Here is what our contemporaries say about Micro Museum.
Tymberly Canale, Award Winning Dance Artist & Parent
I spent many years in the 1990's developing and rehearsing work at Micro Museum with the Obie and Bessie award winning company Big Dance Theater. The space was affordable and we could store our props there. Working there influenced our work in many ways. It is vitally important that organizations like Micro Museum are not only recognized for the important contribution they provide to artists, but that they are celebrated for their achievements and acknowledged for the important role they provide to the community.
Pamela Sneed, Writer, Performer, Artist, Online Faculty/School of the Art Institute of Chicago
It is with great pleasure and honor that I write this letter on behalf of Kathleen Laziza and Micro Museum. As a professional artist a poet, performer, visual artist, also a College Professor and long time resident of Cobble Hill Brooklyn, I can attest to the magnificent work and importance of Micro Museum. The Museum has served as a vital part of our community and is a resource not just for artists, but everyone. It has been a place for community gathering, exhibitions, performance, music, food and brought much needed culture and multi/disciplinary art including technology to the neighborhood. For many, this is an important educational resource as well. Micro Museum has also been successful in bringing together people from all races and backgrounds. It has been far ahead of its time in offering services to the community. Many artists including myself, have been offered free and low cost rehearsal space, resources, and ongoing support in their practices. I cannot offer enough praise for this institution and the importance of its presence and work in our neighborhood.
Lucien Zayan, Director Invisible Dog Art Center
My name is Lucien Zayan, I'm the Director Founder of the Invisible Dog Art Center, opened on Bergen street in October 2009. I had the chance to witness and be inspired by the Micro Museum, its essential place in Brooklyn artistic community, its role in the education of hundreds of us. Kathleen Laziza, and Micro Museum deserve full support and I’m honored to join the vocal forces for this historic organization.
Brett Henderson a/k/a Muffinhead, Performance Artist and Fashion Icon
Micro Museum is one of the last remaining hubs in the city aiding and assisting the visions of emerging artists with a palpable sense of creative wonder. Serving as both community meeting place and art venue, it provides a true ladder to artists realizing their own value and possibilities.
Marianne Petit, Interactive Media Arts Program (IMA), NYU Shanghai
Micro Museum is a Brooklyn art treasure. I have followed the work of the Micro Museum and its founders, Kathleen and William Laziza for more than 25 years. In that time, they have worked tirelessly to art and community together into a welcoming and experimental center. People of all ages and backgrounds can be found here. Losing the Micro Museum would be a loss not only to the neighborhood but to the City at large.
Shari Polis, Dance Instructor and Parent
Micro Museum is one of the most unique creative spaces in NYC. It was at the forefront of the Brooklyn artist movement - it was there inspiring artists to make unusual and thought provoking installations before any one else was. Kathleen and Micro Museum rented their studios to our children's dance company for nearly a decade, supporting children in the community and their families for years. Kathleen and William are wonderful neighbors, artists, and true Brooklynites!
Carrie Gavigan, Teacher at Edward Morrow Brooklyn
I wanted to say how great of an experience it was working with Micro Museum as a neighborhood kid way back in the day. As Kathleen Laziza partnered with the schools in after school programs giving kids the opportunity to work on art was truly amazing. It made my desire to become an educator stronger. I always think back and apply those skills learned. Having been able to see all of the different artists and dancers that had the opportunity to use space made available to them was a great contribution to the neighborhood. Not to mention the great art that was in the museum, like The BIG Chair, Phone-i-ture and so much more. I especially love seeing it on the NYC channel where I can be proud of the owners and as a former employee. Micro Museum is a staple of the Carroll Gardens/ Boerum Hill neighborhood. There's no place like it! Best wishes! Love you guys. Thank you for everything you have done for me, all of the wonderful fun and opportunity to work with Kathleen Laziza. Never forgotten.
Cynthia Terri, Writer and Educator
Micro Museum provided affordable rehearsal studio space to local artists that help ease the burden on productions with small budgets. This dynamic couple (Kathleen and William Laziza) also produced a public access TV show called SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION where I was featured performing a live installation for their museum/ art gallery. This was wonderful exposure for me at that time. They cared about promoting their neighborhood artists.
Marilyn Lucchi, Actress and Educator
Micro Museum has always impressed me as being one of the most creative, accessible and innovative museums. Its charm had been in its interactive style as well as its professional quality. Aside from its artistic bent, it has managed to draw a diverse and interesting community.
Allison Twyford, Beauty Expert and Parent
Micro Museum has served the community of downtown Brooklyn and enriching the lives of many through art education for decades. In addition to their interactive art installations, the museum has also reached art lovers both young and old through programs such as art in the park. Under Kathleen Laziza's direction and innovation, I have assisted in after school art instruction at our local public school and at Pierrepont Park for 24 summers. These services were free for children and available to all. I have seen so many happy children creating art year after year through these programs that Micro Museum has offered and I am proud to have been a part of it. Thank you Micro Museum for spreading your passion for art, promoting creativity and for encouraging children in the arts.
Ross Ryman, Actor
As an actor and native Brooklynite, I am someone who understands the importance of a free or low cost venue that offers performance space or even just a supportive place to show your artwork. In an ever changing landscape of high rises, high rents and uber expensive venues, places like Micro Museum are the fabric of what keeps Brooklyn real and creative, by inspiring its people to grow and play. I had the opportunity to perform with Micro Museum at the Easter parade a few years back. While at the parade, I met many other interesting people representing the museum. Not only did it serve as a great networking opportunity but I was photographed by the late great Bill Cunningham. A moment I will cherish forever.
Simon Morris, Business Owner & Parent
Since discovering the wonders of the Micro Museum 4 years ago it’s become a must-go-to venue for a visit each time I return to New York from London. It’s a unique and a hidden gem and a bit like stepping into an Aladdin’s Cave designed by David Lynch – it makes you feel like you’re stepping into the great American art psyche. Because of this I regularly recommend people to visit, both those I know in NY, and those visiting from the UK. Brooklyn has changed so much recently but it’s great to know a place like Micro Museum is keeping the fire burning for small galleries and community art spaces. Keep up the art.
Reva Cooper, Certified NYC Tour Guide
William and Kathleen Laziza's Micro Museum has been of invaluable service to their community for more than 30 years. As the first museum of art in Cobble Hill, their space has given important exposure to many artists, and started the neighborhood's importance as art district, as several galleries have since opened up. Micro Museum has also brought thousands of visitors to New York City to Smith Street, who knew about the museum and otherwise wouldn't have been in Cobble Hill. In addition, the Lazizas created the annual renowned Bastille Day celebration in July, now produced by Bar Tabac and have produced wonderfully imaginative and fun free events for the community. They have given their space, much of which has also been used for performing and visual arts classes, for important community meetings. The Lazizas themselves are gifted artists, and Kathleen Laziza's clothing creations SPRING FEVER were given a lavish spread in the New York Times by the legendary fashion photographer Bill Cunningham two years ago in a feature about New York City's Easter Parade. Micro Museum is totally unique and I always look forward to seeing what they will do next.
Flash Light, Arts and Science Collaboration Inc.
I've been a fan of Micro Museum since it opened over 30 years ago. It features wonderful interactive electronic art that can't be seen anywhere else, such as “Videoscopo,” a video based kaleidoscope, “Videograph,” an interactive video display which the NY Times called “Art of the Future,” “Phone-i-ture” and “Octophone,” which are interactive telephone pieces that encourage participation and communication, “The Lumiano,” a piano which produces both music and a light display, “Blabbermouth,” a furniture sculpture that reads famous quotations at the touch of a keyboard, and “Lightlines,” a sculpture that causes neon lights to respond to sounds. In an age when businesses are urging schools to teach the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Micro Museum is a terrific resource for encouraging kids to see the STEM subjects as fun and entertaining, and the city should be encouraging schools to book tours of Micro Museum as field trips.
Anthon Santella, PhD
I am happy to have this opportunity to recommend the work done by Micro Museum. Their dedication to the arts, artists and the community has had a significant impact on my career as a visual artist and I am sure impacting many others. They gave me my first solo show in New York in 2006 and I exhibited with them again in a group show later that year. Their generosity and openness to artists is a welcome antidote to the profit driven NYC art scene and they are a true asset to the community.
Mollie McClelland Morris, Business Owner & Parent
I support Micro Museum, for all it has done and continues to do for its community. Some of the many contributions the Micro Museum has made include: educating children in school groups and the local area, supporting creativity and expression in young people, job opportunities and work experience for teenagers and young adults (myself included), non-commercial community gathering space, showcasing of local art and artists, space for social events, music lessons, dance classes and rehearsals.
I currently live in London, and send visitors to Micro Museum when we know they are visiting New York. We have heard several reports of people sticking around on Smith street, shopping or having dinner in the neighborhood. The foresight to build Micro Museum on Smith Street was part of what changed the neighborhood into the fashionable, family centered and tourist friendly destination it now is. With so many unique businesses and community spaces priced out, or shut down, having Micro Museum in the neighborhood keeps alive an authentic, unique, artistic and unconventional community space for young people, families, locals and tourists alike.