When Hurricane Sandy came ripping through New York City, as many Untapped readers will recall, Lower Manhattan was consumed by a blackout and awash in floods. For many small businesses, the damage was devastating. Yet, where one bodega was wrecked, the community seized the opportunity to do something productive. Thus, Specials on C was born.
The vacant bodega on the corner of East 12th Street and Avenue C has found new life as a creative space for social projects. According to Specials on C’s website, “It’s not a gallery, or a venue, it’s a safe space for your social experiments.” The former bodega hosts art shows, interactive and performance art, concerts, pop-up shops, workshops and video nights. .
They’ll be projecting videos and digital art by artists from the US, Russia and Eastern Europe in the windows until Wednesday. Come back next week for Superhero training—part of Richard Clarkson’s MFA at SVA. Other events include a silent gathering that turns into an all-out jam session, a solo show by street artist Brandon Sines, an exhibition of work by the seniors in Parsons’s  high school program, and a fitness and lifestyle boutique.
Anyone can organize an event at Specials on C. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter for news and events. Send an email to [email protected] to organize an event.
