Washington Heights Vacant Storefronts Set To Double As Art Gallery

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Vacant storefronts were an issue in Washington Heights before the coronavirus pandemic, and the ramifications from the virus have only added to the number of businesses forced to close up shop in the neighborhood.

But one organization has made it its mission to turn these empty businesses across New York City into an opportunity to showcase art.

Art On The Ave, a nonprofit that places the work of local artists in vacant storefronts in high visibility locations, is headed to Washington Heights.

The organization recently put out the call to artists for submissions to, "The Rise: Art in the Heights." The deadline to submit an application to feature your art is May 15.

The exact uptown storefronts have not been chosen yet, but the art installations will go in empty business windows on 181st Street and in the Broadway area near 175th Street.

"We want this to be a hyper local exhibition that reflects Washington Heights’ distinct legacy, small and independent businesses, and its residents and community," Barbara Anderson, the founder of Art On The Ave, told Patch. "The art will reflect the bustling, colorful and lively neighborhood."

Art On The Ave is also partnering with the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance to find a curator for the project, and with the Washington Heights Business Improvement District.

"It is a great project for the Heights," Isidro Medina, the Executive Director of the uptown BID, told Patch. "We definitely support it and are leading advocate for it."

Art on the Ave was originally launched in 2020 by Anderson, her daughter Jackie Graham, and a friend Leigh Majer, as a socially-distant walking walking art gallery on the Upper West Side in the months immediately after the height of the pandemic.

In the years since, the organization has placed art in vacant storefronts across the city.

Here are the technical parameters for artists interested in submitting work.

Artwork must be:

• 2-dimensional
• There are two sizes of gallery walls. 2ft wide and 4ft wide. Pieces CANNOT exceed 36in by 36in.
• Gallery-Ready (ie. photography must be framed either without glass or with non-reflective glass, canvas must be stretched)

Please note, we will also be considering muralists to work on a collaborative project with a head muralist.

• If you wish to submit as a muralist, please include photos of past work.

You can find out more about the application process — HERE.