Art After Dark
Art After Dark is The Art Effect’s signature fundraising event, offering immersive art experiences, culinary delights, and cocktails with a creative twist. Last year’s event was held at the Trolley Barn Gallery on November 15, 2024 from 6-9 PM. The support we receive from and at Art After Dark helps fund our mission to empower youth to develop their artistic voices, shape their futures, and drive positive social change.
Each year, The Art Effect honors inspiring community and arts leaders and a local organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals and families in Poughkeepsie and the greater Hudson Valley. These honorees are recognized for their dedication and support of initiatives that foster youth development and drive positive social change. Last year, we celebrated Hezues R. (Alumni Honoree), Karmen Smallwood (Individual Honoree), and Dutchess Community College (Business Honoree) and their shared commitment to empowering youth through the arts at the 6th Annual Art After Dark Gala.
Alumni Honoree, Hezues R.
Media entrepreneur, activist, and alumnus of The Art Effect
Individual Honoree, Karmen Smallwood
Community leader, youth advocate, and friend of The Art Effect
Business Honoree, Dutchess Community College
Educational innovator and partner of The Art Effect
Art on Display
Last year’s Art After Dark was the public’s final chance to catch a glimpse of ‘The Duo Show’ — The Duo Show at the Trolley Barn Gallery was a captivating exhibition curated by the Youth Arts Empowerment Zone (YAEZ) Curatorial Team in collaboration with guest curator Indira A. Abiskaroon, Curatorial Assistant of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum. The Duo Show featured the works of painter and photographer Kimmah M. Dennis and the installations of Marielena Ferrer, two regional artists whose pieces in conversation initiated a transformation of the Trolley Barn Gallery into a space where of themes of childhood, displacement, loss, and hope collide with one another. Both artists are motivated by a desire to examine the strength and vulnerability of youth and the roles and responsibilities the rest of us have in empowering or weakening them, bringing these themes to life in a powerful and reflective way.
Art After Dark Mission
Art After Dark is our biggest fundraiser of the year and a chance to celebrate outstanding community and arts leaders and local organizations, while also exposing attendees to the magic, creativity, and impact of The Art Effect’s distinctive model of arts education.
