Flushing Town Hall’s Community Art Exhibition, Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope, to Return for the Lunar New Year in February 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Karin Venegas, karin@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7049
Sandra Tharas, sandra@anatgerstein.com, 718-793-2211



(Flushing, N.Y.) —Flushing Town Hall’s outdoor community art exhibition - Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope –returns this February for the Lunar New Year to give people an opportunity to express their feelings about this moment in our nation’s history, as well as their hopes in the new year.

Amid the pandemic and social justice movements, Flushing Town Hall launched Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope last summer, allowing people to contribute their art to be displayed on the historic institution’s fence on Northern Boulevard. On February 1, 2021, Flushing Town Hall re-opens the community art exhibition and solicits new artwork for the Lunar New Year, once again inviting participants to artistically express the range of emotions they feel as they face the new year.

This Lunar New Year is the Year of the Ox--- and its associated characteristics of diligence, strength and determination are skills that help build resiliency, allowing us to recover quickly from difficulties.

Amateur and professional artists are invited to explore these concepts artistically in this new exhibition.  Consider creating art that answers any of these questions: As I face the new year, what skills do I want to cultivate in myself to create a resilient community? What inspires me and others to be hopeful? How can I honor the memory of someone I lost last year by living a courageous life? How can I artistically connect with my diverse community and bring people together?

“We were incredibly moved by the outpouring of artwork at the first Call and Response exhibition as over 60 pieces were submitted—from amateur and professional local artists and others as far away as the United Kingdom,” said Flushing Town Hall Director of Education and Public Programs Gabrielle M. Hamilton.  “Our 2021 version of this exhibition invites participants to look to a more hopeful future; even as we still grieve for those we lost. With determination, and in honor of those we lost, we look to rebuild a more resilient, inspired, and courageous community. We invite participants of all ages and abilities to create art that shows your artistic vision of a better tomorrow.”

Flushing Town Hall will begin to accept new artwork to share as part of Call and Response beginning on February 1, 2021.  Participants can hang their artwork themselves, or email scans to the institution before and during the Lunar New Year, which is noted for strength and determination. The Lunar New Year – the Year of the Ox - begins on Friday, February 12, 2021.

Participants will be able to go to the venue and hang their artwork directly on the fence. Artwork of all mediums, from all ages and abilities is welcomed. If you wish to contribute, consider the following:

Work can be up to 27”x 39” inches on paper, fabric or ribbon.
After you complete your work, write your name on your piece (if you like), punch a hole in the artwork at the top, and tie a string or zip-tie through it.
If your artwork is very big, you can tape it to the fence with masking tape
Artwork will be exposed to the elements and will not be protected from the weather.
Artwork will not be returned.
Artwork may be photographed and shared online through a virtual exhibition, unless specifically note by the artists on the back of the artwork.
Flushing Town Hall reserves the right to remove any artwork that use hate speech, profanity or obscenity, depicts violence, sexual acts or unlawful or illegal behavior.

If participants cannot travel to Flushing Town Hall to hang artwork, they are invited to take a photo or scan of artwork and message, and email scans to education@flushingtownhall.org. Flushing Town Hall staff will print a copy of the work and hang it on our fence.

Flushing Town Hall will continue to showcase individual pieces of the artwork on Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter platforms, and on Flushing Town Hall’s Cultural Crossroads blog.

Flushing Town Hall’s FTH At Home! virtual programming is presented for free to the general public but donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.

Visit Our New Website!

Flushing Town Hall is excited to announce the launch of its redesigned website: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/. The new website improves access to online events, educational programming, artist services, and rental availabilities. It also features a brand new PRESS ROOM with the latest press releases and news coverage. As always, it remains a great source for information about the history and mission of the organization, as well as important contact and community engagement information.

Flushing Town Hall greatly appreciates the supporters of our current campaign, Step Up for Flushing Town Hall, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are able and willing to help, please click here to learn more and donate today. Special thanks to our Step Up Campaign donors with gifts of $100 and above: Karen Argueta, Maria Arias, Henry Assael, Christopher Banks, Barbara Banks Schwam, Beverly Bartow, Geraldine Benfante, Carol Bennett, Seth Bornstein, Larue Brathwaite, Anne Bresnahan, Claire Bullard, Jenna Capeci, Calvin Chan, Dongshin Chang, Christopher Chen, Cecilia Cheng, Amy Chin, Wanda Chin, David Creed, Jacob Eichenbaum, David Fesser, Ellen Fisher-Turk, Karen Fitzgerald, Paul Foster, Emma Frankel, Andrew Garson, Howard Graf (Graf & Lewent Architects), Anat Gerstein, Heather Harrison, Alan Heilbron, Susan Hennessy, Carolee Hildenbrandt, Rhenaye Hornsby, Timothy Hosking, Ming-I Huang, Raymond Jasen, Carmen Jimenez, Andrew Karp, Amir Kassam, Adrienne Kivelson, Bob Kodadek, Saul Kupferberg, Carol Leaf, Stephanie Lee, Anne Lewent, Judith Lewent, Steve Lewent, James Liao, Jeri Lim, Meiling Liu, Stephanie Long, Martha Ma, Frank Macchio, Rob Mackay, Sandra Mann, Pamela Marquez, Steve Marston, William McClure, Steven Mecca, Cynthia Merkle, Chi Mo, Lee Nash, Sandra Nash, Rochelle Nechin, Albert Niu, TeHsing Niu, The Ong Family Foundation, Jessica Peña, Kimberly Phelan, Mary and Oscar Pollock, Ryan Powers, Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera Association, Richard Quatrano, Mira Rubens, Teresa Salles, Jeffrey Schneider, Roslyn Schwersenz, Tina Seligman, Dominique Sellers, Alice Sharp, Thomas Simmons, Mike Sperendi & Jan Schneider, Sheila Sweeney, Jean Tatge, Marsha Toma, Veronica Tsang, WAC Lighting, Tai-nin Wang, Jill Ward, Daryl Ware, David and Elsie Werber, Robert and Karla Wishnick, Edwina and Eldwin Wong, Lucy Wong, Jon Yanofsky, Mimi Yeung.

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization which receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson, and Council Members Costa Constantinides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, and Jimmy Van Bramer; and the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and the Booth Ferris Foundation.

Support for our programs is also provided by Acrobuffos/Seth Bloom & Christina Gelsone, Angela An, Robin Bell-Stevens, Viviana M. Benitez, Dongjiang Bi, Cathay Bank, Douglass Chan, Amy Mak Chan, Calvin W. Chan, Sharon Chen, Ginger Chinn, Dr. Hsing-Lih Chou/New York Institute of Culture and the Arts, Con Edison, Crossings TV, Exploring the Metropolis, Kuang-Yu Fong/Chinese Theatre Works, Barbara Garii, Matthew Goldner, Howard Graf & Kathy Donovan, Guru Krupa Foundation, Lily Han, Heather Harrison, Belinda Pilin Hsu, Alice & Steve Huang, Hung Pin Hung, Investors Foundation, Raymond D. Jasen, the Jim Henson Foundation, Ellen Kodadek, the Laura B. Vogler Foundation, Nelson Lee/Flushing Bank, Janet T. Leow, Anne Lewent, James S. Liao, Emily Lin/Lin & Loveall Foundation, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Frank Macchio, Materials for the Arts, William McClure/Queens College, Mets Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Jassy Z. Min, New York Chinese Chorus, Northwell Health, TeHsing Niu, Carlos Ortiz, Queens Art Education Center/Arthur Liu, Richard Quantaro, Queens Courier, Resorts World, Camillo Reyes, RuDance/Asian American Dance Sport Corp., Dominique Sellers, Helen Shieh, Richard Siu, Curtis Smith, Mike Sperendi & Jan Schneider, Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Michael Tang, Veronica Tsang, Tai & Tony Wang/Glow Foundation, Jay Wegman, Constance Wingate, Lucy Wong, Anna Wu, Minwen Yang, Hank Yeh, Sandy Yeh, Shane Yeh, and Angela Qi Zhang.

We have done our best to recognize donations correctly, but should your recognition be incorrect, please contact Jessica Peña, Director of Development, at jpena@flushingtownhall.org.

About Flushing Town Hall
Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Land Acknowledgement:
Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.

COVID-19:
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while our venue remains temporarily closed in accordance with social distancing guidelines, we are proudly presenting performances, exhibitions, panel discussions, and educational activities online through our virtual initiatives, FTH at Home! and Global Arts for Global Kids.

For more information:
www.flushingtownhall.org
(718) 463-7700 x222