QUESTION
Can we activate vacant storefronts using art programs?
1:13:51
·
84 sec
The council members and SBS representative discuss activating vacant storefronts through art initiatives and community partnerships.
- The SBS worked with community groups to transform vacant storefronts into temporary performance spaces.
- A pilot program funded murals and artist activations in vacant spaces in Queens and Manhattan.
- Council Member Brewer suggests mandating art programs in vacant spaces instead of making them optional.
- Council Member Brewer also proposes allocating grants to activate vacant spaces with art installations.
Gale Brewer
1:13:51
And I do think that we have you need a big the other thing is just finally, I'll say, you could have some art programs in the vacancy and make them more mandated, not if you'd like to.
1:14:02
But I'm I mean, that issue is something has to be happening in that space.
1:14:08
And whether it's Shoshama or some other organization to be part of the way in which you deal with vacancies.
Tian Weinberg
1:14:14
I have not heard you talk about Do you have an opinion on that?
1:14:19
We love community art, and we do wanna highlight one specific a couple specific examples of how we've been working with the community groups to do this and council member, Batcher's district, with the meat packing district bid.
1:14:32
They transformed 8 storefront.
Gale Brewer
1:14:34
Yep.
1:14:34
3 does everything.
1:14:35
So take them out of the equation.
1:14:37
Go ahead.
Tian Weinberg
1:14:38
Into theater performance spaces.
1:14:40
So, I mean, just to highlight that, the downtown align science is also working on activating vacant storefronts to help promote the holiday season.
1:14:50
And we also piloted a program called building creative vastity last year outside of Manhattan And Queens with the Asian American foundation and they funded murals and other sorts of artists activations in those neighborhoods.
Oswald Feliz
1:15:02
But
Gale Brewer
1:15:02
I'm just maybe some of your grants could go towards that.
1:15:05
I did the same thing, art for the art on the avenue.
1:15:08
So, Shama, I got it.
1:15:09
But it's still a big problem.
1:15:11
So I'll
Jessica Boulet
1:15:11
leave it at that.
1:15:13
Appreciate it.
1:15:13
Thank you.
1:15:14
Thank you.
