News and Press Releases

For Immediate Release: September 10, 2021

Contact: publicaffairs@culture.nyc.gov

NEW YORK CITY ARTIST CORPS MEMBERS ARE OFFERING 100+ FREE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER

New York, NY - This month, New Yorkers can enjoy more than 100 free visual art, music, dance, theater, and multidisciplinary public programs being offered by members of the New York City Artist Corps. As the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs recently announced, over 3,000 artists have so far received support through City Artist Corps, helping to foster an equitable recovery that supports local artists and connects residents in every corner of the five boroughs with opportunities to participate in our city’s unparalleled cultural life.

First announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals in May 2021, the $25 million City Artist Corps program supports artists who live and work in NYC and gives New Yorkers opportunities to experience cultural programming. To date, thousands of City Artist Corps participants have received City Artist Corps Grants, administered in collaboration with New York Foundation for the Arts and other local partners; engaged with students in the NYC Department of Education’s Summer Rising program; worked on murals ArtBridge and NYCHA; programmed at The People’s Festival; and more.

New York City Artist Corps is also supporting Beautify NYC, which builds on Carnegie Hall’s and NYC Department of Probation’s NeON Arts program. Through Beautify NYC, teaching artists are working with over 100 youth participants on 21 arts and neighborhood beautification projects across the city. One of the project sites, the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning in Queens, will host a celebration of their project on Friday, September 10, from 2 pm - 4pm at 161-04 Jamaica Avenue. There, teaching artists and BeautifyNYC participants are researching, designing, and creating murals that will run on Jamaica Avenue and 153rd Street. Watch a short clip of their work.

From September 10 to September 26, City Artist Corps is in action across NYC through the following programs and events. For media interested in covering any of the events listed below, contact publicaffairs@culture.nyc.gov. For more updates, follow #CityArtistCorps on Instagram and Twitter.

9/10: Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (Queens) will celebrate the first installation of its Beautify NYC mural project at the Center, 161-04 Jamaica Avenue, at 2 pm. See above for additional details about Beautify NYC.

9/10: Frank Dunham (Manhattan) will perform “Cherry House,“ a play about racism, sexuality, love, and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, at 5pm.

9/10: Kraig Blue (Manhattan) will create a mural with audience participation in celebration of native flora and fauna at Governors Island, Nolan Park Building 10B.

9/10: Poyen Wang (Manhattan) will present an artist talk discussing his recent work followed by an open conversation in English and Mandarin at Gallery 456 from 7pm-9pm.

9/11: Mialana BoutteDesoleil (Manhattan) will host an exhibition showcasing heritage folk art textiles and a new haute couture textile commissioned by Le Cabine de Givenchy.

9/11: Kuki Go (Manhattan) will present a live tape art street mural at Open Streets at Avenue B.

9/11: Max Kutner (Brooklyn) will present the free The Whatever Guitar Festival through September 12, featuring solo guitar performances from Brooklyn-based players, at Green Lung Studio from 6pm-10pm.

9/11: Porochista Khakpour (Queens) will host a virtual reading of selections from her novels and essays, followed by a Q&A.

9/11: Christopher Dieman (Queens) will present “Parx,” a comedic, outlandish one-act play celebrating New York City and its public parks at Murray Park in Long Island City, 21st St and 45th Rd, at 6:30pm.

9/11: Kate Fauvell (Manhattan) will host the opening reception of “We Speak Our Truth: Portraits of Mamahood,” an exhibition featuring seven artists who are mothers exploring the perspective of motherhood, at ChaShaMa, 320 West 23rd Street, from 1pm-3pm.

9/11: Francis Carolina Madi Cerrada (Queens) will stage a reading of the original play “Querencia,” about a Venezuelan immigrant family’s experiences living in America, at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning’s Little Theater at 5pm.

9/12: Rohin Khemani (Manhattan) will perform Indian music, jazz, world percussion, and American song at the Garden of Love, 304 W. 116th Street, Harlem, at 2 pm.

9/12: Ashley Lagrange (Queens) will host a mental health workshop highlighting grounding techniques and collage making at Flushing Meadows Park (in front of the Globe and across from the Queens Museum), at 1 pm.

9/12: Thomas Piercy (Manhattan) will host the “Tokyo to New York" concert celebrating the connections between the cities at National Opera Center, 330 7th Ave, at 5 pm.

9/12: David Alston (Manhattan) and Vashi Dance Theater will host a craft African doll workshop, percussion workshop, and dance performance at St. Nicholas Park, W 135th Street, at 12 pm.

9/12: Sizhu Li (Manhattan) will open a sculptural and interactive installation, “I Have Nothing But Clouds,” at Governor's Island, Colony Row.

9/12: Toisha Tucker (Bronx) will host a postcard making event at Devoe Park, Fordham Road between University Avenue and Sedgwick, at 12 pm. All materials will be provided.

9/12: Robert Santos (Queens) will present the work of 5 artists on a tour of the garden and an artist talk at the Queens Botanical Garden at 10 am.

9/12: Molly McIntyre (Brooklyn) will share four original paintings with a live coloring event for participants at Roots Cafe, 639 5th Ave, at 12 pm.

9/12: Kristen McKeon (Brooklyn) and partners will present the outdoor concert “Taking it Outside,” featuring new saxophone compositions promoting contemplation, at Newtown Creek Nature Walk [eastern end of Paidge Avenue, near the end of Provost Street] in Greenpoint at 4 pm.

9/12: Wei Shen (Manhattan) will begin a series of photography workshops for photographers of all levels and genres at Central Park at 2 pm.

9/12: Kenny Greenberg (Queens) will host a live demonstration of neon making with a Q&A and opportunities for audience participation at 5-26 46th Ave, Long Island City.

9/12: Izchak Haimoc (Queens) will perform traditional Jewish music, liturgical prayers, and folk repertory with The Sami Atid Boys Choir at 63-36 99th Street, Rego Park.

9/12: Tine Kindermann (Manhattan) will exhibit original paintings of oversized, vintage doll heads, with opportunities to be photographed, at 408b Colonels Row, Governors Island, at 2 pm.

9/13: Naz Riahi (Brooklyn) will host a screening of two original films, followed by a cast and crew panel discussion, at the Jill Lindsay Store in Fort Greene.

9/13: HiuChing (Penny) Pun (Manhattan) will host a workshop of their play “(Immigrants') Love Stories” at TheatreLab, 357 W 36th Street, 3rd Floor, at 8 pm.

9/13: Justin McDevitt (Manhattan) will present a reading of the new original play, “HAUNT ME,” at Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave, at 7 pm.

9/13: Kristine Bendul (Manhattan) will perform a participatory dance at the Dance Is Life festival at Bethesda Foundation, Central Park. The festival will begin at 5 pm and the immersive performance will begin around 6 pm.

9/13: Nahshon Dion (Bronx) will host a virtual memorial tribute for Tupac Shakur on the 25th anniversary of his death with literary performances and discussions by artists and industry voices at 8 pm.

9/15: Caryn Cast (Queens) will create a large-scale, outdoor mural inspired by Latinx culture at ChipiChape Bakery, 45-53 45th Street, Woodside.

9/15: Thomas McGowan (Bronx) will host and perform an open Poetry Jam—also featuring a live painting session, typewriter poetry, and music— at Clipper Coffee, 274 City Island Ave.

9/15: Barbara Purdy (Bronx) will present a series of cabaret concerts with multilingual music at several senior sites throughout the borough.

9/15: Erin Harper (Brooklyn) will host an art-making workshop for children with a focus on woodworking and turning art into fashion at Make Manifest, 382 Tompkins Ave.

9/15: Nitchafame (Brooklyn) will perform the audiovisual project, “Uneven Geographies of Sound,” featuring live coding of Southeast Asian music to create sound and image.

9/16: Alexis Clements (Manhattan) will host a Q&A and screening of “All We’ve Got,” a documentary focusing on social spaces for LGBTQ+ women, at the WOW Cafe Theatre, 59-61 East 4th Street, at 7 pm.

9/16: Matthew (Mur) Sabato (Manhattan) will perform “Children Of The Earth,” a series of musical mantras inspired by Buddhism, at Wild Project, 195 E. 3rd Street.

9/16: Julie Mayo (Brooklyn) will direct the dance performance “Nerve Show” at Target Margin Theater, 232 52nd Street. Reserve tickets in advance.

9/16: Domenica Garcia (Manhattan) will present a curated screening of “Encuentro,” featuring five Latinx artists, followed by a live music performance at SoMad, 34 E 23rd St 4th floor, at 7 pm.

9/16: Andrea Fulton (Manhattan) will present the stage play “Was It Me??” and a post-show discussion through October 3rd at Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave.

9/16: Ohene Cornelius (Brooklyn) will present commentary with fellow comedians and photographers on the classic Black films “Raisin in the Su” and “Bozy N’ The Hood” at UNRULY Collective, 200 Cooper Street, at 8 pm.

9/16: Helen Sung (Queens) will perform her new album, “Quartet+,” featuring jazz and string quartets and celebrating women composers, at Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., at 7 pm.

9/16: Sandra Saez Ramirez (Bronx) will host an eight-week, virtual workshop focusing on crochet, where participants will learn to make a small square bag and scarf. Email ilivetocrochet1@gmail.com and publicaffairs@culture.nyc.gov for additional details.

9/16: Dario Mohr (Bronx) will create a miniature altar building workshop for seniors to memorialize lost loved ones at The Mitchel Senior Center, 188 Lincoln Ave, at 11 am.

9/16: Alexander Anderson (Manhattan) and partners will perform at the “Ritual4Return 2021” Summer Men's Rite of Passage” at Stella Adler Studio of Acting, 65 Broadway, at 7 pm.

9/17: Iliana Ortega (Manhattan) will present a pop-up show of recent works at the Clemente Soto, 107 Suffolk St.

9/17: Laura Nova (Manhattan) will present “Life-line,” a series of augmented portraits with audible voices, at The Clemente, 107 Suffolk St.

9/17: Heidi Latsky (Manhattan) will perform the solo dance piece “In Memorium,” accompanied by opera singer Christine Arand, and will engage in conversation with audience members across midtown Manhattan.

9/17: Cristiane Bouger (Brooklyn) will present the three-channel video installation “SALAR,” based on a journey of two siblings in the Atacama Desert and Uyuni, at Umwelt Gallery, 15 Ingraham Street, at 6 pm.

9/17: Ranardo-Domeico Grays (Queens) will premiere “Shattered Lives,” a newly choreographed piece that will be performed by his company VISIONS Contemporary Ballet at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center at 7 pm. An additional performance will be held on September 18 at 7 pm.

9/18: Claudio Acuña (Brooklyn) will perform music at Fort Greene Park.

9/18: Erik Dalzen (Manhattan) will exhibit “Suspect Object,” a selection of oil paintings at Umbrella Space, 21 Avenue C, opening at 4 pm.

9/18: Courtney Childress (Manhattan) will create a large-scale drawing at the Umbrella House Community Space, with engagement from the community, at 21 Avenue C.

9/18: Caitlin Wells (Brooklyn) will showcase the multidisciplinary theater and film piece "This Is a Relic (a balm to soothe the pains of living during a cataclysmic shifting of ages)" at Grand Army Plaza's Bailey Fountain. An additional performance will be held on September 19.

9/18: Armando Pacheco (Bronx) will recite songs and poems from the original Spanish-language opera, “Antón: Una Ópera Boricua,” at the El Grito de Lares Festival at 1300 Southern Boulevard at 2:30 pm.

9/18: Michael Freeman (Manhattan) and guests will present “For Queer Boys who have Considered Suicide” at Episcopal Actors Guild Hall, 1 East 29th Street.

9/18: Rosemarie Hertlein (Staten Island) will open the exhibition, “We Were Here,” constructed with beach glass collected over 20 years, at 776 Richmond Terrace at 1 pm.

9/18: Jaron Newton (Bronx) will host an all day painting event, with a landscape painting workshop from 9 am-1 pm, a figure drawing workshop from 2 pm-6 pm, and a meet and greet until 9 pm, all at Crotona Park.

9/18: Rosebud Ben-Oni (Queens) will host “Night{Call},” a virtual joint-poem publication and public reading.

9/18: Erin McQuarrie (Brooklyn) will host a workshop of experimental tapestry weaving in Prospect Park at 12 pm. Also taking place on Sunday, September 19.

9/18: Joanna Kotze (Brooklyn) will host a performance featuring 20 professional dancers accompanied by original score at Pier I in Riverside Park at 70th Street at 5 pm and 6 pm.

9/18: Alejandra Moran (Staten Island) will dance at the Mexican Independence Parade with the musical group L’Unicorns at Veteran’s Park, Port Richmond.

9/18: Jerome Ellis & Brandon Ross (Brooklyn) will perform soul, rock, jazz, and blues music at Weeksville Heritage Center, 158 Buffalo Ave.

9/18: Kimberly Reyes (Brooklyn) will host an evening of poetry and prose readings about angst, empowerment, joy, and more, at Rossi’s Lounge, 25 Broadway.

9/18: Jessica Pavone (Manhattan) and partners will perform a set of original composed music at Downtown Music Gallery, 13 Monroe St, at 6:30 pm.

9/18: Eugene Rodriguez (Manhattan) will host readings of “East Side Story,” an original musical comedy about couples meeting in a Mambo Club, at The Wagner Green Space, 120th Street & Pleasant Ave, at 3 pm. Additional readings with different plays will be held on September 25th and October 3rd at 3 pm.

9/18: Cynthia Lin (Queens) will exhibit artwork at Bushwick Open Studio, 1717 Troutman #208, from 12 pm-6pm. The exhibit will also continue on September 19.

9/19: Joe Fonda (Manhattan) will present an interdisciplinary music, dance, and poetry concert followed by a Q&A and refreshments.

9/19: Tejas Desai (Queens) will read excerpts from the thriller novel, The Run and Hide, with fiddle music accompaniment on 14th Street-Union Square Subway station at 6 pm.

9/19: Junling Wang (Manhattan) will premiere the “Autumn Songs” musical program featuring classical Chinese music at the Museum of the City of New York.

9/19: Ariana Johns (Manhattan) and fellow artists will perform readings and original musical works at Studios 353, 353 W 48th St.

9/19: Francis Stallings (Brooklyn) will perform a variety show featuring sculptural costumes, circus skills, and acting at Justice Gilbert Ramirez Park, 62 White St, at 2 pm.

9/19: Doron Perk (Brooklyn) will host a series of workshops and shows focusing on free-form contemporary dance at Center for Performance Research, 361 Manhattan Ave, starting at 11 am.

9/19: Marta Sanchez (Brooklyn) will perform the “Opening the Gates,” a musical about inspiring historical women, at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 7th Ave.

9/19: Lulu Lolo (Manhattan) will write, act, and present a play about her Italian immigrant grandfather at Dante Park, Columbus Avenue at 63rd Street.

9/19: Desdemona (Brooklyn) will present a concert of string quartet music from the 1600s and onwards at Scholes Street Studio, 375 Lorimer St, at 7:30 pm.

9/21: Micah Zevin (Queens) will conduct a community engagement with an open mic, reading, and informal poetry prompt workshop at Fabula Cafe, 39-67 61st St.

9/21: Choichun Leung (Manhattan) will host the exhibition “I Lose A Lot Of Sleep To Dreaming” showcasing zines, stickers, and prints at Chinatown Soup, 16 Orchard St.

9/21: Yusuf Awofala (Queens) will host a youth beginner and intermediate workshop focusing on using modern technology to produce music.

9/22: Cathy O’Keefe (Manhattan) will teach seniors how to create mixed-media paintings through a week of classes at the Society for the Advancement of Judaism synagogue, 15 W 86th St.

9/22: Donna Henes (Brooklyn) will host the event “Celebration of the Autumn Equinox” with drums and other instruments available for participants to use at Grand Army Plaza.

9/22: Elliot Johnson (Queens) will host a day of community discussions about creativity, the creative process, and more at the Astoria Houses.

9/23: Lynn Bechtold (Queens) and partners will perform original violin and banjo musical works at Culture Lab LIC, Long Island City, at 7 pm.

9/23: Ma Troggian (Brooklyn) will host a showcase highlighting queer underrepresented artists from different backgrounds at Rubulad.

9/23: Laura Metcalf (Manhattan) and fellow musicians will present a pop-up chamber music program at The Porch, 750A St. Nicholas Ave, at 7 pm.

9/24: Stacy Morrison (Manhattan) will present an artist talk about the exhibition "Sylvia: A 19th Century Life Unveiled," at the Merchant's House Museum, 29 East 4th St, at 6 pm.

9/24: Justin Hicks (Brooklyn) will present a musical show for seniors at Jack, 20 Putnam Ave in Clinton Hill, at 2:30 pm.

9/24: Stephen Kurpis (Queens) will host an immersive music production and recording experience at Vitruvian Sound NYC, 1001 Irving Ave, Suite #114.

9/24: Julie Benko (Queens) will hold an open rehearsal of her new play "The District" at Astoria Performing Arts Center, 44-02 23rd St, Long Island City, at 7 pm. The event will also be held on September 25 at 7 pm.

9/24: Jean Vergaray (Queens) will host an open dance lesson highlighting Latin dance styles with music by a live DJ at Katch Astoria, 31-19 Newtown Ave.

9/24: Michael Pribich (Manhattan) will host the exhibition “Essential,” featuring sculptures about labor workers from 2020, at 99 Canal Street.

9/24: Jaimie Branch (Queens) will perform a solo set at the Knockdown Center in Maspeth.

9/25: Antonia Perez (Queens) will host a learn-to-weave workshop and present a gallery of woven plastic sculptures at Maspeth Town Hall, 53-37 72nd St.

9/25: Erica Schreiner (Brooklyn) will host a screening of the original film, “The Special People,” at Film Noir Cinema, 122 Meserole Ave, at 6 pm. A secondary screening will be held on Sunday, September 26th at 5 pm.

9/25: Rene Lynch (Brooklyn) will host an exhibition of original paintings that address climate crises at Metaphor Projects, 382 Atlantic Avenue.

9/25: Mohamad Eldebek (Brooklyn) and accompanying musicians will perform music from the Middle East and the Balkans at the Narrows Botanical Garden, Bay Ridge.

9/25: Jess Saldaña (Brooklyn) will host an outdoor workshop exploring the somatosensory and therapeutic effects of clay at Clay Play, 229 5th Ave at 1 pm.

9/25: Shihori Yamamoto (Manhattan) will display recent works and discuss its physiological, biological, and physical influences at mhPROJECTnyc, 140-142 2nd Ave #306. The event will also be held on September 26.

9/25: Lia Zuvilivia (Brooklyn) will host a three-day exploratory art workshop to encourage creativity in different art mediums and concepts. Registration required.

9/25: Daty Kaba (Staten Island) will share folktales from different African cultures in the virtual “African Story Time Live.”

9/25: Isamar Gonzalez (Brooklyn), facilitator & founder of Hula Nation, will host a day of workouts from the fitness practice HoopYogini—which combines Hatha Yoga, meditation, and hula hoops—at Brooklyn Academy of Music, 300 Ashland Plaza, at 10 am.

9/25: Jason Gonzalez-Smith (Manhattan) will host an open-mic event for poets, singers, and other artists.

9/25: Hongmei Teng (Manhattan) will host an art-to-wear workshop, in which participants will create a mini painting that can be worn as an accessory, at Colonels Row House, 404A Governors Island, at 1 pm.

9/25: Zach Poff (Brooklyn) will host a listening walk exploring the soundscape and vibrations of the City, beginning in Brooklyn Heights Promenade at the flagpole at Montague Street at 5 pm. Equipment will be provided.

9/25: Myles (Brooklyn) will host a free book fair, story time for kids, and zine-making workshop at the Scholes Street Community Kids Garden.

9/25: Julia Bengtsson (Manhattan) will present “Light Tales,” a family-friendly puppet, dance, and musical performance of stories from Sweden and the United States at Church of the Good Shepherd, 620 Isham St.

9/26: Spanglish Fly (Brooklyn) will play Latin Boogaloo music at the Boogaloo Block Party, with free dance lessons by Amanda Cardona, DJ music, barbecue, and more at 88 South Portland Ave at 2 pm.

9/26: Morgan Hale (Brooklyn) will create a plein air weaving piece, with opportunities for participants to watch and ask questions, at Maria Hernandez Park from 11 am-6 pm.

9/26: Brigitte Engler (Manhattan) will host a performative art piece and workshop on the Japanese Shibori dyeing technique.

9/26: Mark Lonergan (Manhattan) will perform “Sunrise,” an original work of physical theatre incorporating dance, music, and circus, at The Glade, Little Island.

9/26: Paul Sachs (Manhattan) will perform original songs about their life growing up on the Lower East Side at The Green Oasis Community Garden.

9/26: Asako Takasaki (Manhattan) will perform original music compositions infusing traditional Japanese melodies with contemporary American pop jazz at MICHIKO STUDIO, 149 West 46th Street.

9/26: Marija Abney (Manhattan) will perform “The Soapbox Presents: Freedom Song, From Spirituals to Soul,” with songs from a variety of musical genres, dance, and spoken word, at 120th Street & Lenox Avenue.

9/26: Samara Lubelski (Manhattan) and partners will perform improvised guitar and violin music at La Plaza Cultural, 9th St. and Avenue C, at 6 pm.

9/26: William Alvarez (Manhattan) will host a community event for seniors with food and a salsa music performance at 1940 Lexington Avenue at 12 pm.

9/26: Michele Temple (Manhattan) and partners will perform "Both Sides Now: The Music of Joni Mitchell" at the Village Trip Festival, 147 Bleecker Street, at 10:30 pm.

9/26: Masatora Goya (Manhattan) will present new compositions for the ancient Asian instruments konghou, kugo, and hichirik at 43A West 13th Street at 3 pm.

Media

Download City Artist Corps photos available for media sharing here.
Watch a video about City Artist Corps members here.