Bridget Bartolini

Bridget Bartolini produces public programs that bring New Yorkers together through stories and art inspired by the neighborhoods of New York City. Bridget holds a MA in Community Education from Columbia University Teachers College. She has created the series Bronx Stories to challenge stereotypes about the Bronx; I Heart Bx/Bk to examine interborough relationships; and I’m Tawkin’ Here: Storytelling with a New Yawk Accent to promote the culture – and accents – of each borough. Her latest endeavor is the Five Boro Story Project, which aims to strengthen community connections and preserve local history.

2021 Creative Action Fund | 34th Avenue Portraits

34th Avenue Portraits is a multimodal project that will document one of the most important streets in New York City through portraits of people whose lives have been impacted by the 34th Avenue Open Street. Each individual’s portrait will incorporate photographs, written profiles based on oral history interviews, and audio collages with interview excerpts and recorded sound from the street. Visitors to the project website will see photos of the people who are profiled, read about their lives and hear engaging audio stories.

The extraordinary way the Jackson Heights community mobilized to care for 34th Avenue has put this street at the vanguard of a movement that envisions biking and walking as the centerpieces of city streets. It is a harbinger for what post-pandemic NYC may look like, and what it will take to get there: imagination, negotiation and adaptation.