Blanka Amezkua – Artist in Residence
February 24th – March 21st, 2026 We were thrilled, honored, delighted, and excited to welcome Blanka Amezkua as our first Artist in Residence at Puffin Brooklyn! Blanka Amezkua is a Mexican born-American…
Puffin Brooklyn
About
After three decades of operating out of Teaneck, NJ, the Puffin Foundation was delighted to expand in April of 2025 with the opening of a satellite office in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
In addition to being a workspace, the new office in Park Slope has an area for art displays, intimate performances, and meetings of community organizations. We are thrilled to be establishing a presence in Brooklyn, NYC, where many of our grantees live, and where an excellent bagel is always within walking distance.
On View: Starling Skies: An Art Show With Trans Kids and Adults
4/18 – 5/17/26
Puffin Brooklyn and Trans Art Fest are proud to present Starling Skies, an art show with trans kids and adults.
Opening Saturday, April 18, 1-4pm
On view: April 18 – May 17
Gallery hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday – 11 am -5 pm
One of 12 exhibitions in the inaugural Trans Art Fest, Starling Skies gives love to trans kids by showcasing their designs alongside art by trans adults. The show features posters made at POGEK propaganda parties (Parents of Gender Expansive Kids) as well as multidisciplinary artwork by contemporary trans artists.
Small creatures when alone, starlings come together in thousands to create complex and mesmerizing shapes that flicker and evolve, confusing and intimidating predators. “We hope this exhibition can be one place where our community flocks around trans kids to support and protect them, while also offering them a chance to shine in their full, splendent power.” — Trans Art Fest founder, Carter Shocket
Featuring artists: Sunny Allis, Al Dettmann, Aly Frasier Diaz, Camille Calegari, Dany Greene, Milo Godfrey, El Lang, Drue Leahy, Wallace dos Santos, Aoife Smith, Jamie Wild and the kids, families, and community of POGEK (Parents of Gender Expansive Kids). Co-curated by Carter Shocket and Al Dettmann.
Upcoming Events
Friday May 1st, 3:00 pm- 5:00 PM
Jane’s Walk/Fall of Freedom
Street/Art Park Slope: Art in Action Walking Tour
led by Rich Garr
The winter weather forced us to cancel one of artist Rich Garr’s Art in Action walking tours, but spring is finally here and we are delighted to announce that this walk has been rescheduled!
The walk, which is sponsored by Puffin and free or by donation, will take place on Friday May 1st and start at 3 pm from our office at 227 5th Avenue in Park Slope. From there, it will meander south, stopping at several arts and cultural institutions along the way that are sites of creative resistance and activism, as well as beloved community hubs for celebrations and performances. Taking place on May Day (International Workers Day), the walk will be part of both Jane’s Walk NYC 2026 as well as the events taking place as part of Fall of Freedom.
Please note that this is a space-limited event and when capacity is reached, no further registration will be possible, though there will be a wait list if you request tickets via the Jane’s walk site. The walk will move at a leisurely pace and take about 2 hours. It’s aimed at adults but intrepid/art-curious young people may enjoy it.
Accessibility: The scenic route is just over a mile. We will go slow and have time to sit. It is generally wheelchair accessible, but not recommended for those with trouble on extended walks or uneven sidewalks.
Photo collage credit: Rich Garr
Thursday May 7th, 6:30 Doors, 7:00 Films
Family First: An Evening of Short Films for Trans Youth and Families.
Curated and hosted by Trans Film Collective and Baby Teeth Film Festival.
Join us for a special program that highlights a vibrant selection of family-friendly, youth-inspired films created by trans filmmakers and artists. This short film screening is presented by Trans Film Collective x Baby Teeth Film Festival at the Puffin Foundation, featured as part of the Trans Art Fest lineup.
After the screening, stay for a free talkback conversation with participating artists, an opportunity to engage, reflect, and celebrate trans storytelling together.
Please note that capacity at Puffin Brooklyn is limited so it’s important to RSVP if you want to make sure to get in!
Sunday May 17th, 5:00 pm – 6:30 PM
A Night of Youth Readings and Performances to Celebrate the Closing of Starling Skies: An Art Show with Trans Kids and Adults!
A Show of Readings and Performances by Gender Expansive Youth.
Presented in collaboration with POGEK (Parents of Gender Expansive Kids), Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Chrysalis Magazine and Hive Mind Books.
Zines, posters, books, and gender expansive resources will be provided at this event.
Young people ages 5-22 are invited to perform! Everyone is welcome to attend. Admission is free but registration/RSVP is required.
Puffin Brooklyn will be having ongoing events and exhibitions in our new space. Check our calendar below, or, to have the goods delivered straight to your inbox, please sign up for our email list!
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Our Calendar
Past Happenings
On Saturday 3/21 for the final open studio and closing event for our inaugural Artist in Residence, Blanka Amezkua. Blanka discussed about her work with atendees while they enojoyed refreshments! (Video below). On Sunday March 8th, Puffin Brooklyn audiences heard from two extraordinary creative artists & activists. Puffin’s current (March 2025) Artist in Residence, Blanka Amezkua, was in conversation with Marco Saavedra of La… For the last day of our Democracy Jenga exhibit, artist Rich Garr made visitors personalized valentines! It was his birthday, and he turned back the clock to the first kinds… On Wednesday, February 4th, artist Rich Garr led a Puffin-sponsored “Street/Art, Art in Action” Walk. Participants stopped at 4 sites of cultural and activist creativity in Park Slope with the last stop being Puffin… On January 30th, Puffin Brooklyn and Open Source Gallery presented How to Build a Fire: Endangered. Four community members shared stories about things that feel at risk: identities, relationships, traditions, ecosystems, languages, jobs,… It’s a fraught time for media. Close to forty percent of newspapers have disappeared in the past twenty years, and there’s been tremendous consolidation among the ones that remain, as well… On Saturday January 10th, Puffin Brooklyn was joined by poets from Poetic People Power. The show featured Tara Bracco, Shanelle Gabriel, Philippe Javier Garcesto, and Karla Jackson-Brewer who shared poems… On view from January 31st to February 14th, 2026 Democracy Jenga was a group show curated by Ingrid Butterer. It featured works by Aileen Bassis, Rich Garr, Marina Heintze, jc lenochan,… On September 6th, we explored the connections between reproductive and environmental justice, illuminated by storytelling. The evening included a performance by New York City theater company ReproEco and a conversation… Artist-in-Residence Closing Event
Watch Now! The Failure of Language in Our Time & Why Nopales Are So Nutritious & Delicious
“Democracy Jenga” Closing Event
“Street/Art, Art in Action” Walk Led by Rich Garr
How to Build a Fire: Endangered
Future Tense: Where is Journalism Heading?
Poetic People Power
“Democracy Jenga” Exhibition
Intersections: Connecting Reproductive and Environmental Justice Through Storytelling
