Media Advisory: The People's Bus, NYC Civic Engagement Commission, World Health Organization, NYU Steinhardt, Culturrunners, Neuroarts Blueprint, Mujeres En Movimiento, and Kaleidospace Host Final Activation at El Museo Del Barrio to Culminate Healing Arts New York Symposium

For Immediate Release: Friday, Nov 12, 2021

Contact: Leslie Brown,NYC CEC, lebrown@civicengagement.nyc.gov
Contact: Christopher Bailey,WHO, baileych@who.int
Contact: Stephen Stapleton, Culturruners, stephen@culturrunners.com
Contact: Sarah Binney, NYU Steinhardt, sarah.binney@nyu.edu

New York - This event is part of the culmination of Healing Arts New York, a series of city activations produced by CultuRunners in 2021 to convene global arts and health researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

The People's Bus is a retired city bus formerly used to transport people detained on Rikers Island that has been transformed, with input from New Yorkers, into a community center on wheels to engage people in NYC's civic life through beauty and joy will be activated at the event. The People's Bus is designed by Yazmany Arboleda, a Colombian-American artist who creates living sculptures. Yazmany served as the Public Artist in Residence with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and Civic Engagement Commission during the creation of the arts initiative.

The New York City Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) was created in 2018 through a ballot referendum to enhance civic participation, promote civic trust, and strengthen democracy in New York City. The Commission's core programmatic mandates include: participatory budgeting, providing training and technical support to community boards, and serving language access needs of limited English proficient New Yorkers in designated languages at select poll sites.
The World Health Organization works with 194 Member States across six regions and from more than 150 offices to achieve better health for everyone, everywhere. The WHO's Arts & Health Program advances research on the physical, mental, and social health benefits of the arts through collaboration with academic, policy, and cultural partners around the world.

CulturRunners produces cross-cultural campaigns, exhibitions, films and live events - promoting peace-building and sustainable development through art. Launching at MIT in 2014, CulturRunners' first project was a multi-year artists' roadtrip between the United States and the Middle East. Since then, it has prioritised artists-led projects which transform communities, societies and systems and inspire greater empathy across international borders.

El Museo del Barrio is New York's leading Latino cultural institution, welcomes visitors of all backgrounds to discover the artistic landscape of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures. Their richness is represented in El Museo's wide-ranging collections and exhibitions, complemented by film, literary, visual and performing arts series, cultural celebrations, and educational programs.

What:
The Future is Unwritten: Health Arts New York Closing Activation with The People's Bus

When:
Sunday, November 14, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM*

Where:
El Museo Del Barrio
1230 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10029

Who:
Performers and community partners include:

• Mujeres en Movimiento
• Kaleidospace
• Cetiliztli Nauhcampa

*El Museo Del Barrio is offering free admission to its galleries for this event.

More information on Healing Arts Symposium: WHO Press Release, Website and Schedule of Events.