Whether you’re loved up or flying solo, Valentine’s Day brings a bevy of creative events and exhibitions to New York, with a soiree for every taste. Architecture buffs can spend an exclusive evening at One Barclay with the Art Deco Society; art lovers can go back in time with jazz master Michael Arenella at the art-filled Norwood Club; and urban explorers can tour the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant’s digester eggs.

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Photo via Allison Marchant/Flickr

Close out 2017 with creativity at one of these arty parties or events. Look to Salvador Dali for the 3rd Annual Surrealist Ball, or channel the Great Gatsby at Hudson Terrace. If masquerade is your thing, check out Sleep No More’s sumptuous King’s Feast, the Truman Capote-inspired Black and White Ball, or get weird at the House of Yes. If you’re more laid back, have a classy evening of cocktails at Freemans or Raines Law Room. For the truly bold, brave the crowds to watch the ball drop in Times Square. And if New Year’s Eve isn’t your thing, celebrate New Year’s Day with a Victorian get together at the Merchant House Museum, or take a plunge into the ocean with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club. Whatever you decide to do- have a happy and safe New Year!
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The holiday season in New York is one of the most magical times, packed with lots of events to perpetuate the experience. Aside from ice skating, holiday-themed bars, and the tree at Rockefeller Center, be sure to tuck into these art exhibitions and events to get you into the spirit! From old standbys like the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show to contemporary offerings like Yayoi Kusama’s glittering installations in Chelsea and Erwin Redl’s haunting field of glowing orbs at Madison Square Park, we’ve rounded up the 14 best must-see artsy exhibits this year.

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Now that summer’s over, galleries, museums, and arts organizations are readying for a robust season of offerings. To help navigate NYC’s rich arts and cultural scene, 6sqft has put together a list of the 20 best exhibits, events, and installations, from public murals in the Bronx and a miniature Redwood forest in Brooklyn to an immersive photography village and a city-wide collection of fences by Ai Weiwei to exhibits on never-built New York and public art itself, there’s something for everyone going on this fall.

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Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers!

This week, party it up at PS1 Moma’s Night at the Museum, then get to the roots of the salsa movement in New York with the Museum of the City of New York’s walking tour. The Center for Architecture leads a tour about the space-age architecture of the 1964 World’s Fair, and the Design Trust for Public Space hosts a potluck at the park outside of the Holland Tunnel. Speaking of public space, Madison Square Park’s art installation will be the scene to experience yoiking, a northern Norwegian practice of channeling animal spirits with the voice. Interesting. Then, this weekend is all about outdoor festivals. Head to Governors Island for free kayaking, boating and fun for City of Water Day, or to the Rubin Museum for their annual free block party. Finally, Bar Tabac shuts down Smith Street in Brooklyn to celebrate Bastille Day—a French festival of food, drinks, and petanque!
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For some of us, the idea of a summer vacation is a fantastical memory from childhood, now seeming a far cry from demanding jobs and lack of PTO. But the same cultural rejuvenation can be yours—if only for a day. Whether by bus, train or if you want to get fancy and rent a car, an art-filled daycation could be just what you need this summer to get that vacation glow. From Jackson Pollock’s Hamptons studio and Dia Beacon’s minimalist art collection to the Rockefeller family’s historic mansion Kykuit and the Gilded Age ruins of Bannerman Castle, we’ve rounded up 10 artsy day trips that are just a stone’s throw from NYC.

All the best escape here

Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers!

Times Square is offering up some pretty cool art experiences this week including a late-night 3D movie and vintage telephone booths that have been repurposed to play stories from immigrants to our great city. The High Line is holding a live chess tournament where pieces are swapped out for visitors, and Chesterfield Gallery hosts a group of artists who have swapped paint for textiles. Photographs celebrating the “limitless beauty of blackness” opens at Brilliant Champions, and artist Andrea Fraser gives a free lunchtime talk at SVA. If you’re out in the Hamptons, take some art with your beach time at Market Art + Design, and finally, rumor has it that the Kosciuszko Bridge will finally be imploded.

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Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers!

If you’re staying in town for the Fourth weekend, be sure to flex your cultural muscle! Check out a mix of fine art and architecture twice this week- first catch a slice of the Vatican at Santiago Calatrava’s Oculus, then head to the Park Armory for a project by Ai Weiwei and Herzog & deMeuron. Spend some time in City Hall Park with Katja Novitskova’s new series of sculptures, then relax in the rarely-opened New York Marble Cemetery for a group show by Ugo Rondinone. Party it up on the cobblestone streets of Wooster for their annual block party, then grab a blanket and catch Brigitte Bardot on the big screen under the stars. Finally, experience Paris’ Urban Arts Fair at Spring Street Studios- and check out a book signing with me on Friday!
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Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers!

Tomorrow, experience a slice of New York life in 1850 at the Merchant’s House Museum or check out a modern street photographer at The Quin. Head up to the Bronx to check out two artists who have evolved from the subway art scene, then check out Astoria’s art offerings beyond the Museum of the Moving Image. Of course, there’s the biggest party of all this weekend- PRIDEFest, so put your dancing or marching shoes on. The female gaze is debunked at a beautiful show at The Untitled Space, the romance novel cover is examined and art critic Roberta Smith speaks to SVA for a free lunchtime talk.
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Egg Rolls, Egg Creams and Empanadas Festival; Photo via Kate Milford for the Museum at Eldridge Street

Art Nerd New York founder Lori Zimmer shares her top art, design and architecture event picks for 6sqft readers!

If you’re feeling low this week, head to Times Square for a round of artful applause, or to the Rubin for some pick me ups thanks to the world of sound. Step back in time (and flex your history knowledge) for a Jazz Age Drink and Draw, then test your modern New York history knowledge at the New York Now Scavenger Hunt. If you’re itching to learn, join a free history tour of Washington Square Park, take in an artist talk by Martha Rosler, then celebrate the diverse history of the Lower East Side at the Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Festival. Finally, cozy up with a date for Bryant Park’s first screening under the stars with King Kong.

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