2O1www.howlarts.org 9 ANNUAL REPORT Community Exhibitions Workshops Events HOWL ARTS INC. N.Y.C. “It’s the sense of community that is one of the most valuable resources that Howl has provided” —Al Diaz, artist “Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project is so much more than just a gallery…it’s a home for regularly changing art shows, performances, and panel discussions, all centered on the golden days of the East Village’s bohemian history. Drop by and you might well learn about the old Pyramid club, Warhol drag stars, singer/writer/photographer Lydia Lunch, and of course, “Howl” author himself, Allen Ginsberg”. —Michael Musto, Paper Magazine Howl Arts Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the past and celebrating the contemporary culture of the East Village and Lower East Side. Howl creates opportunities for artists to produce and show their work, and engages in activities aimed at improving the quality of life for artists and members of the creative community. In 2019, Howl curated wide-ranging exhibitions relating to the art and social history of the neighbor- hood; published catalogs that contextualized each show; inaugurated deeper community interaction through the Vega Arts Workshop Series; and produced 70 engaging events that looked deeply into historical and contemporary issues and ideas. Howl is rooted in the creative communities of the East Village and Lower East Side, and the unique mix of rock and roll, social justice, art and performance, community activism, gay rights and culture, fashion, and nightlife that have defined these communities and influenced culture across New York City and beyond. Groundbreaking creativity and influential ideas still thrive here, and the stories of this community are best told through the artists, activists, and community members who have shaped this neighborhood’s history and are building its future. Howl shines a light on the art, history, culture, and counterculture at the heart of this community, and introduces audiences in NYC and beyond to emerging and underrepresented artists whose work embodies this downtown ethos. Programs and events at Howl are always free and open to the public. Throughout 2019, Howl expanded to offer more for the community—reaching a larger and more diverse audience, developing and launching new programs unlike any others offered in downtown New York, and continuing to champion and reveal currents in the culture and counterculture that continue to flourish on the Lower East Side. Howl also added talented team members and welcomed new and renewed donors who are making this growth possible. “The experience I had in creating and presenting this show at Howl! Happening has been nothing short of life-altering. I was given endless opportunities to expand my creative scope, to connect deeply with my community, and to gain more understanding and articulate what it means to make art.” —Antony Zito, artist Exhibitions Exhibitions in Howl’s museum-quality gallery space, Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project, showcase the art and culture of downtown NYC. Exhibitions offer important exposure for artists and introduce new audiences to the significant cultural contributions of the downtown scene. Each exhibition also includes a series of events—panel discussions, film screenings, exhibition walk-throughs, and more–that invite members of the public to learn about the artist and their practice. Howl prioritizes under-represented culture— offering artists their first major exhibitions, presenting works not shown in commercial galleries or larger institutions, showcasing untold stories of down- town NYC, and providing space for experimentation and growth. 9 exhibitions — 4700 attendees Linus Coraggio: Ramifications Dean Lance: Mourn the Dead, Fight Like Hell Elizabeth Gregory-Gruen: Cut Work for the Living Curt Hoppe: Downtown Portraits Gail Thacker: Fugitive Moments Tessa Hughes-Freeland: Passed and Present Guy Woodard: We the People Scooter LaForge: Homo Eruptus Antony Zito: My Father was a Satyr www.howlarts.org Catalogs In 2019, Howl published scholarly printed catalogs for each of the eight full-length exhibitions. Essays from critics, thought-leaders, and cultural commentators explore the content of each artist’s work and contextualize the exhibitions, underscoring the artist’s significance and docu- menting the untold histories of downtown New York. Howl sells physical catalogs and publishes free online flip-books. Complimentary catalogs for the artist serve as a tool for sharing and promoting their work to advance their careers. 8 catalogs with contributions from 24 authors Oriah Abera Michelle Grabner Lydia Lunch Charlie Ahearn Anthony Haden-Guest Brad Melamed Penny Arcade Ed Halter Carlo McCormick Bill Arning Jane Ursula Harris Marc H. Miller Dan Cameron Curt Hoppe Rafael Sánchez Michael Carter Jim Jarmush Walter Robinson Christopher Hart Chambers Darren Jones Sur Rodney (Sur) Nicole R. Fleetwood Kelly Long David Rothenberg www.howlarts.org Vega Arts Workshop Series Launched in January 2019, the Vega Arts Workshop Series is an education initiative that broadens opportunities for adults at any skill level to express themselves through the visual arts, with the understanding that creativity offers an important outlet for self-expression and personal achievement. The Vega Arts Workshop Series makes connections between people and art with the goal of generating new ideas, activating the community, and offering oppor- tunities for creative expression as a potent engine for change. At each workshop, the artist whose work is on view at Howl introduces elements of their own prac- tice and techniques through a hands-on art-making activity. Workshop participants learn new skills, express themselves, and connect with each other in a welcoming and non-competitive environment. All materials are provided free of charge. Participants leave with a completed work of their own, and the vast majority of participants expressed an interest in continuing to explore creative expression - 95.5% indicated that they would attend another workshop at Howl. 9 artist workshops — 109 attendees Linus Coraggio: Sculpturmania Gail Thacker: Klown Portrait Polaroids Elizabeth Gregory-Gruen: Cut Work Scooter LaForge: Scooterwear Silkscreening (x2) Curt Hoppe: The Hyperrealist Experience Guy Woodard: Self-Portrait Drawing Tessa Hughes-Freeland: Mirrored Experiments Antony Zito: Collage Portraits “These workshops have truly been a gift to my soul. Grateful to have access to this art.” —Participant, Cut Work: Elizabeth Gregory-Gruen: Cut Work Workshop “I wanted to pursue my art and I needed to be a part of the artists’ community and Howl has given me a space for that. [...] It has brought art back into my life in a powerful way. I’ve started performing more and working on new projects. The rest of my artistic practice has been enrichened.” —Darke Attoms, performance artist www.howlarts.org Events at Howl! Howl hosts industry-leading cultural events that reflect the diverse and influential cultural out- put of the East Village and Lower East Side, in all its forms. Events at Howl build connection and community among attendees, spark conversation with performers and presenters, and inspire dialogue and idea exchange across artistic media and disciplines. Below is a representative selection of events from 2019. 70 events — 3024 attendees Happy 100th Birthday Lawrence Ferlinghetti!, March 24, 2019 Life After Incarceration: The Plight of Building a Career, July Poet, painter, socialist activist, and co-founder of City Lights 18, 2019 In conjunction with artist Guy Woodard’s exhibition Booksellers & Publishers, Ferlinghetti has dedicated his life to at Howl, this salon featured an open conversation on the chal- poetry and free expression. This celebration included poetry from lenges of life after incarceration, specifically the obstacles to Ed Sanders, Hettie Jones, David Henderson, Eileen Myles, Anne building a career. The discussion centered on returning citizens, Waldman, Michael McClure, and more, with performances by both as featured speakers and as members of the audience. Eric Andersen, Len Chandler and Lenny Kaye. A live video feed Speakers included Julio Medina, Dominic Dupont, Coss Marte, connected Howl to Ferlinghetti’s bookstore in San Francisco. and Ashish Prashar. Celebrating Hattie, April 1, 2019 Hundreds of friends, artists, Monthly Full Moon Show, October 13, 2019 Howl’s ongoing family members, and others joined together to honor the life of Full Moon Show series honors the legacy of the late Tom Murrin, Brian Butterick, also known as Hattie Hathaway, a gay cultural the “Alien Comic”—an influential downtown performance artist icon and Howl board member who passed away in January 2019. and comedian whose monthly Full Moon Shows on the street or The memorial began with services for Hattie’s close friends and in theaters incorporated humor, improvisation, and found-object members of the community and included a parade from Tompkins props. Held on the sidewalk outside Howl, In Murrin’s tradition, Square Park to La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theater and culminated in performance artist John Pizza engaged the audience in a public an evening of memories, performance, dancing, and celebration. performance, Why’s the Room Purple? ‘Cause the Moon’s Pur- ple, that was unpredictable, poignant, and funny. Barbara Rubin & the Exploding New York Underground, May 23, 2019 In conjunction with the IFC premiere of the documen- Jed Davis’ Rise and Shine: Day 1, October 18, 2019 Jed Davis tary