NYC Arts: The Complete Guide to Art and Culture

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) is a culturally diverse, multi-arts, nonprofit organization that provides a forum for community, artists and youth to transform creativity into vision. Its education program, exhibitions, artist studios, and presenting programs cultivate leadership in an urban environment and stewardship of a natural resource — the Bronx River.

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) was founded in 1987 to bring professional arts programming to a culturally underserved population. For more than 20 years (including several years of arts programming under the umbrella of the first Bronx River Restoration project), this multi-arts center has filled the West Farms community of the Bronx with art and environmental experiences. Programs are designed to encourage residents to engage in creative activism towards the revitalization and future of their neighborhood.

During a two-year renovation of its facility that began in fall 2010, BRAC has taken its afterschool and Saturday classes into Bronx public schools and community-based organizations and its gallery to a new location in the heart of the Bronx Cultural Corridor at Bronx Art Space.

BRAC will maintain temporary headquarters in the West Farms Square area, from where it will continue recruitment and registration, as well as offer digital media classes. The new gallery location is 305 East 140th Street, #1A, Bronx, NY 10454.

Education
Youth programs are offered after school and on Saturdays. The classes are taught by professional artists, and they include painting, drawing, cartooning, ceramics and more. Please refer to the education section for more info, fees and scholarships. BRAC offers a free Teen Institute as well.

Fee-based classes for adults are also available, as well as workshops for schools and community-based organizations.

Exhibitions
The Exhibitions Program has become known for both its deft curatorial vision and its ability to produce ambitious, energetic exhibitions with ingenuity and immediacy. The Exhibitions Program also provides a resource for artists and guest curators, by giving them a platform inside a reality that has not been fully acknowledged by academia or traditional institutions.

Presenting
The year-round performing arts productions offer the local West Farms community an eclectic mix of cutting-edge talent from the Bronx and beyond. This series of interdisciplinary performances embraces popular, contemporary, experimental and classically-inspired music, dance, performance art, and poetry. Additionally, the annual June Performing Arts Festival, “Bronx River Sounds," acts as a catalyst for emerging and established groups to showcase their work to a multicultural community in a comfortable and open setting.

Programs for Seniors
Seniors may take classes at BRAC. Caretakers can accompany them to assist, free of charge. Senior centers and community organizations can arrange customized art classes in a variety of art media, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and others.

Foreign-language Programs
Ten to thirty percent of the center's programming for adults, teens and children is in Spanish in addition to English. Some of the fine arts and digital media classes are taught by bi-lingual artists. Signage and brochures are available in Spanish.

• Directions: Subway: IRT 2 or 5 to East Tremont Avenue, West Farms Square. Walk one block north.
  Bus: 9, 21, 36, 40, 42, or Q44 to East Tremont and Boston Road.
  Car: Bruckner Expressway to Rosedale Avenue, north to Tremont Avenue, then west to Bronx Street.

• Disability Access: Gallery and offices are fully accessible; classes vary by location
• Disability Assistance:
  Hearing: Graphical depictions
• Tours: School tours of gallery exhibitions can be arranged.

Get involved with Bronx River Art Center

• Donations through Bronx River Art Center's Web site: Donations accepted via Web site.
• Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteer opportunities are usually available (please call or visit to inquire further).