Governors Island Arts to Present THIRD SATURDAYS: 20+ Free Events and Activities on Governors Island

The Trust for Governors Island today announced the schedule of free events for the July 2023 THIRD Saturday, to be held on Governors Island on Saturday, July 15, 2023. Held the third Saturday of every month through October, this Governors Island Arts initiative features special indoor and outdoor programs from the two dozen nonprofit organizations in the Organizations in Residence program that present free activities and exhibitions in the historic houses of Nolan Park and Colonels Row. All events are free and open to all. 

This month’s events include dance and fitness classes, portrait sessions, interactive artistic activities, open studios, Meet the Artist events, musical performances, and more from a diverse group of NYC-based arts, cultural, educational, and environmental nonprofit organizations. See below for a full schedule of events for Saturday, July 15:

Colonels Row

• Art & Meditation Workshop, ArtsConnection

• Portraiture with Orestes Gonzalez, TransBorder Art

• Performance: The Over Story, TransBorder Art

• Creative Clay Workshop, Residency Unlimited – 11am-3pm

• Exhibit: Desire Lines, KODA - 11am-5pm

• Exhibit: Feralpy, Flux Factory - 11am-5pm

• Interactive Activity: Lenguas, TransBorder Art

• Fetenic (Caribbean-style picnic), I am CaribBEING - 2-6pm

• Sound Walk, Fountain House Gallery

• QiGong class, Cumbe - 1-2pm

• Orisha Dance class, Cumbe - 2-3pm

• Performance: Pocahontas and Malinche, New York Latin American Art Triennial - 2pm

• Opening Reception: Martir, New York Latin American Art Triennial + TransBorder Art - 3-6pm

• Hawaiian Dance 101, Cumbe - 3-4pm

• Haitian Folklore dance class, Cumbe - 4-5pm

Nolan Park

• Oysters in the Big Apple: A Celebration and Education, Billion Oyster Project - 10am-4pm

• The Process: Art & Tech Exhibition, Harvestworks - 11am-5pm

• Design in Flux: Textile Exhibition, the West Harlem Art Fund - 11am-5pm

• Artist Residency Open House, American Indian Community House - 11am-5pm

• Open Studios, Swale - 12-5pm

• Music on the Porch Celebrating City of Water Day, Staten Island Urban Center - 12-4pm

• Gallery walkthrough with artist Gal Nissim, NYC Audubon - 2-3:30pm

• Lights Out Letter Writing Party, NYC Audubon - 3:30-4:30pm

• Film Screening: Alone/Together, Taiwanese American Arts Council

• Island to Island Exhibit Reception, Taiwanese American Arts Council

The Organizations in Residence program features over two dozen arts, cultural, and educational nonprofit organizations from throughout the five boroughs that utilize space inside the historic houses of Nolan Park and Colonels Row. The organizations present a robust calendar of free public programs and artist residencies and engage visitors in special activities for all ages throughout the summer months. Visit www.govisland.org/oir to meet this season’s cohort.

Governors Island is open to the public Sunday through Thursday from 7am to 10pm and Friday through Saturday from 7am to 11pm. Trust for Governors Island-operated ferries run daily between the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on the Island. Trust-operated ferries also serve two Brooklyn locations during the summer months—Pier Six in Brooklyn Bridge Park and Atlantic Basin in Red Hook. These routes run directly to Yankee Pier on Governors Island from each location every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Monday from May 27 through October 29. For schedules and ticketing information, visit www.govisland.org/ferry. 

Visitors are encouraged to reserve ferry tickets in advance of their trip on the Governors Island website. Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults. Ferries operated by the Trust for Governors Island are always free for children 12 and under, older adults 65 and up, residents of NYCHA, IDNYC holders, current and former military service members, and Governors Island members. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles or strollers on Trust-operated ferries at any time.

NYC Ferry also serves Governors Island weekdays on the South Brooklyn route and summer weekends via the seasonal Governors Island shuttle. For ticketing information and full schedules for NYC Ferry, visit www.ferry.nyc. 

About the Trust for Governors Island

The Trust for Governors Island is the nonprofit corporation created by the City of New York that is responsible for the redevelopment and operation of 150 acres of Governors Island. The Trust's mission is to realize the full potential of Governors Island for the inspiration and enjoyment of all New Yorkers, demonstrating a bold vision for public space. For more information, visit www.govisland.org

About Governors Island Arts

Governors Island Arts, the public arts and cultural program presented by the Trust for Governors Island, creates transformative encounters with art for all New Yorkers, inviting artists and researchers to engage with the issues of our time in the context of the Island’s layered histories, environments, and architecture. Governors Island Arts achieves this mission through temporary and long-term public art commissions, an annual Organization in Residence program in the Island’s historic houses, and free public programs and events in partnership with a wide range of cross-disciplinary NYC cultural organizations. For more information, visit www.govisland.org/giarts