QUEENS, NY, September 20, 2024 - On September 22, 2024, the inaugural, open-to-the-public art and climate festival, Street Works Earth, will debut on one of the longest open streets in America, 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC. Organized by Make Justice Normal (MJN), the event is dedicated to sparking joy and hopeful action in support of climate and environmental justice during the 2024 New York Climate Week. Artists will present site-specific creative work alongside spaces dedicated to concrete climate actions. The festival will feature 17 interactive Installations and 23 climate and civic action tables.
The festival is proud to take place in Jackson Heights, an approximately 85% BIPOC community with over 150 languages spoken. Jackson Heights, Queens, is a microcosm of global communities currently bearing the brunt of climate change.
"Street Works Earth seeks to bridge art and practical climate action. By creating joyful spaces in which residents can participate in creativity while exploring climate justice, they can take action in ways that fit their priorities," shares Jackson Heights, Queens resident and Street Works Earth and MJN Co-founder Anjali Deshmukh.
No cost, no doors: Everyone is welcome! Register to join here.
Interactive Artist Installations
Eight artists and collectives were invited to participate alongside MJN arts practitioners through an open call for proposals from more than 100 entries. Street Works's artists featured this year include All Street Gallery, Kaleidospace, Cecilia Lim, Nitin Mukul, Bayeté Ross Smith, Sabina Sethi Unni, The Veggie Nuggets, and Jing (Ellen) Xu. MJN's arts practitioners include Anjali Deshmukh, Kaimera, Darryl Ratcliff, Purvi Shah, and Ernest Verrett.
Interactive Installations range from Wasted Potential by youth-led climate collective, The Veggie Nuggets, focusing on the impacts of food waste on the environment. Art and performance pieces, including Flood Sensory Aunty by Sabina Sethi Unni and Próxima Tierra by Kaleidospace, explore culturally competent emergency management and reverting the onus of climate change from the individual. Learn about Heat Maps with Nitin Mukul and Hip Hop 50 Boombox by Bayeté Ross Smith. Explore the cleansing power of mushrooms for our environment in Mushroom Power! By Remember Y(our) Connection. Reflect on how small actions can tip the balance in Colorful World by Jing (Ellen) Xu. Join All Street Collective in discussions on how local communities can respond to climate change in Community Climate.
Street Works Earth builds upon MJN's organizing principles for justice, and adds additional design principles for collaborating with artists and climate experts and activists. Artists were connected with climate experts, including team members of Environmental Defense Fund and Queens Climate Project, to intentionally foster dialogue among experts in disciplines that don't often interact, such as climate and culture.
"There is so much that climate experts have to learn from artists and creators, and so many ways that we can enrich each other," notes Jonathan Camuzeaux, Senior Director at Environmental Defense Fund and Street Works Earth Advisor. "Working with artists to help illuminate both the social issues and solutions helps get our message across to new audiences in a unique way."
Sparking climate and civic actions
As a practice committed to participatory art in public spaces, Street Works Earth illustrates how art in community can support democracy and civic engagement while reaching a larger and more diverse audience. The event will include 23 climate and civic action tables include: 34 Avenue Open Streets Coalition, ALIGN, Chhaya, Community & Household Infant-Maternal Exposure Study (CHIMES), Civic Engagement Commission, El Puente, Environmental Defense Fund, Frontline Resource Institute, Jackson Heights Beautification Group/JH Scraps, Mazorca Colectiva, Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC / Queens Energy Hub, Queens Climate Project, Rennergy, Solar One, Treeage, Tulani Thomas, Waterfront Alliance, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, A.R.T, Paint care, New York Power Authority, Green Co-Op Council, and Woodside on the Move.
By creating space for street artists to thrive outside of traditional museum and gallery systems, Street Works Earth hopes to inspire similar initiatives in communities worldwide.
"By reclaiming public space as a platform for creativity in collaboration with audiences, we are offering alternatives to traditional forms of art and activism," says Street Works Earth co-founder Ernest Verrett.
While Street Works Earth is being organized by MJN, many caring partners, including the Environmental Defense Fund, the Frontline Resources Institute, the NYC Racial Equity Endowment Fund, NY Renews, Photoville, Queens Climate Project, and Pinterest, provided in-kind and financial support.
In addition, public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts, also provided support.
See you there!
About Street Works Earth
Street Works Earth is an all-day outdoor event dedicated to weaving environment and climate change action into participatory art and community engagement. Incubated by Make Justice Normal, Street Works Earth aims to enable individuals to shape the future of democracy through creativity, collaboration, and public space. The inaugural event will be held during 2024 New York Climate Week. For more information, visit https://www.makejusticenormal.org/the-arisen/street-works
About Make Justice Normal
Make Justice Norma (MJN)l is a growing collective imagining, studying, sharing, and practicing systems in which justice is normal. MJN was founded by Monique Aiken, Cari Hanson, Erika Seth Davies, and Anjali Deshmukh to create the space for people to openly question norms and design into new normals. Through its system studio, MJN defines just organizational policies. These policies are commonly tested and practiced across diverse activities, including a podcast, Into the Record, and Street Works.
About Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Defense Fund's mission is to build a vital Earth. For everyone. By leveraging our deep expertise in science and economics, EDF delivers bold, game-changing solutions to address the biggest challenge of our time — climate change.
About Frontline Resources Institute
The Frontline Resource Institute (FRI, pronounced "free") supports frontline communities working to advance environmental justice and climate justice by providing the resources and technical assistance to build a world where all can achieve healthy, safe, and sustainable environments.
About 34th Ave Open Streets Coalition
34 Avenue Open Streets Coalition is a community of volunteers and local residents dedicated to developing community programming on 34th Avenue's 26-block open street in Jackson Heights. Activities occur nearly seven days a week and include arts and cultural programming for people of all ages, immigration clinics, ESL classes, gardening, and more.
About Queens Climate Project (QCP)
Queens Climate Project is a group of Queens neighbors and residents advocating for equitable clean energy policies and developing initiatives that increase clean energy, with a focus on Queens and achieving climate justice. We work together towards a healthier, carbon free future for our borough and city.
Contact Information
Cari Hanson
Make Justice Normal
South Plainfield, New Jersey
United States
Voice: 4065792908
