BRAC - January 2025 Newsletter

BRONX RIVER ART CENTER

Celebrating 37 Years of Bringing Arts & Cultural Programs to the Bronx

JANUARY 2025 at BRAC

Education 

Register for

Winter Classes & Workshops

Winter Session starts January 6th!

Registration is still open for BRAC's Winter 2025 Afterschool and Saturday Classes! Our 2-hour classes for children, teens, and adults meet once a week in our state-of-the-art studio art and ceramics spaces, as well as our digital media lab, and are taught by professional teaching artists with fine arts degrees and multiple years of teaching experience.

Returning Classes:

Painting, Printmaking, Ceramics/Pottery, Cartooning, Digital Art and Animation, and Photography

New Classes:

Intro to Stained Glass for Adults

2D, 3D, and More! for Youth and Families

Digital Videography for Teens and Adults

New for the Semester:

• We're now offering five week classes in addition to our usual ten week classes. This covers not only new classes such as Intro to Stained Glass, but also new sections of returning classes such as ceramics and photography.
• Our Friday workshops have been restructured: - $20 Adult Sip Workshops are drawing and painting open studios held under the guidance of one of our studio artists. These workshops will meet on January 10, February 14, and March 14 from 6-9pm. - Free Family Fridays offer activities ranging from learning graffiti art to creating origami for children and families. These workshops will meet on January 24, February 28, and March 21.

Please visit our Education Page for class descriptions, schedule, and pricing information. Email education@bronxriverart.org with any additional questions.

Register for Weekly Art Classes

Register for Monthly Friday Workshops

Gallery

Between Inspiration and Collecting:

The Artist's Cabinet

On View from January 10 to February 15

Opening Reception: January 10 from 4-7pm

In the grand narratives of art collecting, we often encounter stories of wealthy patrons and prestigious institutions. Yet there exists another, more intimate history of collecting—one that unfolds in artists’ studios, homes, and personal spaces. This exhibition turns our attention to artists not only as creators but as collectors, revealing how their gathering of objects shapes their creative vision and practice.

Curated by Alena Alekseeva, The Artist's Cabinet will see visitors transported beyond the conventional white cube gallery space into something more akin to an artist’s private domain. Each installation functions as a personal cabinet of curiosities, where artworks coexist with collected objects in arrangements that follow the artists’ own internal logic.

Visit Exhibition Page

RSVP for Opening Reception

Artist Studios

Last Call for Studio Artists!

Application Deadline — January 15th

Professional artist studios in BRAC's recently renovated building are now available for up to two year residencies, on a year to year basis, for artists working in various visual art disciplines including: painting, photography, sculpture, video, installation and new media. Selected artists will have the opportunity to produce new work and make use of BRAC’s extensive resources in support of their creative practices.

As part of BRAC’s Artist Studio Program, residents have the opportunity to be considered for inclusion in BRAC's annual exhibitions schedule, connect with local and international curators, art critics, and other artists from BRAC’s creative network. Residents are required to contribute six hours a month in community service to support BRAC's programs and participate in BRAC's annual Open Studio Event.

Please visit our Studios page for more information about the application process and how to apply.

Visit Studios Page

And More...

Pledge Your Support!

Vote for BRAC to receive the Flourishing in Community Grant

We have some exciting news! BRAC has been nominated for a Flourishing in Community Grant from Fordham University — and we need your vote to get it. 

The FIC grant would allow us to expand our focus on environmental stewardship by activating the park / rain garden behind BRAC with cleanups and artistic projects, training current teaching artists to better integrate environmental justice into our curriculum, and using art and art-based messaging to promote environmental awareness for NYC’s only freshwater river, the Bronx River.

BRAC was born out of the movement to restore the Bronx River, and we hope to continue that work to be a leader in art and environmental education for our community. Will you take a moment today to sign up and vote for BRAC?

Vote for BRAC in just 4 steps:

1. Visit bit.ly/FIC-NY 
2. Register with FIC (for entity or business name, list your employer or feel free to write Bronx River Art Center).
3. In the Search List toolbar, enter 588. 
4. Click into our profile page (you’ll see a picture of BRAC when you do), and select Vote at the top of the screen. 

Vote for BRAC on the FIC Grant website

A 2024 BRAC Recap!

Thank you for all your support throughout 2024!

Last year, we...

• Launched MSCreate, our free after-school arts program to help middle schoolers prepare for the transition to high school!
• Held our 21st Annual Bronx River Sounds Performing Arts Festival celebrated an array of Latin, African-American, and multicultural music with Rhythms of the Diaspora.
• Hosted our first ever Sustainable Fashion Show, featuring designs by our teen students.
• Welcomed over 100 artists into our Main Gallery — from The Bronx and beyond — across 6 different exhibitions.

This is just a glimpse of the incredible year we had — and none of it could have happened without you, our community of artists, teachers, students, and supporters. Thank you for helping us create a safe, affordable place for artists and students across The Bronx and NYC!

Donate

Hiring Opportunities!

Visit our Opportunities page

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the Fourth Anniversary of the January 6 Attack on the Capitol

 

The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the fourth anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol that disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress in the process of affirming the presidential election results:

“On this day, four years ago, police officers were brutally assaulted while bravely defending the United States Capitol. They were punched, tackled, tased, and attacked with chemical agents that burned their eyes and skin. Today, I am thinking of the officers who still bear the scars of that day as well as the loved ones of the five officers who lost their lives in the line of duty as a result of what happened to them on January 6, 2021.

January 6 was a violent attack on the law enforcement officers defending the Capitol, and it was an unprecedented attack on a cornerstone of our system of government — the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next.

Over the past four years, our prosecutors, FBI agents, investigators, and analysts have conducted one of the most complex, and most resource-intensive investigations in the Justice Department’s history.

They have analyzed massive amounts of physical and digital data, identified and arrested hundreds of people who took part in unlawful conduct that day, and initiated prosecutions and secured convictions across a wide range of criminal conduct. We have now charged more than 1,500 individuals for crimes that occurred on January 6, as well as in the days and weeks leading up to the attack.

The public servants of the Justice Department have sought to hold accountable those criminally responsible for the January 6 attack on our democracy with unrelenting integrity. They have conducted themselves in a manner that adheres to the rule of law and honors our obligation to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone in this country.

I am proud of them, and I am grateful to them for the work they have done and the sacrifices they have made over the last four years to seek accountability for the January 6 attack on the Capitol.”

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Vote to Make an Impact in Your Community!

 

Help Van Cortlandt Park Alliance secure funding for a Garden Program Coordinator to provide MORE educational and community programming for YOU at our newly renovated Garden & Compost Site!

 

Voting is open January 4th - 10th, and every vote matters!*

Register and Vote Today!

When registering, the site requires an entity or organization name, feel free to put VCPA.

Once on the site, search for “647” to find our project easily and vote!

Let’s make a difference together!

*Must live in New York to vote.

Our Contact Information
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
80 Van Cortlandt Park South, Ste. E1
Bronx, NY 10463
718-601-1460
http://vancortlandt.org

News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

 

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

THREE KINGS DAY!

Thank you to the 40th Precinct Community Council for hosting yesterday’s #ThreeKingsDay Celebration and toy distribution for our #Bronx community!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2025!
May this new year be full of abundance, bringing you and your families peace and blessings.
#HappyNewYear!

HAPPY KWANZAA!

Wishing happiness and prosperity to everyone enjoying their Kwanzaa celebrations this holiday season!

Visit our District Office at: 
1070 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, New York 10459
(718) 402-6130
salamanca@council.nyc.gov

Governor Hochul Proposes Major Investment in Hudson Valley Rail Service as Part of 2025 State of the State

Plan Would Cut Potential Travel Times by up to 15 Minutes Each Way for Certain Trips and Improve Reliability, Quality and Speed of Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak-NYSDOT Empire Service

"Super-Express" Metro-North Service Would Reduce Reliable Commuter Transport Between New York City and Poughkeepsie to Less Than 90 Minutes

Continues Governor's Commitment to High-Quality Suburban Rail, Following Completion of Grand Central Madison and LIRR Third Track

As part of her 2025 State of the State, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a major investment in Hudson Valley rail service that would increase capacity, reduce delays, improve safety and cut potential travel times by up to 15 minutes each way for certain trips, as well as shorten "super-express" Metro-North Hudson Line trips to less than 90 minutes. The proposal includes planning, evaluation and design for a set of rail infrastructure capital improvements between New York City and Poughkeepsie, including projects such as a second track at Spuyten Duyvil, interlocking, signaling and trackwork at Croton Harmon, and capacity improvements at Poughkeepsie Yard. In addition, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will execute a signaling redesign near Yonkers and climate resilience investments in the most vulnerable and highest ridership segments of the Hudson Line.

“Hudson Valley commuters deserve fast, high quality rail service they can count on, and the investments I am proposing we make today will drive transformational change for generations to come,” Governor Hochul said. “Over the coming years, these much-needed infrastructure improvements will allow us to modernize our rail system, increase connectivity, reduce travel time and strengthen economic connections across the region. With these proposals, we are laying the groundwork to deliver faster and more reliable rail service for suburban and rural commuters across the Hudson Valley and beyond.”

As part of an allocation anticipated to be available for regional investments in its 2025-29 capital plan, the MTA will evaluate and design other potential rail improvements, such as adding a third track to the Metro-North Harlem Line or connecting Hudson Line service to Penn Station for a one-seat commute to Manhattan’s West Side. In partnership with NYSDOT, the MTA will also establish a regional rail working group with New Jersey, Connecticut and rail partners, to promote better coordination on interoperability, ticketing, schedules and customer interfaces. This group will also develop plans to make travel by Metro-North or Long Island Railroad to MetLife Stadium as seamless as possible for the 2026 World Cup and explore future opportunities to further integrate regional travel.

Governor Hochul believes even more can be done to enhance service and deliver for riders on both sides of the Hudson River. Building off a pilot program to enhance the reach of Metro-North west of the Hudson River with ticketing, ferry and parking incentives, New York will also conduct a transit analysis with expert advisors to propose and evaluate additional recommendations to expand and maximize the impact of rail service and look at opportunities for other types of commuter transit for New Yorkers living west of the river and working in New York City. That analysis will include a major employer and destination review in Orange County, exploring options like shuttle bus service timed with Port Jervis Line trains to attractions like Woodbury Commons, Legoland, Storm King, Renaissance Fair, and Stewart Airport.

This announcement builds off major regional rail investments delivered during Governor Hochul's term, including the delivery of the LIRR Third Track and the historic opening of Grand Central Madison, which introduced new commuting opportunities on the LIRR, enhanced New York’s regional connectivity, and expanded service by 40 percent.

 About the New York State Empire Rail Corridor

In Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2024, New York’s State-supported Amtrak service established all-time records, with ridership in excess of 2 million passengers and revenue in excess of $109 million. Through NYSDOT, New York supports the popular Empire Service which operates from New York City to Albany, Adirondack Service which operates from New York City to Montreal, Maple Leaf Service which operates from New York City to Niagara Falls, as well as Ethan Allen Service which operates from New York City to Burlington, Vermont. In FFY 2024, on-time performance in the New York City to Albany corridor was about 90 percent; and the overall combined on-time performance for all New York supported services was approximately 83 percent.

About MTA Metro-North Railroad

MTA Metro-North Railroad provides 700 trains per weekday at 124 stations in the Hudson Valley, New York City and southwest Connecticut, operating with on-time performance above 98 percent in 2024 and 2024 full-year ridership 12.5 percent over the previous year.

In November, Metro-North had one of their strongest months on record with a total of 5.7 million riders, an increase of 4.8 percent from November 2023. Also in November, Metro-North recorded the best year-to-date on-time performance in railroad history, coming in at 98.3 percent systemwide, while on-time performance (OTP) for November was 97.9 percent, and Metro-North’s service-delivered rate, a measure of service reliability, for October 2024 was 99.9 percent. Metro-North’s average weekday ridership of 200,087 in November is 81.4 percent of pre-COVID levels in November 2019, reflecting robust return-to-work ridership; with average weekend ridership of 122,6637, which is 94.2 percent of pre-COVID levels.

NYC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ISSUES WINTER WEATHER ALERT FOR MONDAY JANUARY 6 FOR SNOW WITH POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO THE EVENING COMMUTE

 

The National Weather Service Is Forecasting Under 1 Inch

Alternate Side Parking is Suspended for the Three Kings Holiday

The New York City Emergency Management Department today issued a winter weather alert for Monday, January 6. According to the latest National Weather Service forecast, light snow will begin Monday morning and continue into the evening. Snow amounts of under an inch are expected with a reasonable worst-case scenario of 2 inches. Predicted amounts may be adjusted as the storm approaches.

Snowfall will be followed by cold conditions through the end of the week. Temperatures will be five to ten degrees below normal with daily wind chills in the teens. “We urge New Yorkers to prepare for a challenging evening commute on Monday, as this winter weather system brings some snow accumulation early in the New Year. The snow will cause slippery road conditions, that will impact drivers and pedestrians,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol. “We encourage all New Yorkers to use mass transit, allow for extra travel time, monitor the forecast, and exercise caution.” 

The city’s Sanitation Department has filled more than 700 salt spreaders and is already pretreating New York City’s roadways and bike lanes with liquid brine today, Sunday. The Department is prepared for the worst-case scenario, and has staff and equipment ready to deploy plows in every sector in the event of accumulations over 2 inches.

The Department of Social Services has issued a Code Blue Weather Alert for unhoused individuals in New York City in anticipation of the expected cold temperatures. A Code Blue is issued when the temperature or wind chill is forecast to drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m.

During Code Blue, experienced outreach teams work to connect unsheltered New Yorkers with resources including shelters, drop-in centers and safe havens and stabilization beds. Street homeless outreach teams will proactively contact vulnerable individuals on their Code Blue Priority Lists regularly and repeatedly to ensure their health and safety is protected during the extreme cold and to encourage them to accept services, including transportation to a shelter placement.  

Safety Tips  

• Allow for extra travel time. New Yorkers are urged to use public transportation.  
• If you must drive, drive slowly. Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible.  
• Vehicles take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement. 
• Pedestrians should exercise caution and avoid slippery surfaces; some ice may not be visible. Wear sturdy boots that provide traction to reduce slipping. Use handrails when using stairs.  
• Take care when walking on snow and ice, especially if you are an older adult. Older adults should take extra care outdoors to avoid slips and falls from icy conditions.  
• Have heightened awareness of cars, particularly when approaching or crossing intersections. 
• Wear layers including a hat, gloves/mittens, and a scarf to stay protected from the cold. And keep clothes and shoes dry, if a layer becomes wet, remove it.
• Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside. 

For more safety tips, visit NYC.gov/SevereWeather. Before and during an emergency, the City will send emergency alerts and updates to New Yorkers through various channels including Notify NYC, the City's free emergency notification system. Through Notify NYC, New Yorkers can receive phone calls, text messages, and/or emails alerts about traffic and transit disruptions and other emergencies. Sign up for Notify NYC to receive free emergency alerts and updates in your preferred language by visiting NYC.gov/NotifyNYC, calling 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115), following @NotifyNYC on Twitter, or getting the free Notify NYC mobile application for your Apple or Android device.    

NYC Comptroller Lander Celebrates Congestion Pricing Start

 

As congestion pricing commences in the Central Business District in Manhattan below 60th Street, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander issued the following statement: 

“Today, New York City takes a huge step forward toward less traffic, cleaner air, and better transit. 

“A generation of straphangers, advocates, and public servants fought tirelessly to make congestion pricing a reality. I’ve been honored to be part of that team, including organizing the litigation that helped end the pause and get the system started before Trump becomes President.   

“What’s essential now is that the MTA, the Governor, and the Mayor deliver on the promises. The only way to bring doubters on board is to show real, concrete improvements, and to do it quickly and transparently.  

“We need to start seeing the new subway elevators to make the system more accessible. Modern signals and new cars to make it more reliable. Platform barriers and station gates to make it safer. Expansion projects – not just Second Avenue, but in the outer boroughs as well – that enable New Yorkers to imagine a future with more robust transit options.  

“City Hall has an opportunity, too, though there is little reason to believe Eric Adams will take it: to use the ‘streestcape dividend’ that reduced traffic will bring to make room for more busways like 14th Street, new infrastructure and rules to confront the rapid growth of mopeds and e-bikes, and more pedestrian zones in crowded areas, along with the bollards and safety improvements to keep New Yorkers safe. Timely action can help revive retail, support small businesses, and bring a renewed energy to the streets and sidewalks of our city. 

“And we need honest, transparent data on how congestion pricing is actually working: what the reductions in traffic actually are, how much drivers are paying, whether the toll structure is working, where the money is going. The MTA can’t hide the ball. We’ve got to make the system work, and to show people that it really is. I’ll be working hard to make sure that happens. 

“Today is a day to celebrate, but we can’t rest on our laurels. This is a big opportunity, and we must seize it. If we get congestion pricing right – not just turning on the cameras, but delivering on the promises – we can secure the future of our public transit system, take a big step forward toward a thriving and sustainable future for the whole New York City metropolitan region, and show that government can actually work.”