A weekend-long festival of exhibitions, performances and interactive workshops for all ages is coming to Astoria in Queens, New York, thanks to the Kaufman Arts District—an artistic hub spanning 24 blocks that is anchored in part by the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios.
The first edition of the Backlot Arts Festival (24-25 June) aims to “inspire artists and creatives to participate in future events happening in this great neighbourhood”, Tina Stipanovic, the curator of the festival, told The Art Newspaper.
The festival includes more than 30 events staged in various venues, including the Aurora Gallery, the Astoria Bookshop and the RaR Bar, among others. Some must-see attractions, according to Stipanovic, include a showcase of wearable works of art by the artist Maria de Los Angeles in the courtyard of the Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI); screenings of short films by local film-makers Signe Baumane and Keith Bearden at the Zukor Theater at Kaufman Astoria Studios; and the opening of an outdoor space called The Easement, where local artists Monica Wynn, Andrew Short, Olja Stipanovic and the Bolo Art Collective have painted a series of eight murals.
Stipanovic adds that she hopes “visitors will note the many wonderful reasons to keep the Kaufman Arts District on their map year-round, and that the festival will grow into a yearly destination for art lovers across the board”.
All festival events are free other than those at Museum of the Moving Image, which is offering two-for-one admission throughout the weekend.