Roosevelt Island will become an artistic mecca this weekend, as part of the Queens Council on the Arts and Long Island City Business Development Corporation's ArtFrenzy.  The free extravaganza celebrates Western Queens as the new center of artistic life in New York, and is being touted as the city's biggest arts event of the year.  Through tomorrow (Sunday, May 20), over 1,200 artists from area galleries will open their doors to offer New Yorkers a glimpse of art in every medium.  Roosevelt Island, which has always been home to a community of talented artists, is playing an important role in the festivities.  The Island will be one of the featured sites, with free buses shuttling visitors from the ArtFrenzy Hospitality Center in Court Square Park to Motorgate garage every 20 minutes.

The inclusion of Roosevelt Island in the Queens celebration was made possible by the efforts of artist Arline Jacoby, 12-year Island resident and president of the Roosevelt Island Art Association (RIAA) since 1995.  Jacoby, who has spent her life creating and teaching art, stresses the importance of bringing art "out of the museum and onto the streets."  The ArtFrenzy will bring art out full-force this weekend, making it accessible to Island residents and visitors alike in an exciting two-day event.

PS 217 will be transformed by architects, builders, and curators into a veritable gallery.  Over the weekend, the works of Jacoby and other Island artists will be on display in the building, and the auditorium will host a wide array of performances showcasing the talents of local residents throughout the day, both Saturday and Sunday.  Events include an original play reading by Lila Gilbert, poetry by Helen Roht and performance art by Irene Clark.  Additionally, there will be music, dance, singing - and even a marionette show.  The Senior Center and the Main Street Theatre will also take part in the celebration.

Participation in ArtFrenzy is RIAA's first step in achieving its goal of making Roosevelt Island a centerpiece in the New York art scene, says Jacoby.  She calls the Island the city's "new frontier" in art, and speaks passionately about the characteristics that make the Island a perfect breeding ground for an artistic community.  "Roosevelt Island is a dramatic Island," Jacoby says.  "It has a magic about it."  That drama, coupled with tranquillity, fulfills the needs of the creative mind.  "We're so fortunate to actually live here,"  she says, noting that artists are able to enhance their talents precisely because of the unique character of the Island.

That character, along with the talent it has bred, will be in the spotlight this weekend, as visitors arrive from all over the city for the ArtFrenzy.  The event will provide an exceptional opportunity for Islanders to experience all forms of art and culture, at no cost.  Along with the activities planned at the school and the other sites (marked by red balloons) around the Island, residents can also take advantage of the gallery openings and festivities in Queens.  Activities of note include a film festival at the Kaufman Astoria studios, the opening of the Krypton Neon studio just over the Roosevelt Island bridge and an open house at the Socrates Sculpture Park.  The Hospitality Center in Court Square Park will host an array of international music, a children's mural project, and a crafts center where guests can create their own masterpieces to take home.  Still, Jacoby notes, pointing out the great number of on-Island activities, residents can have a wonderful weekend without even crossing the river.  "I hope everybody on Roosevelt Island stays home and picnics and vacations right here, and doesn't run away."