Arts East New York - Press Profile
2011 Union Square Arts Award Recipient
851 Hegeman Avenue, Office SuiteBrooklyn, NY 11208
www.artseastny.org
Media Contacts: Simone Perry, PR/ Media Coordinator
sperry@artseastny.org | 718-676-6006
Arts East New York (AENY) has galvanized the East New York community bringing together artists, educators, young people, parents and merchants to provide arts and cultural programming for the benefit of the entire neighborhood. AENY’s purpose is “to provide an enriching environment in which community members experience and become inspired by distinctive aesthetic and cultural programs.” The organization focuses in three areas: youth programs, neighborhood cultural events, and community beautification.
AENY’s Young ARTist Institute transformed the second floor of the local public library into an afterschool safe haven where 8 to 18 year olds participate in classes such as web design, documentary film-making, African dance and fashion design, photography and painting, and martial arts, supplemented with guest speakers, fieldtrips, and event planning projects. The facilitators and teachers are public school teachers, artists, college students and community residents who volunteer their time.
AENY also collaborates with other neighborhood organizations to present arts performances and cultural events that provide entertainment but also raise awareness, and contribute to a stronger and more vibrant community. The "Summer Saturdaze," an eight-week series, attracts thousands of audience members to diverse and varied music and dance performances that deliver the message of community sustainability. Presentations address topics such as healthy lifestyles, energy conservation, and financial stability, among others.
AENY’s innovative approach to community beautification and improvement include permanent and semi-permanent artistic and symbolic exhibitions. Current projects include an African burial ground dedication for remains located beneath the New Lots Library. “Mural Mile” is a project to create murals on the walls of businesses located under the elevated train to beautify the mixed residential and business area as well as improve street safety by adding lighting. Project partners include local businesses, the Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transit Authority.