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The show went on in Montauk on Sunday.
But not without heartbreak, devastation — and now, a major community push to help the artists whose work was crushed when an alleged drunk driver plowed through a $100,000 worth of art on Montauk Green early early Sunday morning.
In less than 24 hours, more than $10,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign organized by the Montauk Artists Association to support the artists affected by the destruction. The fundraiser quickly drew over 100 donations, with the total continuing to climb Monday afternoon.
The fundraising effort comes in wake of 2:59 a.m. incident, in which police say 23-year-old Nicoly Ribeiro De Souza of Farmingville sped a Nissan Rogue through barricades on Carl Fisher Plaza and tore across the Montauk Green, destroying tents, displays and artwork belonging to at least a half-dozen exhibitors.
Two security guards reportedly escaped being hit by just inches.
Authorities arrested Ribeiro De Souza and charged her with DWI and six counts of reckless criminal mischief. Police said she crashed directly into the heart of the annual Art Show on the Green event, which had kicked off on Friday.
The driver was treated for minor injuries at Southampton Hospital, police said.
‘Senseless’
“This was a senseless accident,” reads the description on the GoFundMe page. “Some artists lost everything.”
The Montauk Artists Association said many artists rely on shows like this one to earn a living. An individual art festival setup like those destroyed can cost $5,000 or more, not including the value of the original artwork or months of preparation, the group said.
For some, the damage is career-threatening.
“Not only will artists need to purchase entirely new displays and create a new inventory of work, the missed income from not being able to exhibit for months can be career-ending,” the association wrote.
Opened as scheduled
The show still opened on schedule Sunday morning, albeit in a much-altered layout, as artists worked around police tape and flattened tents. Several members of the Montauk Artists Association continued exhibiting through the day.
Newsday reported that the total damage is estimated to be above $100,000.
The Montauk Art Show on the Green serves as the main fundraiser for the Montauk Artists Association.
Top photo: GoFundMe
