The Illuminator x Save Section 9: Why We Fight for Public Housing

Join us for a large-scale projection in Chelsea by The Illuminator in collaboration with Save Section 9 to tell the stories of public housing tenants & why they are fighting to save their homes.

This program will take place at Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses, one of many Section 9 NYCHA developments in NYC currently facing privatization and demolition against the demands of the long-time and intergenerational tenants living there. Tenants, allies, and the public will be invited to a sidewalk near Fulton & Elliott-Chelsea houses for a press conference led by Save Section 9, followed by a large-scale projection by the Illuminator to publicly oppose demolition of FEC and other developments city-wide. With this projection, we hope to engage the public in the fight to save our homes and work towards rehabilitating the only truly affordable housing in the US.

Image: The Illuminator, projection for Astoria Not for Sale, 2022. 

ABOUT SAVE SECTION 9

Save Section 9 is a grassroots, tenant-led advocacy group dedicated to protecting and expanding public housing under Section 9 of the U.S. Housing Act. The organization works to ensure that all residents have access to safe, affordable housing and to fight against the displacement caused by urban redevelopment. Learn more about their work at savesection9.org and follow along on social media @savesection9.

ABOUT FULTON ELLIOTT-CHELSEA HOUSES

The Fulton Elliott-Chelsea (FEC) Houses are Section 9 public housing developments located in the heart of Chelsea, providing affordable homes to thousands of New Yorkers. With 2056 apartments, FEC is one of the many NYCHA developments targeted for privatization under RAD PACT and potential demolition despite being home to long-standing, intergenerational tenants who have built vibrant communities there. Related Companies, the developer of Hudson Yards, has been selected as the RAD developer for FEC, with a plan to raze both campuses to replace them with supernal towers. The fight to preserve FEC reflects the broader struggle to protect public housing as a vital resource for low-income families in New York City. Learn more at stopfecdemolition.org.

ABOUT THE ILLUMINATOR

The Illuminator is an art-activist collective comprised of visual artists, educators, filmmakers, and technologists living and working in New York City. The collective has staged hundreds of projection-interventions in public spaces, transforming the street from a space of passive consumption and transit into a site of engagement, conflict, and dialogue. Our work calls attention to the many urgent crises that confront us, in support of the ongoing struggle for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. Learn more about their work at theilluminator.org and follow along on social media @the.illuminator.

ABOUT MORE ART
More Art is a New York-based nonprofit organization that collaborates with artists across their careers to catalyze social change by producing meaningful participatory public art for a broad audience. Through creative engagement, More Art empowers all people to utilize art to connect with others, build awareness, and drive action on topics that affect our lives and communities. Learn more at moreart.org and follow along on social media @moreartnyc.