ARTs East New York's 'The Van Lier [re]Activate Fellowship' provides a $16,000 stipend, 24-hour access to studio/gallery space and professional mentorship to East Brooklyn-based, socially-engaged artists
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On Wednesday, ARTs East New York (AENY) announced a Brooklyn-wide call for socially-engaged artists to apply to "The Van Lier [re]Activate Fellowship." The fellowship marks phase two of the successful ReNew Lots Market and Artist Incubator program that offers affordable studio and storefront space on vacant, rehabilitated lots in East New York.
AENY, an organization that works to inspire the community through arts and culture to facilitate resident-led development, launched ReNew Lots in 2015. The initiative activates vacant city lots and transforms shipping containers into affordable storefronts and studios for Brooklyn-based small businesses and artists, to fill a particular void: East New York, which is home to a large amount of middle-income professionals and homeowners with large spending power, experiences a lack of quality entertainment, activities and retail offering, causing the majority of these professionals to spend their money outside of the neighborhood.
"It is a proven fact that the most successful products, brands, and businesses come from filling a void in the marketplace," said AENY Executive Director Catherine Green. "We decided to 'fill a void in our community,' apply that same concept and model to urban economic development with a focus on community advancement and sustainability instead of capital gain."
During its first launch at New Lots and Van Sinderen Avenues, AENY initially operated a 17,000-square-foot space and managed over 14 local entrepreneurs, four artists and an art gallery. Now, in 2018, the organization is gearing up to reopen ReNew Lot to continue to foster entrepreneurship and thereby to increase economic and creative opportunities in East New York.
Thus, AENY invites local socially-engaged artists under 30 to apply to "The Van Lier [re]Activate Fellowship," a new residency opportunity at the 2018 [re]New Lots Artist Incubator and Vendor Market. The fellowship provides one year of support that includes a $16,000 stipend, 24-hour access to studio/gallery space in a renovated, 20 ft. shipping container at ReNew Lots; professional mentorship; and training on grassroots, community-driven cultural work.
AENY is accepting applications from artists who live in the East Brooklyn area and are under 30 years of age. Fellows will be chosen for their artistic excellence, their ability to articulate how community work is ingrained in their artistic practice and their connection to East Brooklyn. All application materials are due on Friday, February 20, 2018. All applicants will be notified mid-March 2018, for an early April program launch. To apply, go here.
