ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy on Parade with Great Elephant Migration
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy on Parade with Great Elephant Migration
Courtesy Elephant Family USA and Newport Restoration Foundation
This September, the Meatpacking District in Manhattan is welcoming an unusual herd of visitors – wholly unlike the throngs of tourists that typically populate the cobblestone boulevards. The Great Elephant Migration, an enormous art installation consisting of 106 life-sized Indian elephant sculptures, will move into residency on 9th Avenue, between 13th and 14th Streets. They are arriving in partnership with Elephant Family USA, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting coexistence between humans and wildlife. The elephant sculptures were most recently on the coast of Rhode Island, before migrating south.
Programming to honor and celebrate the mission of The Great Elephant Migration will include a September 10th panel discussion on conservation and coexistence – featuring Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy’s executive director, Terri Carta!
The discussion will challenge audience members to revisit longstanding notions of “conservation” as the separation of the wild and human worlds, and instead think of humans and wildlife existing on one, integrated "gradient" of coexistence, tell the socioeconomic and political empowerment stories of the tribes, and through an exploration of the work of the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, provide context for how New Yorkers coexist with the natural world.
What: Coexistence and Community from the Nilgiris to New York Panel
When: Tuesday, September 10 | 9 am
Where: The Maker's Studio at Chelsea Market | 448 West 16th Street
Courtesy Elephant Family USA and Newport Restoration Foundation
Even though wild elephants are oceans away, these sculptures and their creators bring at least two relevant parallels to caring for nature in New York City:
Removing invasives and restoring native plants – the sculptures of Great Elephant Migration are made from Lantana camara, one of the world’s top invasive weeds. This fast growing, noxious shrub has a stranglehold on over 74 million acres of India’s Protected Areas. The use of lantana to create the elephants helps remove the weed from protected areas, leaving wildlife more space to roam. This practice jibes with JBRPC’s work, alongside state agencies and community groups, to remove invasive plants across 10,000 acres of NYC parklands, and restore native plant communities, including flood and salt-tolerant plants. Stronger native plant ecologies in New York City create better habitat for migratory birds and improve our communities’ ability to recover from floods.
Creating a local workforce, honoring local environmental knowledge – The artisans who create the elephant sculptures are residents of Gudalur, in the Nilgiri Hills, where they coexist with the real elephants their art depicts. Roughly 150 elephants share the space with 250,000 people. Already over $500,000 has been generated by their art, which combined with the large-scale lantana removal, puts it on track to be the biggest sustainable indigenous enterprise in India. JBPRC’s effort to create a skilled, knowledgeable – and local – environmental workforce is similar, even if the work itself is different. The Wetlands Fellowship trains the next generation of wetland managers, building skills and defining a career path for young adults within the diverse communities surrounding Jamaica Bay. The people managing New York’s open spaces should come from the neighborhoods closest to them.
Courtesy Meatpacking Business Improvement District
Caring for our environment and the creatures within it is a collective effort. JBRPC was founded to bring community members together, to protect and enhance our open spaces. Our free public programming, ecological restoration, education and workforce development — all of this is aimed at building a stronger relationship with natural lands. Without identifying ourselves as part of nature, rather than apart from it, we cannot be effective stewards.
2024 Jamaica Bay Festival Brings Community to the Waterfront
2024 Jamaica Bay Festival Brings Community to the Waterfront
Jamaica Bay Festival 2024 was a huge success! Thank you to all our partners, friends and neighbors for participating in our seventh annual tradition. Perhaps it is appropriate that our City of Water Day started with a rainstorm, though that did not stop us from celebrating Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway Peninsula as the clouds cleared — nor from honouring the importance of resilient and equitable waterfronts. In particular, our tidal wetlands, marsh islands and other park spaces protect wildlife and people, and offer vital open space access for all New Yorkers.
Hundreds of community members participated in 37 events that highlighted marine life, natural history, and the arts. The festival is a perfect opportunity to showcase the efforts of JBRPC and our many partners in maintaining New York City's largest tidal estuary as a clean, safe, and accessible environment. We hope this event inspires more of our neighbors to engage with these vital coastal habitats for the first time. Check out some highlights from the day on our Instagram, @jbrpc.
Read more about the Festival in the news
First-Ever Floyd Bennett Field! Public Arts Festival a Monumental Success
Floyd Bennett Field! Public Arts Festival a monumental success
April 19-21, 2024
Artwork of Derrick Adams projection mapped onto Hangars 3 and 4
Over 1,500 people showed up to the Floyd Bennett Field! Public Arts Festival this past weekend for an amazing and immersive celebration of Floyd Bennett Field's past, present, and future.
Thank you to everyone who was involved to make this weekend an incredible success! Special thank you to the National Park Service at Gateway National Recreation Area for their partnership in this event. We are excited to work together on the rehabilitation of these hangars and the future of Floyd Bennett Field.
Here are a few of our favorite moments from the festival!
We were blown away by the musical performances of Wild Yaks, Sesame Flyers Steel Pan Ensemble, and Batalá.
Wild Yaks
Batala
Sesame Flyers Steel Pan Ensemble
It was a sight to behold as historic Hangars 3 and 4 were lit up with the original work of artists Derrick Adams, Peter Burr, Eto Otitigbe, Ryan Hartley Smith, Matt Bruinooge, Alessandro Echevarria, Donghwi Han, Christina Lee, Hanlin Liang, Dakota Ray, Ti Xu, and Phoenix Yang.
Watch a full recording on our YouTube channel and find more information about the artists at jbrpc.org/artsprogram.
Artwork of Christina Lee projection mapped onto Hangars 3 and 4
Our community partners activities and makers market were a perfect addition to Saturday and we loved seeing everyone out enjoying the sun at Floyd Bennett Field!
Erick Sahler signed prints
Rockaway Makers Market
Community partners activities
Additionally, on Sunday April 21, the Ryan Visitor Center and Hangar B were open to the public for behind the scenes tours of these historic buildings and the aircraft inside.
Read more about the Festival in the news
Brooklyn Paper: Projections light up Floyd Bennett Field at inaugural arts festival
Canarsie Courier: Floyd Bennett Field! Public Arts Festival – Looking to the Future
Time Out New York: This new festival projects gorgeous video art onto NYC’s historic airplane hangars
The Rockaway Times: Public Arts Festival Brings Historic Floyd Bennett Field to Life
Artwork of Ryan Hartley Smith projection mapped onto Hangars 3 and 4
2023 Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship Report
in August JBRPC completed the inaugural Jamaica Bay Wetland Fellowship. Read the full report on the accomplishments of this years fellows.
In the program’s first year, Fellows maintained, monitored, and adaptively-managed new wetland restoration projects alongside city, state, and federal agencies to better understand what these sites need to flourish now and help plan for the future wetlands of Jamaica Bay. In the 6-month program, 8 Fellows removed over 6 tons of marine debris, planted more than 70,000 native plants, and restored 50 acres of habitat.
The impact made in 2023 is just the beginning. JBRPC is doubling down on the Wetlands Fellowship program to sustain the wetlands and parklands that make Jamaica Bay the special place we all love; develop career pathways for wetlands and other nature-based solutions; and integrate the knowledge of scientists and local stakeholders with government agencies to ensure Jamaica Bay's health is restored and enjoyed for generations to come.
Abu Dhabi Delegation Visits Jamaica Bay
Abu Dhabi Delegation Visits Jamaica Bay As Part Of United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week Events
Abu Dhabi Environment Agency Delegation connects with Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge West Pond Living Shoreline to share best practices for nature-based solutions
QUEENS, NEW YORK, September 26, 2023 As part of Climate Week NYC, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) had the honor of hosting Maitha Al Hameli and colleagues from Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) for a tour of the West Pond Living Shoreline at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, part of Gateway National Recreation Area. The purpose of the visit was to share ideas and best practices for public-private partnerships and nature-based solutions, including talking about the important role living shorelines can play in protecting coastlines, communities, and biodiversity in estuarine and marine environments.
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi is the prime custodian for climate action alignment and coordination in Abu Dhabi and has been leading collaborative efforts with stakeholders to drive science-based, data-backed innovative solutions to a variety of climate issues. During the delegation’s visit to Jamaica Bay, Hameli highlighted the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi’s innovative use of drone technology to effectively and efficiently plant mangroves, which are integral to the marine ecosystem and mitigate the effects of climate change.
“The opportunity to speak and participate during key side events at the UN General Assembly and Climate Week as well as meet leading field experts was critical for global collaboration to take action on key Sustainable Development Goals. When we can have these important conversations, all groups are better equipped to lay the foundations for cooperation and solving our global climate crisis,” said Ms. Maitha Al Hameli, Section Head, Marine Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation at the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.
"City-to-city and people-to-people exchanges are critical building blocks of climate action. It was our incredible honor to welcome Ms. Maitha Al Hameli and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi team to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at Gateway National Recreation Area to showcase the West Pond Living Shoreline project that aims to protect vulnerable coastline and critical wetland habitat," said Terri Carta, Executive Director of Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. "We are also eager to learn from experts like Al Hameli, whose experience with climate change adaptation and nature-based solutions can help us increase our impact and offer hope for the future – here in New York City and around the world."
In partnership with the National Park Service, JBRPC built the West Pond Living Shoreline in November 2021 to restore the vulnerable edge between the Bay and the freshwater West Pond after it breached during Superstorm Sandy, as well as protect the Loop Trail and provide much needed habitat. The success of nature-based solutions such as the West Pond Living Shoreline rely on stakeholder knowledge and partnerships. Critical input and support for the project came from the community who have long-championed the need for nature-based solutions to restore the Bay.
Healthy wetland ecosystems, like the marsh islands and fringe marsh wetlands found in Jamaica Bay, have the ability to absorb storm surges, buffer against erosion and capture more atmospheric carbon than forest ecosystems of the same size. Wetlands also provide vital habitat, recreational and educational opportunities, and coastal protection for waterfront communities.
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy are implementing climate change projects within their specific environs centered on nature-based solutions that hold immense potential for effective and sustainable ways to combat climate change and ensure thriving coastal communities.
Press Release: Jamaica Bay Festival
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2023
Brooklyn and Queens, New York
JAMAICA BAY FESTIVAL
The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy is hosting the 6th Annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day, Saturday, July 15, 2023.
(NEW YORK – July 11, 2023) The Jamaica Bay Festival is a free, fun, family-friendly event taking place in Brooklyn and Queens. The Festival celebrates the unparalleled recreational opportunities and the natural beauty of this urban tidal estuary. Participants can enjoy free kayaking, fishing, surfing, hiking, bird watching, art, nature, and more. This year, JBRPC is partnering with 36 local community groups to host 39 events from morning ‘til night!
The Jamaica Bay Festival provides an opportunity for participants to engage in a wide variety of recreational and educational activities. Visitors and community members alike will enjoy improved access to the Bay as we activate the waterfront from vast natural areas to playgrounds to Jamaica Bay's marsh islands. JBRPC is leading the effort to strengthen Jamaica Bay communities through healthy, outdoor activities that support education and stewardship through recreation.
"Approximately 3 million New Yorkers live around Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula -- an area that also includes over 10,000 acres of public parklands, 12 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches, and 18,000 acres of open water, marsh islands, and fringe marsh wetlands" said Terri Carta, Executive Director of Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. "Reconnecting with our waterfront has never been more important, whether for recreational activities, learning opportunities, health and wellness, jobs, or arts and culture. The Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day presents an unparalleled collection of community-led events focused on connecting people with the vast natural and cultural resources of the area. More than 36 local partners will welcome new and regular audiences to partake in the diverse activities that make Jamaica Bay and Rockaway unique. There's free fun for the whole family, from the annual kayak parade in the morning to a movie screening on the Boardwalk in the evening. Join us for a day of fun!"
“I applaud the Jamaica Bay Festival for its observance of City Water Day. The 6th annual Jamaica Bay Festival on July 15th, 2023 marks a continued commitment by government, non-profits and the private sector to not just celebrate but cherish natural areas such as Fresh Creek and Jamaica Bay,” said State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud. “The net benefit for SD 19 constituents is the ability to interact with nature and appreciate the area in all its glory.”
New York Assemblywoman Jaime Williams said, “I am proud to be a supporter of JPRPC and to participate again in the Jamaica Bay Festival. JPRPC is a vital organization dedicated to protecting and preserving our waterways and aquatic life. They also educate our communities about the importance of maintaining and understanding our natural resources and the beauty of Jamaica Bay. I look forward to all the events scheduled in the city, especially those in the 59th Assembly District.
“Jamaica Bay is a vital part of District 32, and it is amazing to see it celebrated with this festival year after year,” NYC Councilwoman Joann Ariola said. “All too often, we tend to take for granted just how amazing this body of water really is. This event helps to remind us just how lucky we are to live on the shores of Jamaica Bay, and also just how much the Bay really provides us and adds to our lives.”
“The Jamaica Bay Festival is a celebration of one of New York’s most beautiful natural features,” said NYC Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “I am grateful for organizations like Edgemere Alliance and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy that help steward our urban environment, and I’m proud to support this wonderful event.”
“The Jamaica Bay Festival opens a host of wonderful outdoor activities to New Yorkers right here in District 46. Thanks to the work and advocacy of the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy these beautiful outdoor spaces, right in our backyard, are maintained and made accessible to all to use, enjoy and explore. I look forward to a fun festival full of happiness and enjoyment of one of the jewels of our city, Jamaica Bay” said NYC Council Member Mercedes Narcisse.
“The Jamaica Bay Festival is an opportunity for diverse communities living along the Jamaica Bay shore, to gather, engage and connect with the community for some fun in the sun and water recreational activities in our own backyard. The Garden by the Bay is happy to be a part of this wonderful annual festival, celebrating the vibrancy and beauty of the majestic Jamaica Bay and its local estuary ecosystem,” said Jackie Rogers, President of The Garden by the Bay and Edgemere Alliance.
Harold Paez, Community Boathouse said, “The Community Boathouse is proud to support the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy with this year's Jamaica Bay Festival. This national park space is a unique natural resource within the urban environment of NYC. The wildlife, marshlands, and waterways of this area provide a vital connection between the public and our natural environment. The Jamaica Bay Festival is a celebration of these beautiful resources available to the public year round, and we're looking forward to a wonderful day of activities with participants from all over the city.
Beth Eller, Commodore, Sebago Canoe Club said, “Sebago Canoe Club has been a City of Water Day - Jamaica Bay Festival participant since its inception. Every year our members look forward to inviting the community to join us on guided paddling or rowing excursions on the protected waters of Paerdegat Basin. The basin is our home waterway and an ideal jumping off point for exploring the rest of Jamaica Bay, a unique urban wildlife refuge. It's an opportunity to provide the community access to the water that surrounds them.”
The Jamaica Bay Festival is made possible through partnership with government agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses throughout Jamaica Bay in both Brooklyn and Queens. The Festival is generously supported, in part, by the Hudson River Foundation, New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, Waterfront Alliance, and ConEdison. NYC Ferry is the official transportation sponsor of the Jamaica Bay Festival.
Additional public funding is provided through the offices of NYC Council Members Joann Ariola, Mercedes Narcisse, and Selvena Brooks-Powers, and New York Assembly Members Jaime Williams and Stacey Pheffer-Amato.
About Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy:
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000+ acres of public parklands throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service, New York Office of Parks & Historic Preservation, and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, JBRPC works to expand public access; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster community stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands.
Contact: Elizabeth Stoehr, JBRPC Assistant Director, elizabeth@jbrpc.org, 703-597-8378
Website: JamacaBayFestival.com | Instagram: @jbrpc | Facebook: @JBRPConservancy | Twitter: @JBRPC | #CityOfWaterDay #JamaicaBayFestival
JBRPC Featured on Global Heroes
Explore the Natural and Historical Attractions of Jamaica Bay and Rockaway
We are pleased to have been featured by Global Heroes talking about our work in Jamaica Bay and Rockaway!
New York City is known for its bustling urban landscape, but many people are surprised to learn that the city is also home to an unparalleled oasis of nature—Jamaica Bay. Covering 26 square miles, Jamaica Bay is the city’s largest open space in the very backyard of millions of New Yorkers. More than 10,000 acres of public parklands and beaches surround the Bay and Rockaway Peninsula, offering a haven for hundreds of species of plants and animals and providing recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike…
Read the full article at https://www.globalheroes.com/jamaica-bay-rockaway-parks-conservancy/
Celebrating Ten Years!
JBRPC Celebrates its 10-year Anniversary
Happy 10th Anniversary, JBRPC!
JBRPC turns ten today, April 29, and we're excited to celebrate with all of YOU, our supporters, followers, and staunch advocates for the parks and ecosystems of Jamaica Bay and Rockaway!
JBRPC was conceived in response to a need for a public-private partnership to support the National, City and State park agencies that collectively manage more than 10,000 acres of public parklands around the Bay and Rockaway peninsula. With a mission focused on park improvements and public stewardship, JBRPC grew up with Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts and the need to increase community and climate resilience.
Over the last ten years JBRPC has removed more than 35 tons of trash and debris from shorelines and parks, planted more than 350,000 native plants and trees, hosted more than 100,000 people at public programs and events -- including our signature Jamaica Bay Festival and Discover Jamaica Bay tour series. We've organized more than 200 stewardship events that drew support from more than 3,000 dedicated volunteers, and welcomed more than 10,000 students into our environmental education programs. We created the Rockaway! Public Arts Festival, featuring works by artists Patti Smith, Katharina Grosse, and Yayoi Kusama. We supported planning for Shirley Chisholm State Park at the former Penn and Fountain Landfills, and managed the planning, design and construction of a 2,400-linear foot living shoreline at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Rounding out our first decade, earlier this year we launched the Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship to train the next generation of wetlands managers and advance nature-based solutions and the jobs to sustain them over the long-term.
All of this was accomplished through the dedication and tenacity of a small but mighty team; current members pictured above. JBRPC is ever-grateful for past and current employees, Board members, volunteers, and partners who have tirelessly worked alongside us for the betterment of our beaches and Bay. We're proud of the many robust partnerships that have been developed along the way with community groups, elected officials, supporters, and our incredible partners in government.
Looking ahead to the next decade, JBRPC is poised and uniquely positioned to build on prior success to realize greater impact in our public parklands. Work is already underway to expand our education programs for younger students and family audiences, increase stewardship opportunities and grow our Wetlands Fellowship program, and transform Floyd Bennett Field into a hub for community and climate resilience.
I'm proud to be part of this incredible team and community, and proud to work alongside all of you, our friends, supporters, and partners.
Thank you for an incredible ten years, Jamaica Bay and Rockaway! And "cheers" to many more ahead!
Terri Carta
Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy
JBRPC City Cleanup Corps Revitalizes Plumb Beach
New York City Cleanup Corps Revitalizes Plumb Beach with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and Assemblymember Williams
Plumb Beach just got a whole lot cleaner, thanks to the help of the New York City Cleanup Corps (CCC), the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), and New York State Assemblymember Jaime R. Williams, A.D. 59.
Since April 2021, the City Cleanup Corps, Mayor de Blasio’s New Deal-inspired economic recovery program, has hired thousands of New Yorkers to revitalize public spaces and parks throughout the five boroughs. In partnership with the City of New York and JCC of Greater Coney Island, JBRPC is hosting eight City Cleanup Corps Fellows through [insert last month of fellowship]. Starting in [first month of fellowship] 2021, Fellows have been assigned to refresh and revitalize federal, state and city parkland and shorelines throughout Brooklyn and Queens.
Within two weeks between September and October 2021, the Conservancy's CCC Fellows transformed Plumb Beach, which is a part of Gateway National Recreation Area and NYC Parks. CCC Fellows removed sand and debris from sidewalks and under benches, cleaned and painted benches and fencing, repainted defaced properties, and stenciled and repainted the iconic Plumb Beach Roundhouse.
"Thanks to the hard work of these City Cleanup Corps Fellows, Plumb Beach is more inviting than ever. Graffiti has been removed and walkways are now accessible. Benches are clean and painted, and fellows removed harmful trash and invasive plants throughout the park," Alex Zablocki, Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy said.
The Conservancy was joined by Assemblymember Williams to help restore Plumb Beach.
"A ray of color once again blossoms in Plumb Beach," said Assemblymember Jaime R. Williams. “This project is not just adding color and beauty to our park but it is imparting the importance of taking care of our community, which in turn can help to inspire the next generation.”
NYC Parks and the National Park Service provided support and supplies to help make the project a success.
"The City Cleanup Corps have proven to be an invaluable asset as we work towards recovery throughout the five boroughs,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. “Parks was happy to support the Jamaica Bay Corps members to keep our clean shorelines clean and inviting spaces for New Yorkers and visitors alike to enjoy."
The New York City Cleanup Corps is revitalizing neighborhoods and public spaces across the five boroughs while creating 10,000 jobs for New York City residents. Jobs with flexible hours and competitive hourly rates are still available. Learn more and apply today at https://nyc.gov/ccc.
The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkland throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, JBRPC works to expand public access; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster citizen stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands. For more information you can visit www.jbrpc.org.
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NANCY BAKER CAHILL “LIBERTY BELL” AN AUGMENTED REALITY PUBLIC ART PROJECT
NANCY BAKER CAHILL “LIBERTY BELL”
AN AUGMENTED REALITY PUBLIC ART PROJECT
COMMISSIONED BY ART PRODUCTION FUND
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 7G FOUNDATION and the JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY
The Rockaway Hotel is the official project hub for Liberty Bell in Rockaway, NY
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TO EXPERIENCE THE ARTWORK: Download the FREE 4th Wall app from the App Store or Google Play, using Wifi. The app works on iPhones 6s and above (iOS11 and up), any iPad with AR capability, and Androids with AR Core. Free wifi and tablets will be available for public use at select locations . Free wifi is available at The Rockaway Hotel. Once downloaded, be sure to "Allow Access" to photos, microphone, camera and location. Be sure device sound is on. The 4th Wall app does not collect any user data.
DIRECTIONS FOR VIEWING THE ARTWORK:
Shirley Chisholm State Park: Enter the Fountain Avenue, Brooklyn, entrance of the park either by walking, bike or car (limited parking). Enter the park and follow signs toward Fountain Pier, facing the open Jamaica Bay. The drawing will appear over the water. The artwork is also viewable from the Skybowl at the park. Note: this is a remote location, roughly a ten-fifteen minute walk from the parking area. This site is wheelchair accessible.
Rockaway Ferry Landing: Enter Beach Channel Drive at Beach 108t h Street, Rockaway Beach, and position yourself to the left of the Rockaway Ferry landing at the water's edge. Drawing will appear over Jamaica Bay. This site is wheelchair accessible.
Rockaway Beach at Beach 108th Street: The Rockaway Beach boardwalk at Beach 108th Street and Shore Front Parkway, and head slightly left toward the dunes and water. Drawing will appear over the ocean. This site is wheelchair accessible.
Fort Tilden: Battery Harris East: Enter the park and head toward the Rockaway Artists Alliance Studio 7 Gallery (Murray Road and Hero Road, Breezy Point). Head west down Murray Road toward Battery Harris East, an abandoned military installation, and directly face the battery; drawing will appear overhead. Parking is not available at the park. Note: This is a remote location, roughly a ten minute walk from the gallery. Wheelchair accessible from the Rockaway Artist Alliance gallery only.
**Duration of the work is approximately 1 minute 30 seconds,
and it is recommended that viewers experience the full animation with sound.**
When viewing the work please adhere to all social distancing guidelines as instructed by the CDC.
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Artist Nancy Baker Cahill will unveil “ Liberty Bell ” , a new public art project utilizing augmented reality, presented simultaneously in six cities in the United States: Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, Philadelphia, PA, Rockaway, NY, Selma, AL, and Washington, DC. Liberty Bell will be on view from July 4, 2020.
Commissioned by Art Production Fund, in partnership with 7G Foundation and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy , a project of the Fund for the City of New York, Liberty Bell is an animated, monumental and richly sonorous augmented reality (AR) drawing in 360 degrees. The public artwork will be geolocated at a series of sites and experienced on smartphones through Baker Cahill’sfree 4thWalla pp .Thisproject,whichistwoyearsinthemaking,livesatthevibrantintersectionofpublicart,social consciousness and tech.
In this polarized and tumultuous election year many concerns persist around the founding principles of American freedom and democracy. Inequality, structural racism, injustice, and the ability to vote are chief among them. Inspired by the original cracked Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the drawing hovers beyond viewers, swaying with the rich and layered sound of bells tolling. The Liberty Bell soundscape morphs from the rhythmic lulling of a tolling bell, into a harmonious and dissonant sequence of ringing as it becomes increasingly unpredictable and arrhythmic. Ranging from analog to synthetic, the sounds were compiled from a diverse array of historical moments and locations. The richly textured brushstrokes and bell sounds resemble loosely knitted threads that unravel and come together in an uncomfortable, but cohesive moment. They reflect the evolution and transformation of liberty over time into the complex reality we face today. Baker Cahill chose July 4, known as Independence Day, as a launch date to advocate for justice, civil rights and freedom in the U.S..
AR is impermanent, ephemeral, invisible to the naked eye and leaves no environmental trace. It is accessible to a broad audience through the ubiquitous use of smartphones and tablets. Community programming will be organized online and in-person when possible. Programming will include topical conversations by cultural leaders and community members from all 6 cities as they relate to current events. Providing a platform for conversation and access to the artwork is a crucial component of this project.
"From its origins in American history, “liberty” was only available to a certain demographic and came at great expense to others. You can’t have a conversation about freedom and not talk about the history of slavery and inequality in the United States. A bell can be a warning or a celebration; something spiritual or a wordless means of communication. In an age of pandemic, surveillance, injustice and disinformation, who is actually free? That’s the conversation we need to have." - Nancy Baker Cahill, Artist
“We are thrilled to present Liberty Bell in six different US cities this summer. While adhering to social distancing guidelines, it feels crucial to bring this important artwork safely to the public. Through a visual and sonic AR experience, Baker Cahill gives viewers the opportunity to reflect upon their personal experiences of liberty, freedom, injustice and inequality. We are honored to present this poignant work during such a remarkable time.” - Casey Fremont, Executive Director, Art Production Fund.
In Rockaway, New York , Liberty Bell c overs four separate sites and will feature the original Liberty Bell drawing, as well as a companion AR artwork created exclusively for The Rockaways . The Rockaways companion drawing will be geolocated over the Atlantic Ocean and visible from Rockaway beach and the rooftop of The Rockaway Hotel (opening Summer 2020), as well as along the ruins remaining at Fort Tilden. This particular composition appears as an abstracted wave with a soundscape of a single bell tolling. The Rockaways drawing, thematically connected to the first, considers liberty as it relates to site specific climate change.
“The Rockaway Hotel is thrilled to sponsor this dynamic project. We believe that art can be the connective tissue of a community and through our community partnerships we hope to provide new opportunities for cultural enrichment to visitors and locals alike.” - Michi Jigarjian, Partner and Chief Social Impact Officer, The Rockaway Hotel
“JBRPC’s commitment to free public art in Jamaica Bay and Rockaway parks has allowed countless visitors to experience unique works of art in our parks since 2013. We are delighted to partner this summer with Art Production Fund and Nancy Baker Cahill on this cutting-edge exhibition. Baker Cahill’s Liberty Bell will allow park visitors to experience an augmented reality artwork, curated specifically for a number of Rockaway parks, and reflect on the natural beauty of these spaces along with accompanying sound,” - Alex Zablocki, Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy.
Liberty Bell weaves a common thread between all six cities underscoring our interconnectedness and shared cultural inheritance. These historically significant and charged locations comprise an unprecedented activation spanning the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Art Production Fund is pleased to present alongside the following local partners:
LOCAL PARTNERS: Boston, MA: Boston Children’s Museum, Boston Cyberarts, Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston Harbor Now; Charleston, SC: Center for Heir’s Property Preservation; Philadelphia, PA: A ssociation for Public Art (aPA); Rockaway, NY: 7G Foundation, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, The Rockaway Hotel, National Parks Service, NYC Parks, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Rockaway Artists Alliance; Selma, AL: Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church; Washington, DC : Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
NANCY BAKER CAHILL: Nancy Baker Cahill is a multidisciplinary artist and the Founder and Creative Director of 4th Wall , a free Augmented Reality (AR) public art platform. Through 4th Wall , she initiated Coordinates , an ongoing series of curated & site-specific AR public art exhibitions, including Defining Line in Los Angeles and Battlegrounds in New Orleans. She received an “Impact Maker to Watch” award at LA City Hall and was named by the LA Times as one of the 2019 Faces of the Year, ARTS. She is one of ten artist scholars in the Berggruen Institute’s inaugural 2020 Transformations of the Human Fellowship.
ART PRODUCTION FUND is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious public art projects, reaching new audiences and expanding awareness through contemporary art. Past projects include: Elmgreen & Dragset,“Prada Marfa,” Valentine, TX, Ugo Rondinone, “Seven Magic Mountains,” Las Vegas, Jeff Koons, “Seated Ballerina,” Rockefeller Plaza, NYC, Zoe Buckman, “CHAMP,” LA; Raul de Nieves “When I Look In To Your Eyes I See the Sun,” Miami; Lucy Sparrow “Lucy’s Delicatessen on 6t h ,” Rockefeller Center, NYC. For more information, please visit artproductionfund.org / @artproductionfund
7|G FOUNDATION champions organizations and individuals that challenge inequality in human rights, education, art and culture. By partnering with organizations, artists and community facilitators we seek to build strong community bonds that elevate local culture, while supporting cultural change founded upon our core values of social impact and sustainability.
THE JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkland throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, JBRPC works to expand public access; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster citizen stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands. JBRPC is a project of the Fund for the City of New York, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information, please visit www.jbrpc.org / @jbrpc
Special thanks to Anna Luisa Petrisko for her help with sound design, and to the team at Drive Studios.
For more information and details on public programs please visit www.artproductionfund.org
#LibertyBellAR @ArtProductionFund @NancyBakerCahill
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MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Kathleen Lynch, Director of Operations, Art Production Fund
kathleen@artproductionfund.org