BREAKING NEWS:
This just in: ArtsWestchester has awarded my Youth Mural Arts program with an ArtsAlive grant to kick off the funding for the ‘Contemporary Art Banner Project’ that will begin in Spring, 2011.
The photo here is from an abandonded warehouse turned public art exhibition space on Main Street in Beacon, NY. The once boarded over windows of the space have been taken over by local artists and now house stunning works of original art.
This building is the inspiration for the ‘Contemporary Banner Project’ I will be directing in Peekskill, NY. We will work with youth at the Peekskill Youth Bureau and other youth groups to create eight 4′ x 12′ banners inspired by Modern Master painters that will then be installed in a highly visible structure downtown Peekskill. This project will bring together six to eight artists and mentor over 30 at-risk youth to create this large scale community engaged art installation. A city with public art is a city that thinks, feels and grows.
BRAVO! This is a great way to start the new year! I will launch a Kickstarter campaign in February to raise the rest of the capital needed to bring this project to fruition so keep your eyes open and feel free to jump in.
If you are a Hudson Valley artist interested in participating in the project, please send me (kbickman@gmail.com) your resume and work samples/website for review. A small stipend will be paid to participating artists.
Plans are also underway for a collaboration with the HVCCA for a Fall 2011 project that will be inspired by their upcoming exhibition of major works of art from the 70s and 80s.
To read more about the Youth Mural Arts program, click here.
Follow Me