2024 Participating Organizations + Businesses
The Capitol Theatre
Built for Vaudeville in 1926, the Capitol Theatre is now Westchester’s premier rock palace with state-of-the-art light, sound and video systems. Over its extended history, "The Cap" has hosted names like David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In partnership with the family of Jerry Garcia, The Capitol Theatre christened its "lobby bar" as Garcia’s in honor of the late Grateful Dead guitarist and singer, who counted the Port Chester, N.Y., rock palace among his favorite venues in the country. In recent years, Garcia's has become a venue of its own, showcasing local and regional musicians.
www.thecapitoltheatre.com
Carver Center
In 1943, Carver Center was founded by a small group of concerned, black community members; an entrepreneur, a dentist, three ministers, a hairdresser, a post office employee, a social worker, and a passionate group of volunteers who were grassroots organizers and advocates for the minority community in Port Chester. They came together to address the immediate needs of the children who needed care while their parents were working in defense factories making equipment for the war.
Their vision, determination, and commitment are at the heart of Carver Center’s mission to build brighter futures. At one of the subsequent meetings, it was decided that Carver Center would be named after the renowned African American scientist, George Washington Carver, who passed that same year.
www.carvercenter.org
The Castle
The Castle is an extraordinary apartment community located in the heart of Port Chester, NY. With a plethora of amenities, every detail has been thoughtfully planned to enhance the lifestyles of its residents. From the elegant lobby with its grand entrance to the rooftop terrace featuring grills and lounge areas, you'll be greeted with sophisticated style at every turn.
www.castleapts.com
Clay Art Center
Clay Art Center is a nationally recognized 501c3 non-profit dedicated to the advancement and practice of ceramic art. Katherine Choy, a leader of the Newcomb pottery aesthetic, joined by master potter Henry Okamoto, founded the center as a communal studio in 1957. At one time a lone beacon of clay artistry on the east coast, CAC became a haven for clay artists, many of whom pursued significant careers in ceramics and influenced contemporary ceramic practice. Today Clay Art Center is the largest and most active ceramic facility in the tristate area. Each year CAC serves over 12,000 people in-person and virtually with exhibitions, classes, workshops, volunteer opportunities, and exposure to the rich world of handmade ceramic art. Over 500 full and partial scholarships are awarded each year. Clay Art Center is one of the founding organizers of the Port Chester Arts Festival.
www.clayartcenter.org
Crawford Park
Crawford Park covers more than 35 acres between North Ridge Street and Lincoln Avenue in Rye Brook. The site includes gardens, lawns, woods, a walking/jogging path, playing fields, an historic mansion - making it a unique resource for Port Chester, Rye Brook and surrounding communities.
www.townofryeny.com/parks/crawford-park
Eugene's Music & Learning Studio
Founded by Eugene Posniewski in 2011, Eugene's Music & Learning Studio offers extra-curricular music education to students of all ages in-home, in-studio, and online with a group of over 70 teachers. Eugene started teaching in Westchester when he moved to the area in 2012. He has continued to grow his private studio with amazing families and students who have helped build a beautiful, musical, and learning community.
www.eugenesmls.com
Jete Dance Studio
Jete Dance studio offers classes in creative ballet, ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary, salsa, and zumba for ages 2-adult. In addition to classes and Summer camp, Jete also runs a series of dance companies that feature its students. A hidden gem in Port Chester, Jete creates a supportive and comfortable environment for students to find their confidence and self-expression through dance.
www.jetedancestudio.com
LawnChair Theatre
LawnChair Theatre began in 2006 as a Port Chester summer youth theatre project, and evolved a larger mission, becoming a multi-generational theatre company in which the building of community is as important as the art it produces. LawnChair believes in theatre’s power to shine a light on our common humanity and raise the level of empathy in our world. While LawnChair’s Summer Shakespeare productions are on hiatus, the organization remains committed to supporting local theatre artists, sponsoring performances, workshops and classes.
www.lawnchairtheatre.org
MAPSpace + The Crit Lab
Miranda Arts Project Space, formerly Miranda Fine Arts, was founded in 1991 and re-founded in 2012 as a project space by artist, curator, and educator Patricia Miranda. MAPSpace is an artist-owned and artist-driven space for curatorial exploration, exhibition, collaboration, and the gathering of ideas across discipline, philosophy, and art form. It exhibits painting, sculpture, prints, video, installation, performance, and engages in a dialogue with the fields of social practice, DIY, circuit bending and Maker movements, and collaborative projects. MAPSace is committed to bringing critical contemporary art and discourse beyond the centers where art is expected into communities beyond.
www.mirandaartsprojectspace.com
www.thecritlab.com
Museo Pardo
Museo Pardo is a place where all are welcome. Inside one of Port Chester’s last-standing landmarks, hides a historic space for our neighbors, tourists, and visitors to find. In-between the Village’s legendary attractions The Pardo Museum serves as a grounding locality and stage for artists to collaborate and develop their visions. Come and experience guided workshops, private events, and gallery collections in an 1800’s auditorium right in the heart of downtown.
www.museopardo.com
Neptune in June
Neptune in June is a curatorial and community project formerly known as Ice Cream Social. The two-fold mission focuses on both supporting experimental artists who are seeking connection, and bringing meaningful conversations to our wider Port Chester community that are in tune with local culture. Neptune in June curates exhibitions at locations across the U.S., and offers workshops, performances, and other public events in partnership with fellow art spaces and community-service groups. Neptune in June is one of the founding organizers of the Port Chester Arts Festival.
www.neptuneinjune.com
Oodle Monkey Art + Discovery Studio
Draw Paint Clay Mixed Media Maker Space Fine Motor Exercise Sensory Play Social and so much more! Art + Discovery classes, workshops, camps, parties and events for creative and curious kids, teens, and adults. Welcome to a bright, happy, artfully fun, friendly, inspiring and nurturing space. Our focus is empowering artists of all ages as the unique individuals they are in a collaborative studio environment. Emphasis is on exploration, building confidence, life skills, meaningful connections with others and expressing yourself through the creative process and making art.
www.oodlemonkeyart.com
One River School
Founded in 2012 in Englewood, NJ, “one river” west of New York City, One River School has embarked on a mission to "transform art education"® in America. Today, our innovative program teaches thousands of students in fourteen locations across six states. The company has developed a unique method for teaching art and digital design classes to people of all ages. Very simply, One River's students have more fun, learn faster and produce more compelling creative outcomes.
www.oneriverschool.com
Port Chester Beautification Commission
At the 2023 Port Chester Arts Festival, the Village of Port Chester & Port Chester Beautification Commission introduced the Port Chester Community Art Initiative, a framework developed by the Beautification Commission to increase public art in the Village. With its adoption, the Board of Trustees takes a significant step to enhance the Village's arts and culture community, and fulfill many objectives of the Village's Comprehensive Plan.
www.portchesterny.gov/330/Beautification-Commission
Port Chester-Rye Brook
Public Library
The Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library began its years of service to our community in 1876, on Main Street in the Brundage Building. The three story building was given to the newly formed Port Chester Free Reading Room by Jared Valentine Peck, a wealthy Port Chester lumber and building supplies businessman and a representative to the New York State Assembly and the United States Congress. The Brundage Building housed Lambert’s Dry Goods Store on its first level, the library on the middle floor and the Mamaro Lodge of Masons on the top floor. The income from the rents of the first and third floors supported the library during these first years. On April 14, 1877, the library was incorporated as “The Library and Reading Room of the Village of Port Chester.”Fifty years later, the Library building was dedicated in its present location at Haseco and Westchester Avenues. Read more about the history of the Library at: www.portchester-ryebrooklibrary.org/history
www.portchester-ryebrooklibrary.org
Spank! Studios
Spank! is the newest addition to Port Chester’s creative scene, located in the tower of the historic Simons Building with 360° views overlooking downtown Port Chester. We offer open access studio space for local artists, coworking desks, and versatile spaces for workshops and events. Our mission is to nurture creativity, collaboration, and arts education. Whether you're an artist, maker, or educator, Spank! can be your go-to space to bring ideas to life and connect with other artists and creatives. Come make something with us at 181 Westchester Avenue, Unit 409— or follow along @spank.studios on Instagram and TikTok!
The Producer Coffee Studio
The Producer Coffee Studio is a specialty coffee shop in Port Chester founded by a DJ/music producer who blended his two passions of coffee and music. A harmony of taste, vibe, and sound within our shop, The Producer aims to provide the community with a welcoming atmosphere that inspires “creativity through caffeine”. A place to smell and taste the best specialty coffee, tea and baked goods, while you unwind and relax or innovate and create.
www.theproducercoffee.com
Sponsors
This project is made possible with funds from Arts Alive, a regrant program of ArtsWestchester with support from the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature and the New York State Council on the Arts.
We thank ArtsWestchester, the State of New York, and all our sponsors.