Sprout Social: Artist Mixer Series Kickoff
On the night of Sprout Social, Americano Cafe in Staten Island turned into exactly what we hoped it would be: a room full of creators, makers, and people who believe in community.
This was Shagara's first artist mixer, produced in partnership with Haus of Expression.
In one corner, UnderRep Group was taking professional headshots all night, the kind of practical, useful thing artists rarely get for free. Just steps away, Dave Noodlez of Stereotype had people designing and printing their own custom tees, watching ideas come to life on the spot. The collaborative mural canvas filled up piece by piece over the course of the evening, until there wasn't an inch of blank paper left by the time the night ended.
The music corner never stopped moving, drummers, singers, pianists, guitarists, and bassists rotated in and out all night, building something different every time a new combination of musicians sat down together. Gabby's writing prompts sparked an open sharing portion later in the night called Cypher and Share, where attendees read poems they'd written just minutes before, including performances by local musicians Justin Legends and JuliaSane, who joined in alongside everyone else. We closed out the night with a beat that three strangers had built together at the DJ station with D3signer Dr3ams, turning into one of the most memorable moments of the evening.
One attendee summed up the night perfectly: "This is exactly the type of event I've been looking for for so long."
That's the whole point.
A night like this doesn't happen without real people showing up for it. We're so grateful to:
Americano Cafe — for opening your space and welcoming this whole creative chaos with open arms
Dave Noodlez of Stereotype, DJ D3signer Dr3ams, Katie Glantz of Shagara, Gabriella Rubin of Haus of Expression, Gianna of Focus Camera, and Dom Perone of UnderRep Group — for leading our Creation Stations and giving people a reason to make something new
Todt Hill Wine & Liquors, Harbor Eats, La Piazza, and Ralph's Sports Bar and Grill — for believing in this from the start
And to everyone who showed up, created something, and met someone new — thank you for making the first Sprout Social what it was.
