DUMBO

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DUMBO is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Like many other areas in Brooklyn, DUMBO began attracting artists in the 1970s, when old industrial buildings offered cheap and spacious living space. Now, about 20% of the workforce in DUMBO is made up of people working in the arts, giving the area the highest ranking of “creative capital.”

For Artists:

You may be familiar with the popular online-marketplace for artists and crafts-makers, Etsy. Well, DUMBO happens to be home to the Etsy Labs, which hosts regular public programming, crafts workshops, and tech talks. Check out Dumbo's event calendar to see what fun and informative events you might want to take part in. TheBrooklyn Arts Council is located in 111 Front Street and supports visual artists, the art community, and the art culture in Brooklyn. Offering grants, funding art education, and with their own gallery and resources, the BAC is certainly an organization worth knowing for any artist in Brooklyn.

For Visitors:

For art lovers, the DUMBO’s First Thursday Gallery Walk offers the chance to visit a number of top-notch Brooklyn galleries. If you are not able to make it, you can still take a peak at the information and itinerary online.

If you’re around in September, the Dumbo Arts Festival is a free public event, presenting many great artists, musicians, and performances. The festival attracts a huge crowd, and whether you’re there to enjoy the arts, connect with some of the hundreds of artists in attendance, or create art yourself, you’re bound to enjoy yourself in the sun and good company.

Galleries:

DID YOU KNOW:

The name “DUMBO” was popularized because residents believed the unattractive name would keep away developers, keeping the rent low and the culture unique. A good strategy - but it didn’t work for long! The area is now relatively gentrified and expensive.

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