The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s ArtsBergen initiative will spotlight tactical urbanism at the fourth Connect the Dots networking event on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. The program will be held at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Giovatto Library, located at 1000 River Road in Teaneck, New Jersey, from 6:00 p.m.to 8:00 p.m.
ArtsBergen, an initiative of the NNJCF, is an emerging arts alliance in Bergen County, New Jersey that supports and encourages creative placemaking, the practice of integrating arts and culture into a neighborhood, town, or region to build community and livability and boost local economy. Connect the Dots, an ArtsBergen program, is free and open to artists, musicians, actors, writers, dancers, performers, arts administrators, educators, municipal and community leaders, business owners, nonprofit representatives, and arts supporters living or working in Bergen County. Refreshments will be served.
The program includes a presentation about tactical urbanism, a Latin dance performance, and networking. The NNJCF’s quarterly community engagement project focuses on homeless working families serviced by Family Promise of Bergen County.
Tactical Urbanism
Speaker Mike Lydon, a Principal with the Street Plans office in New York City, is the creator and primary author of The Open Streets Project and the book, Tactical Urbanism. Lydon will present Tactical Urbanism: Low Cost, High Impact via Creativity. An internationally known planner, writer, speaker, and advocate for livable cities, he developed tactical urbanism, an approach to urban change that makes low-cost, temporary changes to the environment with the goal of improving neighborhoods and city gathering places.
Mike Lydon will discuss tactical urbanism.
During 2016, the Connect the Dots series is exploring creative placemaking, the practice of integrating arts and culture into the fabric of a region, town, or city block. The series seeks to create an environment stimulating conversation about creative placemaking and encouraging partnerships that can initiate projects across Bergen County.
“One of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation’s ArtsBergen goals is to encourage towns in Bergen County to engage in creative placemaking, strategies using the arts to increase quality of life. Mike Lydon will share concepts and examples of simple, inexpensive projects attendees can initiate themselves to beautify and take pride in their communities,” said Danielle De Laurentis, Associate Director of the Northern New Jersey Community.
Dance Performance
Each Connect the Dots event highlights the arts with a live performance. Bogdan Tabaka and Juliana Henriques from Anchor Dance Studio in
Bogdan Tabaka will perform Latin dances.
Oradell, New Jersey will present Latin dances and provide an interactive dance program. With more than 15 years dance experience in a range of styles from ballet to Latin ballroom dancing, Tabaka holds several dance titles such as Fred Astaire National Winner and All-American National Latin Ballroom Champion. Henriques specializes in cha-cha-cha, samba, and rumba and competes in the Standard Division in tango, fox trot and waltz.
Support Homeless Families
The Foundation identifies ways to address needs in the community by partnering with other non-profits to rally residents in the area to get involved and support their work. People attending the Connect the Dots event are asked to bring laundry products that will be distributed to homeless families and children serviced by the nonprofit agency Family Promise of Bergen County. “With homelessness on the rise in Bergen County, the NNJCF recognizes the urgency to assist Family Promise in its work to provide homeless families with resources. We applaud them on their anniversary of 30 years of service in our communities,” explained De Laurentis.
Space is limited. Pre-registration is required and may be done online. For more details, contact nnjcf@nnjcf.org or call (201) 568-5608. For updates about the NNJCF and the program, sign up for the organization’s electronic newsletter.Follow the NNJCF on Facebook at Northern NJ Community Foundation/ArtsBergen and Twitter @NNJCF.
