Don’t Miss the Inaugural Backlot Art Festival This Weekend!

The Kaufman Arts District (KAD), the first of its kind in Astoria, is putting together their first big signature event, the Backlot Art Festival. The KAD folks did an open call for artists back in April and May, and as a result they’ve put together what looks like a fantastic artstravaganza event. All weekend—Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25—will feature the KAD artistic community, who show us year round why this is such a vibrant place to live and visit.

Festival events are free unless otherwise indicated. Here are some of the things you can expect to see throughout the district in studios, art spaces, businesses and public spaces from 11am-10pm each day:

• A pop up gallery with only one criteria for participation: to bring the artwork during specific drop off hours
• A Q&A with the Queens Council on the Arts staff
• Cultural Pride, a live “wearable fashion show” performance piece by artist Maria de Los Angeles, highlighting the intersection of performance, fashion and sculpture in collaboration with artists Jodie Lyn-Kee-Chow, Lizzy DeVita, Andrew Hawkes, Jayeon Yi
• Performances by Rosary Solimanto and Benjamin Lundberg
• A gardening workshop at Studio Nova
• Screenings of Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun and Always at the Redstone Theater at the Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI is offering 2-for-1 admission during the Festival)
• Screenings of films by Astoria resident Keith Bearden and Signe Baumane at The Zukor Theater at Kaufman Astoria Studios
• An exhibit of murals at The Easement
• Book crafting at The Astoria Book Shop
• A performance by violinist and Astoria resident Josh Modney at Nomad Cycle
• A Makers Market at Lockwood
• Musical performances at The Astor Room
• The Art of Cocktail Making at Mars

See more events here. And be sure to pick up your map at the Kaufman Astoria Studios gate, a document that will guide you through the events in the District—as a reminder, the District’s boundaries are 31st Street to the west, 34th Avenue to the north, Steinway Street to the east and 37th Avenue to the south.

Tracy Capune, vice president of Kaufman Astoria Studios, says, “The Kaufman Arts District produces a tremendous amount of extraordinary work across the artistic spectrum—painting, sculpture, theater, dance and music. “The Backlot Festival is a great way to showcase this talent and remind our local community to explore all that is happening here and to encourage visitors to check out this unique and vibrant neighborhood.”

So head on over this weekend and get your fill of amazing local art, music, and food. See you there!