By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LOWER EAST SIDE — In an artistic twist on the pub crawl, the arts website Artlog will host its third annual Lower East Side art crawl through more than two dozen neighborhood galleries on Thursday.
"Collect LES - Lower East Side Artcrawl," which is organized with Artlog in partnership with the New Museum, the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, and The New York Observer, will give art enthusiasts the opportunity to visit 28 galleries, as well as free admission to the New Museum’s current exhibits, including "Brion Gysin: Dream Machine."
"I really would like people to have the chance to experience the artwork in these galleries and see something they may have never seen before," said Artlog.com’s Editor-in-chief David Goodman.
"Often times you don’t have a chance to have a moment with the artwork like you can with this experience," Goodman added.
The three-hour crawl culminates in open bar after parties at two neighborhood bars, Panda Bar and Gallery Bar.
"It takes a little while to figure out what each of these galleries is all about because they each have a different flavor, so getting to see them all at once in this crawl lets you take it all in and experience them," Goodman said.
"This is a great way to, for example, run up Orchard Street and see six galleries right there and get a good sense of what’s going on. I think once you do things like that, you’re apt to go back."
Goodman said the goal of the crawl for the galleries is to bring increased foot traffic into the establishments during the slow summer period and share their programs with many people who may not have visited them before.
As of Wednesday evening, approximately 750 of the $20 tickets to the event had been sold, but attendance is expected to exceed 1,000 people. Last year, more than 1,700 art enthusiasts took part in the crawl.
The art crawl is part of Artlog’s "Collect" initiative, the goal of which is to introduce young collectors and art enthusiasts to varying art communities throughout the city.
The full list of galleries participating in Thursday’s event and ticket information can be found here.
