The Wassaic Project

The Wassaic Project is a non-profit artist-run arts, community and art education space in Wassaic, New York founded in 2008 that hosts festivals, community events and year-round artist residencies. Currently it consists of a year-round competitive residency program and summer arts programming which culminate in a large, free summer festival (usually in August).[1][2][3]

The Wassaic Project
Formation2008
TypeArtist colony
HeadquartersWassaic, New York
Region served
United States
co-directors
Bowie Zunino, Eve Biddle, Jeff Barnett-Winsby
Websitewww.wassaicproject.org

History

Co-founders Bowie Zunino and Eve Biddle had done community organizing in Providence, Rhode Island. Zunino's father, an architect and developer of historic sites like South Street Seaport, had just finished preserving the Maxon Mills, with a wood crib elevator, in the hamlet of Wassaic, New York, near where he owned a house. The artists and friends Zunino and Biddle, alongside cofounders Jeff Barnett-Winsby and Elan Bogarin, opened a gallery space in the mill in 2008 and began an art happening there focused on community and contemporary art. They began restoring buildings in the hamlet and expanded with other events like a haunted house and then added their current artist in residence program.[1][4][5][6]

The project

The organization makes use of restored historic buildings in the hamlet of Wassaic, including Maxon Mills and Luther Barn.[7] Maxon Mills, a seven-story former wood crib grain elevator, has been converted into exhibition, office, and studio spaces, including Art NEST, a free drop-in creative space for kids.[1] Luther Barn is home to artist-in-residence studios and the old cattle auction ring is used as a film exhibition space during the summer festival. The organization currently offers year-round programming as well as an education program focused onsite and at the Webutuck consolidated school district serving the Towns of Amenia and Northeast.[1]

The Wassaic Project hosts an annual Summer Festival, outdoors and in their Mill building. Their Mill building has an exhibition space open to the public that has shown work by Colin Williams, Margeaux Walter, Minhee Bae, Tatiana Arocha, Eleanor Sabin, Ghost of a Dream and Doug and Mike Starn.[8][9] And their artist in residence program alumni include Sean Fader, Manuel H. Márquez, Hillerbrand + Magsamen, Hunter Creel, Goldie Poblador [1] [10][11][12] The project hosts other community events that bring thousands of visitors like their August Festival for dance performances, their annual haunted house and overnight bonfires.[10][8]

The Wassaic Project also has an invitational print Editions Program where they pair a contemporary artist with a master printer to produce an edition in their studio. Artists in this program have included William Powhida, Lisa Iglesias, Kenya (Robinson) and Amanda Valdez among many.[1]

References
  1. Green, Penelope (2015-03-04). "The Wassaic Project: A Festival, a 'Beautiful' Flood and Now Art". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  2. Wilkins, Jamie (2016-05-10). "The Wassaic Project Welcomes New Board Members". Southeast-Brewster, NY Patch. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  3. THRASHER, STEVEN (8 August 2011). "The Wassaic Project: Our Favorite Art from Summer Festival 2011 (PHOTOS & VIDEO)". www.villagevoice.com. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  4. Kennedy, Randy (2009-07-28). "The Wassaic Project: Elevator for Grain Reinvented for Art". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  5. Marston-Reid, Linda. "Vintage photo inspires Wassaic Project exhibit". The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  6. Shoup, Risa (19 August 2010). "Converse Welcome, But Not Required". HuffPost. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  7. "The Wassaic Project: A Pop-Up Museum and Pizza, Too". Rural Intelligence - Serving the counties of Berkshire, Columbia, Dutchess and Litchfield. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  8. Steinhauer, Jillian (2017-06-29). "9 Art-Filled Summer Day Trips from New York". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  9. Kelley, E.J. "Wassaic's Lantern Inn brings 'new Brooklyn' pizza cred north". The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  10. Safronova, Valeriya (2018-10-31). "A Weekend at Witch Camp". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  11. Nunes, Andrew (2018-03-20). "Want to Get the Most Out of an Artist Residency? Here Are 7 Simple Tips". artnet News. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  12. Glentzer, Molly (2019-03-27). "Art review: 'A Device to Forget' gives a new view on Houston disasters - HoustonChronicle.com". www.houstonchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
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