By Forum Staff
The fourth annual, month-long Queens Rising festival began with celebration on Sunday at Resorts World New York City in South Ozone Park featuring over 100 attendees—including visual artists, musicians, their families, and longtime supporters.
The evening opened at 4 p.m. with a reception inside the Red Wall Art Gallery, where guests explored the featured visual art exhibition.
Opening remarks were delivered by Julia del Palacio, director of Strategic Partnerships at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College, who acknowledged Resorts World as Queens Rising’s title sponsor.
“We are so thankful to be here at Resorts World NYC for our kickoff event,” said del Palacio. “We’re especially grateful to Michelle [Stoddart] and her team for your continued support and for always showing up for the arts and culture community in the World’s Borough.”
Photo Courtesy of Lizzie Butler
Queens Rising presents Axis Mundi Exhibit at Red Wall Gallery at Resorts World NYC.
Stoddart, senior vice president of Community Development and Public Affairs for Resorts World NYC, followed with her own message.
“We are so proud to be the title sponsor for Queens Rising this 2025 and 2026, and we are happy to be celebrating in our Red Wall Art Gallery—which for the past fourteen years has provided a platform for local artists to showcase their work in this space,” Stoddart said.
Closing remarks came courtesy of Arianne M. Fernandez, curator for Queens Rising’s 2025 visual arts programming, who reflected on the exhibition theme:
“Axis Mundi is a term used in many Pre-Hispanic cultures, from the Mexica and Maya to contemporary times. It refers to a place, object, or person that serves as a mediator between the heavens and the earth—the tangible and intangible. This idea echoed within me while selecting these works. Artists hold a kind of knowledge not everyone understands; they give hope during difficult times and become the voice of the voiceless. Thank you for being here and for honoring these talented artists. Enjoy the show,” she said.
