Decades ago, when the Bronx was infested with crime and drugs, negative views plagued the borough, darkened its beauty, and cloaked the talents of its residents. It seemed as if the borough would never see the light of a new day.

Nowadays, however, plans to reopen the High Bridge — a walking connection to Upper Manhattan — bring forth an indication that the borough has persevered. Census figures show that more and more residents are choosing to remain loyal to the borough; students of the Bronx Academy of Promise participated in and won a national competition; and earlier this year, the Bronx Museum of the Arts received a generous donation that inspired the building to keep its doors open free of charge.

Today, the Bronx is consistently making good news, and Bronxites continue to prove that there is more to the borough than its dark history.

“Not enough people pay attention to the culture here,” Bronx artist Jason Minos explains. “There is a lot of talent that is underappreciated and undervalued in the Bronx. There are a lot of people who still look at the Bronx as a place to avoid.”

This decades-long, apparent rejection of the Bronx inspired Minos to plan the Bronx Festival of the Arts, a weekend-long celebration showcase of Bronx-based singers, poets, dancers, painters, writers and all other art forms.

Minos, multi-talented himself, has always had a love for drawing and painting. He began to draw as soon as he was able to hold a pencil. In his mid-teens, he took his longtime interest in the guitar and began strumming. He was a natural and began to teach himself. Now, Minos plays in a band with his longtime friend, singer Richard Elam. The two record original music and are working on creating a website where they plan on uploading their songs.

Minos says he works “uninteresting jobs” to fund his passions. What keeps him alive is his love for the arts, which, in 2011, elevated into a grand idea. Inspired by citywide arts events, Minos decided to bring together Bronx-based artists and exhibit the hidden talent buried deep in the borough.

Minos began to gather a collective of artists who were interested in linking together to bring more attention to the borough by promoting Bronx talent. It seemed, however, that things fell apart overnight. The group found it hard to commit long-term. Despite this, Minos ventured on with his dream, knowing it would become a reality.

Apart from wanting to promote Bronx artists, Minos wants to bring New Yorkers into the forgotten borough. The festival will run through the weekend of May 31 with several events planned throughout many of parts of the Bronx, including Bedford Park, Claremont Village, Pelham Bay Park and Hunts Point.

“The community needs this, especially in this day and age,” Minos says. “There are a lot of problems with the economy. There is so much uncertainty of the future.” He added, “People have questions about things and this is all really about people. I want them to know that if they want to pursue the arts, they have a chance to, which is why I wanted to include schools.”

After connecting with museums, schools, painters, bands, and poets throughout the past year, Minos will finally see his idea come to life at the festival’s opening events at the Focal Point Gallery and at BAAD! (Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance), on May 31.

CAP: Bronx artist Jason Minos wants to showcase the borough’s talent, including his own visual art, such as this painting called “Bronx Cusp.”

Editor’s Note: For more information on the Bronx Festival of the Arts, visit bronxfestivalofthearts.com.