Artists transform empty storefronts in Brooklyn

NEW YORK (PIX11) — For-rent signs and empty storefronts can bring down a block.

Some neighbors and artists are adding some life back to their streets.

Art on the Avenue NYC is a non-profit founded in 2020 to address retail vacancies.

This is the first expansion outside Manhattan.

Alethea Sapp-Jimenez is an artist who sees inspiration around the places she calls home in Brooklyn.

“When you have a memory and a moment, you can forget about what’s going on around you. Art on the Ave produces art that makes people stop and stare,” she said.

Six showcases are being exhibited in Brooklyn, from Bed-Stuy to Crown Heights to Park Slope, where a former Rite Aid looks new.

Photographer Tyler Jordan called it an “opportunity” and “safe space to build a story.”

Jomani Danielle is an artist and the curator for the Brooklyn show.

“I wanted for the community to see itself reflected back in a positive light,” she said.

Artist Julie Jean-Mary says it brings hope to the everyday commute.

Owners and artists see the events, and more have started to join. The Bed-Stuy Business Improvement District supports the project and sees an economic benefit.

A call for submissions for shows in West Harlem is running until the beginning of August.

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