The Laundromat Project http://laundromatproject.org Believing that tools of self-determination lie within creative practices, The Laundromat Project uses the space of local coin-ops to provide communities of color living on modest incomes with broad access to visual art as a tool of personal and social transformation. Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:31:00 +0000 http://snappages.com en Upcoming Programs in August... http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/08/01/upcoming-programs-in-august http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/08/01/upcoming-programs-in-august Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:31:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/08/01/upcoming-programs-in-august The Laundromat Project will be in your neighborhood this weekend or next. Come make t-shirts at the Studio Museum in Harlem, mix music at the Gold Star Laundromat in Washington Heights, or learn fun ways of going green at the Victory [...]]]> The Laundromat Project will be in your neighborhood this weekend or next. Come make t-shirts at the Studio Museum in Harlem, mix music at the Gold Star Laundromat in Washington Heights, or learn fun ways of going green at the Victory Laundromat in Staten Island. Bring your laundry and imagination! See details below.

Join The Laundromat Project at the Studio Museum in Harlem this Sunday, August 8th, 12-3pm for a special Target Free Sunday workshop



Image from The Laundromat Project's Works in Progress workshops at The Laundry Room.

Take Back the T-Shirt: Creating and printing your own t-shirt design
Bring the whole family to the museum to enjoy a t-shirt design and printing workshop led by The Laundromat Project's Teaching Artist Maya Valladares. Using stencils and stencil spray, this workshop teaches participants how to create a t-shirt design that reflects themselves and their neighborhoods. Participants choose images and colors that broadcast a unique individual message, which effectively allows them to "take back the t-shirt!" This is an eco-friendly activity -- please bring a gently used t-shirt to design.

Studio Museum in Harlem, 144 West 125th Street, New York, NY, 10027
Directions by subway: Take the A/B/C/D/2/3 train to 125th Street


Also...


Join Create Change Public Artist in Residence Bayeté Ross Smith at Gold Star Laundromat in Washington Heights on Saturday and Sunday, August 7th and 8th, 12-4pm for audio recording workshops



Audio Recording from Digital to Analog
Ross Smith will teach participants how to transfer audio from digital mediums to cassette tape. He will also go through the technical and creative aspects of combining a series of recordings into a cohesive sound piece. Participants will learn how to create a musical mix and simple mash-ups with and without a computer. Read more about his project here.

Gold Star Laundromat, 431 Edgecombe Avenue (and 155th Street)
Directions by subway: Take C train to 155th Street or 1 train to 157th Street


Join Create Change Public Artist in Residence Tattfoo at Econo Wash Laundromat in Staten Island on Saturday, August 14th, 2-4pm for seedball and solar print-making workshops



Seedball and Solar Print-Making
Tattfoo will teach his neighbors how to beautify their neighborhoods through two workshops. Participants will learn how to make "seedballs," a mixture of soil and clay, which is ultimately planted in their neighborhoods. Participants will also learn how to make solar prints using wild flowers that were planted by the artist and the GREENade team earlier this year. Read more about Tattfoo's project here.

Victory Laundromat, 66 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY
Directions by subway and ferry: Take R or 1 train to South Ferry. Take Staten Island Ferry to St. George Ferry Terminal and S48/62 to Montgomery Avenue

]]> LP Artist wins Award http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/07/03/lp-artist-wins-award http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/07/03/lp-artist-wins-award Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:25:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/07/03/lp-artist-wins-award Tattfoo Tan for receiving the 28th Annual Award for Excellence in Design from the Public Design Commission of the City of New York for his graphic design work towards the rebranding and rehabilitation of the Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) building located in the West Farms [...]]]> Tattfoo Tan for receiving the 28th Annual Award for Excellence in Design from the Public Design Commission of the City of New York for his graphic design work towards the rebranding and rehabilitation of the Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) building located in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx! Tattfoo received this award with Sage and Coombe Architects.

Applying his practice in permaculture design as seen in his Sustainable Organic Stewardship (S.O.S.) project, which is currently being developed during his residency at The Laundromat Project, Tattfoo created a pattern for the exterior of BRAC's building that simulates the growth of artistic and cultural roots.



Over the next two years, BRAC will undergo a $7 million renovation of its building including corporate identity and website redesign. In the interim, BRAC plans to fully maintain their programming and presence in the West Farms community. Click here to learn more about their programming.

To learn about Tattfoo's project first hand, join him this Saturday, July 24th at 10am for a bike tour of community gardens located on the North Shore of Staten Island. Meet at Victory Laundromat, 66 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY.



]]> Works in Progress Schedule + Alumni Updates http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/05/01/works-in-progress-schedule-alumni-updates http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/05/01/works-in-progress-schedule-alumni-updates Sat, 01 May 2010 16:00:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/05/01/works-in-progress-schedule-alumni-updates
Also, The Laundromat Project is pleased to offer two limited-edition works by Mickalene Thomas and Rudy Shepherd, created especially to benefit our programs and projects. See below for more information.


Drop-in Art Workshop Schedule

Making Space for New Ideas
Bookmaking with Shani Peters
May 23, June 20, Aug 29, Sept 26

Solar Reconstruction
Solar printing a new neighborhood with Lady K-Fever
June 6, July 25, Aug 22

Take Back the T-Shirt
Creating and printing your own t-shirt design with Maya Valladares
June 13, July 18, Aug 8

Bling: Spices, Gold, and Precious Stones
Sidewalk drawing with ground spices with Brendan Carroll
June 27, Aug 1, Sept 19, Oct 3

Many Hands Make Light Work
Community Collograph with Rosemary Taylor
July 11, Aug 15, Sept 12, Oct 10


Collect Art and Support The Laundromat Project!



(L-R: Mickalene Thomas, Kalena 2010; Rudy Shepherd, Blacula 2009)
Each print in an edition of 20 is signed and numbered by the artists. The Thomas print also features hand-embellishments.

Mickalene Thomas
Kalena, 2010, 8 x 10 inches
Archival inkjet print and screenprint with hand-embellishments in glitter and acrylic medium
Signed and numbered, recto
Printed by Supreme Digital, New York
$1,000 (+ shipping & handling)

Rudy Shepherd
Blacula, 2009, 14 x 11 inches
Screenprint on paper
Signed and numbered, verso
Printed by Kayrock Screenprinting, New York$
250 (+ shipping & handling)

The proceeds from your purchase will ensure the continued success of The Laundromat Project’s mission to broaden access to art in our community and across New York. To purchase a print or for more information email: specialevent@laundromatproject.org


Create Change Alumni Are Busy!

Rudy Shepherd ('06): Rudy has a solo exhibition at Mixed Greens Gallery, (New York, NY) opening June 3rd, 2010. He was also recently hired as an Assistant Professor of Fine Art at the Pennsylvania State University’s School of Visual Arts.

Sarah Kolker ('07): Sarah has relocated to Philadelphia with her 14 month old daughter Purple Ray and fiance Rolando Brown. She is currently working on a booklet for an elementary school science program and making jewelry to sell at art fairs. She will move to the Bay Area in California this August.

Shinique Smith ('07): Shinique had a recent solo exhibition titled Shinique Smith: No Words at Yvon Lambert (Paris, France). She has upcoming solo exhibitions at Miami Museum of Contemporary Art (opening September 2010), Southeastern Contemporary Center for the Arts in Winston-Salem (opening November 2010), and Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (opening January 2011).

Tracy Worley ('09): Tracy just launched the new website for her 2009 Create Change project The Dirty Laundry Line. Visit, listen, leave a message - http://www.thedirtylaundryline.com/

Michael Premo ('09): Michael has a solo exhibition of his project Housing is a Human Right (HHR) up at Jamaica Flux: Workspaces & Windows, a project of Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL), and chashama Studios through June 5, 2010. Foreclosure clinics will be held on site at the 90-30 161st Street, 1st Fl, Jamaica, Queens. And…Help support Housing is a Human Right by bidding on some great gifts here. Auction closes May 21, 2010. Also, join Michael on Monday, May 24th at the Museum of the City of New York for the panel, "Artists' Housing - Past, Present, and Future." For reservations and information, call 212.534.1672, ext. 3395

Carlos Martinez ('09): Carlos is participating in the Queens Council on the Arts' Individual Artist Initiative.


Calling All Volunteers!
If you have a few hours a month to spare, please visit the ‘Employment Opportunities’ page on our website for more information on how you can help out with art workshops throughout the summer. We are especially looking to work with Spanish-English speakers. Stay tuned for Create Change public program announcements!

]]> 2010 Create Change Residents Announced http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/04/22/2010-create-change-residents-announced http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/04/22/2010-create-change-residents-announced Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:44:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/04/22/2010-create-change-residents-announced Hanalei Ramos + Jiny Ung, Bayeté Ross Smith, and Tattfoo Tan were selected to be apart of this year's cohort. [...]]]> Hanalei Ramos + Jiny Ung, Bayeté Ross Smith, and Tattfoo Tan were selected to be apart of this year's cohort.



(L-R: Jiny Ung + Hanalei Ramos, Bayeté Ross Smith, Tattfoo Tan)

Hanalei Ramos is a writer, performer, and community educator. Jiny Ung is a
mixed media artist with a background in political science, teaching, and fine arts.
As a duo, Hanalei and Jiny participated in Project Row Houses’ Artist Rounds
program where they installed “Intertwined” – a collaborative project that adapted
stories, images, and historical artifacts contributed by residents of Houston’s
Third Ward into a house-sized installation. For their Create Change project,
Ramos and Ung will create a documentary-style animated short based on the
oral histories of residents living in Jersey City, New Jersey and Woodside, Queens. [More]

Bayeté Ross Smith is an artist, photographer and arts educator whose work
explores identity, American youth and popular culture. For his Create Change
project, Bayeté will create a prototype for a larger public art project titled
Boombox as Community Music. Through workshops offered at his local
laundromat in Washington Heights, Ross Smith will work with his neighbors to
collect and record music and sound recordings that have personal significance
to them. For his larger project, musical contributions will be compiled into a
series of mashups that will broadcast from a tower of boomboxes installed in
an urban center. [More]

Tattfoo Tan is an artist and educator whose work seeks to find an immediate,
direct, and effective way of exploring issues related to the individual in society
through which to collapse the categories of ‘art’ and ‘life’ into one. Using his
Staten Island laundromat as a hub, Tattfoo will host a series of workshops
around creating a sustainable future through the cultivation of fresh produce. [More]

]]> Call for Proposals - deadline March 1, 2010 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/02/20/call-for-proposals-deadline-march-1-2010 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/02/20/call-for-proposals-deadline-march-1-2010 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:29:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/02/20/call-for-proposals-deadline-march-1-2010 The Laundromat Project is accepting applications for the 2010 season.

We provide:
  • A modest stipend
  • A materials budget to complete your Create Change project.
  • Professional development specific to creating public works
  • Opportunity to meet with other area artists to brainstorm ideas about [...]]]> The Laundromat Project is accepting applications for the 2010 season.

    We provide:
    • A modest stipend
    • A materials budget to complete your Create Change project.
    • Professional development specific to creating public works
    • Opportunity to meet with other area artists to brainstorm ideas about your project once every other week
    • Projects will be featured on The Laundromat Project’s website
    • Community celebration featuring your work at the end of the residency cycle

    Eligibility:
    Create Change is open to artists:
    • who make socially engaged work
    • live in the New York Metropolitan Area
    • who are available to fully participate in residency activities between May and October 2010
    • who work in any medium as long as they can adapt their creative practice to a site-specific project for their local laundromat
    • who are not enrolled as a full-time student

    Strong Create Change Candidates Have:
    • Problem-solving skills, resourcefulness, and flexibility
    • Demonstrated ability to carry out a project of this scale
    • Deep respect for your neighbors, and the ability to collaborate with a broad public
    • Willingness to take risks and step out of comfort zones
    • Ability to actively engage non-artists in all aspects of your creative process

    Criteria Used to Evaluate Applications:
    • How is the project socially relevant to the community in which the artist lives?
    • Is it clear how the artist will engage community members in this project? What aspects of this project include community interaction?
    • Is this project feasible? Can the artist complete the project during the residency?
    • Is the project unique to the laundromat setting? How does the project interact with the laundromat as a public space?

    Key Program Dates:
    March 1, 2010: Application Received

    March 21, 2010: Interviews/Selection Event

    April 1, 2010: Notifications sent

    May 15 – October 31, 2010: Create Change residencies take place

    Visit our Create Change Public Artist Residency program page for more info and frequently asked questions.


    ]]>     NYFA Current Profile + additional Press http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/01/27/nyfa-current-profile-additional-press http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/01/27/nyfa-current-profile-additional-press Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:27:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/01/27/nyfa-current-profile-additional-press Check out the profile NYFA Current wrote about our organization in their December 2009 issue:
    Karen Demavivas and Suzan Sherman on The Laundromat Project [...]]]>     Check out the profile NYFA Current wrote about our organization in their December 2009 issue:
    Karen Demavivas and Suzan Sherman on The Laundromat Project

    Here's the list of press coverage for the 2009 Create Change projects:
    Breakthrough.tv Blog B-listed

    The Coolaid.com

    Daily News

    Huffington Post

    The Indypendent

    The Liberator Magazine

    The L Magazine

    The Local

    Urban Omnibus

    ]]>         2009 Auction Results http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/01/27/2009-auction-results http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/01/27/2009-auction-results Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:27:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2010/01/27/2009-auction-results
    The final numbers are in. The grand total of money raised reached close to $20,000!

    We look forward [...]]]>
    The final numbers are in. The grand total of money raised reached close to $20,000!

    We look forward to continued success at our second benefit auction at the end of the year. Thank you again for coming out and thank you to the artists Ifetayo Abdus-Salaam, David Abir, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Petruskha Bazin, Aisha Bell, Nathan Bennett, Sanford Biggers, Louis Cameron, Saul Chernick, William Cordova, Pradeep Dalal, Stephanie Diamond, Stephanie Dinkins, Nathaniel Donnett, Sam Durant, Torkwase Dyson, Chitra Ganesh, Rico Gatson, Deborah Grant, Kira Lynn Harris, Wayne Hodge, Sheree Hovsepian, Jennie C. Jones, Nsenga Knight, Joseph Laurro, Simone Leigh, Shaun El C. Leonardo, Glenn Ligon, Carlos Martinez, Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky), Chris Myers, Glexis Novoa, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Karyn Olivier, Kambui Olujimi, Jessica Ann Peavy, Micheal Premo, Rob Pruitt, Ronny Quevedo, Tanea Richardson, Marc Andre Robinson, Athena Robles, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Xaviera Simmons, Shinique Smith, Anna Stein, Hank Willis Thomas, Zefrey Throwell and Eric Anderson, Robert Trujillo, Mary Valverde, William Villalongo, Deborah Willis, and Saya Woolfalk for their generous contributions to the event.

    ]]>         It's been an amazing season! http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/11/07/its-been-an-amazing-season http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/11/07/its-been-an-amazing-season Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:23:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/11/07/its-been-an-amazing-season 2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency exhibition in October and 'fabu' turn out for our first benefit auction at Envoy Gallery on the Lower East Side. Create Change Public Artist Resident Michael Premo's project, [...]]]> 2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency exhibition in October and 'fabu' turn out for our first benefit auction at Envoy Gallery on the Lower East Side. Create Change Public Artist Resident Michael Premo's project, Housing is a Human Right, has been getting great press! Click here here, and here to read the buzz. See a trailer of the project here.

    Beautiful people, positive energy, and amazing ideas - we are so excited for our next year of programming.

    Stay tuned!

    Pictures from the 2009 Benefit Auction

    Photos Courtesy of Sara Zuiderveen




    Pictures from the 2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency exhibition at SUPERFRONT

    Photos Courtesy of Mackenten Petion




    ]]>         SOAPBOX: First Annual Art Auction - Tuesday, Nov. 3rd http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/10/13/soapbox-first-annual-art-auction-tuesday-nov-3rd http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/10/13/soapbox-first-annual-art-auction-tuesday-nov-3rd Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:45:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/10/13/soapbox-first-annual-art-auction-tuesday-nov-3rd SOAPBOX
    The Laundromat Project’s First Annual Art Auction
    Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
    Preview: 12-6 PM, Event: 6-9 PM
    Envoy Enterprises, 131 Chrystie St, New York City

     SOAPBOX
    The Laundromat Project’s First Annual Art Auction
    Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
    Preview: 12-6 PM, Event: 6-9 PM
    Envoy Enterprises, 131 Chrystie St, New York City

    Download the auction catalogue!

    Purchase tickets online.

    Join the Laundromat Project and its many friends on Tuesday, November 3rd for a silent auction and celebration to support social change through art in New York City's most vibrant communities! Tickets begin at just $25 and include editions by Mickalene Thomas, Rudy Shepherd, drinks, hors d'oeuvres and music by DJ Khary!


    Mickalene Thomas
    Kalena, 2009
    Archival inkjet print with hand-painted applications
    8 x 10 inches
    Edition of 20
    Included at the $1,000 contribution level
    Printed by Supreme Digital



    Rudy Shepherd
    Blacula, 2009
    Screenprint on paper
    11.75 x 9 inches
    Edition of 20
    Included at the $250 contribution level
    Printed by Kayrock Screenprinting

    Donating artists
    Ifetayo Abdus-Salaam • David Abir • Dawolu Jabari Anderson • Petruskha Bazin • Aisha Bell • Nathan Bennett • Sanford Biggers • Louis Cameron • Saul Chernick • William Cordova • Pradeep Dalal • Stephanie Diamond • Stephanie Dinkins • Nathaniel Donnett • Sam Durant • Torkwase Dyson • Chitra Ganesh • Rico Gatson • Deborah Grant • Kira Lynn Harris • Wayne Hodge • Sheree Hovsepian • Jennie C. Jones • Nsenga Knight • Joseph Laurro • Simone Leigh • Shaun El C. Leonardo • Glenn Ligon • Carlos Martinez • Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) • Chris Myers • Glexis Novoa • Wura-Natasha Ogunji • Karyn Olivier • Jessica Ann Peavy • Micheal Premo • Rob Pruitt • Ronny Quevedo • Tanea Richardson • Marc Andre Robinson • Athena Robles • Paul Mpagi Sepuya • Xaviera Simmons • Shinique Smith • Anna Stein • Hank Willis Thomas • Zefrey Throwell and Eric Anderson • Robert Trujillo • Mary Valverde • William Villalongo • Deborah Willis • Saya Woolfalk • and others

    Host Committee
    Derrick Adams • Anthony Allen • Yona Backer • Naomi Beckwith • Collette Blanchard • Sylvia Chivaratanond • Dean Daderko • David Harper • Michelle Huff • Kemi Ilesanmi • Desiree Mwalimu • Kavita Rajanna • Alvin Starks • Sharon Pendana • Rudy Shepherd • Alvin Starks • Emma Taati • Mickalene Thomas • Jacquette Timmons • Rise Wilson • list in formation

    Tickets
    To purchase tickets, write specialevent@laundromatproject.org. Space is limited. Levels of support include:

    The Laundromat Project Champion, Gift of $1,000
    • Ten tickets to the event
    • Limited-edition print by Mickalene Thomas
    • Premiere recognition on all Laundromat Project publications & website
    • Half-page advertisement in the event catalogue
    Tax-deductibility of $800

    The Laundromat Project Ally, Gift of $250
    • Five tickets to the event
    • Limited-edition print by Rudy Shepherd
    • Premiere recognition on all Laundromat Project publications & website
    Tax-deductibility of $150

    The Laundromat Project Sustainer, Gift of $100
    • Two tickets to the event
    • Name recognition in the event catalogue & website
    Tax-deductibility of $70

    The Laundromat Project Contributor, Gift of $25
    • Individual ticket to the event
    • Name recognition in the event catalogue & website
    Tax-deductibility of $15

    If you cannot attend but would like to make a contribution, please visit our Support page.

    Please make all checks payable to NYFA (New York Foundation for the Arts) with “The Laundromat Project” written in the memo line of the check, and mail to: The Laundromat Project, 275 Macdonough Street, Brooklyn, NY 11233.

    The Laundromat Project is a sponsored project of NYFA (New York Foundation for the Arts), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.

    We gratefully acknowledge the following organizations for their support:

    Bar Sepia • Boylan Bottling Co. • Brooklyn Brewery • Brownstone Baking • CulturePundits • Kayrock Screenprinting • Olivino Brooklyn • Supreme Digital






    ]]>     2009 Create Change Exhibition opening at SUPERFRONT Gallery - October 17, 2009 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/28/2009-create-change-exhibition-opening-at-superfront-gallery-october-17-2009 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/28/2009-create-change-exhibition-opening-at-superfront-gallery-october-17-2009 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:16:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/28/2009-create-change-exhibition-opening-at-superfront-gallery-october-17-2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    917-449-1979

    SUPERFRONT
    1432 Atlantic [...]]]>     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    917-449-1979

    SUPERFRONT
    1432 Atlantic Avenue
    Brooklyn, NY 11216
    Gallery Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 1-6pm and by appointment


    THREE ARTISTS WHO USE THE DEFACTO COMMUNITY SPACE OF LAUNDROMATS TO CREATE AND PERFORM PUBLIC ART ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN A GROUP SHOW

    CO-ORGANIZED BY THE LAUNDROMAT PROJECT AND SUPERFRONT


    (Brooklyn, NY) – For the last six months participants in The Laundromat Project’s 2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency Program have leveraged the space of local laundromats to engage their neighbors in a process of public art making that ranges from multimedia installation to an anonymous hotline for airing out “dirty laundry.” From October 17 – December 12, 2009 in a group show designed by the team at SUPERFRONT, a gallery focused on architectural experimentation, the general public is invited to experience these otherwise separate public works located across Brooklyn and Queens in their shared context of building community in a too often alienating city. The installation opens with a reception on Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m at SUPERFRONT.

    Each year, The Laundromat Project sponsors three artists of color to develop neighborhood-specific artworks through its Create Change Public Artist Residency Program. Following selection by a juried process, participating artists are charged with creating socially-relevant works using the space of their local laundromat to meet and engage their neighbors. This year’s Create Change artists: Carlos Martinez, Michael Premo, and Tracee Worley, have approached their projects from different perspectives and media, yet thematically converge through the act of public testimony.

    In his Photo Booth Without Borders, Carlos A. Martinez created a portable photo booth to travel to area laundromats in search of what his fellow Jackson Heights residents thought made (or could make) one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country a more livable community for old and new New Yorkers alike.

    Michael Premo’s Housing is a Human Right, developed in collaboration with Rachel Falcone, explores the concept of home and community through a collection of audio portraits of his neighbors' ongoing efforts to maintain or obtain affordable housing. Marked by image and sound, this assemblage of viscerally honest first person narratives serve as a reminder that home is as tenuous a space in New York City as the shelter that sustains it.

    Tracee Worley has created an experiment in neighborhood communication through The Dirty Laundry Line a toll free number and accompanying website that allows callers to come clean. Begun in Bed-Stuy and now spread to neighborhoods in Chicago and Oakland, the 800-hotline lets laundry patrons across the country purge secret shames, scandals, and betrayals by leaving an anonymous voicemail. Doubling as a cathartic forum and a voyeur's delight, the hotline also offers the option of snooping through other people’s dirty laundry.

    About The Laundromat Project

    The Laundromat Project is a community based arts organization committed to promoting the well-being of low-income communities of color. Understanding that creativity is a central component of healthy human beings; vibrant neighborhoods; and thriving economies, The LP's programs bring art to where people already are: the laundromat. Its two core programs, Works in Progress and Create Change Public Artist Residency Program, focus on making art education broadly accessible for all ages and skill levels, as well as providing professional development opportunities for artists of color looking to build or deepen a community-engaged art making practice by creating new public works in their own neighborhoods.

    About SUPERFRONT
    Since January 2008, SUPERFRONT has invited students, emerging architects, designers, visual artists, and performance artists to engage in a public forum that raises awareness of contemporary architectural practice and theory. Dedicated to supporting, promoting, and producing radical contemporary architecture while fostering creative interdisciplinary exchange, SUPERFRONT recently opened a satellite gallery in the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles in addition to its location in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.

    ###


    ]]>         Carlos Martinez's Photo Booth Without Borders opens at Park(ing) Day in Jackson Heights, Queens http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/19/carlos-martinezs-photo-booth-without-borders-opens-at-parking-day-in-jackson-heights-queens http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/19/carlos-martinezs-photo-booth-without-borders-opens-at-parking-day-in-jackson-heights-queens Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:47:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/19/carlos-martinezs-photo-booth-without-borders-opens-at-parking-day-in-jackson-heights-queens Photo Booth Without Borders – Building Communities through Personal Stories, Carlos A. Martinez stops at laundromats throughout Queens to ask Jackson Heights locals and passersby to share their thoughts on how they can make Queens, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country, a more livable community. In [...]]]> Photo Booth Without Borders – Building Communities through Personal Stories, Carlos A. Martinez stops at laundromats throughout Queens to ask Jackson Heights locals and passersby to share their thoughts on how they can make Queens, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country, a more livable community. In exchange for sharing, each participant receives a portrait of themselves taken by Martinez.


    The Photo Booth Without Borders participated in Park(ing) Day – an annual, day-long, global event features artists, activists and citizens collaborating to temporarily transform metered parking spots into "PARK(ing)" spaces or temporary public parks – on September 18th, 2009 in front of the Aqua Clara Laundromat in Jackson Heights, Queens.


    All photographs courtesy of Hrag Vartanian



    ]]>         Volunteer + Internship Opportunities at The Laundromat Project http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/19/volunteer-internship-opportunities-at-the-laundromat-project http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/19/volunteer-internship-opportunities-at-the-laundromat-project Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:28:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/19/volunteer-internship-opportunities-at-the-laundromat-project Special Events Intern

    Position Description
    On Tuesday, November 3rd, The Laundromat Project will host its first annual auction fundraiser at Envoy Gallery. Our aim is to raise funds to [...]]]>     Special Events Intern

    Position Description
    On Tuesday, November 3rd, The Laundromat Project will host its first annual auction fundraiser at Envoy Gallery. Our aim is to raise funds to support our ongoing work and the appointment of our first full-time staff member. The event will be preceded by an online auction of works on paper donated by established and emerging contemporary artists. The Laundromat Project seeks a volunteer to support activities associated with organizing the November 3rd event and the accompanying online auction. Specifically, a Special Events intern will execute broad tasks.

    Responsibilities
    Tasks include:
    • Assisting with generating gift, food and alcohol sponsorships for the November 3rd Auction event at Envoy Gallery
    • Assisting with conducting outreach to media outlets and press contacts
    • Uploading art images and inputting bid information onto a blog site
    • Posting auction news items to web
    • Providing administrative support for donating artists, host committee, Board of Directors and Fundraising Consultant

    Requirements
    The ideal candidate:
    • Possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills
    • Is trustworthy and possesses sound judgment
    • Is available to work independently and as part of a team
    • Has access to a reliable computer and printer
    • Can dedicate 5-10 hours a week to project tasks between September 15th and November 15th
    • Is available for at least 1 in-person meeting per week leading up to the event
    • Is familiar with basic MS office applications and has facility with online document management
    • Is able to lift at least 25lbs
    • Has knowledge of the arts or an interest in learning about contemporary art
    • Prior Special Events or Fundraising experience is a plus but not required

    The Special Events Intern will report directly to the Board of Directors of The Laundromat Project.


    To Apply

    Please forward a resume and brief statement of interest specialevents[at]laundromatproject.org


    ###


    Works iN Progress Volunteer


    Position Description
    The Laundromat Project is hosting a series of pilot art-making workshops at The Laundry Room through its Works iN Progress program. These activities cater to an ongoing flow of people, as participants may arrive after the initial demonstration or explanation of the activity. Workshops incorporate fun and engaging art-making techniques in addition to a component that allows participants understand their neighborhood more profoundly.

    The fundamental goals for these workshops are to 1) bring art-making down to earth; and 2) provide an activity that helps neighbors get to know each other and their neighborhood better.

    Volunteers will serve as assistants to Teaching Artists working with the Works iN Progress Program as they facilitate workshops in and within close proximity to laundromats and as documentarians while workshops are in session.

    Key Responsibilities
    • Posting and passing out fliers to local businesses and organizations before workshops begin
    • Assisting Teaching Artist with lessons as needed
    • Photographing workshops for The Laundromat Project’s blog and flickr account
    • Uploading photographs with captions on Flickr account
    • Downloading/transferring photographs to a Laundromat Project staff member
    • Making sure participants sign guest book and Participation Agreement forms

    Participation Dates
    Volunteers are needed from 11am – 3:30pm on Saturday, September 26th; Sunday, September 27th; Saturday, October 3rd; Sunday, October 4th; Saturday, October 10th; Sunday October 11th.

    To Apply

    Please send your resume and brief letter of interest to Petrushka Bazin petrushka[at]laundromatproject.org


    ###


    Communications Internship


    Position Description
    The Laundromat Project hosts two core programs: Create Change Artist Residency Program and Works iN Progress. It’s third year of programming, The Laundromat Project is seeking interns to develop strategic press strategies to effectively promote its programs.

    The Communications Intern will be responsible for raising awareness to the organization’s Create Change and Works iN Progress Program through online and print media outlets. This entails targeting writers who may be interested in writing about the organization or its projects, creating a detailed spreadsheet that includes contact information for writers and deadlines for when press materials should be received.

    Requirements
    Candidate must be an independent self-motivated worker, detail oriented, have research experience, be proficient with Microsoft Word and Excel, feel comfortable with data entry, and have an interest in public art, community arts, arts education, or media relations.

    Most of the work for this position can be done independently and submitted virtually. However, the Communications Intern will be required to meet weekly with The Laundromat Project Programs Associate in person or by phone.

    Responsibilities
    • Creates an excel spreadsheet of online and print media outlets, which target specific writers who may take interest in the organization and its projects.
    • Meet weekly with The Laundromat Project Programs Associate

    Project Dates + Time Commitment
    5-8hrs/week | September 15 – December 31, 2009

    To Apply

    Please send a resume and cover letter no longer than 1-pg to Petrushka Bazin at petrushka[at]laundromatproject.org.


    ###


    ]]>         Tracee Worley's Dirty Laundry Line Goes Live http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/02/tracee-worleys-dirty-laundry-line-goes-live http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/02/tracee-worleys-dirty-laundry-line-goes-live Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:33:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/02/tracee-worleys-dirty-laundry-line-goes-live Create Change project, The Dirty Laundry Line, is an experiment in neighborhood communication, giving laundromat customers all over New York City the opportunity to anonymously air out their dirty laundry in public or voyeuristically snoop through [...]]]> Create Change project, The Dirty Laundry Line, is an experiment in neighborhood communication, giving laundromat customers all over New York City the opportunity to anonymously air out their dirty laundry in public or voyeuristically snoop through other people’s dirty laundry.

    Since August 2009, laundromat washers and dryers have been bombed with stickers inviting customers to call The Dirty Laundry Line. Curious callers are given the option to “press one” to anonymously “air out” their dirty laundry by leaving a message or “press two” to hear messages other callers have left.

    Call. Listen. Laugh. Cry. Press #1. Leave a message.

    This is just some place holder text so you can see what it might look like to have actual content on the page before you actually enter it. This is just some place holder text so you can see what it might look like to have actual content on the page before you actually enter it.



    photograph courtesy: Hrag Vartanian


    ]]>         Works iN Progress going on strong http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/02/works-in-progress-going-on-strong http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/02/works-in-progress-going-on-strong Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:56:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/09/02/works-in-progress-going-on-strong




    Visit us on flickr for more pictures.


    Works iN Progress Schedule*


    Sat, Aug. 1, 2009
    Drawing/Breath

    Sun, Aug 2, 2009
    CANCELLED due to weather

    Sat, Aug. 8, 2009
    Drawing/Breath

    Sun, Aug. 9, 2009
    CANCELLED due to weather

    Sat, Aug. 15, 2009
    I Pledge Allegiance to My Neighborhood: Making Community Flags

    Sun, Aug. 16, 2009
    I Pledge Allegiance to My Neighborhood: Making Community Flags

    Sat, Aug. 22, 2009
    Collage-N-Motion

    Sun, Aug. 23, 2009
    Collage-N-Motion

    Sat, Aug 29, 2009
    A Window into Your Experience: Sol Lewitt based Instructional Drawing

    Sun, Aug 30, 2009
    A Window into Your Experience: Sol Lewitt based Instructional Drawing

    Sat, Sept. 12, 2009
    Printmaking

    Sun, Sept. 13, 2009
    Narrative Silhouettes

    Sat, Sept. 19, 2009
    Printmaking

    Sun, Sept. 20, 2009
    Representational Postcards

    Sat, Sept. 26, 2009
    Resist Painting

    Sun, Sept. 27, 2009
    Culture in Images: Bearden Collages

    Sat, Oct. 3, 2009
    Resist Painting

    Sun, Oct. 4, 2009
    Representational Postcards

    Sat, Oct. 10, 2009
    Making Monuments from Paper [WORKSHOPS EXTENDED]

    Sun, Oct 11, 2009
    Making Monuments from Paper [WORKSHOPS EXTENDED]

    * Schedule is subject to change



    ]]>         Works iN Progress off to an amazing start http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/08/03/works-in-progress-off-to-an-amazing-start http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/08/03/works-in-progress-off-to-an-amazing-start Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:23:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/08/03/works-in-progress-off-to-an-amazing-start
    Each participant was given [...]]]>
    Each participant was given a piece of construction paper, a generous line of water-based ink, and a straw. Ife asked everyone to listen to the surrounding sounds and mirror them by blowing through their straws accordingly. Participants were then invited to enhance their pictures by adding color with chalk pastels. The results were beautiful.



    Visit our flickr page for more photos.


    See you next week! We’re right in front of The Laundry Room (143 W. 116th btwn Malcolm X + Adam Clayton Powell) every Saturday and Sunday weather permitting.



    Until then…

    ]]>         The Laundromat Project launches 10-week arts making workshops this weekend! http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/07/29/the-laundromat-project-launches-10-week-arts-making-workshops-this-weekend http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/07/29/the-laundromat-project-launches-10-week-arts-making-workshops-this-weekend Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:03:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/07/29/the-laundromat-project-launches-10-week-arts-making-workshops-this-weekend
    Art-making activities cater to an ongoing flow of people, as participants are welcome to arrive after the [...]]]>
    Art-making activities cater to an ongoing flow of people, as participants are welcome to arrive after the initial demonstration has been made. Teaching Artists will lead participants in making fun and engaging art projects that teach art techniques and allow participants to look at and understand their neighborhood more profoundly.

    Come one. Come all!

    See you at the Laundry Room Saturday, August 1st for our kick off.

    ]]>         Call for Writers for Create Change Artist Residency Program http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/07/12/call-for-writers-for-create-change-artist-residency-program http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/07/12/call-for-writers-for-create-change-artist-residency-program Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:44:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/07/12/call-for-writers-for-create-change-artist-residency-program Call for Writers for Create Change Artist Residency Program

    Each year, The Laundromat Project selects three visual artists to participate in its six-month Create Change Artist Residency Program. Three writers are then paired with Create Change participants to write about their projects throughout their [...]]]>     Call for Writers for Create Change Artist Residency Program

    Each year, The Laundromat Project selects three visual artists to participate in its six-month Create Change Artist Residency Program. Three writers are then paired with Create Change participants to write about their projects throughout their residency.

    To Apply
    The Laundromat Project is looking for three writers of any genre (creative writing, journalism, art criticism, etc.) Our goal is to assemble as many different perspectives of this work as possible in anticipation of a program catalogue. Profiles should be brief in length (500 words maximum) and will appear first on our website but will be archived for later publication.

    If selected to profile one of the Create Change participants, we will connect the two of you so that you can spend time with their work at their respective laundromat site in order to engage with their process and ideas.

    Each work will receive a $500 honorarium upon successful completion of the profile.

    Please send three writing samples to exceed no more than 1,000 words each as PDF documents to Petrushka Bazin at petrushka(at)laundromatproject.org by July 22nd, 2009. If submitting an excerpt from a longer work, please send no more than five pages from the work and no additional samples.

    About The Laundromat Project
    The Laundromat Project is a community based arts organization committed to the well being of communities of color living on low incomes. We understand that creativity is a central component of healthy human beings, vibrant neighborhoods and thriving economies. Every year we invite artists to mount public art projects in laundromats throughout New York City. By bringing art to our neighbors, we aim to raise the quality of life in our community.

    About Create Change
    Create Change is a six-month public art residency program (May 15, 2009 – October 15, 2009) developed to connect communities and artists of color in meaningful ways. Each Create Change artist is charged with placing art-making in the context of everyday living by:

    ::producing a site-specific, socially relevant installation at their local laundromats

    ::engaging fellow laundry patrons as participants in their creative process; and

    ::increasing their own visibility as an artist and a neighbor in the area they call home.

    Past projects have ranged from building a drawing stand where laundromat patrons and passersby exchanged drawings with a local artist; to sculpting a bench made from ceramic tiles designed by secondary school students; to hosting a book exchange around a bench made from books.

    The themes of current projects include ideas of home, efforts to maintain or obtain affordable housing, “familiar strangers,” and storytelling.

    ]]>         The Create Change Program is growing! http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/the-create-change-program-is-growing http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/the-create-change-program-is-growing Mon, 18 May 2009 15:06:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/the-create-change-program-is-growing
    The Laundromat Project’s Create Change Program invites artists to mount public art [...]]]>
    The Laundromat Project’s Create Change Program invites artists to mount public art projects in laundromats throughout New York City as a way of increasing the quality of life in communities of color living on low incomes. Past projects have taken place in Crown Heights, Clinton Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Harlem.

    We are proud to announce Carlos Martinez, Michael Premo, and Tracee Worley as our three new Create Change Participants!

    Carlos A. Martinez is Colombian-born environmentalist and photographer based in Jackson Heights, Queens. For the past five years, he has worked with Green Map System, a non-profit organization that promotes inclusive participation in sustainable community development worldwide, using mapmaking as its medium. As a photographer and educator, he has worked with the International Center of Photography’s Community Programs on their youth program at The Point in the South Bronx, National Geographic’s Photo Camp, and a photography program with youth transitioning out of incarceration in partnership with Friends of Island Academy.

    Carlos will invite his local community to share their stories and personal journeys in a confessional-meets-photo booth.

    Michael Premo is dedicated to documenting, portraying, expressing and celebrating voices from the so-called margins. Through various mediums he seeks to create a stage for the expression of stories from communities whose perspectives have been neglected and underrepresented.

    Michael has collaborated on the creation and production of original work with The Civilians, EarSay, Inc., the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, The Globesity Festival: Hunger Strike Theater. He has traveled across the country recording and facilitating interviews for StoryCorps, a national project dedicated to recording, in sound, stories of everyday people, and StoryCorps Griot, an initiative to ensure that the voices, experiences, and life stories of African-Americans are preserved.

    Michael will create a multi-media project using sound and photography to record the stories of communities fighting to maintain or obtain decent affordable housing.

    Tracee Worley is a BedStuy-based guerilla artist, teacher, prankster and rabble-rouser. Drawing inspiration from The Situationists and other urban interventionists, her participatory art projects aim to creatively disrupt public space.Frustrated by the inability of her training in the social sciences to adequately capture the complexities of everyday life, she began using art as a means to shape the future with more powerful interpretations of the world.

    Tracee will move magnetic poetry from the refrigerator surface to those of washers and driers.

    ]]>         Introducing The LP Artist + Community Council http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/introducing-the-lp-artist-community-council http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/introducing-the-lp-artist-community-council Mon, 18 May 2009 14:14:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/introducing-the-lp-artist-community-council
    The 2009 Artist + Community Council includes: Rashida Bumbray, Martha Diaz, Andre Lancaster, and Rudy Shepherd.

    Rashida Bumbray joined the staff of The Kitchen in 2006, where she is Associate Curator. She previously served as Curatorial Assistant and Exhibition Coordinator at The Studio Museum in Harlem (2001-2006). While working at The Studio Museum, she co-organized exhibitions such as African Queen, HRLM: Pictures, Seeds and Roots: Selections from the Permanent Collection, co-curated with Thelma Golden, and Energy/Experimentation: Black Artists and Abstraction 1964-1980 with Kellie Jones, among others. She co-founded the well-known tap dance jam series Hoofers House, which is now co-produced by The Kitchen and co-curated Studio Sound, the Studio Museum’s lobby music installation.

    At The Kitchen, Ms. Bumbray recently curated solo exhibitions by Jamal Cyrus, Elodie Pong and Rodney McMillian, as well as performances by Kalup Linzy, Rashaad Newsome, Sanford Biggers and Keith & Mendi Obadike. She earned her BA in African American Studies and Theater & Dance from Oberlin College and is completing her MA in Africana Studies at New York University.

    Martha Diaz is the president of The Hip-Hop Association (H2A), and producer of the H2O International Film Festival and Hip-Hop Education Summit. She is the co-creator of the Hip-Hop Education Guidebook Series, and is releasing her second book entitled, Fresh, Bold and So Def: Women In Hip-Hop Changing The Game in September 2009. Martha created the Ladies First Fund, the first grant for women in Hip-Hop dedicated to fostering the next generation of social entrepreneurs. She also launched H2ONewsreel, the first Hip-Hop media and education resource distribution label catering to the education market. She is Co-founder and Director of the Hip-Hop Education Center for Research, Training, and Evaluation, a partnership with the H2A and the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education Reform at NYU. She is working on her Master’s Degree in Hip-Hop as a tool for Human Rights and Social Change at NYU’s Gallatin School for Individualized Study. Martha is the recipient of the Catherine B. Reynolds Scholarship, Black Lily Emerging Leader Award, and the Mary Chung Nia Award.

    Andre Lancaster is a playwright, stage director and Artistic & Managing Director of Freedom Train Productions, a black queer-inspired political theatre company. He has written four full-length plays: Hope Courage, The Trumpet Man, Descendants of Freedom: a futuristic queer hip hop odyssey, and I Am Not A Hero. His work has been developed and staged at HERE Arts Center (NYC), BRIC Studio (Brooklyn), Freedom Train Productions (Brooklyn), Esperanza Peace and Justice Center (San Antonio), Hyde Park Theatre (Austin), UT Theatre and Dance Reading Series (Austin), and New Works Festival (Austin). Descendants of Freedom was selected into HERE Art Center’s Queer@HERE Festival in 2004. In 2006, he directed the premiere production of Andrea E. Davis’s A Love Like Damien’s at WOW Cafe Theatre. He studied Playwriting at the University of Texas at Austin.

    Rudy Shepherd is a painter, sculptor and Create Change alum. Rudy’s Create Change project took the form of a larger-than-life drawing cart, which was rolled into a parking space outside one of Harlem’s busy laundromats. He invited passersby and those doing their laundry to sit-down and draw. Rudy is based in Harlem, NY and received a BS in Biology and Studio Art from Wake Forest University and an MFA in Sculpture from the School of Art Institute of Chicago. He is currently represented by Mixed Greens Gallery, NY. Shepherd is an artist in residence at Location One and has a two-person exhibition from May 9 – June 20, 2009 at Paperwork Gallery, Baltimore, MD.

    ]]>         New LP Program Associate + Exhibition Coordinator http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/new-lp-program-associate-exhibition-coordinator http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/new-lp-program-associate-exhibition-coordinator Mon, 18 May 2009 14:11:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/05/18/new-lp-program-associate-exhibition-coordinator
    Petrushka is [...]]]>
    Petrushka is an independent curator, artist, and educator based in New York. She holds an MA in Curatorial Practice from California College of Arts and a BFA from New York Univeristy’s Tisch School of the Arts Photography & Imaging program. Her past curatorial projects have included working as the Assistant Curator to traveling photography exhibition Reclaiming Midwives: Stills from All My Babies; co-curator to Self-Storage and Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher’s Learning to Love You More project. Petrushka’s photographic work has been included in exhibitions in New York and abroad along with publications such as Black: A Celebration of a Culture and exposure magazine.

    ]]>         CALL FOR ARTISTS http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/01/01/call-for-artists http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/01/01/call-for-artists Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:48:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2009/01/01/call-for-artists We are currently accepting applications for our 2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency Program. Applications and materials are due by March 9th, 2009. NOTE THE NEW, EXTENDED DEADLINE!

    To apply, you can download an     We are currently accepting applications for our 2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency Program. Applications and materials are due by March 9th, 2009. NOTE THE NEW, EXTENDED DEADLINE!

    To apply, you can download an     Application. Applicants are also encouraged to review answers to Frequently Asked Questions and the program summary below. To see examples of past Create Change projects click here.

    About Create Change

    Create Change is a six month public art residency program (May 15, 2009 – October 31, 2009) developed to connect communities and artists of color in meaningful ways. As a 2009 Create Change artist you will be able to place art-making in the context of everyday living by:

    ::producing a site-specific, socially relevant installation at your local laundromat

    ::engaging your fellow laundry patrons as participants in your creative process; and

    ::increasing your own visibility as an artist and a neighbor in the area you call home.

    Create Change public art projects can range in form (from physical installations to performative acts to other kinds of interventions), but must make use of the unique social space of New York City laundromats. Successful projects will 1) help participants to stay connected long after the projects are physically complete; and 2) facilitate a process in which neighbors from different class strata build relationships as shared stakeholders in the future of their neighborhood and/or of a larger cultural history.

    To support your process, we will provide you with a stipend and materials budget, but equally as important we offer a supportive network along with opportunities for professional development and sharing your work with a larger public.

    About The Laundromat Project

    The Laundromat Project is a community based arts organization committed to the well-being of communities of color living on low incomes. We understand that creativity is a central component of healthy human beings, vibrant neighborhoods and thriving economies. Every year we invite artists to mount public art projects in laundromats throughout Brooklyn and Harlem. By bringing art to where our neighbors already are (everyone has to do their laundry), we aim to raise the quality of life in our community.

    ]]>     The LP is honored to receive Union Square Arts Award! http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2008/12/05/the-lp-is-honored-to-receive-union-square-arts-award http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2008/12/05/the-lp-is-honored-to-receive-union-square-arts-award Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:17:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2008/12/05/the-lp-is-honored-to-receive-union-square-arts-award 17 NEW YORK CITY GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE $700,000 IN AWARDS
    ——————————————–
    Community leaders to be honored at upcoming Union Square Awards [...]]]>     17 NEW YORK CITY GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE $700,000 IN AWARDS
    ——————————————–
    Community leaders to be honored at upcoming Union Square Awards ceremony
    —————————————-
    December 2008

    Union Square Awards Seventeen New York City organizations will be honored at the annual Union Square Awards celebration on Saturday, December 6th. Seven will receive the prestigious Union Square Award and a $50,000 grant for exceptional efforts addressing the critical social and economic issues facing New Yorkers. Ten will receive the Union Square Arts Award and a $35,000 grant in recognition of innovative work in the arts with youth and families in low-income communities. “With minimal resources, these organizations are making extraordinary contributions to local neighborhoods. Given the current economic situation, their work is vital to New York City,” says Executive Director Iris Morales.

    Named after the park on 14th Street where New Yorkers have organized and spoken out about major social issues since the nineteenth century, the Union Square Awards program was created to recognize and encourage initiative in serving New York City communities. The awards realize an anonymous donor’s dream of honoring New Yorkers who have taken action to improve people’s lives and advocate for social change. Since its inception, the Union Square Awards has granted more than $13 million to organizations that have not received either substantial funding or public accolade.

    This year’s awardees work with diverse populations across the City including young people, new immigrant communities, the formerly incarcerated, and the disabled. They join 186 organizations that have previously received the Award since its founding in 1998. Awardees will be recognized at a special ceremony at the historic Riverside Church in Manhattan.

    …

    Recipients of the Arts Award

    Cool Culture offers programs that provide low-income families access to New York’s arts, cultural and scientific institutions.

    Freedom Train Productions promotes new political theatre that features Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT) characters written by up-and-coming Black LGBT playwrights.

    Girls Write Now is a creative writing organization that offers girls from New York City public schools a safe environment that fosters their creativity and independent voices.

    The Laundromat Project uses the space of local coin-ops to provide communities of color living on modest incomes access to visual arts as a tool for personal and social transformation.

    Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture without Borders celebrates Mexican culture in the United States and promotes understanding of Mexican traditions among immigrants, artists, educators and the public.

    The Multicultural Music Group offers performance, instruction and professional development in multicultural music to promote global understanding, cultural awareness, and academic achievement.

    Renaissance E.M.S. provides young people in the Bronx with music instruction, vocal training and other programs that maximize their potential and encourage community participation.

    T.W.W./Talks with Wolves provides children and youth with programs in writing, visual and performance arts that integrate African and Native American cultures.

    Urban Word works to ensure that New York City youth have a safe, supportive, dynamic and challenging community in which to discover and use their voices through written and spoken word.

    Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls (Rock Camp) is dedicated to using music to promote self-expression and self-esteem while building bridges of communication to combat racism and stereotypes.

    The Union Square Awards is a project of the Tides Center whose mission is to actively promote change toward a healthy society – one founded on principles of social justice, equal economic opportunity, a robust democratic process, and environmental sustainability.

    For more information about the Union Square Awards, please visit www.unionsquareawards.org.

    ]]>     Selected Press http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2008/12/01/selected-press http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2008/12/01/selected-press Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:37:00 +0000 http://laundromatproject.org/blog/2008/12/01/selected-press NYU Alumni Magazine
    Spring 2006
    by Nicole Pezold

    A laundromat might seem a peculiar place to exhibit art. But Risë Wilson (GSAS ’04) realized this very ordinary location could open a world to an entirely new audience, one that might never think to enter a gallery. As a black woman, she herself had often felt like an [...]]]>     NYU Alumni Magazine
    Spring 2006
    by Nicole Pezold

    A laundromat might seem a peculiar place to exhibit art. But Risë Wilson (GSAS ’04) realized this very ordinary location could open a world to an entirely new audience, one that might never think to enter a gallery. As a black woman, she herself had often felt like an interloper in the museums that inspired her. “The pictures in the gilded frames had nothing to do with my experience or my neighbors’ experiences,” she explains. To break down the real and perceived barriers that have locked generations of African-Americans out of the mainstream art world, Wilson proposed combining an art center in a low-income neighborhood with a laundromat that could help support it… FULL ARTICLE

    Sparknotes
    July 2005
    by Justin Kestler

    Art and laundry tend to be at opposite ends of the spectrum of human activity: laundry’s a chore we have to do; art tends to be a pleasure people seek out in their free time. The Laundromat Project was created to change both experiences by making a visit to an art exhibition a built-in part of the recurring chore of doing the wash. The profits from the coin-operated machines will help support the creation and showing of the artwork. But above all, the hope is to make art more accessible and relevant to communities who may never visit a gallery otherwise, creating programs and exhibitions that encourage people to engage more with the arts, education, and other civic activities… FULL ARTICLE

    Columbia College Today
    November 2004
    by Shira Boss-Bicak

    … For the money making side of the venture, Wilson considered pairing the arts center with a beauty or barber shop or a bodega, among other options. Her objective was to capture the broadest audience possible and to engage customers in visual arts in an informal atmosphere. Eventually she hit on the idea of a Laundromat.

    “You have to do laundry whether you want to or not,” notes Wilson, “no matter what the economy is doing.” FULL ARTICLE

    24/7 (a publication of Courier Life)
    November 2004
    by Christy Goodman

    … Their angel investor, Echoing Green, was the first place Wilson and Robinson applied for a grant. Lucky for them, they were also the only arts based grant given this year by Echoing Green.

    “This is a terrific example of how non-profits are incorporating social enterprise approaches with sustaining an association,” said Echoing Green President, Dr. Cheryl Dorsey. “We were all intrigued by the idea. It is such a smart idea that incorporates social justice principles and theories with a good arts education program that really embraces the changing neighborhood.”

    “This is a wonderful grant because it gives us time to plan. The next two years really are planning years to get this up and running,” says Wilson.A third of Echoing Green’s grants go to educational programming. Another third goes towards health-related programming. The rest is historically for the arts, but in the past few years, they have not funded any arts programming—until now… FULL ARTICLE

    Daily Challenge
    July 16-18, 2004

    Rooted in the belief that cultural participation can serve as a path to civic engagement, the Laundromat Project seeks to capitalize on the open, democratic space that a community laundromat offers to engage people who may not actively seek out an arts experience or civic involvement… FULL ARTICLE

    CAA News (College Art Association)
    September 2002
    by Stephanie Davies

    … Wilson perceives visual art as an underused tool in African American cultural autobiography and seeks to strengthen the interaction of black audiences with visual art. Her graduate work explores ways in which the art process and “product” has been and can be brought to new spaces and contexts specific to African American populations. Such work serves as preparation to create a laundromat-kunsthalle in a historically black neighborhood... FULL ARTICLE

    ]]>