Category: Past

Date and Time: Saturday, June 1st, 5pm – 7pm

Cost: Free

Event Description:

This exhibit will showcase the thesis projects of Kingston High School students, graduating with a concentration in the visual arts. Projects are self-defined, reflecting the varied interests and values of the young artists that conceived of them. Working with a mentor teacher, thesis students take ownership of their entire creative process, from the conception to execution. For many of them, this will be their first opportunity to have their visual “voices” heard in a public setting.

 

Date and Time: Tuesday June 4th, 6:30pm – 8pm

Cost: Free

Event Description:

New York Small Farm Alliance of Cannabis Growers and Supporters invites you to come and learn about what’s at stake as New York prepares to end prohibition.

New York is on the brink of changing its cannabis laws. Revenues are expected to be in the billions. These billions should not be leaving the state in the form of profits to big cannabusinesses. It should be the policy of this state to consciously create good jobs for the greatest number of New Yorkers, starting with our farming communities. Small farmers should be able to grow this crop, prioritizing women and people of color. Legislation should promote pesticide-free, regeneratively grown cannabis, grown outdoors under the sun, not mass-produced pesticide-laden cannabis grown in windowless warehouses, polluting our air with massive amounts of greenhouse gasses.

Andi Novick, Esq., NYSmallFarmA will lead this free, community focused chat. NYSmallFarmA advocates for cannabis regulations that embrace earth-friendly farming practices, producing cannabis that is grown, produced and distributed by small craft farmers and small businesses, particularly women and people of color. Find more information at https://NYSmallFarmA.Org

Come and ask everything you wanted to know but didn’t know who to ask.

Date and Time: Saturday May 18th, 4pm – 6pm

Cost: Free

Event Description:

Please join artists Naira Luke-Aleman, Riley Johndonnel, Maxim von Eikh, Cynthia Timms, Nicole Wilcox and Matt Taylor as they discuss their creative processes and how it impacts their mental health.  Stop by and be a part of the discussion.

Snacks and drinks served.

What is CDBG?

“The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). The CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to 1209 general units of local government and States.” – HUD.gov

Here is a video created by HUD describing the CDBG.

 

 

Date and Time: Thursday, May 2nd, 6pm – 9pm

Cost: Free

Language Info: Spanish translation provided. 

Event Description:  KingstonCitizens.org invites the public to come together to work on public comments for the draft “Community Development Block Grant Consolidated Strategy Plan”.

The group will screen the 200 page draft document to assist the public with a page by page look to outline their comments to submit to the City of Kingston’s Economic and Community Development office before the May 5th deadline.

“This is a good opportunity for the public,” said Rebecca Martin, a founder of KingstonCitizens.org. “It’s a once in a five year chance to shape the Community Development Block Grant funding strategies for Kingston in time for their input to count.”

According to the City of Kingston’s press release, “This Five-Year Consolidated Plan provides a basis and strategy for the use of federal funds granted to the City of Kingston by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG).”

Funding determinations in the plan include: affordable housing assistance, housing rehabilitation and accessibility to housing units, reduction of slum/blight conditions in targeted neighborhoods, youth and community public service programs, business facade and sidewalk improvements, economic development programs, public facilities and infrastructure, community policing and public safety initiatives, parks and recreation improvements and lead hazard prevention and improvements.

“The purpose of developing a Consolidated Plan involves three primary goals which are defined by HUD: to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities principally for low and moderate income persons. The primary means to this end is to extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including for-profit and non-profit organizations, in the production and operation of affordable housing.

This Plan covers the period beginning July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023, including five CDBG program years. Programs and activities described in this Plan are intended to primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents within the boundaries of the City of Kingston, neighborhoods with high concentrations of low- and moderate-income residents, families, racial minorities, and individuals with special needs. The City will also use this Plan to coordinate with other federal, state grant and loan programs and County of Ulster initiatives.”

More Details:  Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. Citizens are encouraged to bring paper and pens. This event will be streamed live thanks to The Kingston News.

This event is co-sponsored by Kingston Tenants Union and The Kingston Land Trust.

For more information, and to RSVP please go here.

 

 

Dates & Times:  

Opening reception Saturday, May 4th, 4-7 pm

Artist panel discussion Saturday, May 18th, 4-6 pm

Additional gallery hours by chance and appointment through 5/18.

Cost: Free  

Description:  

In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month and Kingston INTOyellow, Release is a group art show highlighting artists using creative processes to improve their mental health.

Stop by and check out imagery from G Riley Johndonnell, Naira Luke-Aleman,Emma McCann, MTT, Cynthia Timms, Maxim von Eikh, & artists from the Arc of Ulster-Greene facilitated by Cornell Creative Arts Center.

 

 

Date and Time: Saturday April 27th, 7pm – 8pm

Cost: Free  / Donation

Join us for a screening of this short film and a conversation with the featured artist, Aviva Rahmani. All are welcome, and donations for the artist are welcomed and appreciated.

Can copyright law protect art and land from fracking? Ecological artist and A Blade of Grass Fellow Aviva Rahmani tested the power of law to stop pipeline expansion at the site of her artworks. In a mock trial produced by A Blade of Grass at Cardozo School of Law, landowners, attorneys, art critics, activists, and artists came together to test the legal strategy and rehearse the arguments at the center of Rahmani’s project.

Date and Time: Friday April 26th, 6pm – 8pm

Cost: Free / Donation

Show & Tell Me More: A Showcase of Creativity. All forms of creative expression are welcome. Each presenter will have 15 minutes to share their process and their work and then receive feedback from the audience in a supportive and encourage setting.

This is a free event, and donations at the door to offset the cost of the space are appreciated. Filtered water and tea will be provided, and we encourage people to bring a vegetarian snack to share! The idea garden aims to be as zero waste as possible- please eliminate or minimize any single use disposable items. Bring your own, or we have glasses, dishes, and silverware on site.

Details:
Show and Tell Me More is a space for artists and creators to form and inform our community. It is an opportunity to share not only what you’ve created, but the way in which you create it – how the process shapes and gives meaning to the art. It is a way to witness one another in creation, for creativity to thrive in numbers. As we encourage our fellow artists to give us their unique perspective, we learn from and are inspired by them.

SIGN UP for a slot by emailing jess@theideagarden.org, or in person 30 min. BEFORE show time. Slots are up to 15 minutes long.

SHARE YOUR ART: Of any medium (performance, visual, spoken word, dance, crafts, project ideas, anything that is creative for you!) Works in progress are welcomed! This is a safe and encouraging space to venture forth, to try something new, to dig something up you’ve had for a while, anything you choose to be seen and witnessed.

SHARE YOUR PROCESS: What is your connection to your piece, the story of its creation? This gives dimension to your creativity and gives the rest of us context and a deeper understanding of who you are.

REQUEST FEEDBACK: Critique and/or discussion from the circle is a huge part of the learning process. Take what you find useful, appreciate and let the rest go.

And if you choose not to show… come and be a part of the discussion, feedback, and rich nourishment of the creative arts in this community!

Date and Time: Friday May 10th, 5pm – 7pm

Cost: Free  

Event Description: 

Join us during Compost Awareness Week for this informative and interactive event to learn more about many different ways (and whys!) to compost in your home, business, and at events. Hear from a variety of experts on different methods and services available to manage food scraps, what you can do the with finished compost soil, and the direction the City of Kingston is taking in this area. Following the brief presentations, there will be an open time to circulate and follow up with the speakers individually about your questions and specific interests.

Speakers include:
Julie Noble, City of Kingston
Angelina Peone & Melinda France, Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency
Molly Lindsay, Community Compost Company
Atticus Lanigan, Zero to Go
Master Gardener,TBD

*Filtered water will be available- please bring your own reusable water bottle with you to help us reduce waste at this event!

Date and Time: Saturday April 16, 11am – 12pm

Cost: Free  

Event Description: 

Interested in lowering your waste, learning tips to save money, and have a positive environmental impact? Come hang out and let’s learn from each other! Let’s brainstorm an invitational and inclusive name for the group as well. Even if you can’t attend this meeting, please share your ideas for naming it!