NEW YORK, NY June 05, 2009 —The Bushwick section of Brooklyn is crawling with small art galleries, in teeny storefronts, forsaken industrial spaces, and private living rooms. And this weekend those galleries and more than 200 artists' studios are open to the public. It's part of the "Arts in Bushwick" festival. Festival organizer Steve Weintraub says it's an intimate experience.

WEINTRAUB: Very much what happens in Bushwick. It's a dialogue. It's an engagement with the arts. That I find doesn't happen in Chelsea art galleries per se. I mean you're talking to the gallerists and the dealers and what not, and the artists aren't really present.

The festival spreads over three miles in Bushwick and Ridgewood. Meanwhile, the L train to the neighborhood is being replaced by a shuttle bus this week. But Weintraub isn't worried:

WEINTRAUB: I think it'll add to the festivities of the festival. Everyone riding around on the L bus.

There's a guide to the "Arts in Bushwick" festival, with commentary and downloadable maps --on the culture page of our website.