ArtsWestchester Receives Grant to Promote Tourism in White Plains
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
News Article Article pages that do not meet specifications for other Trust Project Type of Work labels and also do not fit within the general news category.
By Rick Pezzullo
ArtsWestchester has been awarded a $500,000 grant to use the arts to support economic development and promote tourism in the city of White Plains. The Market New York grant from I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism was awarded to ArtsWestchester through the state’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative.
The state grant will help ArtsWestchester mount the Serious Fun Arts Festival from October 12-16, a five-day celebration of the cultural community where art and music will take over White Plains.
“The Market NY grant gives ArtsWestchester an opportunity to showcase the vast talent that exists in the Hudson Valley Region,” said ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam. “The Serious Fun Arts Festival is the capstone project of more than five years of work and planning in public art. We know this investment in public art and placemaking will enliven the city for years to come.”
Westchester muralist Daniel Carello said, “I’m thrilled to hear the news about the arts festival grant. It will certainly help the arts community which has greatly been affected by the pandemic – with financial support and aid in restoring enthusiasm and an esprit de corps among artists during this challenging period.”
The Serious Fun Arts Festival will have a variety of arts activities ranging from concerts to live mural painting, a public art walking tour to dancing in the streets. There will be sculpture, performance art, massive public art unveilings by renowned artists, fun family art-making and more throughout the downtown.
Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, “The Serious Fun Arts Festival will bring the arts outdoors in a fun and innovative way for residents and visitors alike. Paired with local museums and historical sites, outdoor activities on the nearby Empire State Trail, and farm-to-table food and craft beverage offerings, it will make for a great weekend getaway, and we encourage everyone to come be a part of some serious fun.”
White Plains Mayor Tom Roach and Langsam were on a recent MTA panel to select a major new work of art for the Metro North Train Station, which just completed a $94 million renovation. Visitors coming to White Plains by train are now welcomed to the city by two major art installations by Barbara Takanaga commissioned by MTA Arts & Design.
“A number of years ago, Janet Langsam and ArtsWestchester articulated to me their vision of weaving art into the city’s downtown landscape by incorporating it into mixed-use development projects and other public improvement projects occurring in the city,” Roach explained. “Since that time, they have pursued making this vision a reality with laser focus and steadfast attention. Clearly, their efforts have paid off and White Plains is the better for it. ”
In addition to Takanaga’s luminescent mosaics at the train station, the 2022 fall arts festival will spotlight new, landmark artwork, including:
- A two-story reflective stainless steel teardrop sculpture by Bulgarian artist Georgi Minchev.
- A nine-story vibrant fabric installation by internationally renowned artist Amanda Browder.
- A skyscraper-high landmark mural by a celebrity of the street art scene.
- Three sculpture installations by Hudson Valley artists.
ArtsWestchester has been working with multiple major developers such as Ginsburg Development Companies; LMC, a Lennar Company; the Beitel Group and Trinity Financial to incorporate public art into new residential housing projects.
The festival is ArtsWestchester’s latest investment in a public art program that since 2020 has provided artists with more than $700,000 in grants and commissions and delivered two dozen new works throughout Westchester County.
ArtsWestchester’s recent public art commissions include:
- A dynamic sculpture entitled Current at the Westchester landing in Tarrytown of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge composed of 12 illuminated steel arches by Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong. (part of a series of 10 major works of art on the bridge path)
- Five murals at the Ridge Hill shopping center in Yonkers.
- Six colorful murals around the former Westchester Pavilion mall in White Plains.
- Two murals at the White Plains Housing Authority’s Winbrook residences.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/