As we begin to create an Environmental Justice Agenda for our borough, we hope to hear your voice... 

You are cordially invited to join us for the Waterfront: Access & Divide Outdoor Photo Exhibition opening Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 1 pm at Tompkinsville Park. We will cut the ribbon and hear from local activists and leaders as well as the curator Kelly Vilar-head of the Staten Island Urban Center, fellow artists, and photo subjects.  This public immersion experience exhibits local artists and invites spectators to create stories about Staten Island’s waterfront. 
Waterfront Access & Divide is an exhibition of 44 photos that offer a glimpse of people, places, and things in our community. The photos shape potential stories of what is and what can be for our waterfront neighborhood. 

Our community deserves to benefit from the beauty and opportunity that proximity to natural waters provides. Community awareness and support is key as we fight for a waterfront that belongs to the community in the midst of our pursuit of social and environmental justice.  This series of photo vignettes prompts stories worth telling. Use your imagination. What story do you see in these photos?

Additionally, as part of its launch of the Center for Community Development and Action funded by the Staten Island Foundation, Staten Island Urban Center is conducting a survey during the exhibit to poll local residents’ priorities for developing a Staten Island Agenda for Environmental Justice and the needs of our north shore built environment. Survey responses will also be collected online at: https://www.siurbancenter.org/registration-form.html 

“I believe engaging our community to take part in creating a successful waterfront is what will make our waterfront successful,” Survey results will be compiled and shared with the public in an effort to create a comprehensive and resident-prioritized plan for Staten Island’s north shore waterfronts.  Free ices from Nice Ice Baby will be served while supplies last. There will be curated music playing throughout the opening event for all to enjoy.  

Waterfront Access & Divide is an NYC Art in the Parks exhibition funded by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency Statewide Community Regrant Program with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature administered by Staten Island Arts, Staten Island Foundation, NY Renews-Tides Foundation, and individual donors and with the support of NYC Parks Department and Partnerships for Parks’ Catalyst Program. Curator: Kelly Vilar; Photographers: Kelly Vilar, Shani Mitchell, Soraya Candelario, and Everet. Technical Support by  Shani Mitchell. Community Art Coordinators: Everet and Pauline Velez-Romano.

#waterfrontaccess&divide #siurbancenter ​

​Staten Island is Ours! An Altered Book Project is a multidisciplinary art-making project created by Caryn T. Davis in collaboration with Kelly Villar and the Staten Island Urban Center, a youth development program for young people of color on the North Shore of Staten Island. This project took place in April and the artwork created will be on display at the museum in this pop-up exhibition.
Altered books are individual art objects created from an existing printed book. Debbie-Anne Paige, Co-President, Staten Island Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, introduced participants to the history of African heritage communities on Staten Island, including the Underground Railroad. And, in turn, participants cut, folded, pasted, stamped, painted, and decorated their altered books with 3-D objects, collage, pockets and more in response.
“At our May 15 presentation, we will elevate and spread the word about Staten Island’s Black history, and about who we are, while we show you the pages of our books and discuss the significance of what we’ve learned.” – Caryn T. Davis
This project is made possible by a DCA Premier Grant from Staten Island Arts, with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.