More than 50 New York Artists rally together to help teens stay out of jail through art

NEW YORK - Feb. 4, 2015 - PRLog -- More than 50 artists from New York and beyond are donating artworks to support Young New Yorkers (YNY), a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that runs diversion programs for 16- and 17-year-olds who are being prosecuted as adults in New York State. Joseph Gross Gallery will host the event on April 1, 2015, from 6:00 to 10:00 PM at 548 W 28th Street, Suite 232.

New York is one of only two states that arrests and sentences 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. Each year, 25,000 16- and 17-year-olds are prosecuted as adults in New York City, leaving them with a criminal record that affects their ability to get a job, an education and housing.  Young New Yorkers provides court-mandated arts-based programs that allow participants’ cases to be sealed upon completion.  In addition, each program culminates in an art exhibition of the participants’ art works, giving members of the criminal justice system an opportunity to re-meet these young people beyond their rap sheets.

“From the beginning our Diversion Programs have been supported by local Street Artists, many of whom were arrested for graffiti in their youth before they became celebrated artists,” Rachel Barnard, YNY Executive Director said. “Shepard Fairey, Swoon, ESPO, Chino, ASVP, Gilf!, and many more have all donated artworks to support our city’s justice-involved teenagers.”

YNY’s inaugural 8-week Diversion Program in 2012 was fully funded by the first Silent Art Auction and allowed 8 teenagers to avoid jail time. Since then, YNY has flourished - in 2014 the artists’ donations supported programs for over 75 teenagers, the vast majority of which had their criminal cases dismissed and sealed, leaving their young lives uninhibited by an adult criminal record.

The Auction is curated by Nami Berglund, LNY, Daniel Weintrop, Keith Markel, and Rachel Barnard.

ABOUT YOUNG NEW YORKERS

Young New Yorkers’ mission is to transform the criminal justice system through the creative self-expression of young New Yorkers. We do this by providing alternatives to incarceration through transformative justice arts programming. Programs include:

·         1-day Diversion Program: a court-mandated program on the completion of which participants’ cases are dismissed and sealed.

·         8-week Diversion Program: a court-mandated alternative to incarceration program for 16- and 17-year-olds charged with misdemeanor offenses. In the vast majority of cases the participants’ adult criminal record is sealed upon completion.

·         Community Program: an 8-week art program using art to facilitate transformative conversations around issues of local gun violence in Brownsville.

All programs culminate in a public art exhibition and event so that the members of the criminal justice system and the community at large can meet the brave-hearted young people newly.

For further information, please visit: www.youngnewyorkers.org, email: info@youngnewyorkers.com or call: (347) 720-0776.

ABOUT JOSEPH GROSS GALLERY

Joseph Gross Gallery represents a stable of contemporary artists who exemplify the gallery’s commitment to pioneering genres and mediums. Joseph Gross is known for curating exhibitions that challenge convention and bring the most cutting edge images and ideas by today’s most exciting contemporary artists to the fore.Joseph Gross Gallery is located at 548 West 28th Street, 2^nd floor, suite 232, New York, NY 10001. For further information, please visit: www.josephgrossgallery.com, email:info@josephgrossgallery.comor call: (646) 535-6528.