BENCHES ON PARADE
Grab Your Running/Walking Shoes
We are so excited to share this news!
Benches on Parade has partnered with Fleet Feet to bring you the first and only Benches on Parade Run/Walk. Experience the city like you never have before and visit nearly 20 benches downtown. Starting and ending at Henry B’s Restaurant on East Avenue, this is a 3-ish mile scavenger hunt-style jaunt in Downtown Rochester. Participants running/walking the route will visit benches in the city gathering pieces from each bench, while getting a great running or walking tour of the city of Rochester.
The best part is, Fleet Feet is providing participants with the map of the route. There will be some stop and go, so tat you can check out the benches and get your “piece.”
Once the run/walk is complete, all participants can enjoy complimentary snacks and drink specials provided by Henry B’s Restaurant.
So, again here is the all the info you need to participate:
Who:
You, your family, and friends alongside fellow runners and walkers
What:
A 3-mile running/walking tour of the City of Rochester, with nearly 20 benches, of Benches on Parade, along the trail.
Where:
Henry B’s Restaurant (Start and Finish)
When:
Thursday, September 16
5 p.m. Registration
6 p.m. Run/Walk Start
Why:
The Parade is coming to an end, all the benches go to auction on September 24. So, grab your friends and family and see the city in a fun, new way, while enjoying the fresh air and taking a look at some of Rochester’s most unique art.
Fee:
It’s free. All the more reason to join us!
Parking:
Available on Scio Street
See you Thursday at Henry B's!
Benches on Parade the documentary
We are so excited for the airing of Benches on Parade on WXXI! Since the project launched in August 2009, WXXI has been capturing all of it's facets in high definition. Below is a guest blog from the team over at WXXI! So grab you're popcorn and get ready to watch Benches on Parade on September 8.
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WXXI captures the spirit of Rochester’s most recent community arts project in Benches on Parade, premiering Wednesday, September 8 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
Over the last year, WXXI has been capturing the community arts project in high-definition and now that the project is almost complete the station is ready to debut it’s finished piece. In its newest production, WXXI will showcase all 119 benches and the streets and parks they have adorned.
The documentary will be narrated by AM 1370 local Morning Edition host Alex Crichton, Benches on Parade offer a glimpse into the creation of these public works of art, talks with the project creators, bench sponsors, and beneficiaries, and share the community’s reaction to the benches.
Chris Pallace, Kevin Serwacki, Mitch Messina, Pat Rechlin and Colleen L’Hommedieu are just a few of the artist that gave a glimpse into their process that has brought these unassuming canvases of fiberglass to life. The film also follows international artist Philip Burke, from start to finish, in his creation of the Chuck Mangione bench. Burke is best known for his whimsical caricatures in Rolling Stone Magazine.
During the premiere of Benches on Parade viewers will have the opportunity to obtain a DVD copy of the broadcast and receive the Benches on Parade commemorative book and a miniature collectible replica of one of the benches. Project producers from Dixon Schwabl, Howie Jacobson and Lauren Dixon will be in studio that evening to unveil a new bench and talk about the auctioning of the benches, which will be held on September 24.
For more information: http://interactive.wxxi.org/highlights/2010/08/benches-parade-wxxi-tv
OnCell-it!
Benches on Parade recently partnered with OnCell, a market-leading service that provides informational audio and video content to a visitor’s cell phone or mobile device. The audio and video content creates a cell phone interpretive experience that can be accessed at the visitor’s own time and pace.
What does this partnership mean for Benches on Parade? Bench visitors are in for a real treat with this added feature. Call the number located on the sponsor plaque of each bench and learn about the bench’s history and creation. Additionally, the tour will clue you in to the next bench on the parade.
It is one of the new ways Benches on Parade is reaching its many audiences, by providing a new ways visitor can get information they need, when they want it.
Jackie Sullivan
I painted the bench sponsored by Harris RF Communications. I'm also wrapping up a long term substitute teacher job at Victor's Early Childhood Education Center where I have been teaching art for kindergarten and first grade. I thought the benches were the perfect community art project to share with my students and they have had a wonderful time learning about the benches. Students have been going out with their families to look for benches and have been bringing in photos to hang on the classroom door.
The kindergarten students have also had their own Benches On Parade display here at the Early Childhood Education Center. They have all been decorating and designing their own benches on paper and we've been lining the hallways with them - at one point we had more than double the amount of real Benches On Parade on display! I recently took the artwork down so that the students can take them home (tomorrow is their last day of school). However, above are some photos of their work.
Enjoy! The students have certainly enjoyed learning about the Benches On Parade.
The Moments of the Lilac Festival
Benches on Parade had a fantastic weekend and we hope you did too.
We were apart of the Lilac Festival and Parade. How cool, Benches on Parade participating in a parade! Five of the unique Kodak smile benches floated down South and Highland Avenues as parade- on lookers cheered us on and waved to the Kodak families adorning the benches.
After the parade the team unloaded the float benches and added them to the other five on the corner of Highland and Goodman, the ten benches together created America’s largest smile- 60 feet long. For the rest of the day, the Benches on Parade team captured festival-goers Kodak moments on the benches and learned what makes Rochester smile.
Most people were at the festival to enjoy the weather, eat festival food and look at local arts and crafts; however there were many others there for non-traditional reasons. We heard stories of love, loss, honor and laughter. We captured people in the moment, not just at a festival. The contest photos taken this weekend will be up at www.kodakmoments.com/benches tomorrow, in the meantime go out and take a photo on a bench and share your moment with us!
What Makes You Smile?
Come see the unique Kodak smile benches in America's Largest Smile-60 feet long- at the Lilac Festival on the corner of Goodman & Highland, next to the Pansy Garden.
We want to know what makes you smile Rochester. Visit us at the festival to participate in the What Makes You Smile? contest and start uploading your photos and videos at www.kodakmoments.com/benches.
Share your moments with us...we can't wait to hear your funniest moments, proudest moments, best kids moments, friends and family moments and sports moments.
See you at the festival and remember take a seat, smile and share!
The V.I.P Preview Party
Monday's VIP Preview Party for Benches on Parade was a complete success. It was amazing to see all of the different benches.
If you remember, when the benches arrived in October 2009 they were stark white, and while business leaders and community members were excited about them, they were also nervous of the unexpected. Seeing guests', sponsors' and artists' faces throughout the night light up, as they walked the indoor sidewalk to view the 117 finished benches, was so special.
The chatter of the night did not focus on one or even two benches, but more the variety of creativity that was in the room. No two benches looked alike and everyone was thrilled to see the different directions each artist took with constructing, painting, and crafting the benches.
The benches will be on parade from May 12-September 2010. Go out and see all of the creativity we have here in Rochester and take a seat, take a picture and make sure you share it with everyone!
From Miami to Rochester
In August 2009, Benches on Parade announced internationally renowned artist, Romero Britto's participation in Benches on Parade. Britto created three benches, and now they are on their way from Miami, F.L. to Rochester, N.Y. to be photographed for the Benches on Parade book. Britto's interest in the project stems from his time spent on in the Finger Lakes region on Keuka Lake.
Britto creates a completely new expression that reflects his optimistic faith in the world around him. Alluding to influences of early and modern masters, Britto's pulsating colors, pop themes and commanding compositions have led him to become the premier contemporary artist of his generation.
Growing up with eight brothers and sisters in Recife, Brazil, Britto lived an extremely modest lifestyle. His canvas was any scrap of newspaper or cardboard he could find. Today, you can find Britto's work in galleries and museums across five continents, from Singapore to Dubai to London and New York.
We can't wait to share his finished benches with the community! For more information on Romero Britto visit www.britto.com.
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