1/19/13 BAMfamily Launch Party: Down the Rabbit Hole @ BAM Fisher (Fisher Hillman Studio)

Saturday, January 19, 2013 from 11:00am to 4:00pm
Wristbands for admission to the Fishman Space and Hillman Studio are available in the lobby 30mins prior to start of event

BAM Fisher, Fisher Hillman Studio
321 Ashland Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 636-4100
Cost: Free. Wristbands for admission to the Fishman Space and Hillman Studio are available in the lobby 30mins prior to start of event.
For ages 2 to 10 yrs

Follow Alice down the rabbit hole for this marvelous adventure to launch BAM’s very special season of family and educational programs. The whole family can enjoy the celebration at 321 Ashland Place—the new BAM Fisher building. Festivities include Story Pirates’ hilarious sketch comedy musicals—based on stories written by kids—and Urban Stages’ Blown Away by Poetry—an interactive performance and workshop with puppets and poetry—plus face-painting and many other activities.

As part of this festive day of storytelling, children are encouraged to dress up as and bring a drawing of their favorite storybook character. Those who submit a drawing will be entered to win BAMfamily season tickets!

About BAMfamily. BAMfamily offers smart, stimulating, and unconventional arts programming to inspire every member of your family. This year marks the first-ever BAMfamily season—a diverse lineup of performances, workshops, and participatory events.

Event Schedule
11am: Button Making & Facepainting (All Day) @ Stutz Garden, 7th Floor
11:30am: Storytelling: Betsy Lewin & Chris Raschka @ Hillman, 4th, Floor
12pm: Story Pirates Performance @ Fishman, 1st Floor
12:45pm: Storytelling: Paul O. Zelinzky & Peter Brown @ Hillman, 4th Floor
2pm: Music: ¡Acopladitos!/The Good Ms. Padgett @ Hillman 4th Floor
3pm: Blown Away by Poetry @ Fishman, 1st Floor
3:15pm: Music: ¡Acopladitos!/The Good Ms. Padgett @ Hillman, 4th Floor

Sponsored by Target.

http://www.bam.org/family/2013/bamfamily-launch-party-down-the-rabbit-hole

12/8/12 Family Affair: Holiday Party! @ Bronx Museum of the Arts

Saturday, December 8, 2012 from 1:00 to 4:00pm

Bronx Museum of the Arts

1040 Grand Concourse, (at 165th St)

Bronx, NY 10456(718) 681-6000
Cost: Free, however, children aged 12 & under must be accompanied by their parents or guardians

Round up your crew for an afternoon of seasonal celebrations, including art-making activities, eats and family-friendly tours of the museum's exhibits.

http://www.bronxmuseum.org/events.php

10/13/12 Fall Kids Fest 2012 @ Madison Square Park

Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 11am to 2pm

Madison Square Park

23rd Street between Madison Ave. & Fifth Ave.

New York, NY
Cost: Free
For all ages

Join Madison Square Park’s annual Fall Kids Fest in celebration of the Conservancy’s 10-year anniversary! Bring your young ones for a free fall-festive day especially dedicated to them and have the whole family enjoy live music, arts and crafts, face painting, pumpkin decorating, games, snacks, and much much more!

Parents, the Costume Swap is back! Head to the Costume Swap tent and bring outgrown and clean children’s costumes and swap them out for “new” garb. This is a really cost effective solution for our ever-growing children!

Make sure to check out a new addition and Kids Fest first, the Games section located on the east lawn! Children of all ages can enjoy board games presented by the New York Department of Parks and Recreation, throw a pie-in-the-face of our earnest sponsor Hill Country Chicken, and dash through an obstacle course, sponsored and designed by Deer Mountain Day Camp!

Don’t forget to venture to the Crafts tent located on the northern lawn. Make tube monsters with MSPC, egg shakers with The Little Orchestra Society, table top activities with Appleseeds and much more! Visit the Marimekko booth during Fall Kids Fest to make a colorful and fun Marimekko fabric pumpkin using their fun prints and patterns!

Neighboring the Crafts tent on the north western side of the park is the Pumpkin Patch! Check in with our pumpkin patch team to receive a ticket for a free pumpkin and then head over to our decorating station! Pumpkins will be given out to children who are present at the Fest and are on a first come first serve basis.

Check out our Kids Fest park map for layout details!

Fall Kids Fest is rain or shine and takes place in beautiful Madison Square Park at 23rd Street between Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenues. This free event is presented by World Class Learning Academy, NY, an international school for children ages 2-11, and Time Out Kids.

http://www.madisonsquarepark.org/things-to-do/calendar/fall-kids-fest-2012

3/9/12 St. James Skate & Family Night @ St. James Recreation Center

Friday, March 9, 2012 from 6:30 to 8:30pm

St. James Recreation Center
in St. James Park

2530 Jerome Ave. (btw E. 193 St. & Creston Ave.)
Bronx, NY 10468
(718) 367-3657|
Cost: Free
For all ages

Families are invited to lace up their skates and head to St. James Park for some wholesome Friday-night fun. Acquired in 1897, the Bronx space grew from marshland to a community gathering spot complete with tennis, basketball and handball courts and a recreation center featuring computers, a fitness room and game rooms. From 6:30 to 8:30pm, the center adds to its offerings, converting the gym into a roller rink and pulling out some board games for a little competition in between laps. A limited number of roller skates and helmets will be available to borrow, but it's wise to bring your own if you have them. Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult while skating.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/2012/03/09/skate-family-night

5/21/11 The Whitney Community Day in the Meatpacking District/Chelsea/Village

Saturday, May 21, 2011. Rain or shine.

The Whitney Museum of American Art will break ground on a new building in downtown Manhattan on May 24, 2011. Located in the Meatpacking District on Gansevoort Street between West Street and the high Line, the 200,000-square-foot building designed by architect renzo Piano will provide the Whitney with essential new space for its collection,exhibitions, and education and performing arts programs in one of New York’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

The new building will include more than 50,000 square feet of indoor galleries and 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space, providing long-awaited opportunities to show more of the Whitney’s unsurpassed collection of 20th- and 21st-century American art in tandem with cutting-edge temporary exhibitions.

The new building’s expansive temporary exhibition gallery will be approximately 18,000 square feet, making it the largest column-free museum gallery in new york City. Outdoor galleries situated on four levels of the building’s rooftops will offer dynamic exterior exhibition spaces. A dramatically cantilevered entrance along Gansevoort Street will shelter a public plaza for art that is destined to become a popular gathering space situated only steps away from the southern entrance to the high Line.

The building also will offer state-of-the-art classrooms and a seminar room; a research library; a large art conservation area; a multi-use indoor/outdoor space for film, video and the performing arts; a 170-seat theater; and a study center. Other amenities include a restaurant, a cafe, and a bookstore, all of which will contribute to the vibrant street life of the area. The new building will engage the Whitney directly with the bustling community of artists, gallerists, students, educators, entrepreneurs, and residents in the Meatpacking district, Chelsea, as well as Greenwich Village, where the Museum was founded by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney in 1930.


All events are free, unless indicated.

Schedule of Events

9:30 am–5 pm
Community Open House
The Whitney’s new Building Site at Washington St. & Gansevoort St.

Check out the site of the Whitney’s new building and meet the team behind the project, see architectural renderings, and enjoy giveaways and snacks. Be sure to pick up a free limited-edition guide to explore the Whitney’s new neighborhood through the eyes of artist Lize Mogel; recommended for kids ages 6 to 12.


10am–12pm
Now and Then: Whitney Family Programs on the High Line
For families with kids ages 6–12
Enter at the Chelsea Market Passage at 16 St. & 10 Ave.
Tours leave every 15 mins., 10–11:30 am

Enjoy guided tours of the high Line, where kids will explore the changing landscape of the city through observation and historical photos and sketch their vision of the future downtown. First come, first served. 

10 am–6 pm
The Groundbreakers Art Party Auction Preview
Phillips de Pury & Company
450 W. 15 St. (btwn. 9 Ave. & 10 Ave.), 3rd Fl.

Preview a selection of contemporary artwork before it goes up for auction at the Whitney’s annual Art Party on May 24. The Art Party benefits the Whitney’s independent Study Program and other education initiatives. Families and strollers are welcome! More information at whitney.org/ArtParty or (212) 671-5310.

11am & 12pm
Performance: STREB and the Center
The Standard Hotel Plaza
848 Washington St. (btwn. Little W. 12 St. & W. 13 St.)
Rain: The Whitney’s new Building Site Washington St. & Gansevoort St.

In celebration of the Whitney’s new building, youth from The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Community Center on W. 13 St. present the premiere performance of their original choreography, developed in collaboration with dancers from the world-renowned, risk-taking STREB Extreme Action Company.

Exhibition Viewing: 12–6 pm
Reception and Celebration: 4–6 pm
Youth Insights Spring Exhibition and Celebration
Westbeth Artists’ housing Community room
155 Bank St. (btwn. West St. & Washington St.)

The Whitney’s youth insights program provides opportunities for a diverse group of NYC teens to work collaboratively, discuss art critically, think creatively, and make art inspired by this exchange. This exhibition presents works of art and writing created this spring by teens in collaboration with Artists-in-residence Angel Otero and Wardell Milan.

12–4 pm
Chalk It Up! For families with kids of all ages
Westbeth Artists’ housing Courtyard
155 Bank St. (btwn. West St. & Washington St.)

Take a break with fun outdoor activities! Street artist Ellis Gallagher’s creations will inspire families to add their own chalk masterpieces.

1–4 pm
California Dreaming: A Collaborative Mural with Mario Ybarra Jr. and Karla Diaz
For teens ages 14–19
The DETAILS Guild Wall, Washington St. & W. 13 St. 

Teens are invited to join 2008 Whitney Biennial artist Mario Ybarra Jr. and his partner Karla Diaz of Slanguage Studio in creating a mural at The DETAILS Guild Wall celebrating the Whitney’s new home.

1–4 pm
Artist Project: Aki Sasamoto
For families with kids ages 6–12
72 Gansevoort St. (btwn. Washington St. & 9 Ave.)

Families are invited to explore play, ritual, and rituals of play with 2010 Whitney Biennial artist Aki Sasamoto through an interactive installation and intermittent performances.

1:30 pm & 3 pm
From Mollusks to Meat Hooks to Moschino with Lize Mogel
Meet at the Whitney Museum new Building Site
Washington St. & Gansevoort St.

Artist Lize Mogel leads an interactive walking tour of the Meatpacking District, exploring the overlapping ecosystems and hidden histories of the streets. Adventuresome trekkers and spectators alike can pick up a special artist-designed map. 

2–3 pm
Merce Cunningham Dance Company Welcomes The Whitney

Merce Cunningham Dance Company
55 Bethune St. (btwn. West St. & Washington St.), 11 Fl.

Enjoy a special studio showing by the Cunningham repertory understudy Group, a dance workshop for people of all ages and abilities, and a Q&A with the dancers.

7 pm–midnight
Whitney Museum Groundbreaking Party with Cheryl
21 and older
Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime hotel
88 9 Ave. (btwn. 16 St. & 17 St.) /$5 General Admission

The performance and video collective Cheryl hosts “The Dance Part of the Future.” known for staging “dance parties that will ruin your life,” Cheryl brings in the glitter through immersive videos, outrageous costumes, and exuberant dance moves. They want to party with you. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door and in advance at whitney.org/CommunityDay.

http://whitney.org/About/NewBuilding/CommunityDay

5/7/11 Sites Above the City: Family Arts Workshop with Kim Beck @ The High Line

Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 10:00am to 12:00pm

The High Line in the 14th Street Passage, between West 13th and West 14th Streets

New York, NY

(212) 206-9922
Cost: Free. No RSVP required.
For ages 5 and up

Families, join Friends of the High Line and artist Kim Beck for a hands-on workshop that explores the world above the streets of New York. Go on a scavenger hunt on the High Line to find the three sculptures that make upSpace Available, Beck's sculpture for the High Line Art program, and then make your own work of art inspired by the High Line's unique city views.

http://www.thehighline.org/events/all/2011/5/sites-above-the-city-family-arts-workshop

2/13/11 MetLife Second Sundays for Families: Panorama Explorer’s Day @ Queens Museum of Art

Sunday, February 13, 2011 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm

Queens Museum of Art

New York City Building

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Queens, NY 11368

(718) 592-9700
Cost: Free

For all ages

Join the Queens Museum of Art in exploring the fabulous Panorama of the City of New York, the large-scale architectural model of New York City. You may know how to spot the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty, but after a tour with an educator you will be able to find out the less famous features of the cities, such as highways, parks, and bridges that are just as important in making our city work. Test your knowledge with a quick panorama quiz, with fun prizes for those with the most urban knowledge. Then stop by the art-making studios to build your own city models.

And don’t forget to go to the theater for a workshop with artist and musician Renzo Ortega who will work with your family to make music inspired by the sounds of the city. After all that, you’ll probably be ready grab a free snack at the refreshment table. Before leaving make sure you find out what wacky creative activity the Free Style Arts Association gang have planned this month!

http://www.queensmuseum.org/metlife-second-sundays-for-families-panorama-explorers-day

Ongoing Fridays from 1/7/11 to 4/8/11 Crafts: Family Fridays @ The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center in Central Park

Every Friday from 2:00pm to 4:00 pm from January 7 to April 8, 2011

Charles A. Dana Discovery Center

(inside the Park on 110th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves)
New York City, NY

(212) 860-1370
Cost: Free

For all ages

Head to the Dana Discovery Center after school gets out, and kick off your weekend with a different craft each week. Drop in anytime between 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm to participate in crafts like botanical still-life painting, beading with natural materials, and animal puppet-making.

The Central Park Conservancy welcomes the Museum for African Art to co-present three special Family Fridays with an eco-conservation and African art twist, happening on January 14, February 18, and March 18.

FREE. No advance registration. All ages welcome. Families only; no groups please. For more information, call (212) 860-1370.

http://support.centralparknyc.org/site/Calendar/1600043442?view=Detail&id=112201

11/20/10 Hands-On History: Apples, Apples, Apples! @ King Manor Museum

Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 12:00

King Manor Museum in King Park

150-03 Jamaica Ave.

(King Park is located on Jamaica Ave. betw 150th & 153rd Streets. King Manor Museum is the big yellow house in the park!)

Queens, NY 11432

(718) 206-0545

Directions: http://www.kingmanor.org/visit/directions.php

Cost: Free

For all ages

Come and hear apple stories, learn what else they can be used for, and make a special apple craft to take home and much more.

About King Manor Museum

The centerpiece of an 11-acre New York City park in Jamaica, Queens, King Manor Museum was the home and farm of Founding Father Rufus King from 1805 to 1827. Rufus King was an author of the U.S. Constitution, as well as one of New York’s first United States Senators, Ambassador to Great Britain and an early, and outspoken, opponent of slavery. King Manor later became the estate of King’s son, John Alsop King, who served as New York’s Governor. King Manor has been a museum since 1900.

http://www.kingmanor.org/

11/19/10 Family Opening: Edward Hopper + Charles LeDray @ Whitney Museum of American Art

Friday, November 19, 2010 from 4 to 6pm

Whitney Museum of American Art
945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street
New York, NY 10021
General Info: (212) 570-3600
Free with museum admission (see website for admission prices)

For kids ages 6 to 12 and their parents

Families are invited to come celebrate the opening of Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time and Charles LeDray: workworkworkworkwork. Works by Hopper and LeDray range from oil paintings to small and large-scale sculptural installations. Families can participate in interactive tours or may explore the galleries on their own. Snacks will be served!

http://whitney.org/Events/FamilyOpening

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Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time

October 28, 2010–April 10, 2011

Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time traces the development of realism in American art between 1900 and 1940, emphasizing the diverse ways that artists depicted the sweeping transformations in urban and rural life that occurred during this period. The exhibition highlights the work of Edward Hopper, whose use of the subject matter of modern life to portray universal human experiences made him America’s most iconic realist painter of the 20th century. Drawn primarily from the Whitney Museum’s extensive holdings, Modern Lifeplaces Hopper’s achievements in the context of his contemporaries—the Ashcan School painters with whom he came of age as an artist in the century’s first decades, the 1920’s Precisionist artists, whose explorations of abstract architectural geometries mirrored those of Hopper, and a younger generation of American Scene painters, who worked alongside Hopper in New York during the 1930s. Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time includes approximately 80 works in a range of media by Hopper and artists such as John Sloan, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Paul Strand, Charles Demuth, Guy Pène du Bois, Charles Sheeler, Charles Burchfield, Ben Shahn, Reginald Marsh. The show is accompanied by a 250-page illustrated catalogue with essays by American and German scholars, produced in conjunction with an exhibition of the same title which appeared at the Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg, and the Kunsthal Rotterdam in 2009-10.

More about Hopper and examples of his art:

http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/ModernLife/History

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Charles LeDray: workworkworkworkwork
November 18, 2010–February 13, 2011

Over the past twenty years, New York-based sculptor Charles LeDray (b. 1960, Seattle) has created a highly distinctive and powerful body of work using such materials as sewn cloth, carved human bone, and glazed ceramics. This major survey, which includes works from the 1980s to the present, celebrates both the artist’s virtuosity with materials and his uncanny manipulation of scale to create seemingly familiar objects that engage the collective memory. His techniques of sewing, carving bone, and throwing clay pots find precedents in the traditions of folk art and visionary art, yet rise to a level of unprecedented virtuosity and artistic invention. The exhibition is curated by Randi Hopkins for the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. Its Whitney installation will be overseen by curator Carter Foster.

More about LeDray and examples from the exhibition:

http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/CharlesLeDray/Images#40066