A quick reminder: the next LIC Arts Open general meeting is this Tuesday, February 21^st at 6:30pm. Whether you’ve been attending all along or just looking to get involved. Come one. Come all.

We’re actually meeting in the EGarage space but if you’re not familiar with where that is, don’t worry, it’s literally steps away from The Secret. If you come to The Secret Theatre we’ll take you up the dock steps and around the corner to the EGarage, 44-02 23^rd St., Studio #104. See you there.

Submit your plan or idea to the LIC Arts Open. It is so easy. Do it now. Go to www.licartsopen.org/ Everything you need is right there. All submission lines are manned and open.

You can also now submit images of your work. Send them to submissions@licartsopen.org. We’ll post them. Please limit yourself to 5 images, 300 dpi and no more than 5mbs. Oh, and new stuff only. Please refrain from resending last year’s pics.

Tuesday’s focus meeting at The Secret Theatre was a well-attended affair. Discussion centered on two main topics:

Street Fair: This year’s affair, Saturday, May 19, will include local food trucks and more entertainment geared towards increasing traffic to the Open Studios.

Open Studios: Let’s get the word out. Talk to the people in your building. Talk to your friends. Talk, talk, talk. Get your fellow artist’s to submit and participate. We are our own best publicity. Go guerrilla.

It is our arts fair. Let’s spread the word.

New 2012 submission forms are now on the site! Same link, new way to do it – you just fill out the form right on our site, hit send, and you’re on your way!

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT!

Visual artists, musicians, actors, improv-ers, poets, writers, event curators, painters, sculptors, photographers, videographers, editors, artists of all sorts… WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!

A few quick points!

1. Submissions are OPEN. We are now accepting submissions for the 2012 LIC Arts Open!

Please CLICK HERE to view the submission forms.

Also do not hesitate to email us if you have an idea that doesn’t fit into any of the form categories, or if you want to participate or volunteer in some way.

2. Mailing List. Please sign up for our mailing list via the JOIN OUR MAILING LIST form in the right column of this site. You can view the latest newsletter HERE - it’s the best way to stay updated with all the details.

3. Meeting Schedule. All meetings are at the Secret Theatre in LIC at 6:30pm.

Jan. 24th Networking Meeting (NM) the first one; come one, come all.
Feb. 7th   Focus Meeting (FM) re: Open Studios and the Street Festival
Feb. 21st Networking Meeting
Mar. 6th   Focus Meeting
Mar. 20th (NM)
Apr. 10th (FM)
Apr. 24th (NM)
May 8th  (GENERAL) Final Meeting to rally troops and marshall our art forces.

4. Opportunies to work with LIC Arts Open. We are rallying the troops and assembling the team – every little bit helps but we are also looking to fill designated positions with committed individuals, such as:

Press Agent - extensive contacts a help; we need to get the word out
Graphic Designer - experience with magazine layout preferred
Production Coordinator - a self-starter to specifically oversee a small team for live events
Event Photographer - someone who enjoys reportage and events; requires your presence at multiple events

Some of these positions may be filled by more than one person.  Others may offer a modest stipend. Don’t hesitate to get in touch about these or any other way you’d like to participate!

5. Gantry Plaza Art Adventure. Recently, LICAO co-founder Richard Mazda submitted a proposal to the Queens Council on the Arts and we are happy to announce that we’ve received a grant to help fund a weeklong series of public workshops for parents and children that will be held at Gantry Plaza State Park called The Gantry Plaza Art Adventure. If you have an idea for a workshop, apply by emailing submissions@licartsopen.org.

6. Social Media & Spreading the Word. Please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and suggest these to your friends!

We would also appreciate it if you could spread the word about LIC Arts Open to your friends, fellow artists, and colleagues. We want everyone to have a chance to voice their ideas and get involved.

Thanks as always for your support!

So you’ve made the leap. Decided you want to be part of the 2012 LIC Arts Open. Cool. Here’s the first step. To be an organizer of the event, come to the LICAO Town Hall Meeting. We’ll be having a little wine and cheese, renewing acquaintances and then getting down to brass tacks. What did you like about LICAO 2011? Moving forward, what new ideas should we entertain?

C’mon, join us. Get involved. Speak up, speak out and participate.

The Secret Theatre, Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30pm.

It’s a new year and the LIC Arts Open is ringing in 2012 with new opportunities for artists and performers of all genres and persuasions. Join with restaurateurs and business owners in the Long Island City area to promote yourself, your work and the culturally diverse community in which we all live and work.

Last May LICAO incorporated and built upon the annual Open Studios, a longstanding event in which local artists open their workspaces to the public each Spring. The idea was to invite musicians, comedians and performers to join the area’s well-established artist community in an expanded Arts extravaganza. The goal was to raise the profile and awareness of LIC and promote our neighborhood as the teeming, vibrant destination that we all know it is. By incorporating the venues and support of the local restaurants and merchants, Arts Open founders Richard Mazda and Karen Dimit did just that: they created an eight day celebration of the Arts in Long Island City that by all accounts not only met but surpassed all expectations.

Not ones to rest on our laurels, we are already hard at work on the 2012 event. To that end, we have a couple of very exciting announcements:

Recently, Richard submitted a proposal to the Queens Council on the Arts and we are happy to announce that LICAO has received a grant to help fund a weeklong series of public workshops for parents and children that will be held at Gantry Plaza State Park. Called The Gantry Plaza Art Adventure, appropriately enough, the workshops will be part of LICAO 2012 which takes place May 12-20. If you have an idea for a workshop, apply by emailing: submissions@licartsopen.org

March 12, 2012. Mark that date. That’s the deadline to participate in the 2012 LIC Arts Open. Whether you’re looking to participate in the Open Studios or have a specific proposal you’d like to submit, the deadline is the same: March 12th.

If you are interested in becoming involved with LICAO 2012, stay tuned. Planning and organizational meetings, dates and times will be posted here. Get involved. Your input and involvement will make a difference.

Raincheck

As many of you are aware, last September’s Autumn Party/fundraiser at The Metropolitan ended a might early due to a venue scheduling issue. Never fear, we have a make-up event in the works and will be announcing details in the very near future.

The first LIC Arts Open was fun and frantic, have a look inside the process with this nifty little video.

The Fall Party at the Metropolitan Building is now on the SECOND FLOOR, same date, same location: this Wednesday, September 21st.
View Larger Map

Our party is only few days away, here’s what some folks are saying about this beautifully anachronistic venue, courtest of Yelp! and WeddingWire:

“…The whole building is an old factory and has many corners where you can take amazing pictures … definitely a photographer’s heaven…”

“…the space is beautiful, the staff is on point…i really can’t say enough nice things…”

“…a truly unique and magical space…”

“Our guests are still telling us that the venue was one of the most beautiful they had ever seen…”