Flushing Town Hall Presents Community Art Exhibition 'Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope'

Flushing Town Hall's outdoor community art exhibition - Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope -returns this February for the Lunar New Year to give people an opportunity to express their feelings about this moment in our nation's history, as well as their hopes in the new year.

Amid the pandemic and social justice movements, Flushing Town Hall launched Call and Response: Grief, Resiliency and Hope last summer, allowing people to contribute their art to be displayed on the historic institution's fence on Northern Boulevard. On February 1, 2021, Flushing Town Hall re-opens the community art exhibition and solicits new artwork for the Lunar New Year, once again inviting participants to artistically express the range of emotions they feel as they face the new year.

This Lunar New Year is the Year of the Ox--- and its associated characteristics of diligence, strength and determination are skills that help build resiliency, allowing us to recover quickly from difficulties.

Amateur and professional artists are invited to explore these concepts artistically in this new exhibition. Consider creating art that answers any of these questions: As I face the new year, what skills do I want to cultivate in myself to create a resilient community? What inspires me and others to be hopeful? How can I honor the memory of someone I lost last year by living a courageous life? How can I artistically connect with my diverse community and bring people together?

"We were incredibly moved by the outpouring of artwork at the first Call and Response exhibition as over 60 pieces were submitted-from amateur and professional local artists and others as far away as the United Kingdom," said Flushing Town Hall Director of Education and Public Programs Gabrielle M. Hamilton. "Our 2021 version of this exhibition invites participants to look to a more hopeful future; even as we still grieve for those we lost. With determination, and in honor of those we lost, we look to rebuild a more resilient, inspired, and courageous community. We invite participants of all ages and abilities to create art that shows your artistic vision of a better tomorrow."

Flushing Town Hall will begin to accept new artwork to share as part of Call and Response beginning on February 1, 2021. Participants can hang their artwork themselves, or email scans to the institution before and during the Lunar New Year, which is noted for strength and determination. The Lunar New Year - the Year of the Ox - begins on Friday, February 12, 2021.

Participants will be able to go to the venue and hang their artwork directly on the fence. Artwork of all mediums, from all ages and abilities is welcomed. If you wish to contribute, consider the following:

• Work can be up to 27"x 39" inches on paper, fabric or ribbon.

• After you complete your work, write your name on your piece (if you like), punch a hole in the artwork at the top, and tie a string or zip-tie through it.

• If your artwork is very big, you can tape it to the fence with masking tape

• Artwork will be exposed to the elements and will not be protected from the weather.

• Artwork will not be returned.

• Artwork may be photographed and shared online through a virtual exhibition, unless specifically noted by the artists on the back of the artwork.

• Flushing Town Hall reserves the right to remove any artwork that use hate speech, profanity or obscenity, depicts violence, sexual acts or unlawful or illegal behavior.

If participants cannot travel to Flushing Town Hall to hang artwork, they are invited to take a photo or scan of artwork and message, and email scans to education@flushingtownhall.org. Flushing Town Hall staff will print a copy of the work and hang it on our fence.

Flushing Town Hall will continue to showcase individual pieces of the artwork on Flushing Town Hall's Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter platforms, and on Flushing Town Hall's Cultural Crossroads blog.

Flushing Town Hall's FTH At Home! virtual programming is presented for free to the general public but donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.