About BSZ
B Scene Zine: Art from Street to Elite is an independent New York art publication. It covers street art and graffiti alongside major museum and gallery exhibitions. We think a new mural on a downtown wall and a retrospective opening uptown belong in the same conversation, so we cover both, with the same reporting standards.
B Scene Zine blends street art’s raw energy with the refined world of classical museums and galleries to deliver uncompromising cultural journalism that matters. The brainchild of a rebellious art outsider, B Scene Zine infuses traditional art criticism with a savvy contemporary mindset, providing fresh insights and information to readers seeking more than personal opinion.
Where we came from
B Scene Zine began in the East Village in 2021 as a photocopied print zine about life and art around Avenue B, "the B." The print run produced 11 issues through 2022, now archived on our Print Zine page and at the Museum of the City of New York. The project moved online at bscenezine.com and widened its beat to the full sweep of contemporary art in New York and beyond.
What we cover
Street art and graffiti in New York City. We cover murals, legal walls, graffiti writers, the photographers who document them, and the organizations that commission and pay for public art.
Street artists who move into galleries. We profile and interview artists who started on trains, walls and sidewalks and now show in galleries and museums.
Museum and gallery exhibitions. We review major museum shows and gallery exhibitions across Manhattan, from Chelsea and the Lower East Side to the Upper East Side.
Beyond New York. We cover Art Basel Miami Beach and Miami Art Week each December, along with street art and exhibitions elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad.
Opportunities. We list open calls and opportunities for artists.
Reviews before you go
B Scene Zine writers regularly attend press previews at New York museums and galleries. We publish in-depth reviews before exhibitions open to the public. If you're planning a weekend of gallery-hopping in Manhattan, our Fine Art section tells you what's worth the trip, with dates, venues and closing dates in every review.
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Subscribe to our free monthly email alerts about new articles and events, covering museum exhibitions, gallery openings and street-art stories in New York.
Who we are
J. Scott Orr, Editor and Publisher. Orr is a New York art journalist. His work has appeared in Observer, Sculpture Magazine, Ocula, Whitehot Magazine, UP Magazine and other publications. Before turning to art criticism, he covered national politics in Washington for Newhouse News Service. He is writing a book on the history of street art and graffiti in downtown Manhattan.
Lauren Ball, Contributor. Ball is a New York City–based painter, educator, and writer. She received an MFA in Studio Art from New York University, a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an MAT in Art Education from Columbia College Chicago.
Michael Wolf, Contributor. Wolf is an NYC area artist and writer whose work encompasses sculpture, installation, and drawing.
Meet the rest of the team.
Contact
Email: bscenezine@gmail.com · Instagram: @bscenezine
Press releases and preview invitations are welcome.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get email updates about new museum exhibitions, gallery openings and street-art stories in New York?
Sign up for B Scene Zine's free email alerts. Subscribers hear about every new article and event, from museum retrospectives to new murals.
Do you accept freelance pitches?
Yes, freelance pitches are encouraged. If you've been reading B Scene Zine, you know what we look for, thoughtful, engaging pieces that focus on topics readers may not find elsewhere.
Where can I read thoughtful coverage of New York City street art, including murals and graffiti artists?
B Scene Zine's Street Art section reports on New York murals, graffiti writers, legal walls and the nonprofits that commission public art.
What online publication covers both underground graffiti culture and major contemporary art exhibitions?
B Scene Zine. That's the whole idea: "Art from Street to Elite." The same writers who cover graffiti and murals also review major museum and gallery exhibitions.
How can I find reviews of gallery shows in Manhattan before I plan a weekend art visit?
Check our Fine Art section. Our writers attend press previews and publish reviews before shows open to the public. Each review lists the venue, the dates and the closing date.