The Bergen County Neighborhood Network's "Creative Conflicts: Live Art Battle" will present local, visual artists going head-to-head in a multi-round, live art-making competition.
In each round, artists will be given a new medium—a marker and acrylic paint—to add to their piece in a time controlled environment in two 45-minute rounds. The audience will experience the creative process live and be given a ticket to vote for a favorite piece. Once an audience member votes, the ticket will be entered into a raffle, with a drawing held at the end of the event making them eligible to win a painting.
The Connect the Dots extravaganza is free. The event is open to artists, arts administrators, writers, municipal and community leaders, business owners, and arts supporters living or working in Bergen County, who are interested in cultivating connections and collaborations.
The series will provide opportunities to develop relationships with others in the county's arts community, present new occasions to work together, and highlight unique arts experiences and informative speakers on relevant topics. This year, the series will explore creative placemaking, the practice of integrating arts and culture into a neighborhood, town, or region to build community, with the goal of adding excitement, attracting visitors, improving livability and enhancing the local economy. The series' goal is to create an environment to stimulate conversation and encourage partnerships that initiate creative placemaking projects across the county.
The first networking event will discuss how communities are currently using creative placemaking and ways for communities in Bergen County to use this process in their areas. The speakers presenting at the first event are Kadie Dempsey, director of arts in Community/Creative Placemaking with Morris Arts in Morris County, and David Garsia, owner, The Art Factory, in Paterson.
Space is limited. Pre-registration is required and may be done online at http://www.nnjcf.org/connect-the-dots-registration-form/. For further information, call 201-568-5608.
About NNJCF
The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF), a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Englewood, New Jersey, focuses primarily on education, public health, civic engagement, and the arts. NNJCF works with local governments, school districts, businesses, non-profit organizations, and citizen groups in Northern New Jersey to improve community life. Foundation partners identify and resolve regional problems and opportunities by talking and learning from each other, by sharing ideas, best practices, services, and resources. For more information, visit http://www.nnjcf.org, send an email to nnjcf@nnjcf.org, or call (201) 568-5608. Follow the NNJCF on Facebook at Northern NJ Community Foundation/ArtsBergen and Twitter @NNJCF.
About ArtsBergen
ArtsBergen, an initiative of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, is an emerging arts alliance in Bergen County, New Jersey. The initiative's mission is to energize and unify artists and arts organizations and connect the Bergen County community to the arts. ArtsBergen also supports and encourages creative placemaking, the practice of integrating arts and culture into a neighborhood, town, or region to build community and livability and boost local economy. For more information, visit www.nnjcf.org, send an email to artsbergen@nnjcf.org, or call 201-568-5608.
