I Am Longwood Arts Fest
When:
Where: P.S. 333 The Museum School, 888 Rev James A Polite Ave, Bronx, NY 10459
PRESS ADVISORY
Event: I Am Longwood Arts Fest
Free Admission
When: Saturday, June 4, 2016, 12pm - 6pm
Who: PS 335, PS 333, Thrive Collective, YUCA Arts, UpBeat NYC, The Boden Center
Where: PS 333 & PS 335 Schoolyard
888 Rev James A Polite Ave
Bronx, NY 10459
Contact: William Acevedo - YUCA
tel: 646-573-4461 email: www.ace3@optonline.net
Jeremy Del Rio - Thrive Collective
tel: 646-334-3627
Richard Miller - Upbeat NYC
tel: 718.766.5291 email: info@UpBeatNYC.org
The I Am Longwood Arts Fest will celebrate and promote the cultural vitality of the arts in the South Bronx. Focusing on youth and family engagement, the event will feature works of visual and performance art created by local children that reflect their experiences as South Bronx residents.
The purpose of this effort is to inspire and develop our youth through the arts. The project is being developed by local South Bronx musicians, muralists, and artisans who will shape and support the festival as educators, presenters and community advocates. This event will be an opportunity for the community to unite through a celebration of its uniquely rich and diverse cultural history that when adequately recognized and supported can serve as a formidable bulwark to the growing forces of gentrification, youth criminalization and the many other social injustices being leveraged against the community by outside interests. The I Am Longwood Arts Fest celebrates who we are as a vibrant community and exemplifies that despite difficulties and challenges our spirits thrive on uncrushed.
ThefestivalwillcenteraroundthecelebrationofanewcommunitymuralintheschoolyardsharedbyP.S.333TheMuseum School and P.S. 335 The Academy of the Arts. Through collaboration with NYC based nonprofit Thrive Collective and local Bronx arts nonprofit YUCA Arts, the mural is currently being designed and created by students from both public schools and local artists to explore and express their experiences living and growing up in the Longwood community.
Conceived by local South Bronx arts education organizations, the festival’s offerings and activities will include a myriad of visual art, musical performances and entertainment by South Bronx artists and musicians. Musical performances will include UpBeat NYC’s South Bronx youth orchestra, big band and small ensembles presenting exciting instrumental renditions of Afro-Cuban, Salsa and jazz compositions. We are currently reaching out to a wide variety of South Bronx artists, musicians, and arts groups to further expand the festival’s roster of presenters and supporters.