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Well, that was a surprise. Voters who felt marginalized by a changing world came out to strongly support their candidate, whose election, in turn, makes others feel marginalized and scared, even threatened. The common link is that people on all sides feel injustice, like they haven't been treated fairly by the system as it exists today.

As Hillary Clinton said this morning, “America is more deeply divided than we thought.” So, how do we begin the process of repairing those deep divides? How do we build understanding and empathy between the different people and groups that comprise our fractured nation?

FIGMENT Founder and Executive Producer David Koren wrote a book on FIGMENT: FIGMENT. What is this? Why is nothing for sale? Why is everyone smiling?

Packed with awesome photos from FIGMENT events from cities around the world, the book is a case for creativity, collaboration, learning, and gratitude. It is an invitation to imagine a place where everyone is invited to create,  share and grow. 

Click here to buy the paperback or digital version of the book. All the proceeds of the book go straight to our FIGMENT events and programs.

Your name is probably in this book! (And if it isn't, it should be!)

FIGMENT is celebrating its 10th year! 



In honor of this major milestone FIGMENT Founder and Executive Producer David Koren wrote a book on FIGMENT: FIGMENT. What is this? Why is nothing for sale? Why is everyone smiling?

Packed with awesome photos from FIGMENT events from cities around the world, the book is a case for creativity, collaboration, learning, and gratitude. It is an invitation to imagine a place where everyone is invited to create,  share and grow. 

Join us for the FIGMENT Book Launch on June 2, at Abby Ehmann's new bar in the East Village, LUCKY. There are only 100 tickets available for this special event, where David will be signing the first 100 print copies of the book. Tickets include a signed copy of the book, snacks, and beverages.  

All the proceeds of the book go straight to our FIGMENT events and programs. We will also be toasting to NYC'S 10th annual event which begins the very next day. 

Your name is probably in this book! (And if it isn't, it should be!)

Buy your Tickets Here! 

*Please note that $40 of the $100 event cost will be tax dedutible

FIGMENT is really humming this year. We have events in more cities than ever (11 in 3 countries!), our ALPHA event was bigger and better than ever, the infrastructure and support systems we put in place for all our events are working well, and a new FIGMENT book is about to be released! 

However, at the same time, we just got hit with our annual insurance bill... $32,000. This is 20% more than last year, 3x what we paid in 2014, 4x 2013, and 6x what we paid in 2012 and before. FIGMENT is growing, but by 5-10% a year. We're built to keep scaling, but not if our insurance and other costs go up so much faster than we're growing.

We need your help to get through this. This is an urgent appeal. This enormous insurance bill (the most we've ever paid for anything in our history) has the potential to make it very difficult for us to continue. Can you make a donation today to help us get past this? Any amount helps. 

Thank you for your help in getting us past this hurdle and on to a beautiful summer of free public participatory art for everyone!

Please note that all donations are 100% tax deductible. 

Thinking about taking your FIGMENT project on tour? See below for a list of FIMENT cities, and check out the websites for their Call for Participation opening and closing dates. Stay tuned as we add more cities and finalize dates!

ALPHA: April 15th-17th, 2016

North Adams: April 30th, 2016

New York City: June 3rd-5th, 2016

Baltimore: June 18th, 2016

Boulder: July 9th-10th, 2016

Chicago: July 16th-17th, 2016

Toronto: July 23rd-24th, 2016

Boston: July 30th-31st, 2016

San Diego: August 13th, 2016

Derby (U.K.): August 20th, 2016

Please note that all dates and events are tentative; stay tuned for confirmations and updates!

Happy Holidays from FIGMENT!

Thank you so much for all that you have done for FIGMENT in 2015. To the team members, artists, volunteers, participants, and donors, all who have given so generously of their time and energy… you make FIGMENT happen! 

In honor of Giving Tuesday, we decided to launch #GivingFigment. We asked our community to update their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter to help promote the initiative. If you would like to participate, here is a link to the #GivingFigment picture.

It’s the easiest and best way you can help FIGMENT right now… and we look forward to your involvement in 2016!

Last month we asked our community to share the impact FIGMENT has had on them and on their community. We were so happy to receive so many rich and interesting responses. Here are a few that beautifully illustrate the effect FIGMENT can have on individuals and their cities. 

FIGMENT has had a significant positive impact on so many of us. We're collecting stories from all of our communities on how FIGMENT has made a difference in our lives and in our communities, to help us to explain FIGMENT and the impact that we have to potential funders, groups in new cities, governmental partners, and others. Please take a few minutes to answer the three questions in this FIGMENT Impact Survey, about the difference FIGMENT has made in your life and community—and please ask your core team members, volunteers, artists, and participants to do the same. Your help is much appreciated!

Fill in the survey here.

The City of Dreams Pavilion summer-long program is now accepting submissions for the 2016 competition!

FIGMENT is teaming up once more with the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects NY Chapter (AIANY) and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to host this annual competition. The challenge: design and construct a temporary pavilion on Governors Island that meets the criteria outlined here. Our theme for the pavilion, the City of Dreams, points toward the future. If we imagine a future New York City where anything is possible, what would it look like? In our wildest and most optimistic dreams, what is the future of the city?

These eye-catching structures are always a highlight of the FIGMENT NYC season, to great acclaim from both visitors and (international) media, winning a number of architectural awards. Entrants have until September 20th to register, and until September 30th to submit their proposals.

We ask entrants to consider how to construct a temporary structure efficiently and sustainably—to create a pavilion that has net zero impact and serves as a prototype for a new, truly sustainable approach to design and construction. Entries are encouraged from individuals or teams of architects or non-architects of any age or experience level, provided they are prepared to carry out the project.

The 2015 winning designs are currently installed on Governors Island. Learn more about Billion Oyster Pavilion by BanG Studio, and Organic Growth by Izaskun Chinchilla Architects of Madrid and London here.

We look forward to your proposal!

Thinking about taking your FIGMENT project on tour? See below for a list of FIMENT cities, and check out the websites for their Call for Participation opening and closing dates. Stay tuned as we add more cities and finalize dates!

Thursday April 30, 11:59PM ET is your last chance to submit a project to FIGMENT NYC!

You have only one more day to get your project in for the 2015 event! We want YOU, your creativity, your energy, your fun and your imagination!

The curators of FIGMENT NYC invite proposals for interactive art of all mediums. Interactive, or participatory, art blurs the lines between the artist, the art, and the people engaging with the art. We look for projects that encourage people to play, dance, sing, create, engage, experiment, and explore their environment. Theatre, dance, music, performance art, games, creative costuming, workshops, activities, three-dimensional sculptural installations are all common genres found at FIGMENT.

Get in your proposals and join us!