Art for the Earth, Community, and Life! Earth Celebrations, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering ecological awareness through the arts. Earth Celebrations responds to the growing need to reconnect art with our lives, community, and the social responsibility we all share for the preservation of a natural and ecologically balanced world! Art does not only have to reflect life,
but can effect it too, by inspiring people's imagination and bringing them
together to address crucial issues. Right here in New York City, where
we may often feel disconnected from the natural world, we are also part of a unique ecosystem, one where we can curb our production of waste,
pollution, and environmental destruction, as well as restore the ecological
balance in our city.Earth Celebrations programs include: theatrical pageants, educational
art & ecology workshops for youth and adults, artist residencies, exhibitions, web-site, video programs, creative advocacy campaigns, and partnerships with schools, community centers, and gardens. Since 1991, Earth Celebrations has been working to preserve the network of over 50
community gardens on the Lower East Side of New York City through innovative and creative programs, pageants, and workshops.Earth Celebrations inspires the community to cultivate its diverse
cultural traditions, invent new multi-cultural myths and symbols, document and perform their own local histories, and create art to preserve the
earth, build community, and celebrate life!
PUBLIC EVENTS/THEATRICAL PAGEANTS Save Our Gardens Slide Show:
A public viewing of the spectacular images of the Rites of Spring
pageant, in the 6th Street & Avenue B Garden. (September)Annual Winter Pageant:
A night-time pageant with giant puppets and community-made lanterns
mobilizes support for the gardens year-round. Pageant puppet and costume workshops: Saturday's, (November - January.)Annual Rites of Spring: Procession to Save Our Gardens:
The popular 10-hour community pageant celebrate and mobilizes support
to save the network of Lower East Side gardens (Saturday before memorial weekend in May)
EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS/ARTISTS RESIDENCIES On-Going Art & Ecology Workshops: At Earth Celebration's open community studio, the workshop engage and organize participants throughout the year to develop creative strategies and production skills addressing crucial issues. Workshops located at our space at the Sixth Street Community Center.
Art & Ecology Workhops in the Public Schools Planning has begun to
implement environmental art programs throughout the year through New
York City public schools.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING PROJECTS Lower East Side Garden Preservation Initiative: Earth Celebrations initiated coalition of neighborhood groups, organizations, gardeners, activists to work together towards the permanent preservation of the Lower East Side gardens, through a land trust, permanent site and Parks Department status, among other options.
Monthly Public Planning Meetings: The meetings organize the community throughout the year around projects and campaigns. An on-going participatory process brings the community together by incorporating and sharing their ideas, visions, and varying approaches to accomplishing goals.
ART EXHIBITIONS Cities of Eden: An Art Exhibition Celebrating Community Gardens in New York City presents painting, sculpture, photography, video.
PERFORMANCES Recycle the Trash Monster: For Earth Day's Parade For the Planet a 50
foot-long dragon of colorful soda cans, detergent bottles and newspaper
is created, paraded and then recyled!
VIDEO PROGRAMS Earth Celebrations on Cable: All Earth Celebrations events are editied
into 30 minute documentaries and air on Manhattan Neighborhood Network and web-sites.
INTERNET PROJECTS Earth Celebrations Web-Site: Is an on-going collaboration of gardeners,
artists, activits, web designers, and community people exploring this new forum for their ideas and information on their programs, strugggles, and
acheivements to preserve the gardens.Internet & WWW: An on-going program exploring the use of the internet
as a tool for community organizing and raising awareness and support for
local issues world-wide.
FUNDRAISING EVENT Annual Earth Celebrations Benefit: The annual benefit dance and
performance event raising funds and support for Earth celebrations programs. The Wednesday (closest to the spring equinox).
