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Summer-Long Festival at MetroTech
All summer long, there will be sports, movies, music, and other free events at the MetroTech Commons, Forest City Ratner Companies announced yesterday. It’s part of a new summer festival called Summer@MetroTech that kicks off May 17 with a rooftop film. Other events include a Bastille Day celebration, lunchtime sports broadcasts, a science festival, and live music at noon and in the evenings. BAM’s R&B Festival, the BEAT Festival and Rooftop Films are part of the lineup. For a full calendar, go here.
Photo by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
05/03/2013 12:00 PM
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Group Wants to Crowdsource Brooklyn’s Graphic Identity
Some designers, artists, professors and branding experts are attempting to crowdsource the graphic identity of Brooklyn via Kickstarter and the Web, as FIPS pointed out. Here’s how they put it on their Kickstarter page:
In recent years Brooklyn’s culture has received national and international attention due to its booming arts and maker cultures juxtaposed with its historical significance in the United States. As Brooklynites and Brooklyn-lovers, we want tap into the borough´s pulse and make it the world’s first community branded by participatory design. We, a micro-collective of award-winning artists and branding experts, have designed a four-part project that allows Brooklynites and people from around the world to contribute to the cultural identity of this borough. (more…)
04/24/2013 10:30 AM
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Coursehorse Shows You Classes to Take in Brooklyn
A Carroll Gardens resident recently helped launch the website CourseHorse, a site that centralizes the different types of classes offered in New York City. Here’s an aggregated list of all the classes available in Brooklyn, and you can filter by neighborhood, price range, and types of class. Right now many of the website’s users live in Brooklyn and are posting about classes at Brooklyn Kitchen, Brooklyn Art Space, BKC Brooklyn Central, Painting Lounge, Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and more. Here’s an adult ceramics class, DIY Printmaking, Culinary Bootcamp, and Pickling with Rick’s Picks. There are really tons of options to choose from, so go check it out here.
The Brooklyn Kitchen via Coursehorse
03/29/2013 12:00 PM
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BAM Cultural District Flowering to Transform Brooklyn
The massive redevelopment under way in the BAM Cultural District in Fort Greene is drawing comparisons to Lincoln Center in the ’90s, reports The Real Deal. It’s all part of rapid change in downtown and nearby areas, including Barclays Center, that will transform the borough in the next few years. Since a rezoning in 2004, New York City has spent more than $100 million in the BAM Cultural District, the story said. “People will look back at this and say it’s a truly remarkable renaissance,” said developer Douglas Steiner, who is building a 720-unit rental tower at Flatbush Avenue and Schermerhorn Street known as the Hub. New residential buildings and businesses began to spring up following the 2004 rezoning. Demand for housing is outpacing availability, and rents have increased, reaching an average of $3,254 for a one-bedroom in January, according to real estate firm MNS. Retail is also in demand, with commercial rents doubling or tripling since 2004. Meanwhile, the City is encouraging cultural spaces and programming. Within the next four years, the area will boast about 40 arts and cultural organizations, the story said. “We like to think of this as a cultural district that caters to everyone — not just the New York elite,” said Tucker Reed, president of the nonprofit Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.
The BAM Cultural District: The Next Lincoln Center? [TRD]
03/28/2013 9:30 AM
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Closing Bell: The Clintons at BAM
Former president Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton will discuss philanthropy at BAM Monday night. Actor Edward Norton, who cofounded crowdsourced philanthropy site Crowdrise, will moderate. Tickets range from $50 to $2,500 and will go to support the Clinton Foundation, which focuses on improving health and the environment.
Photo via BAM
02/28/2013 4:00 PM
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Williamsburg Cinemas Opening Soon
The long-anticipated Williamsburg Cinemas on the corner of Grand Street and Driggs is set to open any day now, probably in early December, according to DNAinfo. The seven-screen theater, which will show a mix of indie and mainstream first-run films, was on track to open early this month, but Hurricane Sandy delayed the final inspections by city agencies. Owner Harvey Elgart also owns Cobble Hill Cinemas and Kew Gardens Cinemas. Until recently, there were no movie theaters in Williamsburg, but now the neighborhood has quite a few, including Nitehawk Cinema, Spectacle Theater and indiScreen.
Williamsburg Cinemas Ready for December Opening [DNAinfo]
Williamsburg Cinemas Won’t Make Summer Opening [Brownstoner]
Rendering by Williamsburg Cinemas via DNAinfo GMAP
11/15/2012 2:00 PM
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Closing Bell: On My Block Film Fest
The screening of the On My Block neighborhood filmmaking challenge takes place tomorrow evening in Dumbo. Fifteen films made in all five boroughs using only residents of the filmmaker’s block as cast and crew will be shown. Films range from one to five minutes in length and can be narrative or documentaries. Awards will be presented for Best Narrative Film, Best Documentary Film and Best In Show. The contest provides an opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other better through a collaborative process. “The finished films will live on past the festival end date as a source of community pride, and as a living map of the world’s most creative city,” said the organizers. The reception starts at 7 pm at the White Wave John Ryan Theater at 25 Jay Street. Tickets are $7 in advance or $9 at the door.
11/13/2012 4:00 PM
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Slave Theater Auction Postponed Again
The fate of the Slave Theater at 1215 Fulton Street in Bed Stuy is still up in the air. An auction of the building that once housed the famed Afrocentric cultural institution was expected to take place today but has not been scheduled. It is not clear if an auction will be set for next month or at all. No word on whether building owner Rev. Samuel Boykin is in contract or sold the building, though in August several potential buyers were reported to be interested. The New Brooklyn Theater did not reach its goal of raising $200,000 through Kickstarter, but may still be able to raise some funds directly to try to buy the building, if it is still available. “Due to the hurricane, I have been told that the entire process may get pushed back because of availability from the Department of Buildings who is going to be helping with Sandy related issues,” said New Brooklyn Theater Executive Producer Sarah Wolff.
Photo by Andreas Burgess
New Brooklyn Theater to Hold Meeting About Slave Theater [Brownstoner]
11/05/2012 10:45 AM
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Sandy Shuts Down Some Brooklyn Events
While the Nets and Knicks game will go on as planned, the Park Slope Civic Council has cancelled its Halloween parade this year. Other cultural events are proceeding as scheduled, while some are not. The Fisher Theater may open Thursday; movies are playing as usual at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Brooklyn Heights Cinema. Jimmy Kimmel is back on at the Harvey Theater. Friday’s hardhat tour of the Squibb Park Bridge has been postponed.
Storm-Related Cultural Cancellations Continue [NY Times]
Photo of last year’s parade by ps5thavebid
10/31/2012 12:00 PM
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Closing Bell: Brooklyn Heights Standup Nights
The Brooklyn Heights Cinema is now hosting standup comedy once a month on Wednesday nights. The lineup is curated and hosted by comedian Shelly Colman. So far, they’ve had Liam McEneaney and Chris Doucette, as well as newer performers. The next two comedy nights are scheduled for Oct. 17 and Nov. 21 at 9 pm at 70 Henry Street. Admission is $10. Colman, who lives in the neighborhood, approached new owner Kenn Lowy after she read he wanted to expand the theater’s offerings into live performance. The venue also now hosts a monthly live music night.
10/16/2012 4:00 PM
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City Modern Panel Considers Design, Gentrification
When Andrew Tarlow opened Diner, his first business, in South Williamsburg, the area was desolate. The growth of his mini-empire since then, culminating in the opening of the Wythe Hotel in North Williamsburg in April, and sparking or paralleling both the growth of Brooklyn style and the intensification of gentrification, depending on your point of view, could be seen as a metaphor for the trajectory of the whole borough. On Wednesday, a panel at the hotel, part of the week-long City Modern program hosted by Dwell and New York magazines, considered the relationship between gentrification and design in Brooklyn. On the panel were Tarlow, Wythe Hotel designer Stefanie Brechbuehler of Workstead, and Wythe Hotel architect architect Morris Adjmi. New York Magazine Design Editor Wendy Goodman moderated. “The building is a character, it has a personality,” explained Brechbuehler, describing the evolution of the design of the hotel, repurposed from an old factory. The panel agreed that the essence of Brooklyn design consists of taking over old, falling apart buildings, and rebuilding them while preserving the character rather than sheetrocking over it. (more…)
10/05/2012 10:00 AM
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The Two Sides of the Brooklyn Economy
Slate has taken a look at Brooklyn artisanal manufacturing and pondered whether it could spread throughout the U.S. and revive our economy. The article notes two special conditions in Brooklyn that have fostered this new type of production: a local support infrastructure of shared kitchens, food blogs and markets such as Smorg; and a big pool of high-end consumers who can pay high prices for top quality goods. To go mass market, or at least nationwide, these businesses would have to grow big and Whole Foods-like, perhaps losing some of their specialness. But it is possible, as Whole Foods has shown. Even if they don’t go mass, if the nation winds up with a lot of small producers, that’s a good thing, the article concluded. Meanwhile, Forbes considered the other side of this equation in a story called “The Hollow Boom of Brooklyn: Behind Veneer of Gentrification, Life Gets Worse for Many.” (more…)
09/26/2012 9:30 AM
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NY Mag: Brooklyn Is Over — Again!
There is no end to these stories about the gentrification of Brooklyn, but this is the one to read. It’s beautiful and covers everything, from the Canarsee natives to the mid-century industrial past to the post-industrial hipster present. The lyrical article defies summarization. But the point is: Brooklyn is wonderful in all its incarnations.
Haunts: A Native Son Walks Among the Ghosts [NY Mag]
09/25/2012 9:00 AM
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Cartoonist Calls out Yoga Studio/Bar in Bushwick
Brooklyn Paper’s “Bartoonish” meditates on the Cobra Club, a new yoga studio-slash-bar in Bushwick. This may be Bushwick’s first yoga studio-bar with an actual liquor license, but there have been several other venues in Bushwick that have doubled as event spaces by night and yoga studios by day.
The Cobra Club: Bill Roundy’s Cartoon Review [Brooklyn Paper]
09/04/2012 11:30 AM
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Brooklyn Gangs: Dangerous, Trendy or Both?
Police investigators are touring church groups with slide shows and lectures to warn parents of the latest threat to their children: violent youth gangs who throw luxurious parties, sport trendy bracelets and post photos of their exploits on social media for all to see, the New York Daily News reported. Police investigators have made slide shows “filled with disturbing photos of punks holding up guns, wads of cash, and bags of drugs.” The images, such as the party scene above, are taken from social networking sites such as Instagram and Google Plus. Police and pastors said the photos show violent gang members, but others disputed their claims. Stephen “Ill” Edwards, founder of Illflix.com, said the kids depicted are part of rap groups with music videos on YouTube and thousands of Twitter followers. “Why is it when urban kids get together it is a gang?” Edwards said. (more…)
08/31/2012 9:45 AM
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Photos From Afro-Punk Fest 2012
The 8th Annual Afro-Punk Fest was held this weekend in Commodore Barry Park on the edge of Fort Greene in Brooklyn. The line-up featured acts like Erykah Badu, Das Racist and Reggie Watts in addition to a slew of food and merch vendors. But, as the photos below show, the real action was the people watching. Any readers make it by?
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08/27/2012 12:00 PM
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Slave Theater Auction Cancelled; Building in Contract?
This just in: The foreclosure auction of the historic Slave Theater at 1215 Fulton Street in Bed Stuy scheduled to take place yesterday at 2:30 pm was cancelled at the last minute, according to a statement released by New Brooklyn Theater, which is attempting to buy the building by raising funds on Kickstarter. The group reports that it hears the building’s owner, Rev. Samuel Boykin, is in contract with a potential buyer. “We have not heard from the Reverend Boykin in several days,” said New Brooklyn Theater Artistic Director Jonathan Solari.
Nonprofit Turns to Kickstarter to Buy Slave Theater [Brownstoner]
Foreclosure Auction Set for Slave Theater [Brownstoner]
Slave Theater Vacated, but Questions of Ownership Linger [Brownstoner]
Bed Stuy’s Slave Theater Still Looking for Buyer [Brownstoner] GMAP
Photo by bondidwhat
08/10/2012 11:54 AM
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Nonprofit Turns to Kickstarter to Buy Slave Theater
A nonprofit called New Brooklyn Theater is trying to raise $200,000 on Kickstarter by Oct. 4. The group intends to use the money as a down payment to purchase the Slave Theater, the historic Afrocentric cultural institution whose building at 1215 Fulton Street in Bed Stuy is scheduled to be auctioned off today at 2:30 pm. New Brooklyn Theater was created by two theater professionals with no apparent existing ties to the Slave Theater. They pledge to restore the building and maintain it as a performing arts center featuring Brooklyn artists, foster original work from students in public and charter schools in the neighborhood, and offer tickets at affordable prices. The group’s multi-million-dollar four-phase plan includes fundraising from corporate and development partners. Artistic Director Jonathan Solari is a theater, opera and film director. Executive producer Sarah Wolff previously produced public programming at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. So far, 46 backers have pledged nearly $14,000.
Foreclosure Auction Set for Slave Theater [Brownstoner]
Slave Theater Vacated, but Questions of Ownership Linger [Brownstoner]
Bed Stuy’s Slave Theater Still Looking for Buyer [Brownstoner] GMAP
Photo by Andreas Burgess
08/09/2012 11:00 AM
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Photos of the “Original” Bushwick Pioneers
On display at two Bushwick community locations is “Pioneers of Bushwick,” portraits of long-time residents of Bushwick by photographer and artist Daryl-Ann Saunders, who also lives in the neighborhood. The name of the project turns the idea of neighborhood “pioneers” on its head. A word that is usually used unselfconsciously to refer to gentrifiers, in this case it means long-time residents who preceded more recent arrivals to the neighborhood (Mexican immigrants, artists, and recent college grads alike). Other themes include aging, human value, and perseverance, said the artist. The portraits are accompanied by brief quotes from the subjects. Click through for more photos and info after the jump…
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07/25/2012 12:00 PM
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Bob Dylan Playing Barclays on November 21…
…according to this Mark Knopfler fan site.
07/18/2012 1:46 PM
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bobmarvin
May 16, 2013 | 09:04 AM