East Street Arts Opens in New Haven Friday

From East Street Arts:

East Street Arts, a social enterprise of Marrakech, Inc., will celebrate the grand opening with a ribbon cutting Friday, May 6.

East Street Arts is a newly renovated and expanded arts building at 597 East Street in the Upper State St. district of New Haven. East Street Arts is dedicated to fostering the creation of art through artisan training programs, workshops and community interactions for persons of all abilities. East Street Arts students are paired with local artists and designers to learn the process of making artisan goods for sale. Each student has a individually designed learning process to increase their skills and work towards creating unique goods that can be sold in the retail store. The artists benefit from earned income opportunities while they show and sell their work in the attached retail and gallery space.

East Street Arts houses both an Art Studio and the Association of Artisans to Cane, a caning studio that has been serving Connecticut and providing employment opportunities for people of all abilities for 30 years. Artisans learn many different styles of caning and use these skills to work on chairs that are dropped off for repair by community members. Chairs that have been donated and repaired are also available for sale in our retail space. Artisans are trained in the art through hands-on learning, working on pieces with oversight of a Master caner. The artisans progress at their own individual pace. As one style of caning is mastered, another style can be then taught. Currently, the individuals have the opportunity to learn hand caning, press caning rush and split weaving as well as other techniques.

The ribbon cutting, scheduled for 2 p.m., will be followed by art installations and seat weaving demonstrations.