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Black History & Culture: Fulfilling the Vision in Westchester at Bethany Arts Community
January 28 - March 3
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Bethany Arts Community is honored to announce Black History & Culture: Fulfilling the Vision in Westchester, BAC’s annual Black History Month exhibition curated by Ossining Village Historian, Joyce Sharrock Cole.
In February 2021 and 2022, Ossining was gifted a welcomed treat. The exhibit “Ossining Black History & Culture: RESILENCE. DEDICATION. EXCELLENCE” was an ode to the Ossining African American community and its historic contributions. With the support of our sponsors and community, the exhibit was a source of local pride and received the 2021 NYS Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick Heritage & History Award. Elected Officials, including Congressman Jones and Senator Reichlin-Melnick, attended.
The 3rd installment of this award-winning exhibition will open on January 28, 2023, and close on March 3, 2023. The opening reception is January 28, 2023 at 4-6pm. The theme for this year’s exhibition is “Fulfilling the Vision.”
This year’s exhibition will expand the historic storytelling out of the Ossining borders into the surrounding communities. Each uniquely themed exhibit gallery will highlight the steps taken by Black visionaries in our neighborhoods who worked diligently, intentionally, and purposefully to uplift the Black race in Westchester and beyond. The exhibition will utilize oral history accounts and genealogical research to unearth the histories of Black entrepreneurs, organizations, and lawmakers from all facets of the community’s business and social life.
Programming will include concerts, talks (including a talk with Madam CJ Walker’s great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles), curator tours, and living museum actors with events in person, online, and traveling throughout the year with the History Walls.
We are excited to announce our partnership with The Ossining School District and their commitment of 2,000 student visitors and families for 2023. Starting in 2022 we began training High School students in exhibit leadership as Museum Docents. The Docents guide younger students through the exhibition’s educational experiences. This program was widely successful and will continue as part of the program in 2023. We have partnered with Claremont School in Ossining to curate one of the rooms, the “I Have a Dream” Corridor. The Claremont scholars will create the artwork which we will select to be displayed for the duration of the exhibit.
The exhibition is free and open to the public during gallery hours, Monday – Friday 10am-4pm. On Saturdays throughout February, the gallery will be open 10am-3pm. Walk & Talk tours led by curator Joyce Sharrock Cole, are scheduled for February 1, 8, 15, and 22 at 6pm. Closed Sundays. Tour admission is $25 adult / $10 student.
EXHIBITION DATES & GALLERY HOURS:
Exhibit open: January 28 – March 3, 2023
Opening reception: January 28, 4-6pm
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturdays (February 4, 11, 18, 25) 10am-3pm, Closed Sundays
Walk & Talk tours with curator: Wednesdays (February 1, 8, 15, and 22) at 6pm, registration required
ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMS & EVENTS:
Sunday, February 19 at 2pm: Author Program: “Groundbreakers: Black Movie Makers” Children’s Book Series at Ossining Public Library
Saturday, February 25 at 11am-2pm: Fun Bunch Line Dance presents The Art of Line Dance: Sounds of the Drum – From the Motherland to the House, at Bethany Arts Community. Workshop fee is $20
Saturday, February 25 at 2pm: Author A’Lelia Bundles discusses Madam CJ Walker at Ossining Public Library. Talk will be livestreamed and available to watch virtually.
Saturday, February 25 at 7pm: Opening Night of the Rising Sun Golf and Country Club (New York’s First and Finest Black Country Club in Westchester County), jazz concert at Bethany Arts Community. Tickets are $25 General Admission / $10 students
Sunday, February 25 at 11am-12pm: African Dance Workshop with Gladys Lowe, at Bethany Arts Community. Free!
This exhibit would not have been possible without the help and support of the Ossining community. Thank you to our sponsors: Phelps Hospital Northwell Health, Northern Westchester Hospital, Theater O, and Sing Sing Family Collective.
