Myrtle Avenue may not have galleries or museums along its 20-block stretch in Fort Greene or Clinton Hill, but that is not keeping the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership from finding ways to fill the gap for free arts and cultural experiences.
Since 2012, the organization has been dedicated to collaborating with cultural partners and coming up with innovative strategies to make art accessible to all.
This February, and every Black History Month, the organization puts on Black Artstory, an annual series that celebrates the contributions that African-Americans have made and are making in the arts.
They partner with local artists and organizations to present the month-long celebration and activate the neighborhood with public art & free performances every Friday.
This year they partnered with University Settlement’s share series, Brooklyn Navy Yard Bldg 92 , Leisure Life NYC and Locals food market in Fort Greene.
This year, the 6th Annual Black Artstory Month is named SANKOFA: GO BACK AND GET IT. The name and theme came from local artist Ramona Candy and speaks to the notion that the best way forward is to stop and reflect in order to be informed, empowered and inspired by foremothers and fathers of the past.
The series includes a self-guided artwalk along Myrtle Avenue, and a series of free events, including poetry readings, storytelling, dance and music performances featuring the work of Brooklyn-based artists.
The month long Black Artstory will end this Friday with Currency/Current See (Reparations 365).
The free evening of conversation, music, live visual art, and performance is part of Reparations365–a multi-genre series on the topic of reparations for Black Americans. Visual artists, dancers, and activists gather to explore flow, value, and exchange, rooted in the understanding that our current monetary system in the US was founded and resourced by the free labor of enslaved Africans, and this system continues to thrive at the expense of black lives, socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, and our collective humanity.
Special guest artists Oasa Duverney (Brooklyn-based artist) & Thomas Piper (Vocalist, Sound Sculptor & Visual Artist) will set the tone for creative response and the amplification of Black voices.
The closing event is slated for 7 p.m., Friday Feb. 23 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Bldg 92, 63 Flushing Avenue. RSVP for the event here:
If you can’t make the closing event, check out the Black Artstory walking tour which is available year-round as a free self-guided audio tour:
http://myrtleavenue.org/black-artstory-podcast/.
