MLK Portrait Auction
Each year, East End Arts inspires area high school students to participate in a unique community project honoring civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Inspired by an Icon
Through the MLK Portrait Project, students unleash their creativity to create individual panels that come together in communion to create a portrait of a civil rights leader.
Students learn how the power of the individual is amplified in the community.
We extend a warm welcome to all Eastern Long Island high schools and encourage them to participate in the Fourth Annual MLK Portrait Project hosted by East End Arts.
Previous Participants
- Bridgehampton
- Center Moriches
- Comsewogue
- East Hampton
- Eastport South Manor
- Greenport
- Hampton Bays
- Longwood
- Mattituck
- Mount Sinai
- Riverhead
- Rocky Point
- Shelter Island
- Southampton
- William Floyd
In honor of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the enduring legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, this year’s project pays homage to the unsung heroes who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
16 new sample photos and brief bios to exemplify their significance in the Civil Rights Movement.
Through the MLK Portrait Project, students unleash their creativity to create individual panels that come together in communion to create a portrait of a civil rights leader. Students learn how the power of the individual is amplified in the community.
Once complete, the mosaic portraits first hang in their corresponding schools and then are displayed in a public gallery. The originals are sold at auction and the proceeds support the East End Arts School scholarship for art students.
Build your collection and participate in the annual MLK Portrait Auction. It’s a fabulous way to support current high school art students and future students in need of financial assistance.
Auction opens January 15, 2024.
For those new to the MLK Portrait Project and as a refresher for returning participants, the process remains unchanged. After choosing your image, ideally in a striking black and white format, you will divide it into 16 squares. Each of your students will be responsible for one square, with the possibility of some students taking on two squares if your school has fewer participants. The true magic lies in allowing each student to express themselves through their unique artistic style, which collectively breathes life into the final portrait. While perfection isn’t a prerequisite, maintaining a sense of continuity is key since it is a portrait.
Our time-tested approach to creating the final portrait remains consistent, following these essential dates:
- Official Project Commencement: Wednesday, November 1, 2023
- Completion, Assembly, and Photography: January 11, 2024
- Virtual Gallery and Auction Opens: January 15, 2023 (MLK Day)
- School Display: January 15 – February 9, 2023
- Portrait Pickup: Week of February 12, 2023
- Public Viewing at East End Farmers Market, Riverhead: Saturdays, February 17 – March 2, 2024
- Final Day of Virtual Auction: March 2, 2024
