Public Dedication Ceremony
Thursday, June 25 at Noon
On the Boardwalk at the New York Aquarium, Coney Island, Brooklyn
 
WHO:  New York Aquarium officials, Members of the Parks Department, Groundswell Community Mural Project, South Brooklyn Youth Consortium, and Coney Island Community Leaders.

WHAT:   A public dedication ceremony for a new mural created at the New York Aquarium at Coney Island in Brooklyn. Working in partnership with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium (SBYC) and the aquarium, the mural was created by a group of youth from SBYC who worked with Groundswell artists Candice Sering and Chris Beck. The finished mural transforms the Boardwalk with a vibrant floating collage of aquatic images. From the aquarium staff, the mural team learned about the habitats that marine animals live in. In intensive workshops, they learned how color factors into sea creatures' environments and how their shapes are key to their survival. Choosing colors that they actually saw in aquatic life, the team created a progression of imagery that flows across a span of 100 feet along the Boardwalk. Playing with color, repetition, and scale, the group developed a scene that shows the movement and intensity of sea life habitats. The New York Aquarium is proud to support this project and the community.

WHERE:  On the Boardwalk to the left of the New York Aquarium, Surf Avenue & West 8th Street, Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY.

WHEN:  Thursday, June 25, 2009 at Noon.

Interviews available by request.

Contact: Fran Hackett: 718-265-3428

The New York Aquarium opens every day of the year at 10am, and closing times vary seasonally. Admission is $13.00 for adults, $9.00 for children ages 3-12 and $10.00 for senior citizens (65 and older); children under 3 years of age are admitted free. Fridays after 3pm, admission is by suggested donation. The Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue at West 8th Street in Coney Island. For directions, information on public events and programs, and other Aquarium information, call 718-265-FISH or visit our web site at http://www.nyaquarium.com. Now is the perfect time to visit and show support for the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn’s most heavily attended attraction and a beloved part of the City of New York.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.  Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

About Groundswell
Groundswell is a New York based nonprofit organization dedicated to using art as a tool for social change by bringing together professional artists, community organizations, and youth to collaboratively create over 100 public art projects in communities across NYC.  Over the last 12 years Groundswell has developed complex partnerships with community-based and educational institutions, serving thousands of youth and community members with whom we have worked to visually transform New York’s urban landscape. For more information, visit www.groundswellmural.org <http://www.groundswellmural.org/SLI08projects.html>