As co-owners of the trademark name Arts on Third, we want to thank the Mount Vernon community, artists, vendors and residents of various other communities and states as far as Florida and California for 14 years of celebrating arts and culture in the city of Mount Vernon. We are not affiliated with an event scheduled in the city for September 10, 2016.We have been forced to take action to stop the City of Mount Vernon from using the name Arts on Third for this festival (see document below). Over the course of 14 years the brand Arts on Third was built through hard work and personal sacrafiuce. We began serving 3,500 people and in 2015 reached 125K throughout the course of our one day event as estimated through professional counts. Our festival was so successful that Harlem Week contacted us in advance so as not to conflict with our date.
We, take offense that the City of Mount Vernon, who had been co-sponsor from the festival’s inception, has decided to capitalize upon our hard work and success without permission nor inclusion. Having never been contacted by anyone affliated with the City of Mount Vernon, we were left with no other alternative but to have served upon the City of Mount Vernon and various others, a demand to Cease and Desist using our name and collecting monies and other goods through the use of the Arts on Third name. We expect fallout from our actions and are prepared to deal with them.
While we enjoyed our time in the city of Mount Vernon, it was time for us to move on. We will be bringing the brand Arts on Third to other communities in the future. Interest has been expressed in other states including the south and midwest. It is our hope that you will continue to have interest in Arts on Third. We’ll keep you posted.
With love, respect and good wishes to all who believed in us,
Shari & Judy
Founded in 1999, the “Arts On Third” festival is one of lower Westchester’s largest and most prestigious cultural celebrations of creative and artistic genius.
“Arts on Third” started out as a vision of Mayor Ernest Davis and the Third Street Task Force. It was created as an entity to help transform Downtown Mt. Vernon “Third Street” into a flourishing arts and entertainment district.
The Festival showcases local and mainstream artists in music, theatre, film, literature, dance, performance art, visual art and spoken word. Our goal is to entertain, educate and enhance the quality of life within our community!
[Editor’s Note: We will be doing a follow up article or editorial on the dispute with upcoming festival early next week and plan to talk to all the necesary paries involved.]
AJ Woodson
AJ Woodson is the Editor-In-Chief of Black Westchester and Co-Owner of Urban Soul Media Group, the parent company, Host & Producer of the People Before Politics Radio Show. AJ is a Father, Brother, An Author, Journalism Fellow (Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism), Hip-Hop Artist - one third of the legendary underground rap group JVC FORCE known for the single Strong Island, Radio Personality, Hip-Hop Historian, Documentarian, Activist, Criminal Justice Advocate and Freelance Journalist whose byline has appeared in several print publications and online sites including The Source, Vibe, the Village Voice, Upscale, Sonicnet.com, Launch.com, Rolling Out Newspaper, Daily Challenge Newspaper, Spiritual Minded Magazine, Word Up! Magazine, On The Go Magazine and several others.
