FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elsa Campbell
August 23, 2001
617-567-5244

East Boston Artists Group Plans for First Neighborhood Open Studios Event

East Boston Open Studios will be held on Saturday October 13 and Sunday October 14 from 12:00 to 6:00 pm. So far, there are over twenty artists participating, representing the Maverick Square, Central Square and Eagle Hill neighborhoods. Visitors are invited to tour the artist’s buildings and studios, see them at work and learn about art. Original artwork will be available in all price ranges; choose from sculpture, handmade books, figurative and abstract painting, pottery, drawings, photography, and much more.

The East Boston Artists Group (EBAG) is a volunteer organization made up of artists living and working in East Boston. Started as an idea served up at a backyard barbeque last August, the group now consists of over forty members and has sponsored nine art exhibitions, including the recently concluded "We Live Here" show at Boston City Hall.

A current exhibition of photographs by EBAG member Anna Salmeron can be seen through the end of August at Tony’s Realty in Maverick Square.

Co-founder Jesse M. Kahn says, "The members of the East Boston Artist’s Group have come together to share ideas about art, develop neighborhood art/work spaces and to work collectively to enhance and promote the community that we call home. As one of the few Boston neighborhoods that has never participated in Open Studios, we are excited to be organizing this important cultural event."

As a member of the Open Studios Coalition, sponsored by the City of Boston’s Office of Cultural Affairs, EBAG is planning for this event now in order to coordinate with the dozen other city neighborhoods that will be participating. Throughout the city, from late summer into early winter, artists from every neighborhood open their workspaces on designated weekends. These events draw thousands of visitors from throughout Boston and New England and have been a growing fixture on Boston’s cultural map for years. Open Studios offers a chance to bring in visitors from outside the neighborhood who can sample all that East Boston has to offer as a community.

Members of the East Boston Artists Group will be working on publicity for this exciting event during the coming weeks. Co-founder Elsa Campbell says, "We will be contacting local restaurants and florists to ask for their participation in making this a true community event. We have also been working with the Chamber of Commerce and plan to participate in the upcoming Harvest Festival in Pier’s Park and Arts in the Park at Belle Isle Marsh. People in East Boston will be seeing a lot of us this fall and we hope they’ll join us in October to discover the innovative art being made right in their neighborhood."

For more information, please contact the East Boston Artists Group at 617-759-2492.

link originally posted 8/26/01