Vote now! The People’s Choice Public Space Activator Award needs your input
For this year’s Public Space Awards, we have chosen four fabulous movers-and-shakers in the public realm to receive awards on Thursday, February 29th. You can read all about them here. But there’s one awardee who hasn’t been decided yet, and that’s because YOU get to do the deciding! Our People’s Choice poll will crown one nominee the winning Public Space Activator. Who will take home the prize? That’s up to you — and we’ll announce the winner live at the event. But you only have until February 25th to cast your vote, so don’t delay! Polls are open now. Learn about our three fantastic nominees below and then weigh in on your choice for 2024’s Public Space Activator.
Kuki Go
For this artist/designer, the pandemic’s disruption and isolation were catalysts for new creative endeavors, encouraging his pursuit of public art displays using a wonderfully surprising medium: tape. Kuki Go’s large-scale street tape murals began on the East Village’s Avenue B, and have since brought their playful spirit to many streets and sidewalks across the city. His tape projects make it clear that you don't always need big money projects and grand design to create community - simple tools, inspiration and intention will do. These creations of his highlight our shared surroundings in ineffable ways, spurring imagination, play, and a deliberate sense of place.
Photos courtesy of the artist Kuki Go, Drone photos by DJ Creole, photo of the artist in action by Mario Ruben for Downtown Brooklyn
Misha Tyutyunik
As of October 2023, the work of Brooklyn-based artist Misha Tyutyunik invites you into the newly extended Kensington Plaza, just south of Prospect Park. A portion of Beverley Road has been fully pedestrianized and is decorated with his joyfully colorful piece. Misha’s murals and street art reach far beyond this one location, with many of his projects tapping into a deep sense of neighborhood-level identity. “My art is for everybody,” he has said; it’s evident that Tyutyunik holds this as a tenet of his. Over the years, he has enriched countless New Yorkers’ walks down the sidewalk and through public plazas with his dynamic works of art. Moreover, his collaborations with teens, young adults, and others have inspired everyday New Yorkers to join in the visioning of their communities.
Photos courtesy of the artist, Misha Tyutyunik; Drone and street photos of Kensington Pedestrian Plaza by David Sepa; Street photos of Beverley Road Open Street courtesy of New York City Department of Transportation Flickr
Skate Everything School
The Skate Everything School strives to be an outlet for self-growth and discovery. Founder and Chief Coach O’Neal Ellerbe leads a team that offers skateboarding lessons to folks of all ages and skills. The school has grown rapidly since its creation in 2019 and now reaches all five boroughs with community partnerships and events programming in parks, playgrounds and on the street. Beyond the physical coordination and balance they build for their students, Skate Everything’s teachers provide valuable exercises in trust, persistence, and self-confidence. That, and they help us all have some fun in trying something new.
Photos courtesy of Skate Everything School
You can raise a toast to public space with these three nominees, and many other like-minded New Yorkers, at our awards on Thursday, February 29th. We’ll be announcing the winner of the People’s Choice poll that night — and you have to be there to find out if your pick won! So get your ticket today, tell a friend, and join us February 29th for a fun night.
