garner arts center

In my previous review of this arts center near the Hudson River in Northern Rockland County, NY, I mentioned that the large art gallery here had been ruined by a storm a couple of years ago. Now there is a big push here to develop a disused building as their new art gallery. On Valentine's Day evening there was a fund-raiser to help renovate this old building into a new art gallery. This event was just a hint of what is to come if this endeavor is successful. The evening included a buffet dinner, dancing to a live band and a production of Shakespeare's love scenes (in honor of Valentine's Day) by a very professional team of actors from New York City's NYU Tisch graduate school of acting. This all took place in a 175 year-old industrial warehouse with 25-foot ceilings, which made for a terrifically evocative location for such an event. The evening was very professionally handled and the couple of hundred folks in attendance all seemed to have a fabulous time, including the 10 people in our group. About 20 local high school students volunteered to help with the serving and decorations. We hope for more such events to come, and especially for a time in the not-too-distant future when we can celebrate the opening of the new art gallery. This is a wonderful resource totally run by volunteers who are committed to bringing the performing and fine arts to the local community. Highly recommended.

I have been to this art gallery buried withing an industrial complex many times over the past several years. Once a year in May they have a big art and music weekend with many of the resident artists exhibiting their work in the GAGA gallery and in their own rented work spaces. A flood last summer wiped out one of the galleries and work in now being considered to develop another disused building on the premises as the new art gallery. I hope this works out because it is a terrific local resource for the arts in general. Our young grandchildren love some of the art shown here as well as the annual show.