Category: Marcus Garvey Park

Get Ready for the Annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 2023

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, City Parks Foundation, Marcus Garvey Park, SummerStage, Tompkins Square Park

 

 

 

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Marcus Garvey Park, 2017

The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, New York City’s annual salute to the eponymous late saxophonist, will return in its 31st year for a three-day celebration of live jazz in the neighborhoods near where Parker worked and lived, including Harlem’s historic Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. Each year, some of the finest jazz musicians in the world are assembled who reflect “the Bird’s” musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.

Anat Cohen at Marcus Garvey Park, 2016

Running August 25 to August 27, this year’s lineup will bring together storied, veteran players and the next generation of jazz artists including Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band featuring Dianne Reeves and T.K Blue in association with Jazzmobile; groundbreaking jazz supergroup The Cookers and Endea Owens & The Cookout; legendary jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson and the celebrated Vincent Herring Septet performing Something Else! among others.

Let’s take a closer look at the events.

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Culture, Creativity & Care Initiative Unveiled in Marcus Garvey Park ~ Sankofa

Creativity & Care Initiative, East Harlem, Harlem, Harlem Art Collective, Harlem Grown, HART, Marcus Garvey Park, The Mellon Foundation

 

 

 

 

A work in progress, visiting Jerome Haferd’s ‘Sakofa’ with Connie Lee, President, Art Lives Here, Inc., June 16th in Marcus Garvey Park.

Marcus Garvey Park, which is adjacent to both Harlem and East Harlem, was the lucky recipient of a Mellon Foundation Humanities in Place Initiative, with a focus on fostering creativity and care in essential public space.

Administered through Harlem Grown, The Culture, Creativity & Care Initiative will be a two-year project, amplifying Harlem’s rich history and culture, along with its plethora of talented residents, from visual and performing arts to culture and food Programming, unveiling on June 18, 2023 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and artist talks from 2-5pm.

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Getting Ready for Summer 2023, Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem is in the News

East Harlem, Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park, NYC Parks Department

 

 

 

Marcus Garvey Park w/view of the Acropolis & historic Harlem Fire Watchtower in the background, the current art installation by Art Lives Here on the great lawn, artist Reuben Sinha: Breathing. Madison Ave side near 123rd Street.

Sitting in on the recent CB 11 meeting, Jana La Sorte, the Administrator of Historic Harlem Parks, gave an update on a plethora of good news happening in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.

The Park, which runs from 120th Street to 124th Street, and from Madison Avenue to Mount Morris Park West, is the home to the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower, the Harlem Drummers, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, a swimming pool, and from what we heard in this meeting, it may be the new home of Harlem Eat Up!

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Harlem Grown Announces $1.3M Mellon Foundation Grant to Support Programs in Marcus Garvey Park

Harlem Grown, Marcus Garvey Park, Mellon Foundation, NYC Parks Department

 

 

 

Marcus Garvey Park w/view of the Acropolis & historic Harlem Fire Watchtower in the background, the current art installation by Art Lives Here on the great lawn, artist Reuben Sinha: Breathing. Madison Ave side near 123rd Street. October 2022.

If you take Fifth Avenue Uptown, You will have a pleasant pause at 120th Street, where you will be greeted by an entrance to Marcus Garvey Park ~ Harlem to the West and East Harlem to the East. The Park spans from 120th Street to 124th Street, and from Mt. Morris Park West to Madison Avenue.

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‘Reuben Sinha: Breathing Without Fear’ to be Installed in Marcus Garvey Park in East Harlem

Art Lives Here, East Harlem, Harlem Needle Arts, Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

The artist Reuben Sinha with his sculpture, Breathing Without Fear’ in Marcus Garvey Park

Heads-up for all who love watching the installation of outdoor art sculptures ~ on the heals of the deinstallation of  ‘Thomas J. Price: Witness,’ last week, Breathing Without Fear by Art Lives Here artist-member Reuben Sinha will be installed on Sunday, October 16th from 1:00 ~ 4:00pm as a celebration of public art in Marcus Garvey Park. The new temporary sculpture will be located on the east-side oval lawn at Madison Avenue and 123rd Street in East Harlem.

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Renaissance Women by artist Alice Mizrachi unveiled in Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem

Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, NYC Parks 'Art in the Parks' Program, NYC Parks Department

 

 

 

Alice Mizrachi: Renaissance Women

Marcus Garvey Park has a plethora of art over this past few months, with the installation of Susan Stair: Ascending the Mountain and Thomas J. Price: Witness,  added to the park’s weekly music and dance. Now, we look forward to the unveiling of Alice Mizrachi: Renaissance Women, an abstract, figurative sculpture that honors women of the Harlem Renaissance ~ paving the way for many of the artists today, including Mizrachi.

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Get Ready for ‘Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball for Conscientious Ballers & Cultural Shot Callers’ in Bryant Park & Marcus Garvey Park

Bryant Park, Harlem Stage, Jazzmobile, Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

Craig Harris. Image courtesy Harlem Stage

Save the dates because it’s only a two-day event ~ Thursday, August 12th at Bryant Park and Friday, August 13th at Marcus Garvey Park, and it’s the culmination of Harlem Stage’s Afrofuturism series that launched in 2019 as a citywide, multi-venue held at Harlem Stage, Park Avenue Armory, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, celebrating Sun Ra’s legacy.

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‘Ascending the Mountain’ Unveiled in Marcus Garvey Park Along with Public Events

Curated Public Art, Marcus Garvey Park, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance

 

 

 

Taking a closer look. Susan Stair: Ascending the Mountain in Marcus Garvey Park

Harlem-based non-profit the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, Public art organizer Connie Lee and Harlem-based artist Susan Stair are pleased to announce the installation of Ascending the Mountain, a public artwork in Marcus Garvey Park. Installed in three distinct sections along the staircase that leads up to the overlook terraces known as the Acropolis and the Harlem Fire Watchtower. The artwork is exhibited as part of NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program and is one of six temporary public art installations organized by the public art committee in Harlem this Summer.

Join the artist, Susan Stair, for a guided tour of her public art installation on Saturday, June 4th (rain date June 5th) and Saturday, June 11th (rain date June 12th) from 2:00 to 4:00pm. Use the 121st St & Madison Ave entrance to Marcus Garvey Park, at the base of the stairs near the basketball courts. Workshops and tree-inspired activities on each day.

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It’s Time for Summerstage 2021 and The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival!

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Jazzmobile, Marcus Garvey Park, SummerStage

 

 

illustrated by Lyne Lucien. Image via cityparksfoundation.org

The Capital One City Park’s Foundation Summerstage 2021 kicked off its season in Central Park with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on June 17th, followed by a pre-screening of the documentary Summer of Soul in Marcus Garvey Park on June 19th.

Check out this years SummerStage Season Brochure, ~ a bit pared-down, but with concerts, film screenings and performances in four parks including Ramsey Playfield Central Park, Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, and the Coney Island Amphitheater along the boardwalk. Check out a fabulous lineup.

*Update ~ Due to the increasing spread of the Delta variant and rise in cases in New York City, SummerStage will be requiring proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for entry to all performances at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. We are also requiring masks upon entry, and recommend that guests wear them for the duration of the performance. Most performances will be available via livestream at summerstageanywhere.org for those unable to attend in person. For more information, please visit summerstage.org and go to our SummerStage Experience page.

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#NYPhil Bandwagon 2 Coming to Marcus Garvey Park East Harlem, May 14-16

Marcus Garvey Park, New York Philharmonic, NYC Parks Department

 

 

 

The Bandwagon arrived in Marcus Garvey Park

Save the Dates! The New York Philharmonic’s NYPhilBandwagon2 will be popping up in Marcus Garvey Park, East Harlem from May 14-16. Three days of concerts in the park along Madison Avenue from 123rd to 124th Streets. This event is part of a series of four weekend-long festivals across New York City in May.

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Questlove’s Documentary ‘Summer of Soul’ Sprints From Sundance & the Big Screen to a Broadcast Television….and The Winner of the 2022 Oscar for Documentary (Feature)!

Documentary, Film, Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

‘Summer of Soul’ image released by Sundance; Sly Stone (Sly and the Family Stone) Mt Morris Park, Harlem

Where were you in 1969?  If you were in Harlem, chances are you were either in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) or heard about the Harlem Cultural Festival ~ a summer of free outdoor concerts held on Sunday.

Read a Behind the Scenes article about the archivist who saved the historic footage.

Interview of Questlove by PBS NewsHour in Marcus Garvey Park for Canvas.

Behind the Summer of Soul, a panel discussion, will take place on November 11, 2021 at Museum of the City of New York.

Digital and DVD Release Date set for February 8, 2022.

And now, a broadcast television premiere on ABC on Sunday, February 20th from 8:00 to 10:30pm.

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Looking Back at ‘Caesura: a forum’ on the Acropolis in Marcus Garvey Park in 2015

Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

Caesura: a forum

With the unveiling of the recently restored Harlem Fire Watchtower, and renovation of the Acropolis on which it sits, we take a look back at a Marcus Garvey Park art installation in 2015, Caesura: a forum ~ a large-scale architectural and sound installation we frequented, but find our original post unretrievable ~ and worth a re-post.

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New York Road Runners Club Members Volunteer Day in Marcus Garvey Park East Harlem

East Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance

 

 

 

New York Road Runner Volunteers

On a sunny Saturday ~ during Memorial Day Weekend ~ we spied a small army of weeders, rackers, mulchers, and general cleaner-upers, hard at work along the Madison Avenue side of Marcus Garvey Park in East Harlem. They were New York Road Runner volunteers who regularly give of their time and energy. Follow along as we walk (not run) along the Park to take a closer look at what they’re doing.

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NYC Parks’ Creative Courts + Saya Woolfalk + Publicolor = a Work-in-Progress in Marcus Garvey Park Harlem

East Harlem, Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park, Murals, Street Art

 

 

 

May 17, 2019

NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks ~  Creative Courts initiative, Facebook Artist-in-Residence Program (FB AIR Program), along with artist Saya Woolfalk, the non-profit Publicolor, and the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance/Public Art Initiative have arrived at the basketball court on Madison Avenue near 122nd Street in Marcus Garvey Park. Watch as this work-in-progress takes shape over this next week.

Join the unveiling on June 2nd with Creative Courts.

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Two New Art Installations Arriving in Marcus Garvey Park ~ October 21st

Art Installation, by AFineLyne, Marcus Garvey Park, Public Art Initiative

 

 

Kim Dacres, Daniel A. Matthews and Jose’ Carlos Casado in their studios. Image courtesy Public Art Initiative

On the heals of the installation, Atlas: The Third Millennium, the Public Art Initiative will be installing two new sculptures in Marcus Garvey Park, with an unveiling and Opening Reception on Sunday, October 21.

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Commissioner Mitchell Silver on a Working Walk-Through in Marcus Garvey Park

Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

Connie Lee, President of the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance/ Public Art Initiative, and Commissioner Mitchel Silver on a walk-through of Marcus Garvey Park

Mitchell J. Silver, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, along with William T. Castro, Manhattan Borough Commissioner, NYC Parks Department, met with Connie Lee, President of the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, several members of her Board, and Friends of Marcus Garvey Park Alliance, for a tour of Marcus Garvey Park in East Harlem today.

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Visiting the Reconstructed Harlem Fire Watchtower in Marcus Garvey Park

Architecture, East Harlem, Harlem, Harlem Fire Watchtower, Historic Preservation, Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

Image taken October 18, 2019, courtesy of a reader

 

A pop-up visit by Urban Park Rangers visiting the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower prior to resuming tours. Image courtesy Connie Lee, President, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance; Director, Public Art Initiative; Curator, Living With Art Salon, spending some time with the Urban Park Rangers today.

Harlemites and preservationists were delighted to receive the recent news that the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower, removed from the Acropolis overlooking Marcus Garvey Park in 2015 for restoration, would have its unveiling and ribbon-cutting on October 26, 2019.  Prior to COVID-19, the Urban Park Rangers opened the gate and escorted the public up to the top of the Watchtower, giving the public a bit of history and a spectacular view.

The Urban Park Rangers will open the Fire Watchtower for visitors who want to climb to the top (or even just to ring the bell). Check NYC Parks Dept for dates.

Below, a few images and history of the Watchtower as it was dissembled in 2015, and reassembled in 2019.

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Atlas of the Third Millennium Arrives in Marcus Garvey Park

Art Installation, East Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park, Sculpture

 

 

Atlas: The Third Millennium 2016-1017 by Artist, Jorge Luis Rodriguez in Marcus Garvey Park

With the temperature dipping to the mid-thirties, Atlas of the Third Millennium, along with its creator, the artist, Jorge Luis Rodriguez, arrived for the installation in Marcus Garvey Park this past November.

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