A multi-purpose space for art, culture, education, and journalism with a podcast studio and video creator lab is coming to Queens.
Epicenter-NYC has just received $250,000 from the Mellon Foundation to establish a community hub.
According to its press release, the “community hub will serve as a space for content creation, dedicated art exhibits and programming, and civic engagement. It will also be a place to convene a richer dialogue across generations.”
The next steps are to find a venue, establish community interests and programming partners, and develop selection criteria for the residency program. Pop-ups are under consideration.
Epicenter began as a newsletter to navigate Covid in 2020. The company quickly grew into a multi-platform media outlet that also supports artists through its network and exhibits such as Ground Games, which was on display at The Local NYC in Long Island City, and a newly launched online art shop.
“Epicenter’s model reframes newsgathering toward partnering with, rather than reporting on, people and places whose heritage and stories have not always been told on their own terms,” stated Co-founder and Publisher S. Mitra Kalita. “We are grateful to the Humanities in Place team at Mellon for this initial grant…Queens needs more spaces to gather, convene and unite, and we are eager to innovate in partnership with our neighbors and community organizations.”
Image: Epicenter-NYC