Empty Midtown Storefronts Filled With Art Through New Program

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Vacant storefronts along three busy Midtown avenues have found a new life as miniature art galleries, through a new installation organized by a neighborhood group.

The latest iteration of Art on the Ave NYC has arrived at storefronts along Lexington and Madison avenues in Midtown East, courtesy of the East Midtown Partnership, the area's business improvement district.

On view through March 20, the exhibition features works from 23 local artists — all of which are available for purchase.

Titled "Intersections," it starts inside 875 Third Ave. — between East 52nd and 53rd streets — then continues east to 640 Lexington Ave., 649 Lexington Ave., and 551 Madison Ave.

Art on the Ave was launched during the pandemic by Jackie Graham and Barbara Anderson, aiming to "participate in the healing of NYC" by beautifying neighborhood streets. Previous installations have been held on the Upper West Side, West Village and Lower Manhattan — with 50 percent of the featured storefronts eventually being rented within six months of the exhibition.

The 23 artists were chosen through a public application, submitting work relevant to the "intersections" theme.

All of the proceeds from any artworks sold will go directly to the artists. A list of the participating artists, plus a catalog of their work, can be found on the East Midtown Partnership website.

"Every time we put out a call for artists, we're flooded with creativity — the proposals for East Midtown and their takes on the concept of intersections resulted in compelling work," Anderson said in a statement. "East Midtown is a neighborhood that exemplifies the diversity of New York City and the artwork selected complements the narrative of this neighborhood.”

Learn more about the installation at eastmidtown.org/intersections.