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Brooklyn Art Walks: Watkins St, Brownsville - Art Changes the Narrative!

Let's change the narrative for central Brooklyn. Support BK Art Walks, starting with Watkins St. Brownsville, one of NYC's most dangerous corridors. Art. Green. Fresh Food. Joy. For all.

Leader

Solomon Long

Location

142 Watkins Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

About the project

Let's change the narrative for Brownsville and also for all of central Brooklyn. Let's feature the artistic talent of east of Prospect Park. Brooklyn Art Walks features visual and performing arts as part of Tastes of Brooklyn events. Franklin Avenue Festival is April 1st, and Tastes of Bed-Stuy is April 29.

For the first time ever, we are creating the Watkins Street Art Walk. Unfortunately, Watkins St. in Brownsville has a reputation as one of the city's most dangerous places for illicit drug activity and gun violence. But, that is not the real Brownsville. We are going to line Watkins Street on May 6th with artists young and old, fresh food chefs offering fresh gourmet dishes, and live performances.

We also welcome all the children to submit their art and come and perform. There will be free art tables at all our events and artists creating on site. We also will be planting and greening and lining the street with green turf. 

Come discover the culinary and artist gems of central and east Brooklyn, all east of Prospect Park.

For Tastes of Bed-Stuy or Tastes of Gowanus on May 20 - donate $35 per ticket here or $100 per 3 tickets (12 tastes) and we will count you in. It gets doubled. Thank you!

The Steps

March-April: Meetings of our team to plan events.

March 25: Franklin Avenue Festival (go to tastesofbrooklyn.com) + Art Walk between Sterling/Park

April 29: Tastes of Bed-Stuy plus Art Walk

May 6: Watkins Art Walk plus Fresh Food Festival

Why we‘re doing it

Central Brooklyn is one of three NYC neighborhoods with the highest rates of diabetes, heart disease and obesity - mainly due to chronic, systemic lack of affordable, nearby fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy choices. These police precincts unfortunately also have among the highest incidences of mental illness, illicit drug activity, gun violence, crime and assaults. That is the current narrative for these neighborhoods in east and central Brooklyn. But what is not publicized is the multitude of talent, generosity, accomplishment, creativity and intelligence of so many of these residents. Artistic and culinary accolades are relegated to more affluent NYC zones. We need to create opportunity for everyone to shine and to change the narrative so children and families can pursue thriving, vibrant, productive futures. That is what this is about.. 

$6,085.00 / $5,992.45