PKX Reel Exposure International Teen Film & Photography Festival is looking for volunteers to help out across all three days of the festival! Volunteers are integral to all aspects of the festival, including set-up, gallery attendance, welcoming guests, and running fun public art activities.
This is a great opportunity to help promote youth creativity, and to experience all the excitement of a Hollywood film premiere, right here in downtown Poughkeepsie.
In a weeklong spring break intensive, nine youth discussed mass-media messages that they felt had influenced their perception of self, then brainstormed ways to subvert these harmful stereotypes and misrepresentations. Topics included teen mental health, masculinity, and women’s representation in sports. Koenig-Vinicombe led the group to edit videos from contemporary sources of mass media, distort old video tapes, and create layers of physical collages. Through greenscreen and digital editing techniques, the youth combined these three mediums and created new and empowering short videos about their chosen topics.
In an era of constant media inundation, this intensive was a great opportunity for youth to practice cultural literacy, learn new artmaking skills, and express their own unique points of view. “I believe it will be powerful for the public to see the kind of media that has impacted the youth, and hopefully inspire new media with these new perspectives in mind,” Koenig-Vinicombe stated.
The youth participants’ completed videos will be unveiled at the PKX Reel Exposure Festival on Friday, May 5 at 7:30 pm at the Trolley Barn Gallery. Join us to view this thought-provoking projection and hear Koenig-Vinicombe discuss the project and his work.
Visit the PKX Reel Exposure Festival website for the full festival lineup and to RSVP for select events. Limited space; reserve your place now!
Reel Exposure International Teen Film & Photography: A PKX Festival Submission Deadline:December 30, 2022 Email destiny@thearteffect.org for submission and/or questions
The Art Effect is looking for an artist to create a projection-based work of art that allows for youth participation in the process of its creation. The artist would create the media work prior to the Reel Exposure Film & Photo Festival in collaboration with students of The Art Effect. The selected artist would be required to be in attendance on Saturday, May 6th to unveil and speak about the project, and Sunday, May 7th to speak on a panel alongside other film, photo, and media related professionals. Click HERE for more information.
The festival that brought in more than 700 people over the course of three days was a “Huge Success” says Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt, Executive Director of The Art Effect who also runs the Trolley Barn Gallery in Poughkeepsie, NY. “We are so proud of what the students in our community have helped create. Not only are their futures looking bright, but we got a glimpse into how bright the future of public art throughout Poughkeepsie is and what it can mean for this community,” says Nicole.
The PKX Festival serves as a building block to the development of Youth Arts Empowerment Zone, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Grant, establishing a youth-led arts district in and around the Trolley Barn Gallery, the only youth-led gallery in the state! “The Youth Arts Empowerment Zone is an integral part of our community. The festival is another great example of how the arts in Poughkeepsie are providing an avenue for people to come together and be proud of where they live,” says Poughkeepsie Mayor, Rob Rolison. The mayor declared September 17, 2022 as PKX Day in the City of Poughkeepsie which will reoccur for each year’s festival.
Over the last eighteen months, PKX Festival Youth Committee consisting of Poughkeepsie High School students and alumni worked alongside artist duo BoogieREZ and Curator Alison M. Glenn to create and curate various art experiences throughout the festival including a public art installation and an artfully curated exhibition. The PKX Committee is one of The Art Effect’s newest youth training programs at the Trolley Barn Gallery where students learn and practice public speaking skills, conduct presentations to government officials and learn about place making – a people-centered approach to planning, designing and managing public spaces.
“Being a part of the Youth Curatorial Team has made me a more dynamic thinker. I feel so much more confident in my idea processing. Also, seeing the [Wonderland] exhibition come together makes me proud of myself and my colleagues, because we put so much effort and heart into this festival and I’m so excited for the community to experience it.” says Jadeen Sampson, Curatorial Team and PKX Festival Youth Member
The Art Effect is interviewing and hiring the next group of PKX Committee youth to help plan the 2023 PKX Festival, “Droppin’ Jewels” next fall and promises to be even bigger and better with more than 1,000 people in attendance. “Seeing the exhibition come together makes me proud of myself and my colleagues because we put so much effort and heart into this festival,” comments Jadeen,. “The main goal is to do it again, we want it to be a success.” he said.
To get involved with The Art Effect in the development of the Youth Arts Empowerment Zone, or the PKX Festival, reach out to PKXFestival@TheArtEffect.org or to see a gallery of photos from this year’s festival and stay up to date on the plans for next year, visit PKXFestival.org
What started out as a class project during one of The Art Effect’s youth workforce programs, MADLab (Media, Art, Design Lab), has become a staple image throughout downtown Poughkeepsie over the last couple months. As one of The Art Effect’s youngest workforce students, Latiana Belton is the talented artist behind the now ‘famous’ PKX Festival Logo!
The PKX Festival will take place on September 15-17, 2022 in downtown Poughkeepsie activating locations along Main Street and North Cherry Street as the new Youth Arts Empowerment Zone (YAEZ).
“It feels exciting to see the logo that I created everywhere, says Latiana. The logo is not only a part of a cool new arts festival but is also featured in a public art sculpture we worked on this summer with Artist Duo, BoogieREZ that will be unveiled at the Festival on Saturday, September 17.”
PKX Festival serves as a building block to the development of Youth Arts Empowerment Zone, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Grant, establishing a youth-led arts district in and around the Trolley Barn Gallery, the only youth-led gallery in the state! This year’s festival themed, Wonderland, features community-wide art, performances, and workshops. Throughout the year, PKX Festival Youth Committee Members worked alongside artist duo BoogieREZ and Curator Alison M. Glenn to create and curate various art experiences throughout the festival including a public art installation and an artfully curated exhibition.
“Community art-making is at the heart of the PKX Festival.” Says Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt, Executive Director at The Art Effect who also runs the Trolley Barn Gallery in Poughkeepsie, NY. “From painting the pavement to workshops, music, face painting, juried exhibition, and partner booths — there is something for everyone at PKX this weekend.”
Latiana’s PKX logo will be on display throughout the festival and can be found stenciled along Main Street’s sidewalks, on tee shirts for sale, and it will even be featured in the interactive public art installation that we invite the public to come add their mark to!
For the full schedule and more information about the festival lineup, visit PKXFestival.org
Posted August 18th, 2022 — Filed under News, PKX Festival
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In honor of the upcoming PKX Festival, the youth committee has launched a sticker challenge. Follow @PKXFestival on Instagram to see where you can pick up your sticker!
Here’s how the challenge works:
Pick up a sticker at the Trolley Barn Gallery, 489 Main St. Poughkeepsie
Color and design your PKX logo sticker
Snap a photo and post your design on IG: tag us using #PKXFestival AND @PKXFestival
DM a screenshot of your post to @PKXFestival or email pkxfestival@thearteffect.org
Posted August 18th, 2022 — Filed under News, PKX Festival
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Take a peek behind the scenes into our first annual PKX Festival, Wonderland! Hudson Valley teens “danced through the decades” with a silent disco at the Trolley Barn Gallery hosted by Poughkeepsie Open Studios and the PKX Youth Committee. Catch even more behind the scenes videos leading up to the PKX Festival on September 15-17, 2022 each “Wonderland Wednesday” every other week and learn more about the festival here!
BoogieRez and The Art Effect’s PKX youth will unveil the public art installation on Saturday, September 17 at the Trolley Barn Gallery, 489 Main St, Poughkeepsie during the PKX Festival!
The Trolley Barn Gallery and the PKX Festival Committee are looking for performers for the First Annual PKX Arts Festival in Poughkeepsie, NY on September 15-17, 2022!
Are you ready to share your gifts with the Poughkeepsie community and beyond? We are looking for creatives of all kinds to perform at the PKX Festival happening September 15-17! Visit @PKXFestival on IG for more info or click here to apply
The festival will feature the unveiling of an original public art commission, food, performances, and creative activities in and around the Trolley Barn Gallery on Main St, Poughkeepsie. In support of local youth, community, and the arts, PKX is expecting over 200 participants. The event is free of charge, open to the public, and will be advertised throughout the Hudson Valley.
We are excited to incorporate a variety of live performances during the duration of the festival, and we need you! Please keep in mind that this is a youth-friendly event and the music played should be appropriate for younger audiences.
Participating performers will receive:
Prominent display in the event program and throughout the event;
Business publicity to 200+ attendees;
Listing in festival emails to 5,700 contacts;
Listing with a link on The Art Effect’s festival website with 38,000 monthly views;
Social media spotlight to more than 10,000 followers across platforms;
Media coverage throughout the Hudson Valley.
Please email mmays@d-mmc.us for technical support. Please email destiny@thearteffect.org for event logistics or additional information.
