“Bushwick Rooted” Artwork Unveiled at Bushwick Houses
On July 17, the Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF), NYCHA, local artists, and residents unveiled “Bushwick Rooted,” an aluminum and vinyl installation wrapping the fences surrounding the Bushwick Houses Community Center in Brooklyn.
In collaboration with lead artist Crystal Clarity, designer Ifeoma Ebo, and 618 Design, Bushwick Houses residents added food, wildlife, and community-centered motifs and themes to the artwork, representing the cultural heritage, shared identity, and everyday resilience of the community. PHCF also worked closely with Grand Street Settlement and the Bushwick Houses Resident Association, led by President Lohoma Shipman, to match the design to the residents’ vision.
“Bushwick Rooted celebrates the history, culture, and lived experiences of this remarkable community while showcasing the extraordinary creativity that thrives within public housing,” said Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of Public Housing Community Fund. “Giving residents a seat in the creative process allows public art to be more than decoration and instead a reflection of the community’s identity. This new installation is vibrant and welcoming, and will welcome residents and visitors for years to come. We’re grateful to all of our creative partners and to the residents for sharing their stories and bringing this project to life.”
“NYCHA is proud to see our Connected Communities program bring such a meaningful, resident-led installation to Bushwick Houses,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Bushwick Rooted honors the heritage and resilient spirit of the Bushwick Houses community. We extend our thanks to the Public Housing Community Fund, the Bushwick Houses Resident Association, Grand Street Settlement, and the local artists who partnered with us to bring this vision to life.”
“Through our longstanding partnership with NYCHA and our network of Cornerstone Community Centers, we invest in opportunities that strengthen communities by bringing residents together through creativity, learning, and civic engagement. Bushwick Rooted is a powerful example of what happens when residents lead the creative process and their lived experiences shape the spaces they call home,” said NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies. “We are proud to support partnerships that celebrate the rich cultural heritage of NYCHA communities while fostering connection, community pride, and opportunities for residents of all ages to thrive.”
“At Creative Urban Alchemy, we use design to regenerate cultural heritage as a form of community power — so on Bushwick Rooted, we appreciated our role of bringing together the right collaborators, and offering design guidance to help carry their shared vision into reality. Public art like this only works when the right people are in the room and design stays accountable to the community it serves. We’re honored to have supported Crystal Clarity and the Bushwick Houses residents in bringing this project to life,” said Ifeoma Ebo, Principal of Creative Urban Alchemy.
“Partnering with the ‘From Roots to Art’ program was an outstanding experience. The program brought creativity, positive energy, and meaningful engagement to our community, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved. The professionalism, dedication, and passion of the teaching artists created an environment where participants felt inspired to express themselves and develop new skills. We truly enjoyed working alongside the Roots to Art team and are extremely pleased with the outcome. We look forward to future opportunities to collaborate and highly recommend the program to other organizations seeking a high-quality arts experience,” said Will Goldwire, Program Director at Grand Street Settlement.
The project is part of PHCF’s “From Roots to Arts: Celebrating NYCHA’s Cultural Heritage,” their first-of-its-kind artist-in-residency pilot program, supporting five artists at locations in each borough. By connecting local artists with public housing residents through community-based residencies, the initiative empowers artists and residents to collaborate in redefining how stories are told and the kinds of art created and displayed in public housing communities. This work highlights the depth of talent, history, and storytelling already present within NYCHA communities while strengthening connections between artists, residents, and neighborhood institutions. This program is part of NYCHA’s Connected Communities program, which focuses on transforming open and community spaces through public-private partnerships. The program’s efforts were based on participatory planning and design and strive to enhance physical and social connections between residents and their communities.
Photo credit: Public Housing Community Fund
