BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Westbeth - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Westbeth X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://westbeth.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Westbeth REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260306T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260306T200000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260223T231939Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T183015Z UID:10000972-1772823600-1772827200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Val Hawk First Fridays LIve Music Performance DESCRIPTION:Friday March 6\, 2026 7pm \nVal Hawk sings “New Standards’ with Nicki Adams and Yoshi Waki \nWestbeth Community Space\n155 Bank Street\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nJazz composer and singer\, Val Hawk performs a collection of her originals. Following in the tradition of the Great American Songbook\, Val will have you laughing\, crying and tapping your feet\, maybe all at once! \nDo not miss this unique\, sublime and sometimes quirky\, original artist/composer in the intimate and acoustically incredible Westbeth Community Room – here at the home of Sound Innovation…historic Westbeth! Free! \nVAL HAWK made her Television debut in 1994\, playing guitar and singing the voice of Becky Sue in Schoolhouse Rock’s “Dollars and Sense”. As a member of jazz vocal group The Ritz\, she played\, sang and arranged on their CD\, “Almost Blue” (Denon). For the Japanese pop market\, she can be heard on “Seventies Reminiscense” (Columbia Japan) and “A Long Vacation” for which she provided English lyrics. Her CD “Dream” with guest star\, Bob Dorough\, was released in 2013 and streams on Spotify\, Apple Music and You Tube. She has appeared internationally at the Fukuoka\, Tokyo\, and Jakarta BlueNote\, and in festivals and concerts in Vienna\, Milan and Amsterdam. Val spent many years performing in well known venues like The Blue Note\, Kitano\, Jazz WaHi and here in the Village at The 55 Bar\, NorthSquare Lounge\, Entwine and Pangea. In the last several years\, Val has produced a collection of eclectic originals\, which she is in the process of recording. Her Birthday show will be an autobiographical journey highlighted by anecdotes and originals from her showbiz past. Cake to follow!\n@therealvalhawk \nYOSHI WAKI\nOriginally from Fukuoka\, Japan\, bassist and composer Yoshi Waki played piano in high school\, where he developed an interest in jazz. At university in Tokyo\, where he earned a degree in electrical engineering\, he met another jazz pianist and switched to double bass so they could play together. He had his first gig on bass just three months later. In 1996 he moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. After graduating\, he spent two years on the road with the national tour of the Tony Award-winning musical\, “Fosse\,” before settling in New York. A sought-after sideman\, Yoshi plays frequently around the city. He appears on over 70 recordings for artists including Art Hirahara\, the Artie Shaw Orchestra\, Deborah Harry\, Freddie Cole\, Harry Whitaker\, Kenia\, Paquito D’Rivera\, Randy Johnston\, Shunzo Ohno\, Bill Ware\, Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra\, William Galison\, and many others; he can also be heard on Dan Zanes and Friends’ “Catch That Train!” (Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children)\, and Chihiro Yamanaka’s “After Hours” (23rd Japan Gold Disc Award for Jazz Album of the Year). Waki taught music theory and jazz ensemble at Long Island University. \nNICKI ADMAMS is a New York–based composer and pianist who has worked with artists such as Francisco Mela\, Jonathon Pinson\, Stacey Dillard\, and François Moutin\, and has appeared on NPR’s Soundcheck and at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theatre. A Steeplechase recording artist and finalist in the 2022 Bob Ravenscroft International Jazz Piano Competition\, he has released six albums as a leader\, scored award-nominated films including A Wonderful Way With Dragons\, and toured nationally and internationally with his own groups\, GADADU\,Prism Trio and the Adams Quartet. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/val-hawk-first-fridays-live-music-performance/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FRIST-FRIDAY-SQ-VAL-HAWK-6-MAR-202.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260306T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260405T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260219T023106Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T221927Z UID:10000969-1772784000-1775408400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Stephen Hall Wild Things Art Show DESCRIPTION:March 6 – April 5\, 2026\nOpening Reception March 14\, 2026 5pm – 7pm \nWhite Room Gallery\, 3 Railroad Ave\, East Hampton\, NY \nArtist Stephen Hall will be featured in the upcoming group exhibition “Wild Things” \n\n\n \n\nStephen’s contribution to “Wild Things” is a compelling collection of paintings that explore wildlife and the environmental stresses impacting the natural world. Through his work\, he highlights the delicate balance between animals and their changing habitats\, inviting viewers to reflect on conservation and the resilience of nature. \nMore information: White Room Gallery URL:https://westbeth.org/event/stephen-hall-wild-things-art-show/ LOCATION:White Room Gallery\, East Hampton CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/STEPHEN-HALL-SQ-Wild-Things-FRONT-.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260304T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260322T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260117T195430Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T223709Z UID:10000947-1772611200-1774198800@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Re-View\, Re-New Re-Imagining Past Work Group Show DESCRIPTION:CLOSING WEEKEND\nMarch 19 – 222\, 2026 1pm – 6pm \nImages from the Show\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \nMarch 4– March 22\, 2026 \nAn exhibition of seven artists reimagining past work to create new imagery\nCurated by Karen Bell \nWestbeth Gallery\n55 Bethune Street\, New York\, NY 10014\nGallery Hours: Wednesday–Sunday\, 1:00–6:00 PM\, and by appointment \nOpening Reception: Thursday\, March 5\, 2026 | 5:00–8:00 PM \nWestbeth Gallery presents Re-View\, Re-New\, a group exhibition featuring seven accomplished women artists: Karen Bell\, Petey Brown\, Mary Frank\, Christina Hutchings\, Elizabeth Lide\, Maria Pia Marrella\, and Ellen Wallenstein. \nWorking across mixed media\, oil painting\, fiber\, collage\, and photography\, the artists revisit and transform earlier work to generate new imagery that spans abstraction\, realism\, and fantasy. \nKaren Bell physically alters earlier photographs through tearing\, layering\, diptychs\, and the introduction of natural elements.\nPetey Brown paints over earlier canvases\, allowing unexpected fragments to remain visible and guide new compositions inspired by daily observation.\nMary Frank recombines fragments from her extensive archive to construct fresh visual narratives.\nElizabeth Lide revisits drawings and objects from installations created over a 45-year period\, incorporating family materials to explore shifting histories and meanings.\nChristina Hutchings reconstructs previously framed works using painted papers and architectural materials\, reflecting life on an island.\nMaria Pia Marrella returns to earlier paintings to reengage her studio practice\, creating assemblages informed by her interest in cultural\, political and environmental moments.\nEllen Wallenstein\, a photographer and educator\, began making daily cloth cyanotypes following major life disruptions. Incorporating personal objects\, plant life\, and family heirlooms\, these works evolved into collaborative quilts with Texas textile artist Kathe Williams\, reflecting resilience and healing. \nPress Inquiries:\nKaren Bell – KLBphoto@gmail.com 917-359-6109 \nKaren Bell is a New York–based artist who has exhibited widely throughout New York and across the United States. \nPhoto: Reflection/Versailles\, Karen Bell URL:https://westbeth.org/event/re-view-re-new-re-imagining-past-work-group-show/ LOCATION:Westbeth Gallery CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Re-View-Re-New-Sq.png GEO:40.737051566887;-74.009218415339 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T200000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260218T222732Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T214809Z UID:10000966-1772389800-1772395200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Isis Moon Ritual Navigium Isidis DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, March 1\, 2026\, 6:30 pm \nWestbeth Community Space\n155 Bank Street\, New York\, NY 10014\n(enter through courtyard) \n$15 suggested donation (No one turned away for lack of funds)\nplus food and drink to share for potluck dinner. \nA ritual/performance collaboration with audience participation.\nDance: Mirla Pereira\nBody Print Painting: Tamara Wyndham\nRitual written and conceived by Tamara Wyndham \nIsis was a major goddess in the Egyptian pantheon. But under the Roman Empire her powers grew. Temples were built to her across the known world. Her cult rivaled Christianity. \nEarly March was a holiday in her honor\, the Navigium Isidis (the vessel of Isis) honoring her ability to protect seafarers. \nWeather permitting\, we will first gather at the community room\, then go to the Hudson River Park at 12th Street. We will parade with a small model boat carrying the statue of Isis\, and will chant and shake sistra and tambourines. Then we will return to the Westbeth Community Space. In case of rain\, we will gather at the Westbeth Community Space at 6:30 pm and stay there. \nMirla Pereira will personify the goddess\, as she appeared in the temple at Sais: “I am all that has been and is and shall be; and no mortal has ever lifted my veil.” — symbolizing the secrets of nature; as well as divine and inaccessible knowledge. \nTamara Wyndham will make a contact body print of Mirla at the conclusion of her dance. Applying paint to her body\, the paint will transfer to cloth. This symbolizes a transformation. And then Mirla\, as Isis will be unveiled.\nParticipants will then be invited to be blessed with water that has been exposed to the full moon\, and also blessed with a moonstone. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/isis-moon-ritual-navigium-isidis/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-18-at-5.18.10-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T140000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260224T015652Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260301T190045Z UID:10000973-1772370000-1772373600@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Cellobration Brooklyn Cello School DESCRIPTION:Sunday March 1\, 2026 at 1pm \nFREE\nWestbeth COmmunity Room\n155 Bank Street\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nMore info: Brooklyn Cello School URL:https://westbeth.org/event/cellobration-brooklyn-cello-school/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CELLOBRATION-SQ.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260228T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260228T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260223T211045Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260228T225743Z UID:10000971-1772280000-1772298000@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Style Swap Clothes and Accessories Teens\, Adults\, Kids\, FREE DESCRIPTION: URL:https://westbeth.org/event/style-swap-clothes-and-accessories-teens-adults-kids-free/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CLOTHING-SWAP-FULL.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260220T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260220T203000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260120T222429Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T185056Z UID:10000957-1771614000-1771619400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Psycho Westbeth Movie Night DESCRIPTION:Friday Feb 20\, 2026 at 7pm\nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY \nFree \nFor more info about movie\, CLICK IMAGE URL:https://westbeth.org/event/psycho-westbeth-movie-night/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/PSYCHO-SQ.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260217T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260217T190000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260121T214717Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T221512Z UID:10000952-1771354800-1771354800@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Home Part 2 Readings by Westbeth authors DESCRIPTION:Tuesday Feb 17\, 2026 at 7pm \nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank Street\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nWestbeth writers will be reading original prose and poetry exploring what home means to them.\nAnna Shapiro\, Kate Walter\, Terry Purinton\, Steve Clorfeine\, Griselda Steiner\, Joya Staack\, Huguette Martel\, Dennis Fitzpatrick\, Linda Marks\, Barbara Rosenthal\, Carole Braden\, Halina Warren. \nPROGRAM\nSteve Clorfeine “Country Detective”\nHuguette Martel “A Walk in my Neighborhood”\nAnna Shapiro “Home: \nMusical Interlude: Charlotte Leist: Eccles – ” Sonata in G major for Cello” \nCarole Burden “The House on Eastland Road”\nKate Walter “Empty Spot on the Wall of our Beach House”\nTerry Puritan “Thank You for Your Service ” (excerpts) \nMusical Interlude: Susan Hyman: Marin Marais – “Les Folies D’espagne for Solo Flute” (excerpts) \nHalina Fitzpatrick “Home”\nJoya Staack “Alex”\nLinda Marks “Summerhouse” poems \nMusical Interlude: Maria McAuliffe: Burt Bacharach – “A House Is Not a Home” piano \nDennis Fitzpatric “Turned Around”\nBarbara Rosenthal “Caroline’s Sktech Pad I”\nGriselda Steiner “Fasten Your Seatbelts” (lyrics) Performed by Eve Zanni URL:https://westbeth.org/event/home-part-2-readings-by-westbeth-authors/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/HOME-PART-2-SQ-Literary-WARC-event-copy.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260214T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260215T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260123T021837Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260218T203953Z UID:10000949-1771056000-1771174800@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Repurpose. Reuse. Rewear.Learn how to create new clothes out of old clothes! DESCRIPTION:When: Feb 14 and 15\, 2026 \nWhere: Westbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nFor more info or to register\, click on the link! or Scan QR code\nhttps://forms.gle/HMD9eNkvX88bAhCv7 \nExact time confirmed after registering. \nGood Clothes Community with Fashion Designer Benjamin Mach \nCloset bursting but nothing to wear? Join us for a FREE two-day workshop on reusing\, repurposing and recycling fashion and textiles. You’ll learn new skills and support a new social movement towards sustainable clothing production and slow fashion consumption. \nParticipants will upcycle and create inspired pieces of clothing from the ones that are boring or no longer fit\, and produce a NEW finished wardrobe item. This collaborative event sponsored by WARC is lead by an Australian University of Technology Sydney PhD Candidate and designer who works at the Fashion Institute of Technology. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/repurpose-reuse-rewearlearn-how-to-create-new-clothes-out-of-old-clothes/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/REUSE-REWEAR-CLOTHING-FEB-SQ.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260210T210000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260123T015834Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T025422Z UID:10000948-1770746400-1770757200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Fix- It NIght Returns! DESCRIPTION:TUESDAY Feb 10\, 2026 6pm – 9pm \nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St (enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nEMAIL NOW TO RESERVE A SPOT:\nWestbethConservation@gmail.com \nTHE FIXERS COLLECTIVE WILL REPAIR YOUR STUFF\, SAVE MONEY AND OUR PLANET! URL:https://westbeth.org/event/fix-it-night-returns/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FIX-IT-NIGHT-FEB-SQ-.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260206T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260222T180000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251223T043416Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T185033Z UID:10000934-1770382800-1771783200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Breathe New York Artists Circle Exhibit. Video Interviews with Two Artists \, Plus see show online. DESCRIPTION:MARIANNE BARCELLONA – ABOUT THE WORK\na To activtate subtitles click on the double “cc box” at the bottom of the screen \n \nGWYNETH LEECH – ABOUT THE WORK\nTo activate subtitles click on the double “cc box” at the bottom of the screen \n\n \n  \nCHECK OUT THE SHOW ONLINE AT NEW YORK  ARTISTS CIRCLE HERE. But always better in person too! \nAn Exhibition by the New York Artists Circle\nCurated by Hayley Ferber • Assistant Curator Kristin Reed\nFebruary 6–22\, 2026 \nWestbeth Gallery\n155 Bank Street\n(Enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nOpening Reception • Friday\, February 6\, 5–8 PM \nIn a world that feels increasingly overstimulated and demanding\, Breathe offers a space for serenity. Featuring work by members of the New York Artists Circle\, the exhibition explores breath not only as a fundamental human necessity\, but as an invitation to pause\, recenter and find calm. The artists approach this theme from multiple perspectives. Some focus on the physical act of breathing—its rhythm\, vulnerability\, and sustaining force—while others employ breath as a metaphor for stillness\, resilience\, clarity\, and the act of claiming space in an often overwhelming world. Together\, these works invite viewers to step away from the noise\, take a deep breath\, and reconnect with a sense of peace\, presence\, and inner balance. \nBreathe will be presented both in person at Westbeth Gallery and online on the New York Artists Circle website.\nThe in-person exhibition includes an opening reception and a public artist talk. \nFeatured Artists: Anne Finkelstein • Avani Patel • Barbara Lubliner • Barbara Slitkin • Barbara Swanson Sherman •Beth Barry • Cade Pemberton • Carol Paik • Cecilia André • Charles Seplowin • Cheryl Aden • Christina Maile •Colleen Deery • D Ardelean • Danielle Warren • Darcy Alison Spitz • David Alon Friedman • Diana Jensen • Eileen Hoffman • Eleanor Goldstein • Elisa Decker • Ellen Alt • Emily Barnett • Fran Beallor Gabriela Gasparini Bornstein •Gale Rothstein • Gosha Karpowicz • Laurey Bennet-Levy Gwyneth Leech • Helaine Soller • Jacqueline Sferra • RadaJanet Goldner • Janet Morgan • Janice McDonnell • January Yoon Cho • Joanne Steinhardt • Jocelyn Benford •Joyce Raimondo Judith Kruger • Kristin Reed • Linda Ganjian • Linda Stillman • Linda Turner • Lois Bender • Lori Horowitz • Lynne Friedman • Marianne Barcellona • Meenal Raghava • Nicole Cooper • Pearl Rosen Golden • RoniSherman Ramos • Ryan Bauer-Walsh • Sandra Taggart Stephen Cox • Susan Grucci • SuZen • Syma • Tiziana Mazzioto • Wendy L. Moss • Yvonne Lamar-Rogers \nExhibition Details: \nLocation: Westbeth Gallery\, 55 Bethune St (Main entrance to Westbeth) \, New York\, NY 10014\nGallery Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 1–6 pm\nDates: February 6–22\, 2026\nOpening Reception: Friday\, February 6\, 5–8 PM\nArtist Talk and Closing Reception: Sunday February 22\, 3-5pm \nOnline Exhibition:https://nyartistscircle.com \nMedia Contact: Janice McDonnell janice@janicemcdonnell.com URL:https://westbeth.org/event/breathe-new-york-artists-circle-exhibit/ LOCATION:Westbeth Gallery CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Breathe_1080_x_1080.png GEO:40.737051566887;-74.009218415339 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260126T013053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T032133Z UID:10000950-1769954400-1769965200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Celebrating Westbeth Jazz Round Two Nasheet Waits Guest Commentator DESCRIPTION:Click image to enlarge \nSUNDAY FEB 1\, 2026\n2pm – 5pm \nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nLISTENING SESSION to the historic recordings of the 1980 Westbeth Works Concerts featuring Freddie Waits (Dawud) and Nasheet Waits and many more.\nFREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC \nCROSSING TONES is a non-profit archive for significant collections of Jazz music and related items for teaching and listening initiatives. More Info: Crossing Tones. \n‘WITHIN THESE WALLS; JAZZ AT WESTBETH\, While you are at Westbeth\, visit the exhibition at Bethune St Lobby. It features photos and bios of the jazz greats who lived here\, including Freddie Waits (Dawud) and Nasheet Waits and many more. \nClick to enlarge \nClick to enlarge URL:https://westbeth.org/event/celebrating-westbeth-jazz-round-two-nasheet-waits-guest-commentator/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/NASHEET-WAITS-SQ-CROSSING-TONES-copy.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260130T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260228T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260119T205338Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260218T225358Z UID:10000951-1769760000-1772298000@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Should NYC Build Artist Housing? Peter Madden replies DESCRIPTION:Leonard Freed – Westbeth Courtyard 1970’s \nWestbeth Courtyard 2024 WestFest Dance Festival \nNew York City Hasn’t Built Artists Housing in a Decade. Should It?\nExcerpts from an article by Samantha Maldonado\nTHE CITY\nJan 29 2026 \nRead entire article HERE \n“…And whether the government should prioritize developing affordable housing with set-asides for artists in a city with a persistent housing crisis — and hefty competition for even moderately affordable housing — remains a point of tension. \n“As a guiding principle\, when you have a limited resource\, you’d start with the people who are most in need\,” said David Giffen\, executive director of the Coalition for the Homeless. He pointed out that more than 100\,000 people are in city shelters\, thousands of people are unsheltered on the street and a quarter of a million people live doubled and tripled up in other family’s homes. \n“That indicates that we need to start with the people who don’t have homes\, whether they’re artists or work in the food service industry or as home health aides\, whatever their occupation\,” Giffen said. “Who is most in need of that resource?” \nRipple Effects \nStill\, there is much interest for housing specifically for artists\, and those who live in it and run it underscore the myriad benefits. \n“The most unique challenge artists face in getting housing is the nature of their income\, which is fluctuating and episodic and may change from year to year or week to week\,” said Daniel Arnow\, executive director of the Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation. “We see artist housing and an artist preference policy as a safeguard against displacement.” \nWestbeth Artists Housing in the West Village\, which was created in 1970 and comprises 384 affordable apartments\, draws “huge” demand from interested tenants\, according to WestBeth’s executive director Peter Madden. \nWestbeth opened its waitlist in 2019\, and will start pulling from it later this year as some of the 40 apartments undergoing renovations become available. \n“So many people are artists\, and they’ve lived here together for such a long time that there’s really a pretty remarkable community at Westbeth\, in the sense that the tenants here end up working together\, creating art together\,” he said. “We have a lot of residents who are in their 80s and 90s\, who really rely on each other and the community they built to really maintain their quality of life.” \nLike PS109\, Westbeth boasts gallery and community space and programs for the public\, which cultivates artistic engagement beyond the residents themselves\, Madden said. One challenge: the availability of studio space so artists have a place to work. \nOne artist-friendly solution to that problem came as part of the rezoning of Gowanus\, Brooklyn\, which allowed for housing to be built in a previously industrial neighborhood. Community groups negotiated an agreement for developers to build over 100 affordable art studios. Artists could apply to a lottery to secure a space. \nJohnny Thornton\, executive director of Arts Gowanus\, touted that win as one that helped many artists overcome a key barrier to continuing to make art in New York City — but would’ve liked to go further. \n“Though we’re extremely proud of our work advocating for artists’ workspaces\, we would have loved to be able to secure affordable housing for artists as well\,” Thornton said. “Allowing artists to live in the neighborhoods where they work creates an even more tight-knit\, flourishing community.”” \nEditor’s note: Due to safety concerns\, the name of one of the subjects of this story has been removed after publication. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/should-nyc-build-artists-housing-peter-madden-replies/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:non-event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Leonard-Freed-1970s.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260124T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260222T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260116T215106Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T185207Z UID:10000945-1769241600-1771779600@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Mei-Yin Ng Chinese Pop Dance and Lunar New Year performance DESCRIPTION:Chinese Pop Dance\nSaturday Jan 24\, 2026 at 1pm \nMuseum of the City of New York\nFifth Ave at 103rd St\nNew York NY \nPrice: Included with Museum Admission ( Pay as you wish for NY residents with ID) \nGet ready to move to the rhythm of two dynamic cultures! Rep Asia is a high-energy music and dance celebration reuniting Chinatown Records and Basement Bhangra together on the dance floor.\nMore Info\nhttps://www.mcny.org/event/rhythm-city-rep-asia \nMei-Yin Ng was born in the backwater port town of Klang\, Malaysia and poised from birth to create art using the human body and technology. Her extensive prop training in Chinese dance inspired her to meditate on the use of props\, and later technology\, as an extension of the human form. She founded MEI-BE WHATever in 2002 as a collective field for collaboration and experimentation of technology\, and has performed at festivals\, museums\, and theatres across Asia\, Europe\, North and South America. Ng has received numerous commissions and grants for her artistic work\, including the NYSCA Individual Artist Grant\, the MAP Fund\, and NYFA Fellowships. She is currently developing community-based narrative movement projects with the Chinese diaspora in the U.S. and Canada.@meibewhatever Mei-Yin Ng website \n Saturday\, Feb 21\, 2026 10 -1 pm & 2-5 pm \nPrice: $10 ( also limited cultural pass tickets) \nMuseum of Chinese in America\n215 Center Street\nNew York\,m NY 10013 \nMei-Yin Ng will present a ribbon or fan dance and then lead an interactive workshop for young participants. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/mei-yin-ng-chinese-pop-dance-and-lunar-new-year-performance/ LOCATION:Museum of the City of New York\, and Museum of the Chinese in America CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/MEI-YIN-NG-SQ-DANCE-JANUARY.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260123T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260123T203000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260115T175728Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T032339Z UID:10000943-1769194800-1769200200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Westbeth Movie Night: Raising Arizona DESCRIPTION:Westbeth Movie Night\nRaising Arizona \nFriday Jan 30\, 2026 at 7pm \nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St (enter thrtough courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nFor more info about movie\, click image. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/westbeth-movie-night-raising-arizona/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Westbeth-Movie-Nigh-Ariz-SQ.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260119T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260115T172441Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T015853Z UID:10000942-1768809600-1771866000@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Vado Diomande West African Dance and Drum Workshop DESCRIPTION:When: Mondays January 19\, 26\, 2026\nFebruary 16\, 23\, 2026\nand\nFridays March 13\, 20\, 27\, 2026 \nTime: 7pm – 8pm \nWhere: Westbeth Community Room 155 Bank Street (enter through courtyard) New York\, NY 10014 \nWho: Vado Diomande is an incredible\, internationally known performer\, dancer\, stilt performer\, drummer\, vocalist and founder of Kochegna Ivory Coast Dance Company. Vado is a longtime esteemed teacher at Alvin Ailey and is in constant demand for programs in public and private schools\, concert venues and festivals. \nWhat: Classes can be tailored to all ages / multi-age. His classes are exciting and accessible to all\, and give participants options to focus on drumming or on dancing or both! Vado brings all the drums / percussion instruments needed and retrieves them at the end of class. \nEnd of session “semesters” feature live class performances with traditional Ivory Coast costumes provided! The exposure to true traditional African rhythms\, dance steps\, songs / language and culture by a Master of Ivory Coast music is a rare gift to all ages for the Westbeth community and our neighbors. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/vado-diomande-west-african-dance-and-drum-workshop/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/WEST-AFTICAN-DRUM-SQ.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260115T200000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260108T132743Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T012813Z UID:10000940-1768503600-1768507200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Break Up With Plastic Discussion with A.J. Jacobs NYT bestsellling author DESCRIPTION:WARC welcomes experiential journalist A.J. Jacobs for a climate-conscious talk based on his efforts to avoid interacting with plastic for just one day. Jacobs is the bestselling author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible (2007) and The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning (2024). \nThursday\, January 15th at 7pm\nWestbeth Community Room\nPlease bring a product or tool you have found in your efforts to reduce your plastics exposure and landfill waste! URL:https://westbeth.org/event/break-up-with-plastic-discussion-with-a-j-jacobs-nyt-bestsellling-author/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/BREAK-UP-WITH-PLASTIC-SQ.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260115 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260301 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20260115T165056Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T020050Z UID:10000941-1768435200-1772323199@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Victoria Horne Mood Indigo Video by Mourrice Papi DESCRIPTION:About Victoria Horne\nVictoria Horne is a vocalist\, actress\, and songwriter who blends classic jazz spirit with a modern\, cinematic touch pulling you close with phrasing that feels intimate\, lived-in\, and honest.\n“Mood Indigo” appears on her 4-track EP Maefield (released Oct 25\, 2024)\, alongside the title track “Maefield\,” “You for Me\,” and “Je T’aime.”\nMusic Video: Je t ‘aime \nMusic video: You for Me dance version\nMusic Video: Maefield \nSome notes on the video by Mourrice: \nWe first met and chatted about a third Ai Video for Victoria’s EP Maefield\, planned some looks and created concept\, then a breakdown for the shoot day. We filmed here at Westbeth in my Studio apartment\, shooting Opengate 4.2k RAW with an FX3\, Atomos Ninja TX and my Zeiss CP.2 set\, on a white background. This time we used a mix of Runway.ai which output up to 10 second clips and Kaiber.ai’s legacy functions that have longer limit ranges. I brought all of this into Davinci Resolve and composited the “magic masked” cuts of her performance over the ai generated backgrounds and foreground elements\, then carefully blended each shot and cut. \nThe blending for this one created these extremely saturated scenes so Victoria’s performance could look actual or real\, displaying a depth of character the bridged the artistic ai clips representing 1920’s or 1930’s Harlem New York while also reflecting Deep Blue abstract tones planned for the “Mood Indigo” Effect. We shot with practical Rim-lighting to bring out Victoria’s Silver hair\, Dress and small details. The Silver details were beautifully conducive to the heavy Blue Color-Correction Toning present throughout the video. The Mood-Indigo Toning Effect was inspired in talks about the song between Victoria and I\, a reference to Archibald Motley’s “Gettin’ Religion”\, part of the permanent collection at the Whitney. The painting also inspired the addition of the slo-mo street scenes. \nLastly we Premiered on New Years Day into 2026 and it was a party. We hope you enjoy the video for Mood Indigo by Victoria Horne. \nVictoria Horne — “Mood Indigo” Victoria Horne brings you an after-hours jazz dream in deep indigo smoke-soft and slow-burning where every note hangs in the air like a last sip before midnight.\nA blue-lit jazz reverie: soft light on the bandstand\, shadows in the crowd\, and a melody that doesn’t let go. \nAbout the song:\n“Mood Indigo” is a jazz standard with music by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard\, and lyrics by Irving Mills.\nFirst associated with Ellington’s orchestra in 1930\, it became one of those timeless late-night songs—elegant\, aching\, and strangely comforting the kind of tune that makes the room feel quieter\, closer\, and a little cinematic. \n#VictoriaHorne #MoodIndigo #Maefield #OfficialMusicVideo #Jazz #VocalJazz #JazzSinger #JazzStandard #DukeEllington #Harlem #JazzClub #BlueHour #Premiere #LiveMusic #ClassicJazz URL:https://westbeth.org/event/victoria-horne-mood-indigo-video-by-mourrice-papi/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-15-at-11.47.36-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260109T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260120T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251215T230410Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260115T163606Z UID:10000931-1767945600-1768928400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Calling Choreographers Apply Now for WestFest Dance 2026! DESCRIPTION: URL:https://westbeth.org/event/calling-choreographers-apply-now-for-westfest-dance-2026/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-5.49.28-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260107T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260125T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251205T230037Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260126T015642Z UID:10000923-1767790800-1769360400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Primeval Ground [deep\, unfathomable] DESCRIPTION:Elisabeth Condon “Big Feeling” \nTEN ARTISTS EXPLORE THE POWER OF MONOCHROME IN “PRIMEVAL GROUND [DEEP\, UNFATHOMABLE].”\nWESTBETH GALLERY | 55 BETHUNE STREET\, NYC \nJAN 7-25\, 2026 \nABOUT THE WORK: ELISABETH CONDON Click CC button at bottom of video to activate closed captions. \n\n \n ABOUT THE WORK; MARISA TESAURO Click CC button at bottom of video to activate closed captions.\n  \n\n\nSELECTED IMAGES FROM SHOW Click thumbnail to start slide show\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n  \nGroup Exhibition Curated by New York-based artist Susan Rowe Harrison Features Diverse Media Spanning Photography\, Weaving\, Installation\, Drawing\, Painting\, Sculpture\, and Performance. \nNEW YORK\, NY – From January 7 to January 25\, 2026\, Westbeth Gallery presents Primeval Ground [deep\, unfathomable]: A Show of Monochrome and Low-Chrome Artworks curated by New York-based artist Susan Rowe Harrison. \nThe exhibition brings together ten remarkable artists—Caroline Burton\, Karin Campbell\, Elizabeth Castagna\, Marcy Chevali\, Elisabeth Condon\, Cadence Giersbach\, Susan Rowe Harrison\, Naomi Livia\, Stacy Mehrfar\, and Marisa Tesauro—whose practices span photography\, weaving\, installation\, drawing\, painting\, sculpture\, cut paper\, video\, and participatory drawing. \n“As a colorist\, I found myself working in monochrome but thinking of it as color\,” says Harrison. “I wanted to understand why artists make this choice—does color get in the way? Is reduction an act of austerity\, a reflection on the state of the world\, mystery\, or simply what the work demands? The best way to explore this was to reach out and collaborate.” \nThe title “Primeval Ground” comes from Paul Klee\, who is quoted as saying: “We do not have to understand the black\, it is the primeval ground.” The title recalls the mysterious core of an artwork\, a depth we barely understand. From the earliest drawings made with charred sticks on cave walls to contemporary relevance\, the featured artists delve into the philosophical\, aesthetic\, and emotional depths of working with color restraint through monochrome and low-chrome palettes. The exhibition demonstrates how limitation becomes a powerful vehicle of expression\, focus\, and innovation. \nFollow the exhibit on IG: @primeval_ground. \nEXHIBITION EVENTS: \nOpening Reception\nThursday\, January 8\, 2026\, 6:30-8:30 PM \nPanel Discussion with Artist and Writer Etty Yaniv of Art Spiel\nThursday\, January 15\, 2026\, 6:30 PM \nBody-led Movement Drawing Workshop with Artist Elizabeth Castagna\nSaturday\, January 24\, 2026\, 3:00 PM\n*Spots are limited. Please RSVP to participate at primevalground@gmail.com \nExhibition continues through Sunday\, January 25\, 2026 \nGALLERY INFORMATION:\nWestbeth Gallery\n55 Bethune Street\, corner of Washington Street\nNew York\, NY 10014\nGallery Hours: Wednesday-Sunday\, 1-6 PM and by appointment \nFor press inquiries\, please contact Susan Rowe Harrison at susan@lunule.com or 914-536-7271. \nABOUT THE CURATOR: \nSusan Rowe Harrison is a New York-based artist whose work has been exhibited at Wave Hill\, PS122\, YYZ Artist’s Outlet\, and collected by LinkedIn\, Pfizer\, and the Newberry Library\, among others. This is her second curatorial project. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/primeval-ground-deep-unfathomable/ LOCATION:Westbeth Gallery CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/primeval-ground.png GEO:40.737051566887;-74.009218415339 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260103T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260103T200000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251223T045354Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T024652Z UID:10000935-1767465000-1767470400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Wolf Moon Ritual Howl Together DESCRIPTION:The Wolf Moon Ritual/Performance\nHowl with us! \nA celebration of wolves and the wolf within us. The ritual is conceived by Tamara Wyndham with collaboration by the performers: Live music and dance performance — with body printing. \nSaturday\, January 3rd\, 6:30 pm at the Westbeth Community Space\, 155 Bnk Street (enter through courtyard) Street\, New York\, NY 10014. \n$15 donation (More if you can\, less if you can’t) \nA ritual of joy and release to bring out your inner wild wolf! Come howl with us\, experience the dance of the Wolf Spirit\, witness a body printing\, hear the story and song of La Loba\, and be blessed with full moon water. \nPotluck dinner afterwards. Bring what you love to eat and drink\, to share. \nPerforming: \nBreadpussy – dance\nKelvin Daly – music on an instrument of his own design\nEric Blitz – drums\nJennifer Gonzalez Blitz – storytelling and vocals\nTamara Wyndham – body printing URL:https://westbeth.org/event/wolf-moon-ritual-howl-together/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Wolf-Moon-Ritual-SQ-.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251230T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251230T203000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251214T043015Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T024731Z UID:10000932-1767121200-1767126600@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Westbeth Movie Night The Long Kiss Goodbye DESCRIPTION:Tues Dec 30\, 2025 at 7pm\nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nFree \nClick image to find out more about the film. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/westbeth-movie-night-the-long-kiss-goodbye/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Westbeth-SQ-MOVIE-NIGHT-THE-LONG-KISS.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251223T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251223T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251223T051602Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T205954Z UID:10000936-1766476800-1766509200@westbeth.org SUMMARY:WestZine online: Westbeth Gallery publication spotlighting artists DESCRIPTION: URL:https://westbeth.org/event/westzine-online-westbeth-gallery-publication-about-artists/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:non-event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/WESTZINE-SQ.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251221T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251221T143000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251216T051414Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251223T040945Z UID:10000933-1766322000-1766327400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Penny Jones Puppets Toby's Holiday Spectacular DESCRIPTION:Sunday Dec 21\, 2025 at 1pm \nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank Street\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \nClick below image for tickets. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/penny-jones-puppets-tobys-holiday-spectacular/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-16-at-12.02.43-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251219T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251219T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251228T220251Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T184420Z UID:10000937-1766131200-1766163600@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Kate Walter writes about the Bliss Singers at Christmas\, Photos by SuZen DESCRIPTION:Someday soon we all will be together\, if the fates allow\nVillage Star Revue\n>December 2025 \nLink to article \n By Kate Walter\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nI always had this fantasy about becoming an official tour guide in the Village. But I never got beyond taking friends on informal tours of Westbeth Artists Housing (my building) and leading them through the quaint cobblestone streets of the West Village. Instead\, I’m an armchair guide who hangs out in the active Facebook group “New York City Travel Tips\, Tours by Foot.” \nRun by professionals\, this group has more than 100\,000 followers. I like supplying answers and it’s fascinating to see what appeals to nonresidents. I quickly learned their New York is very different than mine. Never is that more obvious than when people plan a holiday trip. \n \nTourists want to experience Christmas in the city because it’s so “magical.” If I read the word “magical” one more time in this group\, I will scream. (editors note: I feel the same way about “beloved” and “iconic.”) \n\n \n\nThey all want to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. I have been there exactly once during my 50 years living in Manhattan because I had company who insisted upon this ritual. You couldn’t pay me to go back to that mob scene. \nOver the years I’ve created my own holiday rituals in the West Village\, a far cry from my Catholic childhood in New Jersey and singing in the girls’ choir at Midnight Mass. I still love singing and my favorite annual holiday event is caroling with the Bliss Singers in the lobby of Westbeth Artists Housing. \nI’ve been a member of the Bliss Singers (a community chorus) since it started in 2017. Led by Westbeth resident/jazz singer/music educator Eve Zanni and jazz pianist/composer Issac Raz\, we prep for this annual event way in advance. It seems we just get back from summer break and we are pulling up the holiday song lists. \n \n“It’s tricky to lead a group of people at different levels\,” said Zanni\, “and come up with songs that are accessible. The holiday singing is extra tricky because we have an interfaith group and even a few atheists.” \nZanni estimates the repertoire of this annual event is half traditional carols and the rest is popular holiday songs and a few jazz or pop standards. Besides traditional carols like “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World” and secular songs like “Frosty the Snowman” and “Jingle Bells”\, (with verses in Spanish)\, the Bliss Singers’ holiday repertoire includes “Ocho Kandelikas”\, a Hanukkah song in Ladino with a catchy beat. We also toss in “Imagine” and “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles as well as “Guantanamera” and “Dona Nobis Pacem” (done in rounds). \n“There is something for everyone\,” said Zanni. “Some people are uncomfortable with the body of carols for different reasons. Maybe they are Jewish or maybe they have a negative family history around Christmas. I think we address that by including a diversity of songs.” \n \nEveryone in Westbeth and their guests are welcome to make a joyful noise with their neighbors. The event draws an age range from bouncy kids to elders in wheelchairs. Even the staff joins in. The Bliss Singers’ hospitality crew sets up refreshments—hot apple cider and cookies—in the mail room off the main lobby. \nThe day of the event\, chorus members meet in the community room for a warm-up. We drop off our bulky winter coats\, then walk across the courtyard laughing and ringing our jingle bells. As we filter into the lobby\, we find our places with the altos/sopranos/basses/tenors. \nIssac Raz plays an electronic keyboard; he’s joined by Mark Nelms on standup bass. Donning her Santa hat\, Eve Zanni grabs her guitar and leads us in style. \n \nWe Bliss Singers are soon joined by Westbeth residents popping down from their apartments or coming back from shopping. I always love when people walk into the lobby\, see us singing\, and their faces light up with a smile. The staff emerges from the office and the security guards behind their desk join in too. This is the day for the chorus members to shine. \nWest Villager Michele Herman noted how much the group means to her. “I nervously approached the Bliss Singers class around eight years ago\, and now I can’t imagine my life without it\,” said Herman\, writer/writing teacher. (Herman also writes for this paper). “Not only have I overcome a lifelong phobia about singing in public\, I’ve strengthened my vocal cords through Eve’s excellent warm-ups\, found confidence and joy in singing alongside others with Isaac’s glorious piano accompaniments\, and made a whole community of friends. Caroling in the Westbeth lobby is an annual high point: we all get dolled up in our holiday best and sing our hearts out.” \n“This is event is unifying\,” said Zanni. “It’s a ritual of celebrating togetherness.” “My goal is to create new memories for people around the holidays and to help people celebrate the vital community that we now share.” \n \nSome years there are surprises\, like when a man no one knew emerged from the elevator with his violin and played along on every tune. (Turns out he was a musician visiting a resident.) \nI’ve had my own personal surprises related to musical memories. Since my family made a big production out of Christmas\, the holiday carries an emotional wallop with lots of nostalgia. When I was singing “The First Noel”\, I flashed back to walking with my school choir into the dark sanctuary on Christmas Eve\, our candles lit\, the church organ soaring. This was our opening hymn. \nWhen our pianist\, Issac Raz\, hits the tinkling notes of “Silver Bells\,” I’m transported back to my childhood and can picture my sister playing that cheery refrain on the piano in our living room. I can hear my mother calling to her from the kitchen\, “Play ‘Silver Bells.’” \nOne year\, we were practicing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in the community room and we reached the line\, “Someday soon we all will be together\, if the fates allow.” I started crying as I thought of my faithful friend\, Sue\, who was dear to me but wouldn’t be near once more. She had died that past summer. It felt cathartic\, like an unexpected moment in a therapy session. \nZanni is a great believer in the healing power of song. That’s what motivated her to start the Bliss Singers. “The greatest therapy and integration of your humanity can take place through singing and singing with others\,” she said. “It gives you confidence and the vibrations tune our internal organs.” \nI don’t understand the science but I love this caroling event and I always feel uplifted after our weekly class. The Bliss Singers meet weekly on Friday afternoons from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Westbeth Community Room at 155 Bank St. \nThe Bliss Singers is funded by the Westbeth Artists Residents Council through an ongoing grant from the City Council office. (Thank you\, Erik Bottcher.) The workshop is free and open to the public. No experience necessary. \n\nAuthor\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKate Walter\n  \nKate Walter is a NYC based freelance writer and author of two memoirs: Behind the Mask: Living Alone in the Epicenter ( 2021); Looking for a Kiss: A Chronicle of Downtown Heartbreak and Healing (2015). Her essays and opinion pieces have appeared in the New York Times\, Newsday\, New York Daily News\, AM-NY\, Next Avenue\, the Advocate\, the Village Sun and many other places. She taught writing at NYU and CUNY for three decades. Walter has documented her life in downtown Manhattan since 1975. She has been dubbed “that world’s Samuel Pepys. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/kate-walter-writes-about-the-bliss-singers-at-christmas-photos-by-suzen/ LOCATION:Westbeth Lobby CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Kte-Walter-Bliss-Singer-SQ-.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251213T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251213T140000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251206T190816Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251215T221430Z UID:10000928-1765623600-1765634400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Animal Farm - a reading in the Mail Room DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, December 13\, from 11:00-2:00\,\nIn the Westbeth Mailroom\, \n6 Westbethians read:\nGeorge Orwell’s “Animal Farm”\n(a happening) \nReaders: Beth Griffith\, Dennis Fitzpatrick\, Nancy Gabor\, Terence Burk\, Kurt Kelly\, Sandra Kingsbury \nFloor. Pasted copies of US Constitution \nPart of “Fall of Freedom”\, a nationwide wave of creative resistance:\narts communities unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping\nthe nation. \nCome catch just a snippet or stay for more…it’s a great story! \n(p.s. …feel free to just pick up your mail) URL:https://westbeth.org/event/animal-farm-a-reading-in-the-mail-room/ LOCATION:Westbeth Mail Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Beth-Griffiths-and-Others-Animal-Farm-reading.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251212T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260131T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251212T231206Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260202T162522Z UID:10000929-1765526400-1769878800@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Video of "Stories Around the Table" Filmed Oct 28\, 2025 DESCRIPTION:(For close captioning\, click  the rectangle with the double CC’s  at the  Vimeo menu line) \n\n \n“I started this group many years ago when we were worried about getting old. I said ‘let’s write about it.’ We were 40.\nWe used to meet at Shami Chaikin’s apartment\, sitting around her table. Now 40 years later\, we meet on zoom.”\n– Karen Ludwig \nCurrent Members \nKaren Ludwig’s numerous Broadway credits include Neil Simon’s BROADWAY BOUND\, and THE DEVILS with Anne Bancroft. She appeared in many Off-Broadway performances at The Public Theater and was a member of Andre Gregory’s Manhattan Project. She was in the world premiere of MOONCHILDREN at The Royal Court in London as well as playing Lady McDuff in MACBETH at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.Karen Ludwig produced and directed UTA HAGEN’S ACTING CLASS; a compelling DVD of her incomparable teacher conducting Master Acting Classes UTAHAGENVIDEO.com. Ms. Ludwig has directed plays for the Theater for the New City\, NYU School of the Arts\, Ensemble Studio Theater\, Circle Rep\, and The HB Playwrights. On TV she is a LAW and ORDER veteran and many other shows. She conducted an acclaimed interview series ABOUT THE WORK with prominent theater people at the New School for Drama where she also taught for many years.\nhttp://karenludwig.com/#actor \nJoan Hall Known for her artwork\, Joan Hall’s collages and assemblages havebeen exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide\, including theCentre Georges Pompidou in Paris\, and the Museo Rufino Tamayo inMexico. She is a winner of the Miriam Chaikin Foundation 2018 awardfor her poetry. Joan’s poetry and collage books\, Journey to Somewhere\,Behind My Mind\, and Rhyme Time are available on Amazon. Joan hasbeen a resident of Westbeth since 1971.\nhttps://www.joanhallcollage.com \nDawn D/Arcy is a writer\, actor and musician notably\, as well as relevantly\, having played bass in fellow writer Diane Spodarek’s Detroit punk band The Dangerous Diane Band. She worked at The Actors Studio with director John Stix as well as with actor/director Estelle Parsons on Yeats translation of Oedipus starring Al Pacino and Dianne Wiest. She is the very proud grandma of Etta Rose and is never\, ever unaware of how lucky and grateful she is to write\, co-create and perform with Karen Ludwig and this brilliant group of artists for the past 20+ years. \nDiane Spodarek is a Canadian American writer and a recipient of artist fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts. \nJoyce Aaron Oboe winner for Acting in a play Acrobatics co written by Luna Tarlo. Original member of The Open Theater\, directed by Joseph Chaikin. Premiered America Hurrah by Jean Claude Van Itallie in New York and at The Royal Court Theater in London. Lived and worked with Sam Shepard on many of his early plays. \nDale Soules is an American actress known for starring in The Messenger\, Sesame Street\, and for portraying Frieda Berlin in Orange Is the New Black from 2014 to 2019. She appeared in the original production of Hair in the role of Jeannie. \n\nPast Members \nShami Chaikin Obie-award winning actress\, Shami Chaikin was a member of the legendary Open Theater under the direction of Joe Chaikin. She appeared in their seminal productions of The Serpent\, Terminal\, Mutation Show\, and more. Her theatrical appearances also include working with with Andre Serban\, and Elizabeth Swados and Meredith Monk at the New York Shakespeare Festival\, among other venues. In film\, she has acted under the direction of Michaelangelo Antonioni\, James Ivory and Alan Parker\, and has appeared in numerous TV shows\, including Law and Order. \nNancy Gabor is a director and acting teacher.She directed Joseph Chaikin in ‘The War In Heaven\,’and ‘Struck Dumb\,’ staged readings\, as he was recovering from Aphasia at the American Place Theater. She was an actor in The Open Theater and participated in the creation of ‘The Serpent.’\nAmong her many credits:‘The Three Sisters\,’ at Princeton where she was an associate acting professor. Nancy taught and directed at the Amsterdam Theater School in the Netherlands for twenty years.\nAlong with Paul Binnerts\, she conducts an acting workshop at Westbeth\, ‘You’re Never Too Old To Play.’ \nChristina Maile\nHer work reflecting her West Indian and Dayak heritage\, she has received grants from Pollock-Krasner and Joan Mitchell Foundation\, as well as two Miriam Chaikin Foundation Writing Awards. Her landscape architectural work was featured in Garden Design Magazine. She was the co-founder playwright of the Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective. christinamaile.com URL:https://westbeth.org/event/video-of-stories-around-the-table-filmed-oct-28-2025/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Karen-Ludwig-wesite-Home-stories-around-ta.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251210 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251211 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251206T020129Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T212250Z UID:10000924-1765324800-1765411199@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Dapolito Recreation Center - WARC\, GVSHP and Community Urge Mayor Elect Mamdani to Save Dapolito Rec Center DESCRIPTION: URL:https://westbeth.org/event/dapolito-recreation-center-warc-gvshp-and-community-urge-mayor-elect-mamdani-to-save-dapolito-rec-center/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:non-event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-05-at-6.09.10-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251209T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251209T210000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251205T223343Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T175705Z UID:10000922-1765303200-1765314000@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Fix-It Night with the Fixers Collective DESCRIPTION:Tuesday December 9\, 2025 6PM – 9PM \nWestbeth Community Room\n155 Bank St\n(enter through courtyard)\nNew York\, NY 10014 \n$5 suggested donation per fix\nBring Your Own Parts \nReserve a spot WestbethConservation@gmail.com \nAnother famous Fix-It Night with the Fixers Collective. Please email to grab a slot on the schedule; tell us what you plan to bring for repair. \nThis week’s specialists include jewelry guru Jenny Lombard and West Village timepiece and shoe veteran David Rafael\, who will replace batteries on the spot and accept dropoffs for paid shoe and boot repairs. Our geniuses have all types of expertise! \nAll photos by Carole Braden. URL:https://westbeth.org/event/fix-it-night-with-the-fixers-collective-2/ LOCATION:Westbeth Community Room CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FIX-IT-NIGHT-6-DENNIS-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251207T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251216T170000 DTSTAMP:20260423T111525 CREATED:20251206T022041Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251215T221635Z UID:10000925-1765094400-1765904400@westbeth.org SUMMARY:Pedro Giraudo Music Performances DESCRIPTION:Senza Parole Pedro Giraudo’s latests albuml Live at Grace Church\, NYC \n \nDecember is here and we have a lot of performances to share with you! (Am I the only one who thinks it’s INSANE that 2025 is almost over?!). \nThe highlights: \nThis Sun\, Dec 7th\, at 4pm we are very excited to be back at The Dweck Auditorium at the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library for a FREE concert. The concert will feature: Nicolas Danielson on violin\, Loïc da Silva on bandoneón\, and Jun Cho on piano. \nOn Wed\, Dec 10th\, 6pm\, I’ll be presenting a new project at the Perelman PAC: The Pedro Giraudo New World Trio\, featuring Camila Cortina Bello on piano and Chris Hemingway on saxes presenting music from Cuba\, Argentina and USA.This concert is also FREE! \nLast but not least: on Sun\, Dec 14th\, 7pm the Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet will be performing at the Bailemos in Astoria Holiday Gala Milonga! It would be lovely to toast with you there!\nIf I don’t get to see you\, I wish you a marvelous holiday season! \nOnwards and upwards\,\nPedro \nUpcoming performances\n 📅 Sun\, Dec 07\, 4:00 PM – PGTQ @ Dweck Auditorium\, Brooklyn\n📅 Tue\, Dec 09\, 4:00 PM – PGTQ @ Moynihan Hall\, New York\n📅 Wed\, Dec 10\, 8:00 AM – PG’s New World Trio @ 28 Liberty St\, New York\n📅 Wed\, Dec 10\, 6:00 PM – PG’s New World Trio @ Perelman PAC\, New York\n📅 Sun\, Dec 14\, 7:30 PM – Bailemos\, Astoria Holiday Gala Milonga\, Queens URL:https://westbeth.org/event/pedro-giraudo-music-performances/ LOCATION:Various venues in NYC CATEGORIES:past-events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://westbeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-05-at-9.09.38-PM.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR