Christmas trees, lights and music will fill the open halls of the Everson Museum of Art this weekend as they open their doors to immigrants and refugees in central New York. 

On Thursday from 6-8 p.m., the Everson will celebrate the holidays and entertain Syracuse community members with performances, refreshments and tours at the Engaging Neighbors event. 

Engaging Neighbors is a new addition to the Festival of Trees this year and has been in development for 10 months among volunteers and staff. The event features performances by The Kenya Hora Klezmer Band, Seema Sureshkumar Dance Troupe and the Bhutanese Community In Syracuse Dance Troupe. Admission for non-members is $8. 

This year’s Festival of Trees is the 32nd annual and includes more than 100 decorative trees. The event, a holiday tradition, is a major fundraising event for the museum, said Nicole LeClair, the Everson’s director of marketing and communications. 

Engaging Neighbors is one of several community outreach programs hosted by the Everson. The museum’s initiatives include the Community Partnership and the Community Exhibition. These programs and classes aim to educate the community and encourage artistic expression. 

The Community Partnership program involves collaborating with local organizations, like the Armory Square Playwrights, to hold events at the museum, said curator of public programs Qiana Williams. “Our mission is to give everyone an opportunity to get involved and create.” 

The birth of Engaging Neighbors came about when Everson staff looked for ways to utilize the second Thursday of the festival in a more community-driven way. 

“This is a relevant thing to be doing with our open evening,” said Sarah Dulany-Gring, the inspiration and event coordinator behind the event. “We call ourselves the cultural anchor for the city and we want to open our doors to everyone.” 

Those at the Everson have been referring to this event as a fundraiser to the community. LeClair said that the trees on display have been donated by local businesses, organizations and individuals, and the proceeds go to supporting museum events year round. 

“We at the Everson believe everyone should have equal and meaningful access to art, and that art can be a powerful tool for engendering civic discourse, strengthening community and influencing economic prosperity,” LeClair said.  

The Everson has held similar events in the past, but none with a specific goal in mind. Entertainment performances by various groups will take place throughout the night.  

“It’s a little in the idea that you have a new neighbor on the street, and you bring them some cookies,” said Dulany-Gring.  

For those who do not have a holiday tradition with decorative trees, Dulany-Gring explained, the event aims to include them and open them up to the community. 

The Everson has partnered with organizations like InterFaith Works of Central New York, Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment and Catholic Charities to spread the word about the event. They have been informing new community members as well as helping to put the event together. 

“If we have a great turnout and we find that it’s successful in the community, we will absolutely continue it in the future,” Dulany-Gring said. “That’ll be the whole goal.” 

Published on December 6, 2017 at 11:21 pm

Contact Sarah: ssallam@syr.edu