UPTOWN — Calling all uptown artists, musicians, dancers — and even magicians.
Higher Ground, a group that promotes the arts uptown, is hosting its Winter Rise festival on Saturday. It's both a fundraising and networking event to promote the work of artists from Washington Heights and Inwood and to encourage them to collaborate.
“This event reflects our artistic community,” said Temple Kemezis, a dancer and founder of Higher Ground, “to celebrate our artists and to give them a show.”
The Winter Rise will feature live music, performances and refreshments, according to the event's website.
The money raised will help fund Higher Grounds Premieres, a June event that showcases the collaborative artwork of uptown artists as part of the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance's Uptown Arts Stroll.
Kemezis, who's lived uptown since 2009, came up with Higher Grounds' collaborative concept last year when she realized there were so many artists in the neighborhood.
“You see everyone on the A-train,” she said, “and I thought, ‘We should all come together, to help each other out.’”
She shared her concept with her partner Pablo Francisco Ruvalcaba, who's the principal dancer at the Limon Dance Company, who started working out the details of the organization.
She then reached out to different local organizations, and forged a partnership with NoMAA.
“We do a big open call towards the end of the year,” Kemezis said. Artists who answer then fill out an application and come to meet-and-greets hosted by the group.
Of the 70 artists that applied for 2015's Higher Grounds Premieres, 45 were selected to participate, Kemezis said.
The open call is going on now until Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Meet-and-greets are currently being scheduled. Artists applications will then go to the festival board, Kemezis said, where artists are selected and provided with a $500 stipend and tools from the Materials for the Arts.
All artists are encouraged to apply.
Higher Ground Winter Rise will take place Sat., Dec. 12 at the Cornerstone Church/Our Savior’s Atonement Lutheran Church at 178 Bennett Ave., between 189th and 190th Street, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
