All posts tagged: SEPC

13th Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party

13th Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party

May 23, 2024

The Bushwick Collective Block Party, scheduled for Saturday, June 1, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm at 7 Scott Ave, Brooklyn, NY, is an iconic annual event that has evolved from a simple mural painting jam into a large-scale cultural and community festival. Founded by Joe Ficalora in 2012, the event aims to renew the neighborhood through art on the street, transforming the area into an open-air gallery with murals created by artists from around the world. This transformation has made Bushwick a popular destination for locals and tourists.

This year’s festival promises an exciting lineup of live music performances, headlined by renowned hip-hop artists such as Raekwon, Fat Man Scoop, Statik Selektah & Friends, NEMS, Termanology, Tony Moxberg, Lil Dee, Chandler, Home & Abroad, XAVR, and many other special guests. Hosted by MC DStroy and featuring DJ Evil Dee in the mix, the event is set to rock the block.

Beyond music, the Block Party offers various activities and attractions. Spanning several blocks, the festival features curated NYC food vendors, artist and merchant vendors, street art merchandise, original artwork, and prints. Visitors can enjoy giveaways, product sampling, and the opportunity to meet some of their favorite street artists and graffiti writers from around the world. As Joe always ensures, the event emphasizes community engagement and celebration, drawing thousands of visitors each year who come to experience the ever-evolving cultural scene of Bushwick. With its inclusive nature, the Bushwick Collective Block Party is a much-anticipated celebration that highlights the neighborhood’s transformation and rich cultural heritage.

DATE AND TIME: Saturday, June 1, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

LOCATION: 7 Scott Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11237

GENERAL ADMISSION: Free with some ticketed events. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.

ABOUT THIS EVENT

HOSTED BY: MC DSTROY /ON THE MIX: DJ EVIL DEE

MUSIC LINEUP – RAEKWON , FAT MAN SCOOP, STATIK SELEKTAH & FRIENDS, NEMS, TERMANOLGY, TONY MOXBERG, LIL DEE, CHANDLER, HOME & ABROAD, XAVR, & many other special guests.

VIP BEER GARDEN / Front Stage Access Requires Purchase of tickets (limited availability) In and Out Access, Private Bathrooms, Free Gifts, Pizza, Snacks, Front Stage Access, Auto Entry to a special gift prize contest, and MUCH MORE!

OPEN TO PUBLIC – 3 blocks of curated NYC Food Vendors, Artist & Merchant Vendors, Djs, Main Stage w over 35 plus live performances, street art merch, original artwork, prints, and pins available.

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The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023 – Recap

The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023 – Recap

June 17, 2023

Following the evolution of The Bushwick Collective and its annual block party in Brooklyn has been a captivating journey akin to an anthropological exploration into the growing embrace of street art and murals within the realms of graffiti and HipHop. Back in the day, as the neighborhood began transforming with the influx of gentrifiers, street art faced outright dismissal or was treated as a rare phenomenon, a curiosity.

Unaware of the previous codes that roughly governed the practices of graffiti writers on the street, art-students-cum-street-art-poets often obtusely stomped their way into public view to circumvent a gallery system and to express their right to self-expression in public; something HipHop culture had been encouraging for years but had perhaps not envisioned this way. The rivalry between graffiti aficionados and street artists/muralists was sometimes palpable, with throwies vandalizing fresh paint, the OGs asserting territorial dominance, and at times, even resorting to threats and insults in person and in online forums.

Huetek celebrating the location of the so-called ‘Birth of HipHop’, 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

As the block party, now in its twelfth year, unfolded, its early editions predominantly featured international and some local street artists eagerly seeking out BC’s visionary leader, Joe Ficalora, for an opportunity to leave their mark on his neighborhood walls. Local street art forums found fault with Ficalora, masking a barely hidden contempt for a streetwise guy taking a leadership role and betraying their own classist privileged opinions about the right to curation. That has all melted appreciably; this year’s event evidenced the remarkable shift that has been underway. Graffiti writers took the stage alongside the muralists in prime spots, sometimes seamlessly collaborating to create art transcending boundaries, all while the electrifying sounds of live HipHop performances reverberated through the air and TikTokers danced in front of them.

SEPC. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Let’s raise a bottle to those who always believed in the possibility of this transformative phenomenon, and to those who championed inclusivity over exclusivity. It’s yet another reason why our hearts beat for this extraordinary international art movement, the embodiment of the people’s democratic spirit and the unlimited creative spirit that is in every person. And most importantly, it’s a reminder of why we hold you dear.

SEPC. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tymon De Laat. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Urban Ruben. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Urban Ruben. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
V Ballentine. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes – recreating an iconic New York deli exterior in all its glory. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hodder. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hodder. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vexta. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vexta. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dasic Fernandez. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mate Artist. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mate Artist. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cody James. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Corey Pane. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Corey Pane. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mr. Blob. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mr. Blob. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mr. Blob. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mister Alek. TankOne. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mister Alek. TankOne. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Wide Open Walls 2023: Sacramento Schools Get Time to Shine

Wide Open Walls 2023: Sacramento Schools Get Time to Shine

June 14, 2023

The Wide Open Walls (WOW) festival, which originated as the Sacramento Mural Festival in 2016, has evolved into a remarkable celebration of art and community, thanks to the dedicated efforts of principal organizer/curator David Sobon, and a coalition of public and private interests. Over the years, this extraordinary event has embellished the urban landscape of the greater Sacramento area, including its suburbs, by adorning more than 200 walls with captivating murals.

Evaristo Angurria. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)

In line with its commitment to uplifting schools, the WOW festival took on a renewed emphasis on school campuses this year, with Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School as a prominent example. Collaborating with approximately 40 artists, encompassing local talents and renowned national and international figures, the festival unveiled a collection of awe-inspiring murals within the school grounds, captivating the imaginations of students, educators, and the wider community.

Evaristo Angurria. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)

The WOW festival is a powerful manifestation of the symbiotic relationship between art, society, and business. It forges connections, fosters cultural understanding, and instills a sense of community pride by creating new murals that respond to the community. This year, celebrated photographer Martha Cooper was invited to document as many of the new murals as possible, and we are delighted to share her captivating captures with the readers of Brooklyn Street Art.

Within the walls of Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School, the murals become portals to the imagination, stimulating critical thinking and nurturing cultural appreciation among the students. This project creates an environment where creativity and learning converge, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who experience it. The profound impact of the WOW festival at Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School stands as a testament to the enduring power of art in shaping communities, inspiring young minds, and hopefully cultivating an engaging and inclusive world.

Evaristo Angurria. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Nico Few & Far. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Nico Few & Far. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Ian The Painter. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Ian The Painter. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Ian The Painter. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Emer916. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Emer916. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Jonathan Martinez. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Jonathan Martinez. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Rachel Wolfe. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Jose DiGregorio. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Jose DiGregorio. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
HERA. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
HERA. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Ryan Dominguez. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Ryan Dominguez. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Leon Willis. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Wide Open Walls team member, Karin du Maire provided invaluable assistance to Martha during her stay in Sacramento with transportation around the city; she also helped Martha with the art exhibition and saved the day by quickly jumping into action to organize a panel discussion that at the last moment seemed not to be happening. (photo © Martha Cooper)
SEPC. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
SEPC. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
SEPC. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Max Ehrman. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Max Ehrman. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Max Ehrman. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Max Ehrman. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Kosono Okina. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Kosono Okina. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Registered Artist. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Registered Artist. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Jim Rizzi. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Jim Rizzi. Wide Open Walls. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Wide Open Walls 2023. Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School. Sacramento, California. (photo © Martha Cooper)

For more information on the event and the roster of artists, https://www.wideopenwalls.com/lineup/

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