Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics

The FEAST dinner I mentioned a few days ago was this past Saturday and it was quite a blast. It took place in the basement of a church a few blocks away from me and housed at least 80 guests who filled the space with cheer and chatter enjoying the great food and company for the sake of supporting emerging art. It was so encouraging to see such a strong group of young creative types gathering to share in an evening of carefree good times, an alternative to moping about the failing economy and how it’ll affect folks like you. The event successfully brought individuals together to build a foundational network spilling productive means of inspiration, creation and compensation.

Each visitor donated anywhere between $10-20 and voted for proposals that ranged from comedic acts, design/art forms, baby toys, film projects, performance art, and outdoor wallpapering project. Everyone voted for whichever proposal spoke to them and at the end of the night the outdoor wallpaper man won and took home a bag of cash worth about $750. We’d better see some prettifying gestures in the next few weeks in our hood!

There was a quirky indie folk band playing on stage whilst we ate and vote. It was sweet and made me feel like I was in a southern home eating comfort food. It was very humble and evoked much camaraderie.

Some if not all of the dessert was provided by Tracy of Sweet Tooth of the Tiger, which I’ve written about with much envy. The raspberry apple pie was my favorite. There was vegan chocolate cake and crumbles and brownies and pecan pies. Yum.

The Ribollita soup was pretty amazing, beans and greens, clean, comforting, and mild. The roasted veggie salad was a bit on the oily side but was rooty and simple. I hope they will incorporate a fuller meal next time around. I helped chop garlic and parsnips and made a few new friends rinsing dishes.

I can’t for the next FEAST event, what a perfect way to combine food, good company, and art!! The next event is April 4th, so don’t miss it!!

Listen to the wnyc podcast here, FEAST website here