Melissa Kate and Artfully Aware

Melissa Kate

Artfully Aware

Let me introduce you to Melissa Kate, Songwriter, Singer of Jazz, Rhythm & Blues and Pop Music, Actress, commercial voiceover artist. Melissa is also the United States Managing Director of Artfully AWARE, an organization whose mission is to: strengthen sustainable futures in both developed and developing societies by using the arts to enrich, educate and empower individuals and communities, through the implementation of their fine art, drama, dance, music and media programmers. Artfully AWARE also seeks to support the development of psychological well-being, increase self-esteem and enhance community capacity building.

Melissa Coordinated Fund Raising activities at an event last year in New York City at the Original Arthouse.

In October 2009, Melissa, along with two of the Artfully AWARE volunteers, participated in Artist’s United for Human Rights in Buffalo, New York. All of this while recording and releasing her own album titled Kissed By Kate, a Sultry Cabaret Blues/R&B Mix with a touch of Latin and world beats.

What’s amazing is how she stays focused on the vision of Artfully AWARE, a Vision presented by its founder, Hilary Wallis who believes: “By focusing on a set of core communities, Artfully AWARE maintains a carefully tailored vision of how to help realise {people’s}needs and aspirations. This approach enables us to engage in ongoing and constructive dialogue with participants, working hand in hand with them in the evolution of our programmes.”

Artfully Aware has various world wide Directors with a common Goal, which is:

“To involve all types of artists and educators from both developed and developing communities in cultural exchange and teaching programmes that will eventually be self-sustaining and run by local trainers. And by strengthening communities psycho-socially by bringing people together to share in a journey of exploration and celebration of the arts.

Also to recover the ideal of expression in depressed societies by providing a medium for people to speak through their art and to form connections with similar societies as well as with the developed world.

What’s important is to assist in generating locally allocated and managed sources of income for participating communities through a series of artistic productions, exhibitions, and by displaying and auctioning artwork at public fundraising events, while concurrently increasing awareness of social, cultural and economic challenges.” (source from www.artfullyaware.org)

You see this glow in the US team I had the pleasure of meeting. These people include: Joey Naham, Suzanne Hyde, Katrina Daniels, Angela Badolato, Elizabeth Aquilar, Carol Aquilar, Olga Papkovitch and Chairman of the Board, John Coonrod (vice president of The Hunger Project).

Melissa Has traveled the world with the International award winning R&B Jazz Band Taylor Made Jazz. Melissa is a multi- talented artist who has a strong future ahead of her in all of what she does, from acting to singing and entertaining. Melissa has her own band called the Melissa Kate Project, Check out her CD Kissed By Kate, and her previous CD, Blind Faith, from her web site www.melissakate.net and for the wonderful work she does with Artfully AWARE. Check out www.artfullyaware.org. We hope to see you at their next fund raising event.