Events

Coming Up…

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BETA Spaces (Bushwick Exhibition Triangle of Alternative Spaces)

Sunday, November 9th 2008 11am to 7pm

Past Events

Bushwick Open Studios & Arts Festival 2008

Friday, Saturday and Sunday June 6-8, 2008

Open Spaces 2007, presented by Arts In Bushwick

Sunday December 2, 2007

Open Spaces was a one day festival of group shows in alternative spaces and art galleries presented by Arts in Bushwick. Centered around the Morgan and Jefferson stops on the L train, Open Spaces was intended to be easily accessible by foot in a single day. The purpose of the event was to foster connections within the Bushwick arts community, create forums for artists to show their work, and to cultivate curatorial opportunities for individuals in the neighborhood.

The day was a decided success, with over thirty galleries, private residences and local businesses hosting curated group shows. In total, 200 participating artists and 500 visitors braved the snow to come out and participate. The creative energy and diversity of the Bushwick art community was presented through an impressive variety of media: performance, visual art, installation, dance, poetry, music and more. In addition to the myriad forms of art and entertainment, a panel discussion hosted by Bushwick Impact, a family services center working with low-income single mothers and children, where a wide range of folks representing many of Bushwick’s diverse communities came together and began a dialogue about gentrification and sustainable development. A hilarious closing party was put together by The LAFFF show, where local comedians poked fun at arty types, keeping the artists humble while cracking everyone up.

Bushwick Open Studios & Arts Festival 2007, presented by Arts In Bushwick

Friday, Saturday and Sunday June 1-3, 2007

Bushwick Open Studios is a self-organized art festival. Anyone in the community is welcome to participate by presenting art work, organizing activities, or by helping to produce the event. The purpose of the festival is to create an open and inclusive event that benefits the entire community by sharing artistic projects and encouraging community interaction and dialogue.

BOS 07 took place June 1 through June 3, 2007. Although there had been a few previous open studios events in our neighborhood, BOS 07 was the first event produced by Arts in Bushwick in cooperation with other area nonprofits, arts organizations, and businesses. With approximately 400 participating artists and several thousand visitors, BOS 07 was a great success and a fantastic beginning for Arts in Bushwick.

The festivities began Friday night with the kick off party “HOTBOX” produced by the Bushwick Starr. On Saturday morning, the BOS Art Parade, which featured over 150 participants, announced the beginning of two days of non-stop art and events. For 2 days, artists opened their studios to the public, and art spaces, community organizations and neighborhood businesses presented a range of events. The Bushwick Cabaret and ¡Art Spectacular! held at The Nutroaster on Saturday night drew over 500 attendees, and showcased the talents of local musicians and performers.

In addition to being a fun and exciting event for Bushwick’s arts community, the Bushwick Open Studios and Arts Festival was also an opportunity for participants and attendees to think about issues of the neighborhood and their impact on their environment. Walking tours of the neighborhood focused on Bushwick’s past and present, while facilitated discussions and panels began a dialog about its future. The forum hosted at Chez Bushwick was the first in a series of discussions looking for solutions to questions of sustainability and the role of the arts within a broader Bushwick community. These events, as well as a number of art pieces displayed by participants, sought to foster awareness and dialogue about the issue of neighborhood change and rapid development-driven displacement.

The success of BOS 07 was due to the collective effort of dozens of artists and other Bushwick residents who worked hard to create a forum for Bushwick locals to connect with each other, celebrate our community, and share work with each other and the public. Thank You to all our volunteers, participants and visitors.

Bushwick Open Studios 2006, presented by Gemini Artist Productions

Held in October of 2006, BOS 06 was organized and presented by Gemini Artist Productions. Featuring dozens of open studios and a number of great events, BOS 06 was a great time for hundreds of Bushwick residents and visitors. Thanks to Gemini Artist for sharing archives of their event, and for pulling off a great Open Studios festival!