Experience Yonkers Sound And Light Project Open to Public for Content Submissions

YONKERS, NY – October 11, 2016 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the official launch of the next phase of the EXPERIENCE YONKERS downtown light art project, which will include photos, artwork, music or video performances submitted by the public at www.YonkersNY.gov.  The interactive urban experience known as EXPERIENCE YONKERS features art and music projected on the exterior side wall of the Yonkers Riverfront Library, on the sidewalks of Getty Square and under the Main Street overpass. Experience Yonkers content features video, music, art and information relating to Yonkers and its community. Yonkers is the first city in the U.S. to permanently install and display this technology, created by Gotham Innovation Greenhouse.

“Yonkers is creating an interactive urban experience and destination that our residents and visitors will thoroughly enjoy,” said Mayor Spano.  “I encourage residents to participate in this modern technology by sending us as much content as possible for us to display.  This can be a great way for our community to stay engaged with the happenings of Yonkers as well as highlighting all of the talented individuals we have in our city.  Experience Yonkers will put our emerging arts scene and booming economic development on full display, while celebrating our local communities and their achievements.”

Experience Yonkers features video content that runs each night at Yonkers Riverfront Library at Larkin Center and in Getty Square, while sound plays from speakers mounted on nearby street light posts. The installation also includes colorful moving light shows and exterior wall lightings under the Main Street overpass that can be created and changed daily.

The new technology not only contains video and music, but also has the capability to play connected drone footage and communicate via social media for mobile devices.  Individuals can submit photos in any form that can potentially be featured in city-themed slide shows.  All video and musical submissions must be provided with a unique You Tube URL address in order to be properly displayed.

"There have been wall projections and technology like this in a few U.S. cities and several in Europe -- but those have mostly been for short term art festivals," said Norm Jacknis – President and Co-Founder of Gotham Innovation Greenhouse.  "Yonkers is the first big city in the country to create a permanent installation of this kind to bring history, performance, interactivity and inspiration on a permanent basis.  

To be a part of our EXPERIENCE YONKERS light art project and submit content, visit www.YonkersNY.gov/ExperienceYonkers.  For further assistance or other questions, contact EXPERIENCE YONKERS at ExperienceYonkers@yonkersny.gov.