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News & Updates

Debate not Diatribe

“It’s disingenuous to condemn vandalism of private property and then praise vandalism of lawful public art. Regardless of whether one agrees with the statement Black Lives Matter, the BLM murals in New York and elsewhere have been properly permitted by relevant authorities as protected speech and also as legal street art. To deface what the…

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Skills & Drills: “Work in Progress”

With New York City’s basketball courts reopened, join Thrive Sports for socially distant skills and drills clinics this summer. Follow @coachrosadonyc on IG for details. The first clinic begins tomorrow, July 18th, at 8am in Sunset Park. Masks required. As long COVID doesn’t spike and public health officials deem recreational basketball to be safe, stay…

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Combating COVID

Thrive Collective executive director Jeremy Del Rio has taught nationally for the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative since graduating from the program in 2010. This summer DVULI features Thrive’s response to COVID-19 in their quarterly publication. Here’s the article. Download the pdf. #kindnessbeatsthevirus In New York, students and artists combat the coronavirus with kindness. By Jeremy…

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As Seen in the NY Times

The ‘Black Lives Matter’ Street Art That Contain Multitudes The works in Harlem and Lower Manhattan are much more than a challenge to President Trump; they are opportunities for Black artists and community togetherness. By Julia Jacobs The street painting at Foley Square resembles many that have been done around the country in its word…

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Remembering Sally Sasz

In 2018, Sally Sasz and Chandler Simpson were rockstar summer interns at Thrive Collective from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Vivacious, fun, reliable, extraordinarily talented, and insatiably curious, their lives overflowed with wonder and adventure. For two months they immersed themselves fully in New York City and the life of Thrive, working…

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FastCompany: More than art, the future of urbanism

NYC’s new Black Lives Matter mural is more than art. It’s the future of urbanism The process behind the street mural was just as important as the paint job. BY NATE BERG / Full article here. Ever since the words Black Lives Matter were painted in bright yellow on the street behind the White House on…

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BLM Mural: As Seen on Social Media

Thanks to all the photographers and videographers who captured the #BlackLivesMatter mural making moments in Foley Square last week. Enjoy this selection of Instagram highlights from collaborators, videographers, and NYC officials. Check out @nycthrive on Instagram for process and finished photos, videos, and more. Manhattan Borough President @galeabrewer   View this post on Instagram  …

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NY Tougher Than Ever

Update: SOLD OUT (7/10) By New Yorkers, For New York. Whether it be a global pandemic or the fight for justice, New Yorkers are connected through their resilience. As tough, rough and hardcore as New Yorkers are, when push comes to shove we come together. Our roots are grounded – where there is a riot,…

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The Mural Kings

ORIGIN STORIES ➡️ Tats Cru: The Mural Kings Tats Cru made history this week with the Black Lives Matter mural in lower Manhattan. Borough President Gale A. Brewer and WXY Studio gave them a week to organize & produce a 21’8″ x 570′ (12,500 SF) mural spanning three heavily trafficked, hyper politicized city blocks. Without…

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The Sun (UK) Features Thrive x BLM Mural

‘COLLECTIVE TRAUMA’ NYC artists work on Black Lives Matter mural in Manhattan for ‘art therapy’ during Floyd protests Fionnuala O’Leary, News Reporter Manhattan 3 Jul 2020 … But elsewhere, the atmosphere was relaxed this afternoon as artists worked on another enormous mural in downtown Manhattan, after weeks of civil unrest. Jon Souza of Thrive Collective,…

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