How Barbara Anderson Turned Vacant Storefronts Into Art on the Ave NYC

At the height of Covid-19 In 2020, as storefronts across the city went vacant, some New Yorkers saw an opportunity. Art on the Ave NYC began filling empty windows with curated exhibitions, each paired with a QR code that let viewers hear directly from the artist. Since then, nearly a hundred spaces, from Columbus Avenue to Washington Heights, Bed-Stuy, and the Oculus, have been reimagined as public galleries.

At the center of it is Barbara Anderson, who co-founded the nonprofit with her daughter, Jackie Graham. As a middle school teacher at the time, Barbara had been using art to help students process the pandemic, George Floyd’s murder, and rising Asian hate. That classroom work became the spark for a citywide initiative… one that continues to give artists visibility, connect neighborhoods, and transform how New Yorkers experience their streets.

Today, Barbara shares more about how Art on the Ave got started, how it’s grown, and what it takes to turn empty space into something that brings a community together.

Learn more: https://www.artontheavenyc.com/ 

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