Sustainable Art Meets Brazilian Folklore at ArtNight Pasadena Performances, Exhibit

In a vibrant fusion of sustainability and cultural diversity, Remainders Creative Reuse will participate in ArtNight Pasadena on Friday, Oct. 18.

The nonprofit organization, dedicated to promoting creative reuse and sustainability, will host a series of exhibitions and performances at its location in Suite 101, 787 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena.

The event’s centerpiece will be a yarn bombing exhibition, featuring contributions from over 50 community members who have spent weeks knitting and crocheting to cover the entire staircase leading to the creative space. This exhibition will continue for several weeks after ArtNight.

“We are so proud to be an ArtNight. We have been one now for several years,” said Toban Nichols, Director of Education and Development for Remainders Creative Reuse. “It’s a wonderful chance for us to connect with the community and show off what we offer and what we do, and also give people a chance to come and have fun and experience what makes Remainders so special.”

Visitors will enjoy a diverse array of activities, including free all-age crafts, children’s activities, a jewelry popup, a Gallery 787 show featuring local artists, and access to the organization’s arts and crafts thrift store.

A highlight of the evening will be performances by FIU Los Angeles, a Brazilian daughter school of Familia Irmaos Unidos in Sao Paulo, is group known for crafting instruments from recycled materials and infusing Brazilian traditions into their music and dance. . They will present a program of Capoeira, featuring Brazilian folkloric music and dance.

Made possible through a City-funded MiniGrant, this collaboration aligns closely with Remainders’ mission of promoting sustainability and cultural inclusion.

“The instruments that Folklore In Urban Los Angeles uses are mostly made with recycled materials,” Nichols explained. “Their core values of community and connection align nicely with our vision to provide arts, education, creative reuse, community and cultural equity and inclusion.”

Remainders Creative Reuse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has been serving the Pasadena community for over nine years, diverting more than 10,000 pounds of materials from landfills monthly.

The organization operates a 3,000-square-foot arts and crafts thrift store on the ground floor, with a creative space upstairs including a gallery, reference library, stage, and studio.

Through its programs, Remainders impacts over 10,000 people annually, offering classes, events, and volunteer opportunities to engage the community in maker culture and creative expression. The organization is committed to providing educational opportunities to people of all economic levels.

As both Remainders and FIU Los Angeles are minority and women-owned businesses, their partnership for ArtNight Pasadena underscores a shared commitment to cultural equity and inclusion in the arts.

To learn more about Remainers Creative Reuse, visit https://remainderspas.org/.