Last night at Rush Arts Gallery, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President Seth W. Pinsky, and Curate NYC Executive Producers Brian Tate and Danny Simmons unveiled the winners for the second-annual Curate NYC exhibition. One hundred and fifty artists were chosen from the approximately 1,500 submissions they received, exceeding the 1,190 submissions they received last year when Curate NYC was launched. Curate NYC is a program designed by the city to heighten visibility and increase career opportunities for New York City-based visual artists
I attended the event at Rush Arts Gallery in Chelsea, which was full of spectators and artists admiring the works exhibited. Among them were winning artists, Rosemary Taylor and Saeri Kiritnant, who happily told me "This is going to help my career greatly."
The 150 winning works of art works were reproduced as 11 x 6 inch postcards and exhibited. Additionally, five galleries -- one per borough -- also will curate and exhibit their own shows of the full-size works by Curate NYC artists. The gallery exhibitions will run from December 1 to February 1, 2012, and additional entries will be featured in special online exhibitions on the project website, curated by noted museum curators and gallery directors. To preview digital versions of the 150 winning entries go here.
"With more than 1,500 submissions this year, Curate NYC has once again proven itself to be a highly-successful program, providing the city's emerging artists with the type of exposure necessary to succeed in the competitive art market," said Seth W. Pinsky, New York City Economic Development Corporation president. "The city's creative sector employs hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, and through innovative programs such as Curate NYC, the Bloomberg Administration is committed to ensuring that this sector remains strong for decades to come."
"The arts, overall, is part of what makes New York City a place where people want to visit, live, shop and spend," said Brian Tate, Curate NYC co-producer. "The artists who live here are vital to that economy, and Curate NYC exists to help them benefit from it."
"Mayor Bloomberg has a great love for the arts and wants to see the arts thrive in New York City, and this is one of his initiatives," said Danny Simmons, Curate NYC co-producer. "In terms of trends for this year's submissions, a lot of people are pushing limits and exploring new territories through unusual sculptures, unusual paintings, and unusual voices of expression, taking art to places that I have never seen before."
All exhibitions are free and open to the public. Additionally, all entries -- including the artwork, profile, and Web link of each applicant -- will remain on the program Website, for ongoing review by art professionals and the general public.
All works submitted for the Curate NYC competition were evaluated online by a Curatorial Committee comprised of New York City-based arts professionals. Curate NYC was announced by Mayor Bloomberg in September 2009 as part of a suite of initiatives designed to strengthen the City's cultural sector. Full Spectrum Experience, Inc., a nonprofit arts organization that creates career-building platforms for artists and new forums for arts audiences, was selected to develop and produce the program in response to a Request for Proposals issued by NYCEDC. NYCEDC provided a $70,000 grant to continue the program for a second year. About NYCEDC:New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City's primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC's mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City's competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City's many opportunities. Find us on Facebook to learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives. About Full Spectrum Experience, Inc.:Full Spectrum Experience, Inc. is a nonprofit arts organization that creates community-building platforms for artists and audiences. The organization was founded by musician/marketing strategist Brian Tate and artist/gallery owner/philanthropist Danny Simmons. Full Spectrum specializes in cultural initiatives that promote cutting-edge arts and ideas. Its projects include: the Full Spectrum Panel Discussion Series; Bridge Culture: An International Festival of Music, Storytelling & Dance; Voices From the Boroughs: A Digital Art Exhibition; the Project Diversity Brooklyn Exhibition; the Project Diversity Queens Exhibition; and the Brooklyn New Music Festival. Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit us here to learn more about Full Spectrum projects and initiatives.
