Queens’ prosperous
arts scene shows no
signs of slowing down
The Queens Museum at Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the only surviving building from the 1939 World’s Fair. Photo by Scott Rudd
BY CARLOTTA
MOHAMED
The arts and
culture scene has been
prospering in Queens
over the years with
local and international
performances in
the world’s most
diverse borough.
There are numerous
events for everyone to
attend, whether it’s at a
museum or performing
arts theatre.
Throughout the years,
various local cultural
institutions and artists
have contributed to the
creation of original ethnic
art that can be found
throughout Queens.
“There is a blossoming
of cultural events here,
not just visual arts and
museums, but performing
arts. There’s dance,
there’s all kinds of stuff
to do and see in Queens
that don’t require you to
go in Manhattan and it’s
cheaper,” said Queens
Borough Historian Jack
Eichenbaum.
Queens Museum
One historic cultural
venue is the Queens
Museum located in Flushing
Meadows Corona Park. The
establishment was built by
New York City to house the
Pavilion at the first New
York World’s Fair in 1939,
where it featured displays
about municipal agencies,
according to Eichenbaum.
The museum is now the
only surviving building
from the 1939 Fair. After the
World’s Fair, the building
became a recreation center
for the newly created
Flushing Meadows Corona
Park. The north side of the
building housed a roller
rink, and the south side, an
ice rink.
“In the early ‘70s
it became the Queens
Museum of Art. About five
years ago, it was completely
remodeled and they now
occupy the entire building,
where mostly they have art
there,” said Eichenbaum.
Today, the new
Queens Museum is an
expansive open light-filled
space with exhibitions,
educational initiatives, and
community programming
engaging local residents,
international tourists,
school children,
artists, and individuals
with special needs,
families, seniors, recent
immigrants, and longtime
New Yorkers.
Flushing Town Hall
Given protected
status by the Landmarks
Preservation Commission
in 1967 and placed on
the National Register of
Historic Places in 1972,
Flushing Town Hall —
located at 137- 35 Northern
Blvd. — has brought
global arts and cultural
performances to the
community.
The center has brought
audiences together via
high-quality arts exposure
and experiences through
programs in Jazz, classical
and world music, theater,
dance and spoken word,
family and education
programs, senior programs,
exhibitions and free
community events.
In celebration of its 40th
anniversary, Flushing
Town Hall is currently
running 72 shows in the
span of six months, hosting
jazz, global music, family
shows, exhibitions, and
more.
Kupferberg Center
for the Arts
Additionally, the
Kupferberg Center for the
Arts at Queens College has
been at the core of providing
high quality, accessible,
and affordable cultural
attractions to students and
the borough’s 2.3 million
residents. It is the largest
multi-disciplinary arts
complex in Queens, named
“Best place to visit in 2015”
by Lonely Planet, according
to its website.
Artists and performers
who have taken the stage
include Jerry Seinfeld,
David Bowie, Piano Guys,
Patti LaBelle, Johnny
Mathis, Victor Manuelle,
Cesar Milan, El Gran
Combo, and many more.
Travel to Northwestern
Queens, and one can
find a number of smaller
museums and galleries
in Long Island City and
Astoria, where artists
over the past 40 years have
moved from Manhattan
building their own
organizations and reviving
the art community.
LIC Arts Open
Founded in 2011 by
Richard Mazda, LIC
Arts Open — Queens’
largest arts festival — is
a platform dedicated to
keep the cultural art scene
of Long Island City alive
and active. The nonprofit
organization has helped
foster Long Island City’s
cultural and economic
development, raising the
profile of the most diverse
arts communities in New
A28 GUIDE TO QUEENS, MARCH 15-21, 2019 TL QNS.COM
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