Art and New York are inseparable. Starting on June 7 and for the next four weeks, Tribeca Festival and Chanel have worked together to launch “Art is New York/ New York is Art.” To celebrate  20 years of the Tribeca Festival Art Awards, over 60 Arts Award contributors are invited to create original sketches. Their artistic expressions are presented on storefronts across lower Manhattan, creating an outdoor gallery of artwork to revive the city that is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Artwork reminds us that New York City is a work of art in itself. If you are wandering around lower Manhattan, you will see artwork from Julian Schnabel, Kiki Smith, Nate Lowman, Swoon, Chuck D, Matthew Modine, Christopher Walken, Donna Ferrato, Aurel Schmidt, Kalup Linzy, Don Gummer, Sophie Matisse, Dustin Yellin and many more. To further examine the power of art and the resilience of the city, together with the artwork, a short film is also released, featuring  Julian Schnabel, Donna Ferrato, and Chuck D.

“Tribeca’s long-standing partnership with CHANEL in supporting human expression through art is deeply rooted in the spirit of the festival. Their commitment to honoring the boldness and authenticity of artists is palpable,”  said Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Festival. “There’s no better way to see New York come alive and heal than through the creative lens of these wonderful artists. This project beautifully represents the city.”

This year, Clifford Ross, Curtis Kulig, Deborah Kass, Francesco Clemente, Gus Van Sant, Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao, Laurie Simmons, Meghan Boody, Sheila Berger, Stephen Hannock, and Will Ryman will donate their original artwork to honor winning storytellers and creators. The 2021 Art Awards collection will be featured in an online gallery on Tribecafilm.com throughout the festival. 

On June 17, the Tribeca Festival Awards Ceremony will announce the winning films, projects, filmmakers, storytellers, and actors.