Let’s GO! (participate in a community-curated open studio project)

Rachel Silberstein -

After months of anticipation GO: a community-curated open studio project is happening THIS WEEKEND. Artists across the borough will be opening their studios to the public to strut their stuff and (artistically) duke it out for a chance to exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum this December.

Here’s how it’s gonna go down (abridged version):

1. 1,861 Brooklyn artists are participating, which means that in some alternate world where time stops and trains run, you could theoretically see 1,861 artists their natural habitat.

2. At every studio you visit, you check in via some kind of technology — it’s ideal for smartphones (download the app here), but if you’re low-tech/forgetful/the data plan costs WHAT?, you can write down the studio’s GO ID number and either text it to BKLYN or use it to check in via the web later.

3. Anyone who visits five or more studios gets voting privileges. You’ll know when you’ve got them because they’ll email you voting instructions.

4. Once voting starts — September 12th — you can nominate up to three of the artists you visited, which everyone at least 3 days to obsess (voting doesn’t close till the 18th, so you could, if you want, have ten days!)

5. After the nominations are tallied, the Brooklyn Museum curators will pay visits to the top ten crowd favorites to figure out which artists will be representing the borough in the museum’s December show.

And while it’s a big world out there, you could easily spend both days GOing without leaving the Slope: there are 76 participating artists in the neighborhood (peruse them here).

Heading out this weekend? There are a number of resources to help you make the most of it:

Info Spots! Every neighborhood’s got at least one designated info spot — in Park Slope, it’s Two Moon Art House and Cafe — where you can grab a map or consult a GO staffer.

Itineraries! Once you register (which you have to do to vote), you can map your itinerary, either via web or by app. And after you’ve built your game plan, you can share it with friends/family/first dates.

Tech Support! If you run into technical difficulties while registering or voting, swing by The Mac Support Store (7th Street and 3rd Ave) on Monday, September 10th, between 7pm and 9. They’ve generously volunteered to stay open outside of their normal hours to help artistic tech troubles — bring your iDevice, or use their computers on site.