Manhattan lands $30,000 privately-funded art project

Manhattan residents are invited to unite through the celebration of public art during the inaugural Incite MHK event. A variety of events are planned, with the main feature being the painting of a large mural on the wall facing the patio of A.J.’s New York Pizzeria. Through a $30,000 grant from the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation’s Deihl Community Grants Program, Incite MHK will host Brazilian illustrator and muralist duo Bicicleta Sem Freio to paint the mural throughout the week. 

Incite MHK is the brainchild of six community members with a passion for bringing Manhattan together through the arts. While this is the group’s first project, they hope to turn Incite MHK into an annual event, as well as embark on other projects.

“Our ultimate goal is to make Manhattan an even more vibrant, creative, magnetic, fun town to live in,” said Jeff Sackrider, one of the members behind Incite MHK. “We want people to get out of their cars. Slow down. Enjoy this town. Our hope is that we can incite others to want the same things and go out and do them when they see what we have done.”

Incite MHK worked with global creative house Justkids to identify Bicicleta Sem Freio as the muralists for the public art project. The group unanimously chose the duo for their style of art and personable, outgoing personalities. The duo consists of Douglas de Castro and Renato Perreira.  Their work can be seen in major cities, including London, Berlin, Hong Kong, Miami, Las Vegas, Montreal and Los Angeles.

Community members are invited to watch the mural painting in progress, as well as take part in related events throughout the celebration. The week will end with a mural reveal party on Nov. 2 in downtown Manhattan. 

Event details will be released in the coming weeks leading up to Incite MHK. For more information, visit www.incitemhk.org.