarded Bank of America’s 2023 Art Conservation Project Grant. The grant will allow the museum to conserve two paintings by the French post-Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne. The artist’s “Mont Sainte-Victoire” (1886-1887) and “Self-Portrait” (1878-1880) will be getting extensive treatment for the first time in almost 50 years.    

D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities Welcomes New Executive Director  

The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities announced a new executive director, Aaron Myers, earlier this summer. Myers is a renowned jazz vocalist, pianist, educator, and activist. He was nominated in February of this year after a four-month search. The D.C. Council unanimously appointed him at a May 2 legislative meeting.  

Aaron Myers is the new executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.  Courtesy D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanties.

National Building Museum Announces 2023 Honor Awardee  

The National Building Museum recognized Kohler Co. and its leader, the late Herbert V. Kohler, Jr. (1939-2022) as the recipient of their 2023 Honor Award. The award was given to Kohler at the museum’s annual gala on May 24. “We are thrilled to present Kohler with the 36th annual Honor Award,” said President and Executive Director of the National Building Museum Aileen Fuchs in a press release.  

A photo from the 2022 Honor Award Gala at the National Building Museum.  Courtesy NBM.

Arena Stage Gets New Board Chair  

Potomac Law Group’s Catherine Guttman-McCabe was unanimously elected as board chair for Arena Stage. She began her tenure leading the organization on May 1, and replaces Decker Anstrom. Guttman-McCabe is in her fifth year of service to Arena Stage, having also chaired the venue’s Artistic Director Search Committee following Molly Smith’s June 2023 retirement. “[Catherine] stepped up and brought her ‘A’ game to the most important task trustees hold as their responsibility to their community,” said Arena Stage Executive Producer Edgar Dobie in a press release about Guttman-McCabe’s work on the artistic director search committee. “How terrific that her leadership now extends across our entire enterprise.”  

Catherine Guttman-McCabe was recently elected board chair for Arena Stage.  Courtesy Potomac Law.

In addition to Guttman-McCabe’s appointment, Arena Stage also announced promotions of two senior leaders, Shonali Burke and Ryan E. Merkel. Burke has been promoted to chief marketing and strategy officer and Merkel’s role expands from director of development to chief development officer.  

Ryan Merkel was also promoted at Arena Stage.  LinkedIn photo.

Solas Nua Has New Executive Director  

Solas Nua’s Board of Directors has appointed Andrew Dolan as executive director of the Irish contemporary arts organization. Dolan is an accomplished artist, producer and leader with over 15 years’ experience in professional theater. He most recently served as co-artistic director of the Red Eye Theater in Minnesota. “I am humbled and honored to join Solas Nua as executive director,” Dolan said in a press release. “I am thrilled to come to D.C. to work with Solas Nua’s board, staff and supporters to grow our platform for Irish artists.”  

Andrew Dolan has joined the Solas Nua team.  Courtesy Solas Nua.

Mosaic Theater Announces Staff Changes  

Mosaic Theater’s Director of Communications and Marketing Mike Fila announced late last month that he’ll be departing the artistic venue for a new opportunity at the Library of Congress. The interim contact for his position is Liza Lorenz, who was previously director of communications and digital strategy and director of communications and marketing for Ford’s Theatre.   

Liza Lorenz will take over for Mike Fila at Mosaic Theater. LinkedIn photo.

tagsAaron MyersAndrew DolanArena StageCatherine Guttman-McCabeCézanneDC Commision on the Arts and HumanitiesDecker AnstromEdgar DobieHerbert V. KohlerIrish contemporary artsJr.Liza LorenzMike FilaMolly SmithMosaic TheaterNational Building MuseumPaul CézanneRey Eye TheaterRyan MerkelShonali BurkeSolas Nuathe Phillips Collection

Press Releases

07/13/2023

Attorney General Tong Sues Stone Academy, Joseph Bierbaum, Paier College of Art for Violations of Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today sued Stone Academy, Paier College of Art and their owner Joseph Bierbaum alleging numerous violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act following the abrupt closure of the for-profit nursing school.

Attorney General Tong is simultaneously asking the court to attach multiple millions of dollars of Stone’s and Bierbaum’s assets during the pendency of this litigation, including Bierbaum’s Rocky Hill mansion. This would prevent the defendants from offloading or shifting resources to evade accountability.

“Stone Academy promised hands-on training from industry leaders, and an education that would position students to become Licensed Practical Nurses in less than two years. These were lies. This is textbook consumer deception—our evidence is unassailable, and we will get justice for Stone’s students,” said Attorney General Tong. “While students suffered from plummeting exam pass rates, disappearing clinical opportunities, and a dearth of qualified faculty, Stone’s owners got rich. As Stone’s nursing program collapsed, Bierbaum took tuition money and spent it to promote his other business—Paier College of Art. Stone’s so-called ‘dedicated’ staff were also running Paier and in one instance Bierbaum’s own home improvement contracting business. This was not a victimless scam. Stone students took on thousands of dollars in debt and spent hundreds of hours away from their families and jobs to becomes nurses and improve their lives. Our state desperately needs these trained nurses. Stone’s day of reckoning is here—we’re demanding millions of dollars in penalties and restitution for students. We’re asking the court to appoint a receiver for Stone and to attach Bierbaum’s assets, including his Rocky Hill mansion, to ensure that Stone’s victims get every ounce of justice possible.”

“The law is clear: businesses in our state should accurately represent the product or service they are selling, and consumers should expect to receive exactly what they paid for. We support the Attorney General in his efforts to hold those accountable who utilize deceptive and aggressive advertising tactics for their own gain, while doing irreparable harm to families in our state,” said Department of Consumer Protection Deputy Commissioner Shirley Skyers-Thomas.

Attorney General Tong first launched an investigation into the shuttered nursing school on February 23, after Stone abruptly closed its doors leaving students’ education plans in limbo. Stone’s response to the state investigation has been plagued with calculated maneuvers to withhold damaging texts and emails and aggressive public relations campaigns designed to obfuscate and mislead the public, its own students, state officials and lawmakers. Evidence compiled through numerous depositions, interviews and review of thousands of documents is irrefutable. Stone, its owner Joseph Bierbaum, and Paier College of Art, also owned by Bierbaum, engaged in unfair conduct and willfully deceived its students in clear violation of Connecticut law.

Stone’s Promises

Stone offered day and evening practical nursing programs at locations in East Hartford, Waterbury and West Haven. Stone aggressively advertised—targeting women and prominently featuring women of color– on billboards, via social media, and on radio, television and internet advertisements, promising students “hands on instruction from a dedicated staff.” Stone claimed their practical nursing program would “prepare and assist students in acquiring the basic knowledge and skills necessary to be hired into an entry-level position as a Licensed Practical Nurse” in less than two years. The school promised training from “industry leading professionals,” including an 860-hour clinical rotation and a 40-hour on-campus lab component giving students the “hands-on practical experience required to work alongside and assist doctors and registered nurses, providing routine care.”

Stone’s program cost well over $30,000, plus additional fees and expenses. The majority of Stone students took loans to pay for the program, and dedicated time away from their careers and families to further their education.

Stone’s Reality

Stone utterly failed to provide the education and training it promised. Stone’s multiple, blatant failures and regulatory violations created a situation that caused many of its graduates to be ineligible to sit for the NCLEX licensing exam and obtain licensure in the State of Connecticut, thus violating one of Stone’s most important promises.

Stone faculty were not “industry leading professionals.” Instead, Stone knowingly hired entry-level and associate degree nurse instructors who were not permitted to teach practical nursing students under Connecticut regulations.

Stone did not have a “dedicated staff” for its students. In fact, multiple individuals on Stone’s payroll worked as well for Bierbaum’s other for-profit entities, including Paier College and his own home improvement company.

Stone provided only a fraction of the 860 hours of “hands-on” clinical experience that it had promised. Stone students could not graduate in the time promised due to a backlog of over 1,000 students waiting for clinical hours by late 2020. Faced with this severe backlog of students in need of clinical hours, rather than stop or slow enrollment, Stone utterly disregarded state regulations. Stone unilaterally decreased the number of clinical hours it promised to students by approximately 15 percent. In violation of state regulations, Stone offered invalid “on-campus” clinical experiences, and Stone exceeded maximum 10:1 faculty-student ratios. At Bierbaum’s direction, students performed COVID-19 temperature screenings for Stone and Paier College, even though neither school is a healthcare facility and thus qualified to offer valid clinical training. At Bierbaum’s direction, Stone eliminated a requirement that attendance be taken at clinical sites. In depositions, witness interviews and internal emails Stone administrators reported many instances where students left or were dismissed early from clinicals with no academic consequences.

Stone Students Suffer while Bierbaum and his Businesses Benefit

While Stone students suffered, Stone’s owners, Bierbaum and Mark Scheinberg profited greatly, receiving many millions of dollars, including from separate businesses they created to service Stone Academy. Bierbaum’s other business ventures also benefited. Stone Academy administrators were routinely assigned to work for Paier College. Stone’s Admissions Director simultaneously worked for Paier, and also spent over one and a half years working for Bierbaum’s home improvement company while being paid by Stone. Bierbaum’s Chief of Staff at Paier College was exclusively on Stone’s payroll.

In multiple instances, Stone Academy paid expenses on behalf of Paier, including marketing costs and charitable contributions. Through Bierbaum, between 2019 and through at least 2021, Stone subsidized nearly $1 million of Paier College’s expenses each year using Stone tuition money. These subsidies occurred while Stone students lacked books, lab supplies, adequate classroom space, and even at some times adequate heat and running water.

State Seeking Millions of Dollars in Penalties and Restitution

For repeated, willful acts of deception and unfairness in violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Office of the Attorney General is seeking civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation—a sum likely totaling many millions of dollars, in addition to the disgorgement of all revenues, profits and gains achieved through such acts and practices. The complaint also seeks restitution for the victims of Stone’s conduct—students.

The complaint further requests that the court appoint a receiver for Stone Academy to marshal its assets.

Assistant Attorneys General Joseph Gasser and Kate Hsu Hagmann-Borenstein, Legal Investigator Caylee Ribeiro, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

Facebook: CT Attorney General

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov

Consumer Inquiries:

860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov

Hostile architecture is a design strategy that restricts access to public space. Spikes protruding from doorways, fences under stairs, and curved benches that require the user to stabilize themselves with their feet are examples of the inhumane practice that deters unhoused, poor, and young people from gathering in urban areas. The approach also applies to non-human species, and birds are primary targets—a few years back, a Bristol tree was even spotted with spines lining its branches.

But as researchers from Naturalis Biodiversity Center and the Natural History Museum Rotterdam have discovered, our feathered friends have more ingenuity than architects thought. A paper published this month in Deinsea highlights several examples of magpies and carrion crows building nests with strips of anti-bird spikes in both Rotterdam and Antwerp. Magpies are particularly enterprising and use pointed edges for their original purpose: many have lined the roofs of their homes with the spikes to deter predators from snatching eggs.

Adhesive residue also suggests that the birds ripped the unwelcoming materials from their original places and combined them with twigs, netting, and other findings. This comes after several sightings of cockatoos tearing the strips from buildings and is part of a long history of avians using human-made material like knitting needles and barbed wire for their nests.  “It’s actually like a joke,” biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra said about the findings. “Even for me as a nest researcher, these are the craziest bird nests I’ve ever seen.”

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Crows and Magpies Are Building Nests with Anti-Bird Spikes appeared first on Colossal.