Directory/Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture

62 locations in Rochester, NY

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Empire Statesmen

The Empire Statesmen are a local drum and bugle corps, and a nonprofit organization. Some quick facts, since I'm editing this at work when I should be working: I sincerely apologize for these facts. Please feel very free to edit. I certainly will. —H The Statesmen won the DCA world championships in 2004 You can join at any age (except if you are very wee... they have a separate corps for those not considered adult) Competition season runs through the summer and culminates in a grand competition 'round the first weekend of September They generally practice at downtown highschools They used to practice and do shows throughout the summer that were excellently fun, jazz and improv, but I don't know if this still occurs One year they did a show using music from The Phantom of the Opera, complete with a rowboat that rowed across the field when Christine and the Phantom went across the lake (the taste inherent in this addition to the show is questionable. I'll edit this out later) The cost of joining is pretty low, generally members have to work a certain number of shifts at their Bingo hall, located on Empire Blvd. They have been around for a long time! When I was a little girl, I remember seeing the Statesmen perform at the first marching band competition I went to, and they wore glittery white tuxedos and played notes I'd never heard before, and I was quite taken with them. —H

Imaging Solutions Group

Imaging Solutions Group's Logo The Imaging Solutions Group (ISG) was founded by engineers and is run by engineers. The company has extensive experience in various markets including Machine Vision, Medical, Industrial Imaging, Computer Vision Applications, Traffic and Surveillance. They have developed this expertise over many years by working successfully with some of the largest companies in the world as well as small entrepreneurial organizations. Imaging Solutions Group provides: plug-and-play smart cameras with standard interfaces to get you running quickly. Customized plug-and-play smart cameras create a specific function for a specific application. custom imaging systems, optimized for cost and performance using a vast library of intellectual properties. machine vision cameras for a variety of applications. For more information, please visit the Imaging Solutions Group website.

Mercury statue

2009 Photo, BradMandell The Mercury statue, a landmark of downtown Rochester, was created in 1881 by J. Guernsey Mitchell. Mitchell was commissioned by his brother-in-law, William Kimball, the owner of the William S. Kimball Tobacco Factory, located at the corner of Court Street and Exchange Street, to craft this statue out of riveted copper plates fabricated by the John Siddons Co located on East Main St. Once the 21 foot tall, 700 pound statue was completed, it was installed atop one of the factory smokestacks and quickly became a hallmark of the Rochester Skyline. In 1951, the factory was demolished to make way for the Rochester War Memorial. The statue was placed in storage until 1973, when it was rediscovered by John B. Allen who suggested and facilitated its re-introduction to the Rochester skyline — this time atop the Aqueduct Building, one block north of its original home. Notes and References Labor Photos of Restoration 2 reserved right images on Flickr Photos Ralph Avery painted a number of famous paintings of the statue. Rochester Public Art Page The Friends of Mount Hope Newsletter Volume 20, Number 1 The industries of the city of Rochester pg. 154 Photos http://www.libraryweb.org/rochimag/architecture/LostRochester/Kimball/Kimball.htm The Mercury statue outside the building of John Siddons' Architectural Galvanized Iron Works at 84 E. Main Street. A group of people stands to the left, helping to demonstrate the size of the statue. Mercury was designed by J. Guernsey Mitchell and constructed by Siddons of riveted copper plates.

AXOM Gallery & Exhibition Space

The gallery space. AXOM Gallery & Exhibition Space is a art gallery and art exhibit space in the Village Gate. The director is Margot Muto and co-curators are Rick and Robin Muto. AXOM Gallery offers a variety of services to support the "Art of Collecting," including consultation to build or establish a collection, lighting design and the placement and hanging of artwork. The gallery also hosts events to engage the community by offering artists talks and demonstrations. Part of the gallery’s mission is to actively support various outreach programming and city revitalization through the arts. The gallery is free to all visitors and is open regular hours and by appointment. It is located in the Neighborhood of the Arts. AXOM Objects On May 12, 2015 the gallery opened AXOM Objects, an upscale contemporary furniture and home decorating shop. The venture is a collaboration between AXOM and interior designer Robin Muto. Says Robin: "I realized that I had developed a keen knowledge of the furniture industry and wanted to provide a resource where people could purchase design savvy, well made, eco-friendly and most of all affordable furniture that has been curated for them through a designer’s eye. The furnishings look great in urban loft settings and live –work environments, and the fabrics are so durable which makes them perfect for young people starting families. Our accessory pieces are beautiful, functional and very cool, making them great gift items when you’re looking for something very special."

EvenOdd Creative

At work in their studio. Samples of bags made from old banners. EvenOdd Creative is a small Rochester-based design group that produces unique, handmade accessories from upcycled materials such as bicycle inner tubes and vinyl banners. Products include messenger bags, tote bags, wallets, wrist cuffs, laptop sleeves, and iPad sleeves. They describe their aesthetic as urban and gritty. EvenOdd Creative was founded in 2009 by a pair of designers named Ashley and Liza. They have a retail location in the Hungerford Building and also offer online shopping. Other locations where EvenOdd products may be purchased include the following: Bert's Bikes and Fitness Freewheelers Full Moon Vista Memorial Art Gallery Tom's Pro Bike Shop R Community Bikes Images courtesy of EvenOdd Creative.

Plush Lounge & Nightclub

(Sept. 2012) Plush Lounge & Nightclub was a club in the St. Paul Quarter, replacing VENU. Grand opening was September 7, 2012. It was shut down in December 2013 due to the violence outside of the club which was seen to be associated with the establishment. In response, Plush left the following message on their Facebook page: :PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to the current unfortunate events that have taken place at Plush Night Club & Lounge (that could've happened anywhere like the mall, the bank, toys r us, Chuck E Cheese, any Walmart or target, etc; and I bet y'all won't stop going there), which have gained top spot recognition on local news/media channels giving the establishment high negative and unsafe views by the local and surrounding community..... I.... on behalf of the team I work with and people I party with would like to let everyone know................... THAT THIS FRIDAY FIRST FRIDAY DEC 6TH IS STILL GOING THE FUCK DOWN!!!!!! WE GON PARTY WE GON DRINK WE GON HAVE A DAMN GOOD TIME ON THE SAGITTARIUS SIDE OF THANGS........ THE OFFICIAL SAGITTARIUS BASH SWAGGATARIUS STAND UP DONT KEEP CALM PARTY UP!!!!!!!!!!! SO YEAH SEE YOU FRIDAY AT PLUSH

Cheeburger Cheeburger

Cheeburger Cheeburger was a 50's-style chain burger place offering burgers in five different sizes, ranging from the 5.5 oz. Classic to the huge (20 oz.) Famous Pounder; add fries, onion rings and a drink. They also offered other sandwiches and wraps plus salads to round out the menu. Their Invent Your Own Shake or Malt was popular as well. See Online Menu for details. The Rochester location was originally in the Port of Rochester (the former Fast Ferry terminal) in Charlotte, so it was only a seasonal venue. Outside seating was limited, so you sometimes had to wait if you want to watch the boat traffic on the Genesee River. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, the owners closed the Port of Rochester location in August 2015 and re-opened on November 6, 2015 at CityGate, in the Upper Mount Hope area of the city. In October 2018, Cheeburger Cheeburger in CityGate closed due to eviction. According to WROC TV-8, the eviction notice was given by Marshal Sande Macaluso. See Cheeburger evicted from CityGate in Rochester Photo Album - Original Charlotte Location

Bands on the Bricks

The free Bands on the Bricks summer concerts take place at the historic Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St. on Friday evenings during the months of July and August. Generally the party gets cranked up with opening acts around 5-6PM, with the headliners coming onstage around 8PM. On a nice Summer evening it is a great place to bring a chair and enjoy some fine free tunes. In addition to the free entertainment, food and beverage is available for purchase along with unique merchandise from several vendors. Special ground rules prevent pets or outside food and beverage from being brought into the site, except one sealed bottle of water per person. See the website for this year's list of national and regional entertainers. Vending spaces are available for vendors of unique merchandise during the Night Market. Interested vendors should call the Market at 585/428-6907 from 7a.m. to 1 p.m., Tues.-Sat. for more information.

Black Radish Studio

Black Radish Studio is an art gallery and custom framing studio in the Neighborhood of the Arts. It is owned by Sean DeChalais, a former employee of the Chase-Pitkin framing department, The Ansel Adams Gallery in San Francisco, NPFC in San Francisco, and Rye Creek Frame and Design in Rochester. Custom framing is BRS's speciality. They cater to a wide array of clientele ranging from casual enthusiasts to fine art collectors. Black Radish Studio invites those with complex framing needs: shadow boxes, needlework, and mirrors, to name a few. Their framing experience covers a number of media, including sports memorabilia, music media (vinyl records, concert prints, autographed memorabilia), family photos, oil and acrylic paintings on canvas, and prints and posters. Technical specialties cover a range of archival framing methods and custom matting. At BRS, custom matting includes hand-painted mat bevels, watercolor mat panels, acrylic mat panels, custom gold, copper, and silver leaf matting, India ink mat panels, and hand-wrapped fabric mats. Gallery openings are on First Friday. First Friday's are the first Friday of the month from 6:00pm-10:00pm. Attendance is free of charge. Black Radish Studio is located in the Village Gate and can be accessed through a door next to the "D" entrance, on the Anderson Avenue side of Village Gate. They opened in July 2011.

Pittsford Cinema

Pittsford Cinema was a commercial movie theater in Pittsford, located across the plaza from the Super Wegmans in Pittsford Plaza. This 9-screen complex operated by Zurich Cinemas is the only suburban theater in Rochester that consistently showed one or two independent features every week. Student discounts and matinee pricing were available.

International Film Festival

The Rochester International Film Festival is the world's oldest continually held short film festival (since 1959). The annual program features narratives, documentaries and animation made by emerging filmmakers from the USA and abroad, selected by a pedigree short film jury. Based on audience surveys, the most popular films shown at the festival are added to the permanent traveling collection called The Best of the Fest. The George Eastman House's Dryden Theatre holds a Best of the Fest screening each winter. The festival is associated with Movies on a Shoestring, Inc. - an independent non-profit organization. Fractions of the underwriting for The Best of the Fest comes from the New York State Council on the Arts. Additionally, the Rochester International Film Festival is part of the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester. For one year, in 2008, the festival merged with the High Falls Film Festival to become the Rochester-High Falls International Film Festival. The two festivals have since separated.

Groop Ltd.

Describe Groop ltd. OK. The Groop Ltd.had a 45 out in June of 1964 or 1965 , can't remember the year. The songs ( both sides ) were number one on WBBF for almost a month. How could you miss that ? The songs are titled " As Time Goes By " and " Tomorrow " the two songs were recorded live with just a trio. Kerim Capli who wrote both songs and sang lead on both song. Jake Gerber played guitar ( Acoustic on " As Time Goes By " and electric on " Tomorrow " ) and sang the harmony . Russell Schaad played bass guitar. One must remember,there were NO overdubs ,hence a one track studio with I believe six microphones. It was totally live and recorded both songs in an hour. The Groop Ltd. is featured in a new documentary called " Blue " This was produced in Istanbul,Turkey. Kerim was Turkish and after the band split up, went and played with the " Heard " another band that had a recirculated out in 1965, yet you don't mention them either. After that Kerim played with the Sundowners and were the Monkees opening act in 1967 along with Jimi Hendrix ! How the hell could you miss all this. Jake became a staff writer for Mercury Records in Los Angeles and did session work on guitar and bass. As the documentary was just released in Seattle I ( Jake Gerber ) was invited to the premiere last week. I spoke to the audience after the film about Kerim ( RIP ) . Kerim wax the most innately gifted musician to ever come out of Rochester,and that's saying something . I was just invited to fly to New York for the premier of the film on Dec.3,2017. The producers and filmmakers flew from Istanbul to interview me here at my home last winter ( San Francisco ) hence I'm in the film giving a narrative to Kerims life in upstate New York ( Rochester ). If the film makers had it right, they would premiere the film in Rochester,where I've been written up quite often in the past fifty years. You may want to check out Feb.14,1971 issues of your local Sunday Democrat and Chrinicle. The Groop Ltd. was a Beatles cover band, the first one in Rochester. Then the Quirks came along in I believe 1965, good band. We also opened for the British acts at the Auditorium Theatre in 64/65 after our record came out. You can just google " As Time Goes By " by the Groop Ltd. " and hear the no frills record. I'll try to enclose pix of the record label. Cheers from SF J

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is one of many Rochester's festivals; this one held in Irondequoit each year at Camp Eastman with food, music, and general celebration of Rochester's German heritage. This is schnitzel and sauerkraut!!- Oktoberfest is your chance to be German for a day, or a weekend or two. PAST EVENTS 2014 - 27th Annual Festival September 13-14 and 20-21, 2014 2013 - 26th Annual Festival September 12-14th and September 20-21st, 2013 2012 - 25th Annual Festival September 14-16th and September 21-22nd, 2012 2011 - 24th Annual Festival September 16-18th and September 23-24th, 2011 2010 - 23rd Annual Festival September 17-19th and September 26-27th, 2010 2009 - 22nd Annual Festival September 18-20th and September 25-27th, 2009 Notes and References YouTube.com Promo Video GermanFoods.org National Oktoberfest Listings

Fine Recording Studio

Fine Recording Studio is an amazing story about Rochester's music history finding its way to Australia. It is a story of 30 years of Rochester's rich music recording history (1947-1977). "In December 2002, a shipping container arrived in Sydney, Australia. Its contents largely unknown, it was unloaded into a warehouse in East Botany. For the next 6 months a story unfolded, a history of the recorded music of Rochester, NY, from the immediate post-war era, until the untimely death in 1977 of studio owner and jazz big band leader Vincent iancursio, aka Vince Jan, aged 58. The studio later suffered fire and flood damage." 1 Notes and References Scorched and flooded studio basement Detailed writeup on FreeAlbums WFMU Blog Entry on Finde Recording Studio 1Site detailing discovery and label information

Firemen's Plot

Fireman's Monument The Firemen's Plot was first purchased in Mt. Hope Cemetery for the purpose of burying fallen firefighters in 1843. In 1880, the Rochester Firefighters Benevolent Association, realizing more space was needed, traded that plot for a larger section. The burials from the original plot were transferred to this new section. A 50 foot obelisk was also constructed for the new plot. On Sept. 9, 1880 a ceremony was held to dedicate the new Firemen's Plot. The monument was re-dedicated on September 9, 1984. The plot is at the corner of Fireman's Avenue and Grove Avenue, in the northwest corner of section BB. Coincidentally, the firemen's graves lie next to the final resting place of several victims of the Steam Gauge and Lantern Works Fire. Tree growth and buildings on the University of Rochester River Campus now obstruct the view of the Genesee River, which was previously visible from here.1 A similar plot also exists in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Other views from around the plot: A plaque honors the horses of yesteryear, who were once a critical part of the fire service. The 1880 dedication and 1984 re-dedication is found at the bottom of the Firemen's Monument. Thomas Rathbun (d. 1827) was the first City fireman to be killed in the line of duty. He was killed by a collapsing chimney. 1(Information for this article taken from In the Finest Tradition By Dan McBride and Epitaph Newsletter, Volume 10, Number 4 Fall 1990.)

Latta-Meech House

The Latta-Meech House is an historic building in Charlotte. Located at the center of the old Village of Charlotte, it is believed to be the second-oldest structure in Monroe County after the Stone-Tolan House. It was built for pioneer Samuel Latta, for whom nearby Latta Road is named. Upon his death in 1827, the house was passed on to his daughter Esther Latta Deyo. It stayed in the family until Deyo sold it to Sanford and Sarah Meech in 1872. Their son, John Meech, the property's next owner, was president of the Charlotte Coal Company. After he died in 1940 his wife Jennie Judd Meech lived in the house until her own death in 1960. Its next owner was Dr. Erastus Edward Strobino, a beloved physician who had been practicing out of the building since 1938. In 2012 the Charlotte Community Development Corporation purchased the home from BEF Enterprises and renovated it to be a visitors' center. Also includes a business called Ma'ama Tee's Cookin' & Catering. The building still boasts its original hand-hewn beams, tree timbers, and handmade nails. Notes and References Democrat and Chronicle - Retrofitting Rochester Historic Walking Tour of Lake Avenue

Gates Historical Society

The Gates Historical Society preserves the historical records and artifacts of the Town of Gates. It has its offices in the Hinchey Historical House & Park and manages the park for the Parks Department. The 1870's Italianate house is the only structure in the town listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The society holds public meetings at the Gates Town Hall Annex on the 3rd Monday of each month from 7:00PM to 8:45PM. They are open to the public and the schedule of topics is listed on their website. Notes and References Historical Society Photo Gallery - gallery viewing of individual photos only works correctly in Internet Explorer. Early Records of Gates. Museum Info on CrookedLakeReview.com - information on the society, hours, tours, costs, etc.

Pietzche Nietzche

Pietzche Nietzche is a local band that has been playing since 1991 and goes through band members like most Rochester bands go through 8-balls. Current and former members include Barb Johnston, Jack DiMartino, Amy Nietzsche, Mike Rizzo, Greg Fenlong, Arthur Ratnik, Mark Martin, Vargus Pike, Howie Lester, Phil Dann, Alby DeBlieck, Matty Sonar, Bill Moon, Jason Nemec, Michelle Hurt, Tony Cavegnero, Jonny One-Lung, Kitten Kitten Kitten Head, Dave Hammet, Toni Zernick, and Vanessa Delzangaro. The band has played every club in Rochester under one name or the other and has somehow opened up for Eugene Chadbourne, P-Funk and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. They have released three "official" CDs: God Is Def, Misunderestimated and a rock opera called March Of The Disney Robots. They have a MySpace page where you can hear music - http://www.myspace.com/pietzcheneitzches Here are some words in quotes about the band: "IRRITAINMENT" "No encore!!!!" "A poet muddies his own waters in order to make them appear deeper.." ACCEPTABLE SPELLINGS OF PIETZCHE NIETZCHE: Peachy Neachy, Picci Nicci, Pea Cheese Knee Cheese, Peetcha Neetcha, Pee Chi Gneetshe, Peachee Neechee

CJS Architects

CJS Architects is an architectural firm with offices in downtown Rochester and Buffalo. They used to share a building with Roc Brewing Company but moved down the street at the end of 2019. Some of their work that can be seen around Rochester: Strong Museum expansion Vida Apartments Gold Street Lofts on Mt. Hope 625 South Goodman Eastman Theater expansion

Fairport Music & Food Festival

The Fairport Music & Food Festival is an annual music festival held in Fairport on Liftbridge Lane near the Box Factory Building, which features music and food from local restaurants. The event generates funds for a number of Rochester based charities.

540WMain

540WMain is an art gallery, event space, and community and education center in the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood. It houses The Rochester Afterschool Program. Their kitchen space is dedicated gluten-free and available for rent by community business owners. The center opened in May 2016 and had the official ribbon cutting ceremony on June 18.

Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex

Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex formerly known as The Sports Centre at MCC and The ESL Sports Centre, is a 2,500-seat multi-purpose arena. It was built in 1998. It was home to the Rochester Raiders indoor football team in the 2006 season. It is also home to four regulation size sheets of ice for semi-professional and youth hockey teams' use. In 2013, Bill Gray's signed a 30-year agreement to take over sponsorship of the facility.

Bread & Water Theatre's Rainbow Theater Festival

The Rainbow Theater Festival is produced annually by Bread & Water Theatre. It features productions centered on queer life and inspired by the original Rainbow Pride Flag. Initially produced as a joint venture of NazLambda and Nazareth Theatre League, two student-run organizations at Nazareth College of Rochester, the event lay dormant after the graduation of many of the initial participants in the program until it was revived in 2004 by Bread & Water Theatre with the continued support of some of the original participants.

ACT Rochester

ACT Rochester provides an objective assessment of our community’s performance on key indicators. The website provides data for analysis on issues like health, children and youth, education and the economy. The website contains nine topic areas, and over 100 indicators for nine counties as well as links to more than 300 community initiatives and resources. ACT Rochester is an initiative of Rochester Area Community Foundation. Mission: To change the culture of community problem-solving and associated decision making through the use of credible, independent and timely data. This is accomplished when people LEARN about key issues, CONNECT with others in the community, and ACT to promote change. The ACT Rochester region also aligns to NYS Governor Cuomo's Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council region. Recently ACT Rochester has focused on racial and ethnic disparities that exist within our region. This section features ACT Rochester data that can be broken down by race/ethnicity, as well as community initiatives in this topic. This effort is in line with the Facing Race, Embracing Equity movement in Greater Rochester, centered on a 2013 exhibit at Rochester Museum & Science Center that focuses on race.