Bradford Young, Bynum Cutler (2014), via Art Observed

Founded in 1838, the Brooklyn community of Weeksville was a landmark moment in the history of African-American self-determination.    Just 11 years after the abolition of slavery in New York, Weeksville was founded by free Black landowners, a venture that grew to over 500 households and earned its citizens the right to vote.  As a social project, Weeksville’s impact is vastly significant, allowing a supportive, radical structure for its citizens to define and build their own system of economic and cultural stability.  Weeksville’s powerful history that sits at the center of Creative Time’s newest project, Funk, God, Jazz & Medicine, a series of collaborative on-site projects and initiatives incorporating the communal, radical mission of Weeksville and examining its presence in the contemporary landscape of Central Brooklyn. (more…)

The New York Times reports on the growing arts scene in Uruguay’s Punta del Este, a coastal resort town on the nation’s eastern coast, as well as the nearby villages of José Ignacio and Pueblo Garzón. A new generation of artists, bolstered by the increased traffic of wealthy collectors buying homes and vacation villas in the area, has resulted in a quickly growing arts scene.   “A few years ago I began to see that Uruguay started moving in a very interesting direction,” says dealer Renos Xippas. “There’s a new generation with fresh, ironic ideas.”  (more…)

The New York Times notes Margate as a growing destination for artists and art lovers on the British Isles, made possible by a new high-speed rail link and thriving artistic community.  “The town has picked up, and that’s the best thing,” said John Cripps of the Dreamland Trust. “We lost our way a little bit, but people are starting to come back.” (more…)

The New York Times profiles Gertrude, a recently organized project that holds salons for the viewing and discussion of art.  Taking famed art its and Paris social lynchpin Gertrude Stein as its inspiration, the organization allows interested groups to gather for the appreciation and examination of art.  “If you do a high-level description of what the art world is, you have the commercial side of the art world, which is about selling art work, and then you have institutions on the other end of the spectrum, with education as the main goal,” said founder Kenneth Schlenker.  “What we want to offer is something in the middle that’s an educational experience and a social one.” (more…)