Artists and agriculturalists to create urban green spaces on East and University avenues as part of National Park(ing) Day Friday, Sept. 19

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — George Eastman House and Rochester Contemporary Art Center will be joining dozens of other cities around the country and world for 2008 NATIONAL PARK(ING) DAY on Friday, Sept. 19. Sponsored and organized by the national Trust for Public Land, National Park(ing) Day is an annual event that illuminates the importance of parks and green space by creating temporary parks in public parking spaces. Last year, National Park(ing) Day spawned more than 200 temporary parks in more than 50 cities nationwide and around the world.

George Eastman House and Rochester Contemporary Art Center will be leading Rochester's participation in 2008 National Park(ing) Day, in cooperation with ArtWalk and The Landmark Society. "We are seeking organizations and individuals to help temporarily transform public street parking spaces in front of Eastman House and Rochester Contemporary and spaces in the Eastman House parking lot into green spaces that celebrate and illuminate the importance of local agriculture to our economic, environmental, and social health," said Rick Hock, Eastman House director of exhibitions.

Why a focus on agriculture?
George Eastman House wishes to celebrate its agricultural heritage, since the museum is set on what was George Eastman's working farm, currently balanced with five historical gardens and several acres of open lawn space. In addition, the Eastman House and Rochester Contemporary are joining forces in spring/summer 2009 to present exhibitions and programs under the theme of PLANT (Place, Land, Art/Agriculture, Neighborhood, and Technology), which will focus on urban land, sustainable agriculture, and our food systems.

How to Participate
If you or your organization would like to create a parking space for National Park(ing) Day, please visit www.eastmanhouse.org/parkingday for more information and to download required registration forms.

Registration forms are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9. Please forward the forms to elowenstein@geh.org or Evan Lowenstein, George Eastman House, 900 East Ave. Rochester, NY, 14607. Eastman House representatives will review the registration forms to ensure Park(ing) Day installations are thematically congruent and safe for public use.

Photos and videos from last year's national Park(ing) Day event, as well as a full list of participating cities and details about the history and process of National Parking Day, are online at www.tpl.org/parkingday.

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