Upcoming and Ongoing Events
SPRING 2025
From January 27 to March 14, 2025, the Dekalb Gallery at Pratt’s campus becomes a participatory exhibition, inviting the school community to consider homelessness and housing inequities across the city, while participating in mutual aid to support Pratt’s most vulnerable neighbors. At the core of this exhibition is a series of colorful mobile sculptures made from outdoor-grade plywood and rubber wheels, designed in collaboration with architect Ekin Bilal to ensure they are safe and functional. Fabricated by Yasu Izaki in Pratt’s woodshop, these sculptures will serve as containers to redistribute clean, lightly used clothing and essential items to nearby shelters. The entire Pratt community is encouraged to donate clothing in good condition as well as key supplies such as sanitary napkins, diapers, nonperishable food, masks, bike helmets, toys, and soap. Materials for the Arts is a confirmed partner on this initiative, providing additional items for redistribution throughout the exhibition. With the help of volunteers, these mobile sculptures will be wheeled to public spaces outside the shelters near Pratt’s campus. All activities will take place in public, with all participation happening in outdoor public spaces. This project is deeply connected to Strada’s role as the Public Artist in Residence with the NYC Department of Homeless Services and the Department of Cultural Affairs, where she has worked extensively in shelters across all five boroughs since 2022, leading art classes and initiating mutual aid efforts. Since becoming the Civic Engagement Fellow at Pratt, Strada established a partnership with the nearby Auburn Family Residence, a site she has worked with for years, where her Social Practice students are collaborating on a community-centered project. This exhibition is a response to the overwhelming needs Strada’s practice is devoted to addressing, and invites the larger Pratt community to join this critical effort. https://www.pratt.edu/events/collective-mobilities/
FALL 2024
A walk-through of Joe Namy: Heavy with Love at the Brooklyn Public Library with Curator of Visual Arts Programming, Cora Fischer. This event focused on Namy’s site-specific installations throughout the library and Fischer’s curatorial focus on making art more accessible to the public.
Strada facilitated an artist talk with Pablo Helguera, a renowned socially engaged artist, curator, and writer whose innovative practice spans pedagogy, performance, and conceptual art. Delving into social interaction issues and cultural institutions, Helguera will share approaches to creating artworks and experiences that foster dialogue and community engagement.
An outing to Creative Time Headquarters (59 E 4th St, Floor 7, Manhattan) for Open Office Hours with Art.coop, a network of artists and organizers committed to “building the art worlds we want.” This session will introduce participants to the Solidarity Economy for artists and provide tools to strengthen communities.
Alex Strada moderated a conversation with Eve Baron, Chair of Pratt’s Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment between Pratt BFA Alum Fern Tiger of Fern Tiger and Associates and Yazmany Arboledo, NYC’s Inaugural People’s Artist at the Civic Engagement Commission, about Tiger’s book, Creative Instigation: The Art and Strategy of Authentic Community Engagement, and the power of the arts to democratize local decision-making.
The Art of Politics: Voting Basics and Creative Approaches to Civic Engagement
Civic Engagement Fellow Alex Strada and Jan Dutkiewicz, Assistant Professor of Social Science & Cultural Studies hosted an event to help demystify the political process leading up to the 2024 election.
