Peekskill Arts Council Hosts
11th Annual Open Studios Event-
A multi-arts festival of visual, literary, and performance art!

Friday, June 6th, 7:00- 10:00pm Open Studios Eve Jazz & Blues at Participating Restaurants including: Division St. Grill, Ruben's, and 12 Grapes Music and Wine Bar
Saturday and Sunday, June 7th and 8th
Noon - 5:00pm Open Studios self-guided and group tours from South Street to Division Street, Brown Street to Main Street and HVCCA and the Hat Factory

Saturday June 7th
7:00 pm Solo performance of Swimming Home, a one-act play by Mary Crescenzo
8:30 pm - Open Mic at Peekskill Coffee House

Sunday, June 8th
1:00pm - Peekskill HS Jazz Band
8:00pm - Video projection and performance art at Maxwell Fine Art Gallery

Peekskill, NY March 8, 2008: June 6th - 8th, Peekskill Arts Council will kick off the beginning of a summer of arts and festivities with its 11th Annual Open Studios Event, bigger and better than ever, in the heart of Peekskill's Artist District - including: tours of over 28 studios and 9 galleries; collaborations with poets and musicians; performers from Peekskill Performing Arts Collective (PPAC); and regional artists from Collaborative Concepts - to create an exciting weekend of shared multi-arts experiences in Peekskill's Artist District. Work from more than 100 emerging and nationally known artists will be on display. June 7th - 8th, noon - 5:00pm, visitors will have access to all the galleries and many of the artists' studios in Peekskill's Artists District, and will have an opportunity to talk to and buy art directly from the artists. Art works will include paintings, sculptures, video art, photography, installation pieces, ceramics, prints, drawings and silk paintings. The Peekskill Artists' District is located in the heart of Peekskill's business center, amidst Westchester's leading restaurants, coffee houses, antique and retails stores. Evening activities and events June 6th, 7th and 8th include performance events at various local restaurants and other locations. During Open Studio tour hours, all galleries and participating studios are open to the public and admission is free. Numerous receptions and special events are scheduled. For information about events, call co-organizers of the Peekskill Open Studios: Larry D'Amico, at (914) 734-1292 or Jo-Ann Brody at (914) 737-1646. For Performing Arts and Poetry, Mary Crescenzo at (914) 737-3377 or mcrescenzo@verizon.net.

For the studio and gallery visits during Open Studios on June 7th and June 8th, noon - 5:00pm, visitors are encouraged to meet at the information center located at the Jan Peek Gazebo (at the corner of Park and Division Street) at 12:30 where maps are available to assist self-guided tours or to participate in a guided tour, which will depart from the Gazebo at 12:30 on each day. The Peekskill Artists' District is located in the heart of Peekskill's business center, amidst Westchester's leading restaurants, coffee houses, antique and retails stores.

In addition to the Peekskill studios and galleries, this year's participants include: Peekskill's emerging performing arts niche, the Peekskill Performing Arts Collective (PPAC) which will offer performances in various locations; and Collaborative Concepts, a not-for-profit arts organization, bringing regional artists from Beacon, Garrison, Cold Spring and the City, which will be located at the Hat Factory.

Open Studios Eve Events
To add to the festivities, in addition to the free daytime events including "poetry walks", jazz, blues and classical music at the gazebo, performance art, and more, Peekskill's participating restaurants, including Division Street Grill, Ruben's and 12 Grapes Music and Wine Bar will offer jazz and blues music during and after dinner hours on Friday, June 6th, 7:00- 10:00pm.

About Peekskill Arts District's Open Studios
Since it was established in 1991, the Peekskill Arts District has energized the city's downtown, fundamentally altered its reputation, and brought hundreds of new residents to the community. Starting in 1997, the Arts District began holding an annual "Open Studios" event to give members of the arts community an opportunity to put their skills and works on display and interact with the community. Work from more than 100 emerging and nationally known artists will be on display, and attendees will get a chance to see a virtual kaleidoscope of creativity.

Open Studio sponsors include the Peekskill Business Improvement District, the Westchester Arts Council, and the City of Peekskill. For further information call: Larry D'Amico, at (914) 734-1292

Quotes:
According to Mary Crescenzo "Peekskill's emerging performing arts niche, the Peekskill Performing Arts Collective (PPAC), finds its first foray with the Peekskill Arts Council's collaboration with performing artists during the this year's Open Studios event. In addition to other performers in the community who have participated in Open Studios in the past, the PPAC will be a part of the Open Studios 2008 event. The PPAC is gathering professional performers in theater, dance, literary arts, and interdisciplinary works to create a resident theatre company in Peekskill, doing original works in intimate settings."

Jo-ann Brody:
"Collaborative Concepts will bring in regional artists from Beacon, Garrison, Cold Spring and the City to our Open Studios offering different artists and bringing a different crowd. It will create a wonderful synergy that expands our horizons. With shows at all the galleries and HVCCA we are offering a huge variety of art experiences in one weekend. Music, Poetry, theater add to the mix. The opportunity to visit with the artists in their studios and performers, the chance to talk to them about their work is always a b g treat."

(Collaborative Concepts is a not-for-profit arts organization based on the idea that professional artists working together can achieve artful accomplishments and provide the community with exceptional cultural experiences. Since its founding in 1999, Collaborative Concepts has curated more than 40 exhibitions in galleries and outdoor settings in the Hudson Valley.
From our first exhibition in an industrial building in Cold Spring, we moved to a 6000 square foot space in Beacon. After 5 years and more than 30 exhibitions we closed those doors to seek special sites for art that would inspire artists and enrich viewers. Sandy Sanders' 140 acre historic, working farm is a unique environment for advanced professional art. The Hat Factory promises to be another.)

Larry D'Amico: This year's open studio should be a lively event. The number of artists participating in their studios, special exhibitions & events will be greatly expanded, as will the locations. There are many people who have come repeatedly to this event over the years & enjoyed the interaction with the artists."