Yesterday, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced $100,000 in federal funding will be awarded to the Hudson River Museum of Westchester, a quick drive for Bronxites (or less quick bus ride). This funding will be provided through the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) “Our Town” grant program, and will be used to help the museum partner with the City of Yonkers to host the first-ever Downtown Yonkers River Arts Festival. As a part of this festival, the museum and city will be working to support local artists in the creation of public art pieces.
“The Hudson River Museum is a perfect institution to host the first-ever Yonkers-based River Arts Festival, which will enrich quality of life and be a major boost to the local economy,” said Senator Schumer. “These kinds of local festivals foster creativity, provide a wonderful opportunity for our local artists to display their work, and give our communities more chances to experience and enjoy various art forms – not to mention the glorious Hudson River. I am confident the Downtown Yonkers River Arts Festival will be a ‘can’t-miss’ staple on the calendar for years to come, and this federal NEA funding will give this festival the kick-start it needs.”
The festival will also include a major sound installation and separate lighting installation, plans for which will be developed by a series of community meetings. Additionally, the festival will recruit artists to lead public workshops and performances, offer training to artists on how to engage the public in their work, and include a series of post-event evaluations to determine successes and areas for improvement. Schumer and Gillibrand explained that this new, annual event will engage a diverse group of Yonkers residents in a variety of high-quality, interactive arts experiences through the community meetings, workshops, and performances, as well as the resulting art installations.
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