From the inbox...
With the successful run last month of “First Growth,” a benefit exhibition of donated art works, First Street Green — the community organization working in cooperation with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to create a community cultural park—will hold a follow-up party and sale of new and remaining works to complete its summer initiative to raise local support for the project.
Many of the works on sale will be offered at the bargain price of $100 to help raise funds and mobilize community support to convert the rat-infested vacant lot at 33 East 1st Street into a cultural center and park with a sculpture garden and temporary installations.
Local groups working with First Street Green include the First Street Block Association, The Lower East Side Girls’ Club, and the Citizen’s Committee of New York City, which awarded First Street Green two New Yorkers for Better Neighborhoods Grants to help launch its campaign.
The closing or “harvest” party will be held in the temporary gallery space next door to the vacant lot where the rubble of a building demolished in the 1930s continues to be a serious health hazard to the neighborhood due to a persistent rat infestation.
The bargain sale of contemporary works of art by well-known local artists will garner increased support for the project by providing visitors with an opportunity to view and buy fine works of art and to read FSG brochures and posters illustrating the projected plans for the park while enjoying free food and drink provided by Joe Doe, Prune, Arlo & Esme, the Lower East Side Girls Club Bakery, and other local venders.
The Harvest Party will provide a one-night-only opportunity to purchase works of contemporary art at excellent rates (works selling for $100 or less will be identified with green labels at the party). The event is free and open to the public.
Help green the city by enjoying its local culture!
Previously on EV Grieve:
Residents pitching in to help refurbish First Street garden
My hunch is that this lot is the one opposite to St. Joseph's House(The Catholic Worker). In the late 60's I lived on First Street and was involved with the CW and a local group named CUANDO. We had a block party and also cleaned up the lot, threw away tons of garbage, a million bricks- cleaned some and made a little terraced area in back. That was about the extent of it and every time I return to the city to visit folks at the CW, I look at that lot and marvel that it's still there. I'd like to help out in whatever way I could. Could you give me the name of a contact person involved in the First Street project? I also know a NYC artist who might be interested in giving a helping hand. Thanks for you blog EV. It keeps me in touch with current life on the Lower East Side and helps me remember what it used to be like when I lived there in the 60's.
ReplyDeleteAny info on when exactly this event starts?
ReplyDeleteUgh... a time would have been nice, Lizzie...sorry about that. The event was last night.
ReplyDeleteHi Nicole (and anyone else interested!), we now have a website www.firststreetgreenpark.org. Please check us out and send us your contact info so we can keep you in the loop. Also, feel free to email us at firststreetgreen@gmail.com. Thanks! Aleksandra (Alex) Khasina
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