WE FEEL LUCKY
When it comes to partnerships, we’re lucky.

It’s no secret: CronArtUSA is “working toward the greater good,” as Artist Ryan Cronin says about our mission. It’s why we started our 12 Months of Giving Fund in the first place, which is where our idea for “The Box” (our socially-conscious collaboration with current 12 Months of Giving Recipient Go Doc Go) even came from.

And guess what? This weekend, in our latest partnerships with University Settlement and the LGBT Cancer Network, CronArtUSA and Go Doc Go are taking “The Box” out for a third spin: the East Flatbush Community Research School Carnival and Health Fair.

ABOUT OUR NEWEST PARTNERSHIPS
Alongside the East Flatbush Community Research School, University Settlement and the LGBT Cancer Network will present the East Flatbush Community Research School Carnival and Health Fair. Through a plethora of sponsors (including NYU Dentistry, NYC Emergency Management, NYC Department of Education, the National Kidney Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield, among others), the block party-style fair will provide public health and legal services and consultations for local residents, including dental screenings, STI/HIV testing, benefits checks, as well as immigration and housing legal consultations; “The Box” will be present as one of the public services available throughout the day. Additionally, the festivities children’s activities (bouncy house, face painting, carnival games) as well as rides and food & drink. We are extremely excited to welcome the National LGBT Cancer Network to collaborate and expand our reach with “The Box.”

The East Flatbush Community Research School Carnival and Health Fair will take place on E. 53rd Street (between Winthrop Street and Remsen Street) in Brooklyn, NY this Saturday, June 23rd, from 12:00pm-4:00pm (with a raindate of Saturday, June 30th, same time). Via the MTA Subway: 4 train to Utica Avenue Station, 15 minute walk to the fair. (To plug in your starting address for Google Map directions, click here.)

ABOUT “THE BOX”
A revolutionary intersection of art and medicine, “The Box” is a socially-conscious, collaborative, public art installation created by Ryan Cronin of CronArtUSA and Go Doc Go Founder Maggie Carpenter, MD.  “The Box” enables participants to circumvent the traditional pap smear used to screen for cervical cancer. Part self-collection space, part art space, “The Box” is a privacy booth installed in a public location that gives women a safe place to independently swab a sample to be tested for the HPV virus, the leading cause of cervical cancer. “The Box” bypasses traditional medical routes: No exam is necessary.

Early detection is instrumental in preventing the development of cervical cancer. "The Box" had beta installations at the O+ Festival in Kingston, NY and the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with future installations to come. Though too early in the sampling process to provide conclusive data, at both installations CronArtUSA and Go Doc Go found that 1 in 8 women who self-swabbed in “The Box” tested positive for HPV.  It was this early detection that allowed for referral and further evaluation.

As a forward-thinking intersection between art and medicine, “The Box” is a true collaboration. “It intricately marries our two professions, while challenging cultural norms of institutionalized control over medicine. This makes care accessible to all audiences, with a particular focus on reaching individuals who otherwise might not have access,” emphasizes Carpenter. “The potential to impact lives is so far reaching.”

We’re firm believers in F-U-N here at CronArtUSA-- which is why we sat down with "The Box" co-creators Artist Ryan Cronin & Go Doc Go Founder Maggie Carpenter, to learn more about their collaboration. Click below to watch and enjoy: 

PS: Want to help make sure “The Box” can continue on its journey? Click here to donate to 12 Months of Giving. #FollowTheBox