{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/xd0qr4pd21/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["What Shapes Our Communities: Culture Lab LIC"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eEdjo Wheeler is the Executive Director of the newly instated Culture Lab LIC. Located at the Plaxall Gallery, Culture Lab LIC is focused on supporting the development and growth of artists, musicians, actors, and their local community.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWheeler is an artist working primarily in sculpture. Wheeler often integrates welded metal with wood in his sculptural practice, and is drawn to difficult materials and constructions that capture movement. He became involved in the Long Island City arts community through LIC-A (Long Island City Artists), an arts advocacy and membership organization for which he is now on the board of directors. In the 2010s, LIC-A was seeking more permanent gallery space and developed a relationship with Plaxall, a family-owned plastics and real estate company headquartered in Long Island City, which offered a large warehouse space for the group to use. This warehouse became the Plaxall Gallery, where Wheeler worked as Artistic Director.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWheeler speaks to the collaborative and uplifting nature of his arts-related work, noting the programming and residency programs he helped to develop at Plaxall and Culture Lab LIC. During the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wheeler and the newly formed Culture Lab team used the parking lot as a food distribution location and worked together to deliver meals. As time went on, the team offered outdoor music and arts programming at the Culture Lab site. Key to Wheeler’s outlook is community engagement and finding ways to offer much needed resources for artists in and around Long Island City, Queens.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCopyright held by: Queens Borough Public Library\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2020-07-10 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Video"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Edjo Wheeler (Interviewee)","Jo-Ann Wong (Interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["This interview is part of Queens Memory Covid-19 Project's video series, highlighting local businesses, organizations, and artists that contribute and are integral to our local communities."]}},{"label":{"en":["Coverage"]},"value":{"en":["2011-2020 (temporal)","Long Island City and Astoria, Queens, NY (spatial)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eEdjo Wheeler is the Executive Director of the newly instated Culture Lab LIC. Located at the Plaxall Gallery, Culture Lab LIC is focused on supporting the development and growth of artists, musicians, actors, and their local community.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWheeler is an artist working primarily in sculpture. Wheeler often integrates welded metal with wood in his sculptural practice, and is drawn to difficult materials and constructions that capture movement. He became involved in the Long Island City arts community through LIC-A (Long Island City Artists), an arts advocacy and membership organization for which he is now on the board of directors. In the 2010s, LIC-A was seeking more permanent gallery space and developed a relationship with Plaxall, a family-owned plastics and real estate company headquartered in Long Island City, which offered a large warehouse space for the group to use. This warehouse became the Plaxall Gallery, where Wheeler worked as Artistic Director.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWheeler speaks to the collaborative and uplifting nature of his arts-related work, noting the programming and residency programs he helped to develop at Plaxall and Culture Lab LIC. During the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wheeler and the newly formed Culture Lab team used the parking lot as a food distribution location and worked together to deliver meals. As time went on, the team offered outdoor music and arts programming at the Culture Lab site. Key to Wheeler\u0026rsquo;s outlook is community engagement and finding ways to offer much needed resources for artists in and around Long Island City, Queens.\u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCopyright held by: Queens Borough Public Library\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/096/222/small/WSOC.jpg?1597834410","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - Edjo_Wheeler__Culture_Lab_LIC_8-11-2020.mp4"]},"duration":2869.46131,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/096/222/small/WSOC.jpg?1597834410","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-queenslibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/096/222/original/Edjo_Wheeler__Culture_Lab_LIC_8-11-2020.mp4?1597779613","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":2869.46131,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Full Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Hello everyone. And today we welcome Edjo Wheeler, who is the executive director of the newly instated Culture Lab LIC, and also is a member of LIC-A's [Long Island City Artists] board of directors. Besides these positions, Edjo has worn many hats during his career as a sculptor, curator, filmmaker, to name just a few. To begin, I've mentioned many positions that you hold, but you also run the Plaxall Gallery. So I do want to ask, how did you officially get started at Plaxall and how did you get involved?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=22.0,54.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So, being on the board of directors for Long Island City Artists, they've been around Long Island City since like 1986. So, some of the members and the board directors really know the area and I was really happy to join the board. And one of the things that I thought was most important for us is to have a place to exhibit. As we know, the main issue in New York with almost everything, but specifically the arts, is finding a place to be able to make it happen, right? So, like, everywhere else in the country, if you really needed some space, you could probably have a garage or a backyard, or, you know, there's someplace you can find it. In New York that's just not the case.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=54.0,105.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So, some of the board directors got together and we just went around and started to ask building owners and developers whether they had an empty space that we could convert into a gallery. Like, alright, so you have an empty storefront, let us come in, we'll paint the walls white, we'll hang some lights, we'll turn it into an art gallery. We'll name it whatever you want, we'll name it after your grandkid or your grandma or whatever, you know? And then when you rent it, we'll leave. And we had some success with [that]. We had some pop-ups around the city, like at the Falchi [building]. But then we contacted, through Steve Cooper, the Plaxall family. Plaxall is a three-generation plastic shaping and manufacturing company and real estate company in Long Island City. They own quite a few buildings.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=105.0,159.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So we asked them for some empty space and after a few months they got back to us and they said, \"Okay, we think we have something that might work for you.\" And it was a big, beautiful, raw warehouse. There wasn't even lights hung. The previous tenant actually tore out the lights that were hanging from the ceiling, 'cause they installed them so they took them with them. So, we get into a space. We were supposed to have it for two months. There wasn't even lights hanging from the ceiling. So LIC-A, Long Island City Artists, we descended upon this space. We made lights ourselves from Home Depot and painted the walls and we were up and running. So right off the bat, we were doing art exhibitions, performances. It was amazing. So, what do you name the space? Well, you're going to name it after the people who donated it to you, so that's where the name Plaxall Gallery came from.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=159.0,220.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And so you've mentioned LIC-A. And so for people who don't know specifically what LIC-A is, can you explain specifically what it is and also what drew you to Long Island City's art scene as well?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=220.0,235.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: They're primarily a membership organization. So, when I joined the board, there was about 80 or 90 artist members and you pay 50, 70 bucks a year and then you're a member and you get a page on their website. When they have exhibitions, you can show for free, that kind of stuff. So that's mostly what they do. They have other artists services. You get discounts on other exhibitions by joining, and it's just a really great network. So that's primarily LIC-A. But they'd been homeless when I joined five years ago for like eight years. They don't have a permanent residence anywhere. So it's just about doing pop-up shows around Long Island City and the Atlantic Gallery. Was there a second part of that question?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=235.0,288.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Yeah. So the second part is in regards to what specifically drew you to the Long Island City art scene?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=288.0,294.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Doing a lot of sculpture during that time. So I was looking for places to exhibit and I would much rather be out here in Queens than having to navigate the Manhattan scene [laughter]. So I just started looking for places to exhibit and I ran across Long Island City Artists, and they were having an exhibition for the LIC Open Studios, which is a big art festival that happens every year in Long Island. So, I joined to be a part of that exhibition. You show up to drop off your artwork. It was a huge space that we were doing the pop-up in, and the curators needed help hanging. I mean, there was probably 80 artists in that exhibition.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=294.0,345.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So before you know it, you're helping hang art and then you're going to get supplies for the opening and they see that you're halfway intelligent [laughter] and you show up on time. So then they're all of a sudden like, hey, do you want to join the board? You seem halfway decent [laughter], you're not too argumentative, you should join the board. So, if you're willing to work hard and volunteer, that's pretty much an automatic in. And it's just a great group of people. You know, it's just artists trying to get things done, trying to get their work shown. So it's kind of hard to say no to that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=345.0,384.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: You've mentioned that you're a sculptor. And so I wanted to ask specifically, what is your medium of choice and why specifically that medium?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=384.0,396.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: I would say whatever the hardest, most difficult material to manipulate you can find, I'll find a way to be attracted to that. Steel, wood—I'm a welder. I'm an artist that knows how to weld, I'm not a welder really. Metal is my real chosen medium. When I was much younger, when I was a kid, I would want to make something. Like, you want to make a go-kart or you want to make a sculpture, and you can only get so big before something starts falling apart. You know, if you're nailing pieces of wood together, or you're using clay, you need an armature or things sag and fall apart. And it was just always this dream to be like, well, I just want these two things to stick together and never ever come apart.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=396.0,456.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Like, I want to build a structure that is, like, strong. And I was always very attracted to movement. I was a martial artist. I was a stunt man for many years. I've always been very attracted to dance. I love going to the ballet. So anything with motion and movement. And to create a structure, particularly figurative work, that can support that shape, it needs to be metal. It needs that kind of structural integrity. So, yeah, metal, and then of course I am in love with wood. Beautiful wood, sanded down to like thousand grit and well-oiled is such a beautiful thing. So sometimes I like combining those things.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=456.0,508.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Is there a favorite piece that you've made before?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=508.0,510.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: I don't think I have a favorite, but if I was going to pick one, it would be the first time I learned how to weld and make a solid object, right? So like to give something structure, you have to combine a lot of different materials, and I have a very special technique where I'm basically just welding on top of weld. I'm just getting the metal red hot, molten hot, and then shaping it after that. And I had a couple of pieces where I started to develop my technique and then I finally figured it out. So that first one I would say, I named it \"Push,\" I would definitely say that, just because that's when I finally figured out my technique.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=510.0,566.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: I feel like when something like that happens, it's almost like a moment of eureka.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=566.0,572.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Right, yeah. And it frequently takes courage to get there, where you're just like, turn the heat up, crank it up, don't be afraid to get in there. 'Cause welding can be very intimidating. You know, blobs of hot metal are falling off of the sculpture, hitting the ground and exploding in a shower of sparks. Orestes Gonzalez, a fantastic photographer that we work with, did a shoot with me in my studio and he captured a couple of those images, right when those blobs of hot metal are hitting the ground and showering sparks all over the place. But yes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=572.0,613.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And so to continue off of that, as I mentioned, you're a part of this newly instated Culture Lab LIC. I've looked very much into it. I'm super excited about it.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=613.0,624.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So are we.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=624.0,625.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And so to people who don't know about it, can you specify exactly who you guys are and what are you guys looking to do in the upcoming future?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=625.0,635.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Yeah. We're really excited about Cultural Lab too. This has been something that's been in the works for a long time. Just a little bit more history about LIC-A, the Plaxall Gallery and Culture Lab, because these things are all absolutely growing out from the same root system, so LIC-A was running the Plaxall Gallery, which is a 12,000 square foot converted warehouse, as I was explaining. It's also very important to say how thankful we are to the Plaxall family for providing the space. So, the first gallery we were in had to get cut in half, so they gave us even more space in the back. Now we're starting to program the parking lot. Like, they've really put their trust in [us]. We don't pay rent, we don't pay utilities. They don't get in our business. They don't tell us what to exhibit.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=635.0,696.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So as long as we're serving the community, we can do almost whatever we want. But that's a lot of work, right? 12,000 square feet, we have a private waterfront area that needed to be all cleaned up, and now the parking lot, it's a lot. And LIC-A, that was never what LIC-A was meant to do. LIC-A is an artist membership organization. So all of a sudden needing to raise $250,000 a year for salaries and paint and marketing and printing and on and on, and managing staff and residency programs. It's just a tremendous amount of work. We had a very good team. Tana Sirois was our performing arts director. Norma Homberg was our gallery director. I was serving as the artistic director. Tessa Kennedy was a huge help.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=696.0,749.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Plus so many artists from the community showed up and helped make it a thing. They were the ones at three o'clock in the morning hanging artwork, pulling together to make it happen. We just can't thank them enough. But again, LIC-A wasn't prepared to take on that amount of work and still focus on their membership. So Culture Lab was created to be the umbrella organization for everything that was happening in that space. Create a new board of directors that is going to raise serious funds, really bring on professionals to take on the roles necessary to do the amount of programming we do, which is a lot. When we talk to other not-for-profit organizations and they ask us what our operating budget is and that kind of stuff, they can't believe how much we do with so little, or as the saying goes, we've done so much for so long with so little, you could accomplish anything with nothing. And that's the people that are attracted to the space.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=749.0,824.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: It's just that get it done feeling. But then there's the business side. Running a functioning board, running a not-for-profit that large. So that's where Culture Lab came from. LIC-A is still one of the artists groups that use the space. They'll continue to have exhibitions there. I'm still on their board. Norma Homberg is still working with LIC-A. So again, it's all very connected, but you really have to get serious when you're talking about this much programming.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=824.0,863.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And so that actually leads really well into my next question. Why is it important for organizations like yourself to be involved in all of these types of different programming, whether it's exhibitions or classes or residencies, why is it important to have these in our communities at this time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=863.0,884.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Well, this might also be a nice segue to some of the other things I think you want to talk about here, but this all went down when COVID started. LIC-A was making the transfer out and Culture Lab was just starting and then COVID hit. So now more than ever, just like I said before, it comes down to space. So you're an artist, where are you going to show your work? You're a theater company, where are you going to produce your play? You're an orchestra, you want to start a music festival, where do you do that and not have to pay through the nose? Well, it's Culture Lab's goal to be able to provide that space to the community as free of charge as possible.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=884.0,947.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So whenever we can, we want to be able to provide a clean, open, welcoming space where everyone, everyone is invited to come out and participate, but not lose your shirt in the process. So with like a theater group, they come in, they rehearse for free, and then after their expenses we do a 50-50 door split, is a very common model that we do. So if no one shows up, you know, if they don't make that much money, at least they already covered their expenses, right? So our model is, you know, we all rise together. So if you don't sell a lot of tickets, no one made money, but if you did sell tickets then everyone makes a little bit. You know, there's—that sense of camaraderie and cooperation is what we're really interested in. So, especially after COVID, what theaters are still going to be open? What art galleries are going to be up and running? You know, you need a space to do that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=947.0,1017.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: And it's also really important to mention, the main purpose of Culture Lab is to provide that space, but it's not just for the arts, it's for the community in general. So, when we talk about what services we provide other not-for-profits that aren't arts groups, we want to support all—everyone helping the community, we want to be able to help. So it's like AA meetings, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, in the morning. Providing a space for Art Strong to teach classes to kids with autism. Fundraisers for the Floating Hospital.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1017.0,1067.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: There's a lot of local schools like P.S. 78, which is right across the street from us. Most of their large fundraisers are in our space because they don't have the location for that. When Riis Settlement, which is a great not-for-profit, they want to do their gala and other organizations like the Flux Factory, they want to do a fundraiser, well, just renting a room for a night could be like $3,500, $4,500. Then you have to hire their staff, and then you have very specific in and out times. Well, we provide a space that they can use it for free. So right there, you just saved a company $4,500, which is a lot for a small local not-for-profit, that they didn't have to pay in a rental fee. That's what feels good.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1067.0,1124.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Especially in New York City, in Queens, where space, the prices are increasing, but there is also [such] limited space. You know, the amount of space that's available is getting smaller and smaller. So it's great that you guys are providing—I mean, I myself have visited the space and it's gigantic [laughs]. I kept on walking into a new room and just feeling like, wow, there's another turn of corner over here. It's great that these spaces are available to the community. And so I want to also talk about in terms of, you mentioned it briefly before, your artists in residence program where you guys provide free studio space to create, which I think that's also amazing once again because space is limited in Queens. And so if you can to talk more about, how did that come about and also who can join and what are some of the programs that are going to be coming out from that?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1124.0,1181.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Yeah. The artist residency program I have to admit came about on accident. I'm hesitant to admit, but it's still the story, a group, an individual not to be named, was supposed to be putting up an art exhibition and play in the back gallery. And about three weeks before they were supposed to start moving in, they bailed. They said, \"We're sorry. We just can't do it. We tried, but we gotta pull out.\" So now I have, you know, the entire back space empty. There's nothing in it. And we've thrown together shows like that, but it's too much. So, how do we fill the gallery? How do we keep it activated for the community? So we just invited a whole bunch of artists. Well, we did an open call to basically tell us your sad story.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1181.0,1237.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Like, why don't you have a place to work? Did you just lose your space? Why did you lose your space? Why do you need space to work, blah, blah, blah, that kind of stuff. An open call. I don't know how many people submitted, but we ended up choosing 16 people. And we gave them one section in the gallery to set up their easel, or if they're doing sculpting to set up a table, display some of their finished work, but we want you in the gallery working when people are there so they can talk to you. And it was really cool 'cause you really get to see the artist's process, you can walk up and talk to them and you're seeing behind a curtain that a lot of the public doesn't always get to see. It's a very romantic thing. As artists, we forget how romantic the process can be, how romantic seeing an end table covered with layers and layers and layers of paint. Or to see the painting smock, you know, the same thing, and the brushes and to smell the turpentine. It's a really wonderful experience.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1237.0,1306.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So after they were in this space for a while, we were like, we can't stop this. We have to keep this going. So again Plaxall, they let us take over what is essentially a 700 square foot storage room and we made sections in there for the residents. Other residents just keep their supplies in the gallery and take them out. And we're like, this is really great. So then we expanded it to theater programs, like, local theater companies that don't have space. So it's like, alright, you guys, even if your performance isn't with us, you can come into the gallery to develop new work. We have CreArt [CreArtBox] as our residents. Josefina [Urraca] and Guillermo [Laporta], they do beautiful orchestrations, original staging. They need a place to develop their work.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1306.0,1363.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Cait [Davis] just joined us as a stop animation artist. We strive to represent as many different types of art and culture as possible. So we've had puppetry exhibitions, puppetry as art. We've done architecture exhibitions, holographic stuff, fashion. We just want to make sure that everything is represented. And that also goes for the residency program. We want to make sure that people are developing new work. It's so important, and you need space to do it. So, you know, they pay like $75 a month and then they can use all the facilities. How do you get into the program? Well, you have to earn the space. So you have to submit a proposal, and it's not really a formal thing, but we have to know who you are.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1363.0,1426.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: You had to have given something back to the gallery, right? So you've worked with us, you've volunteered with us. You've produced a play and have proven that you're not going to be a difficult person [laughter]. That you're going to clean up after yourself, that you can be trusted to lock the door, turn off the lights and the air conditioning before you leave, right? So if we know that about you and you're looking for a space, that's how you get in.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1426.0,1457.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: When you guys are talking to artists and thinking of exhibitions that you guys are creating, what's the general themes that you are looking for, for the ones that you want to put on the show for?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1457.0,1476.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: What kind of projects do we look for? We want to cover as many different types of art as possible. So like when Jaime Bautista came to us and he's like, \"I want to do an architecture exhibition,\" the answer is almost automatically yes, because we haven't done that. You don't see architects being displayed as artists. And as I learned through the process—'cause we were also helping out the High School for Architecture and Design. We were helping out some other people with space and educational programs. And what I found is architects are really frustrated artists, 'cause you're always working for someone else. You're working with zoning laws, you're working with physics. I mean, there's—the client. Your boss. You're working with hindrances to make really what's in your heart.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1476.0,1541.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: And we wanted to create a venue where those folks could actually do what's inside of them and have a place to exhibit. So using that as an example, that's what we're looking for. We definitely want to provide a space for new work to be developed. We've probably done over 30 theatrical performances. That's a question for Tana. It's probably over 50. If you think of all the one-act plays the number might actually be higher. And almost all of those are smaller, unknown works or original works. We definitely want people to come in and feel that they really experienced something. So although a lot of the times the choice of what art to bring in is dictated by the curators, and we try not to get too involved if at all with what the curators are bringing in, but we really want to see people have an experience. No lazy art [laughter].","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1541.0,1608.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Exactly.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1608.0,1610.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: You know, I want to see art in there that someone bled for. Now, I can't say that that is the Culture Lab LIC policy or the Plaxall policy, but that is sort of the direction we go. We want to see people who are deeply impassioned by what they're doing. And then, does it represent diversity? Are we really representing the community as a whole? You know, do we feel that all ethnicities are being properly represented? All the different neighborhoods in Queens. Queens is one of the most diverse places on the planet, as I know you know. Are we reaching all the different communities?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1610.0,1652.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And so with all these amazing exhibitions and programs you guys are running and doing—and hopefully in the upcoming future we'll see more and more of them as well—especially in your position, I'm sure you've seen a lot of really cool moments and memories and highlights. Is there a specific one that you can say is like a highlight of working with this specific community or a favorite memory?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1652.0,1682.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/41","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: That's kind of a tough one because we've been there for four years now. So even though Culture Lab is new, the team, the people that we're working with, it's been an extremely intense four years. So, when you think that we changed the gallery exhibitions every month, and sometimes there can be up to three exhibitions going on in the gallery at the same time. The space was only supposed to be kind of open on the weekends, but then when you add in the life drawing classes, the children's classes, just having to be there to do paperwork and stuff like that. It's so wonderful to walk into the space and you can hear the theater rehearsal in the other room. And then an artist is coming in, moving a bunch of their artwork. There's an interview with a curator in the front room. Like, there's all this activity of art happening.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1682.0,1744.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/42","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: I don't want to say it's a blur, but it's been just such an intense four years, it's hard to pick one moment. But I do remember at an opening, a fine art exhibition, I have no idea which one it was, Tana, Norma and myself were standing in the middle of the room and there had to have been 500 people at the opening. And our openings had been growing in size. You know, LIC-A went from 80 or 90 members to almost 300, 400 members. So like every year we seem to almost double what we're doing. But somewhere in the middle, the three of us were standing in the middle of the room. It's packed with people.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1744.0,1789.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/43","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: And so often it's—Long Island City is a small community. It's one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the country, like three years in a row or something like that. But you go to an art opening and you're like, oh, Bob, Susie, Greg, how's it going? And then you go to the next one and you're like, oh, Bob, Susie, Greg, you know, how are you guys doing again? You see the same people over and over again. We looked around and like, I don't know any of these people. Who—like, these people are way cooler than us [laughter]. These are sophisticated looking people who are just hip, they're young, they're old. It's like all over the place, just a really beautiful cross section of what the community is. We didn't know any—you know, I'm like, maybe I know a few people here.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1789.0,1830.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/44","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: But at some point the word got out. And then you turn around and you sell six works of art, which is a lot for an independent—well, it's a lot for us—for an independent gallery to sell six, seven, eight works of art. And it's like, damn, we're selling art. There's people here much cooler than we are. We don't know them. Like, I don't want to say we've arrived, but this is definitely a landmark. It just felt good.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1830.0,1860.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/45","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: It's definitely a beautiful thing when you see like something that you've been with, you know, at it's early stages and just watch it slowly grow as the years go on. There's something that's almost—I was thinking of almost like the artist studios and seeing that transformation process almost.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1860.0,1876.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/46","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1876.0,1877.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/47","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: It's almost like that, but for the organization itself.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1877.0,1881.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/48","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: When we first started doing the exhibitions, we're like begging everyone on social media. Please post. We have an art opening. Please come—you know, you start there. We got like—a hundred people showed up, this is good, this is good. We always try to mix in with like performing arts, expand the network, expand the network, expand network. And then towards the end, before COVID, we got to the point where I don't want to promote it anymore. We literally cannot have more people in this gallery and still have a quality experience for people. And we can't afford to give away that much wine [laughter], which is all of a sudden getting really, really expensive. But we got to the point where we don't need to really promote the openings anymore. So yeah, it really ran full circle. I don't know, not full circle. That means we'd closed. Well, we did close. It is full circle [laughter]. We are going to be starting over to a certain level.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1881.0,1940.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/49","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And then so speaking of, as you mentioned because a lot of organizations have had to close during this time, moving into talking a little bit of COVID-19, I just want to ask you yourself, how has your life been going with COVID-19 and how has it been affected?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1940.0,1959.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/50","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: First of all, I just want to say, I feel extremely fortunate. I haven't lost anyone who's close to me, and a lot of people have. A lot of people have gotten very ill. The closing down of the country, a lot of small businesses are not going to reopen. A lot of my favorite places in Long Island City, Corner Bistro, The Secret Theatre that Richard Mazda ran, you know, these places aren't going to open again [The Secret Theatre has since reopened, clarified by transcript editor]. I just feel extremely fortunate that we have the support of the Plaxall family where—the gallery is still sitting there. Now we've activated it for all kinds of stuff, but we've just been—and me personally, and for Culture Lab—we're just very, very fortunate. We know others aren't. So I'm always very careful and hesitant to approach the topic because I don't want to seem insensitive.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=1959.0,2031.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/51","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So that's definitely part of it. And it's why we turned the gallery into a food pantry right off the bat with the help of LIC Relief, a new not-for-profit that opened up. And we had food relief programs in the parking lot. And we were doing other donation drop-offs with PPE equipment [personal protective equipment]. We were delivering meals that were provided by other organizations. You know, just, it goes on and on. So we really hit the ground running [unclear] the relief programs in the beginning.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2031.0,2072.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/52","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Because you've mentioned the relief effort, I mean, you guys are doing so much. I mean, I've seen the pictures, I've read the articles about it. And so I want to talk about, specifically, I want to talk about your partnership with Mothership Meat Company. What are you guys doing with them? And kind of also, how does that come about in the first place as well?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2072.0,2094.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/53","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Well, we have the space, so obviously we turn it over for relief efforts. Plaxall had made a whole bunch of food trays, compartmentalized food trays for a company that went out of business. So—but they went out of business after they've made the order. So they're sitting on like 20,000 something plastic trays. Well, what do you do with them? So we decided to try to use them for food trays. So, find anyone who is doing food relief and needs a container to put the food in to get them to the people that they need. So it wasn't just Mother Meat. Those guys are great. They're fantastic. Fantastic food and so generous of them for the amount of food they made to deliver it to the frontline workers.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2094.0,2147.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/54","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So it's basically, the plastics manufacturer that has plastic trays, the restaurant that raised money to be able to give the frontline workers the meals they need, and then the arts organization that didn't have too much else going on at the time to deliver the food packages, deliver the trays to the restaurants, have them fill it up with food and then deliver that to the frontline workers. So again, it's just finding ways for community to work together. And that's just a drop in the bucket compared to what some of the other organizations have been doing. LIC Relief, huge, huge efforts in helping the community. They've moved away from food relief as much and doing more like job placement. The Connected Chef is doing fantastic. They're getting between [10,000] and 30,000 pounds of food delivered weekly to our parking lot that then goes off to needy families.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2147.0,2210.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/55","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: And so I was going to ask, how did you guys get involved with them [The Connected Chef] as well? 'Cause you guys, being a food distribution center, you know, that's a lot of food. So how have you guys been spreading the word about that? How did you get involved with that as well?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2210.0,2227.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/56","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: That's a good question. How did—Kim, who runs the Connected Chef, they started Lifeline Grocery. That's their not-for-profit. Oh, just again, community. So, I worked with a group called Hellgate Farm. They grow organic food on rooftops all over Astoria and Long Island City. They have amazing hot sauce. You gotta check out their hot sauce. So, Kim had worked with them through her company. So the Connected Chef is working with the organic farm to produce food for people. And I think it was my friend, Rob, who runs Hellgate that introduced me to Kim saying that she was looking for space. So it's like someone knows someone that knows someone else. I mean, it really goes to show how important community networking is. I just got out of another Skype call—or Skype, Zoom, whatever they were using—I just got off of another video chat and it's all community leaders coming together to say, okay, what are the problems? What are the resources we have? And how can we put all this together?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2227.0,2291.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/57","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: And what's happened in the parking lot—'cause then there was also Brighter Bites, there's City Harvest. You know, at some point—how does it happen? At some point, the momentum picks up on itself. It self perpetuates itself. So like when we first opened the gallery, I don't want to say we would beg people to get involved with us, but we were trying to bring in dance and we were just cold calling dance companies and dance schools and saying, \"Hey, do you guys want to perform at the gallery?\" And we got a lot of, meh, we're not really interested. It's like, \"Oh, okay, well, keep us in mind.\" But now we're at the point where these things come to us. People know that Plaxall is really generous and that they have property.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2291.0,2338.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/58","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So they get all kinds of phone calls. Like when Alcoholics Anonymous says, \"Hey, we lost our space and there aren't any weekend meetings. Do you have any place that we could have meetings?\" They say, \"Go talk to Edjo.\" Right? Because we have—we can provide that service. Like, alright, so now we have AA meetings. Jacob Riis Settlement, the services they provide are really great. Where do we have our gala that we're not going to lose all the money that we raised on? Well, you know, Paula [Kirby], Matt [Quigley] from Plaxall, where can we have this? Go talk to the guys at the gallery. They have the space. So, you know, we don't have to go looking for these things too often now because it's a needed service.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2338.0,2398.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/59","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: To continue off of that, because I know you yourself have been involved a lot with the food distribution efforts during this time, while you are in the parking lot for Plaxall and walking out and about in Long Island City, what have you seen that has kind of changed from the norm of what we usually expect from Long Island City?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2398.0,2426.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/60","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Well, I think our experience would probably be the same as what most people are—it's just weird to see your city a ghost town. It's weird to see the library not open, to see people purposely trying to stay away from each other, to see your favorite restaurants closed. It can be quite foreboding, especially in the beginning of this, people just didn't know how bad it was going to get, so there was a lot of fear and uncertainty. Now I will say what was inspiring is, I think for the most part, people really rose to the occasion. Occasionally you'd hear someone yelling at someone in a grocery store for not wearing their mask or for touching something. Like, there's always those outliers, but like everyone was on their best behavior. And I think that's what New Yorkers do, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2426.0,2484.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/61","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: Something bad happens. You don't get worse, right? You get better. Now that we're through this a little bit, seeing all the restaurants being able to open, outside seating is amazing. I hope that they keep that. Rockaway Brewery across the street, they have a little seating area now, and the city's letting it happen and they should. How has it affected Long Island City? I think that people are really going to be forced to come together and work together. I think that this is going to be—we're going to see a resurgence of people working together to create synergy. Because you have to. The local businesses are going to have to band together to create—to let the community know that they're even open.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2484.0,2541.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/62","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: So it's like a lot of those community connections, like you were saying, someone knows someone that knows someone. And I think the beautiful thing that you've been talking about a lot of is, like, organization after organization supporting one another, especially during this time, that's going to be a really big part of it. One of my last questions will be—it kind of veers into things that you have talked about already—but once this is all over, what is going to be the most hopeful thing that you hope comes out of this?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2541.0,2578.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/63","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: When it's over. I don't know. I mean, it's tough because it's not an off on switch, it's a fader. We're warming up to opening up again. We're waiting for instructions from our government about when that can and cannot happen. Something that I've seen is people's desire for connection. So, we've opened up the parking lot. We have live music in the evenings on the weekends, and we're expanding that. We have comedy shows out there, you know? And we get so many people thanking us to have the opportunity to safely engage with other people, or just to get out of the house with the people you're in quarantine with. So we have kids that use the parking lot as their playground now. They're like, yeah, this is where they like to come and play, you know?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2578.0,2645.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/64","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: So, to be able to provide that for the community is probably one of the most rewarding things I have ever experienced in my life. To let artists know that their careers are not over. When you talk to an actor, they're talking about theaters not opening up until the middle of 2021. And what theater can open and only let half the seats in? You can't stay in business that way. So I don't want to say you might as well not open, but you might as well not open. And that goes for a lot of the local businesses too. So, I don't know what when this is over means because I don't think it's ever going to be over. I think our society has been fundamentally changed. Everything from, you don't need big offices, people can work from home. You don't need to travel, you can have a video meeting. So that's going to change.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2645.0,2711.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/65","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: But when this is over, people are going to be hungry for engagement. They're going to be hungry for interactions with other people, for community. They're going to be hungry for culture. And I hope that there are enough places to satisfy that. What I can say is Culture Lab will be there. With the help of Plaxall letting us have this space, the incredible volunteers that we have working with us, like, we'll be here when it's over, along with as many other people as possible. All the other organizations, you know, we want—we need an area where this is all happening. We'll be here when it's over. And hopefully people have a new appreciation for what it means to be involved with their community.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2711.0,2771.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/66","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: On that note, with everything going digital, what are ways that people can find Culture Lab LIC and Plaxall online?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2771.0,2781.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/67","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: We're all over the inter-webs on all the regular platforms. If you look up Culture Lab LIC, we'll pop up almost immediately. There's a couple of other culture labs as well, but culturelablic.org, check out the website. Follow us, like us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. We're posting all the things that we're doing now. And come out and help, or just ask questions. We're going to need help when this is over. We're going to need the support of the community.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2781.0,2825.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/68","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Well, thank you so much, Edjo, for speaking with me today, and I wish Culture Lab LIC and you the best of wishes during this time.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2825.0,2834.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/69","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"EDJO WHEELER: And thank you, the Queens Library, for doing these series. I think the work that you guys are doing for this memory project is really important. To be able to document what's happening in our neighborhoods like you guys are doing, just kudos, thank you very much.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2834.0,2851.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222/transcript/94042/annotation/70","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"JO-ANN WONG: Thank you so much.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28777/file/96222#t=2851.0,2869.46131"}]}]}]}