Bushwick Open Studios and Art Festival

Arts in Bushwick presents Bushwick Open Studios and Art Festival, June 5-7th, 2009:
a volunteer-organized event celebrating the thriving local arts scene and building bridges within its dynamic community.

Bushwick Open Studios and Art Festival is back, and bigger than ever! In partnership with local organizations and businesses, Arts in Bushwick is bringing together visual artists, performance artists, musicians, designers, residents, and the public to celebrate creative expression. Now in its 3rd year, BOS is a festival with an established past and a clear purpose. This year's BOS has more than 250 registered artist studios, group shows and events in over 125 locations. From its industrial landscape to its community blocks, art is everywhere and Art in Bushwick’s goal is to help it grow by fostering collaborative projects.

Bushwick has become a go-to destination for New York artists looking for a place to practice, produce and perform. Although the current economic downturn has posed challenges for artists and community residents, the enthusiasm, creativity and productiveness of Bushwick's art scene continue to thrive. The neighborhood has been written up as an art destination in the Washington Post, the New York Times, New York Magazine, and Time Out: New York. It's an exciting time for grassroots art organizing, and Bushwick is an ever-growing hotbed of studios, workshops, galleries, theaters and performance spaces.

Bushwick Open Studios takes place over 3 square miles, including parts of East Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Ridgewood. To unite the area, AIB has designated Informational Hubs close to subway and bus lines to serve as a resource for visitors. AIB volunteers will staff the Hubs and provide maps, promotional materials and info about studios and activities. Hubs include: Camel Art Space (Graham L), 3rd Ward (Grand L), Green Rhino (Montrose L), Ad Hoc Art (Morgan L), Norte Maar (Jefferson / Dekalb L), Silent Barn (Halsey L), Grace Space (Flushing M), Papa B Studios (Myrtle J/M), Goodbye Blue Monday (Kosciusko J) and Palmetto Air (Gates J).

The BOS weekend begins the evening of Friday, June 5 with a number of gallery openings and events. On June 6 and 7, a weekend-long music event will feature local musicians at Goodbye Blue Monday. On Saturday night, AIB is producing a High Society Cabaret at Starr Space, showcasing the variety of performance in Bushwick. Most artists’ studios will be open from 12pm-7pm on Saturday and Sunday (check the program or web site for individual studios' hours and event times). Visitors will have the opportunity to view an impressive variety of work, and to meet with and talk to the artists. Profiles of participating artists are featured on the Arts in Bushwick website, www.artsinbushwick.org.

AIB itself is a diverse, all-volunteer group whose collaborative work mirrors the ethos of the community of artists it supports. AIB is also a non-commercial enterprise, charging only to cover costs and allowing artists to volunteer rather than pay participation fees. Since its inception, AIB has taken steps to connect the arts community to the Bushwick community at large. In this tradition, BOS 2009 will feature a moderated panel discussion at 3pm on Saturday at the Bushwick branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, focusing on issues of sustainability, displacement and neighborhood change. The discussion will include local activists, members of the arts community and elected officials. The panel will be followed by an open discussion of these issues at 5pm at Lumenhouse. All are invited to attend, listen and join in the discussion.

For profiles of participating artists, a schedule of events, press about past festivals, and other information, please visit us online at www.artsinbushwick.org, or email press@artsinbushwick.org.

• < Previous Event
• Next Event >

Comment