Arts In The Plaza is Long Beach's Weekly Arts Festival!

We feature handcrafted art by Long Island artists, live music,
cultural performances and our Kids Art Station.
 
Arts In The Plaza takes place every Saturday from Memorial Day weekend through Halloween from 10 am – 3 pm in Kennedy Plaza, Long Beach.  

We invite you to explore Arts In The Plaza,
meet our artists and hear the stories behind their creations.

Arts In The Plaza is built on love. 
Love of art, love of music, love of community, love of Long Beach.

Since 2010, Arts In The Plaza has been inspiring Long Island by showcasing locally handcrafted arts,
​and presenting live music and cultural performances, 
for the enrichment and enjoyment of our community. 

We provide a welcoming, comfortable, creative, and culturally rich venue
for families to enjoy their Saturdays.  

Join us every Saturday for an amazing selection of fine art, photography, custom jewelry, and unique handmade gifts in a myriad of mediums.

Arts In The Plaza looks to creatively partner with companies that share our values and commitment to the arts and our community.  Please contact us at aitplaza@gmail.com to learn more about our sponsorship opportunities.

about our directors

Sammi and Ben Metzger are devoted to the Long Beach community. They embrace the loving spirit of our City By The Sea and actively participate in cultivating opportunities for growth and happiness through music and the arts.
 
Sammi Metzger aka Sammi Hoop is the Director of Arts In The Plaza.  2020 marks her ninth year in this position.  Arts In The Plaza continues to inspire by showcasing locally handcrafted art, and presenting musical performances and cultural arts, for the enrichment and enjoyment of the community.  A proud local resident, Sammi is zealous in her support of arts and culture in Long Beach.  She believes that Arts In The Plaza nourishes and fortifies the spirit of our treasured community by providing a welcoming, comfortable, creative and culturally rich venue for families to enjoy their Saturdays.
 
Sammi Hoop creates her own line of lovingly handcrafted hula hoops that she sells on her website sammihoop.com, weekly at Arts In The Plaza, and at other local events. She teaches hoop classes and inspires kids and adults to explore the joy of hooping.  Sammi also provides entertainment at parties and gatherings for all occasions. Sammi is especially proud of the Tribal Hoop Yoga Drum Jam she hosts as a free community event. 
 
Arts In The Plaza's Entertainment Director, Benjamin Metzger aka Benôir is an award winning producer, educator, band leader, actor and multi-instrumentalist. He has toured the US and Europe with artists such as Rhys Chatham, Pharaoh's Daughter, Natalie Dangerfield, Anna Pipoyan, J Brittany, Kafele Bandele, Tribe of Djembe, Kema Jamal, Dub Affair, The Suffering Blues Band, Benôir and The Long Beach All-Stars and Guardavidas.  In 2015 Benôir released Jazzy Funky Noir. All that its name implies, this album’s instrumental tracks reflect Benôir's vast musical influences and his artistry with the guitar.  His newfound love for the piano and keyboard has ignited his career in unexpected ways as he continues to transform himself as a respected artist.
 
Benôir has developed his own method of instruction entitled the MusicNoir Method.  He has received awards, grants, and accolades for his teaching.  His Long Beach music school, 
Studio Noir, is a boutique music studio that has produced over 6 full length albums and is the location for live rehearsals, recordings, private and group classes. Studio Noir offers private lessons for guitar, bass, piano, drums, saxophone, vocals, ukulele, classical strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass), music composition, music theory, electronic programming, and music engineering.  Group classes are encouraged at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Studio Noir is the home of the Long Beach Ukulele Orchestra. Live performance opportunities abound!  
 
To learn more about Sammi and Ben visit their websites:
sammihoop.com and studionoir.rocks