Sound and performance artist Marisa Tornello gives insights into their creative process for upcoming performance, s(o)(e)wing which premieres at the Newhouse Center on November 22, 2024.

In this exclusive interview, Michael Leavy, co-producer of Terrifier 3 and director of STREAM, reveals how Staten Island's indie filmmakers are redefining indie horror. He discusses how the island’s talent and resources are breaking barriers in the global creative scene, with projects like Terrifier 3 setting new records and shining a spotlight on the borough’s creative potential.

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Sophie Blue on the eve of the new EP release, Elysium.

In the final of three installments, Brian Buchanan explores the music landscape of Staten Island and advocates for a venue to serve audiences on the South Shore.

Theatre artists on Staten Island often find themselves at a disadvantage that colleagues in other parts of the world don’t seem to suffer; their proximity to Manhattan. The skyline looms over us. For many, it’s a constant reminder of a “professional” world across the bay. So close, yet so far. 

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Roemello Agjmurati, aka Printmello. Roemello Agjmurati is a Staten Island based Graphic Designer who graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2019 and has since worked for companies like Verizon, Yahoo, and Walmart doing digital product & editorial design crafting unique web experiences and interactive stories. Roemello owes his grittier design style to his background playing guitar in punk / emo bands.

Can you taste it? Is that steaming hot cup of java simmering and wafting? You think to yourself, What ingredients does it possess and was it made lovingly? Who is pouring it? What’s the intention? Like any sought-after food and drink recipe, ingredients are key. And just like that, a place you visit with real investment in its community also possesses these ingredients. If you were around in the early 2000s, chances are you could look no further than the Muddy Cup Coffeehouse, which was located at 388 Van Duzer Street in Staten Island’s Stapleton district during the height of the early aughts.

On July 26th, ImpACT Theatre, a non-profit theatre group based in Staten Island, presented an original musical, Pages of Hope, about a young woman whose resilence leads in the face of illness.

In the second of this three-part installment, Brian Buchanan explores the cultural and music landscape of Staten Island.

Melissa West sits down with Rylee Eterginoso, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Programs at the Staten Island Museum to talk about art, life, and the word “curator.” They also discuss the Staten Island Museum’s current exhibition, Taking Care: The Black Angels of Sea View Hospital.

Tattoos have become so widely accepted and so incredibly mainstream that it is hard to imagine a time when that was not the case. Staten Island has embraced this form of body art so much that we have nearly twenty shops over the span of our sixty square mile island. Taking it further, we presently have the most amount of women tattooers that this island has ever had since tattooing became legal in NYC way back in 1997. I should know, as I am one of the first (I believe quite possibly the literal first!) woman tattooers on this island, starting off in 2002.

In mid-March of 2020, the world shut down. Now I know what you're thinking, another pandemic story, but it’s not. This really is about rediscovery and letting go of the idea of what I thought made good photographs. But, yes, it all started when the pandemic forced me to stay inside, and all the work that I had lined up for the spring dried up, one assignment after another.

In 2013, a vacant lot on Front Street in Stapleton underwent a remarkable transformation into what is now known as Maker Park. Spearheaded by the founders of MakerSpace NYC, DB Lampman, and Scott Van Campen, this area was once littered with abandoned vehicles, trash, and debris. Today, Maker Park stands as a vibrant cultural hub, especially during the summer when it hosts an array of arts and cultural events. As one of Staten Island’s most important cultural sites, Maker Park plays a pivotal role in the community. Its summer programming, curated by Maker Park Radio, is inclusive, showcases incredible talent from Staten Island and beyond, and, most importantly, is a lot of fun! 

A shouting mandolin player stomps their feet for a twelve-minute song. A petite instrumentalist disappears behind an accordion for an impressive droning set. A singer brings the expected roar of a bar down to intrigued whispers as they sing. A six-foot rapper brings a ukelele out from behind their back. A comedian tackles a tipsy mass and ensures a strong reaction. A magician rises from the mixing console to reintroduce wonder to otherwise arduous lives. 

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with SickInTheHead, aka SITH, a hip-hop artist who recently released his powerful debut album “Smokin’ Boots.” SickInTheHead shares details about his creative process, the meaning behind his stage name, and what it’s like being an artist on Staten Island.

In the first of this three-part installment, Brian Buchanan explores the cultural and music landscape of Staten Island.

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Jeff Altieri aka Jeff Enrage, a seasoned show producer and musician with a long history in the Staten Island music scene. Jeff shares his journey, the current state of the local music scene, and his vision for the future.

“I’ll sit and watch,” Clarice, an 80-something-year-old woman told me. The other women cut, glued, collaged, chatted, and told her how much they enjoyed altering their recycled hardcovered books. They showed her their books to entice her to stay and make her own. Gwen related the story of her husband, who had died and loved accordions, so she had been delighted to find a drawing of one.