Open Call for Art during the LIC arts Open Festival!
"Life in Culture - Rhythm, the Pulse & the Present Moment
This exhibition, curated by Yvette Hidalgo, is a concept for the LIC-A Spring Festival that builds on last year’s momentum while responding to today's emotional and cultural climate. Rooted in the energy of New York City, the exhibition brings together visual art, music, fashion, and cultural memory to reflect the city's diversity, resilience, and creative pulse. Inspired by the legacy of the golden era of hip-hop and placed in dialogue with contemporary artistic expression, the project honors the past while making space for present-day voices, style, and storytelling. The overall intention is to create a soulful, multi-generational experience that feels honest, culturally grounded, and connected to the communities that continue to shape New York.
About the curator:
Yvette Hidalgo is a first-generation Ecuadorian American from Queens, New York, and a creative visionary, cultural producer, community organizer, and liaison to notable graffiti and urban street artists. A true factotum in business, Yvette’s upbringing in New York City gave her the resilience to push through many of the barriers women often face in male-dominated industries.
With more than 25 years of experience, she has built a multifaceted career spanning education, fashion, the arts, media, and entertainment across the East Coast. In 2007, she began a mentorship with the NYC-based YoUnity Arts Collective, which she continued for several years. Yvette continued her path in social in 2010 by partnering up to help launch the Ladies Love Project, a platform that celebrates market culture around the globe while supporting community building and independent business ownership.
Over the past two decades, Yvette’s strengths in teamwork, logistics, and planning have enabled her to develop an integrated business model shaped by both academic and professional experience. Her work across national campaigns and grassroots initiatives inspired her commitment to preserving and showcasing the influential golden era of Hip Hop.
After years of nurturing other collectives and sharpening her craft, Yvette co-founded The Brooklyn Queens Elite Collective (BQE) with her partner, artist Antonio “Kel” 5MH. Their mission is to uplift and preserve the raw talent, culture, and community legacy of native New York artists and creative professionals by creating opportunities to present their work in white-wall gallery settings.
Grounded in social justice and years of research on how community culture shapes future generations, Yvette continues to build enrichment programs that restore, empower, and inspire. Through her philanthropic values and community-centered vision, she encourages others to create their own path and become their own muse.