The Theater for the New City Presents:

The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts 2023

May 26 – 28, 2023

Theater for the New City
155 First Ave. between 9th & 10th Street

Continue to check on the official site for scheduling details

The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts is a free event that will take place from May 26 to 28 in and around Theater for the New City in New York City. The festival will feature over 200 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers, and filmmakers.

The theme of this year’s festival is “The Heat Is On” and will address climate change. The festival will feature excerpts of plays and original works about climate change, as well as dance performances, musical performances, and art shows.

Some of the notable performers who will be appearing at the festival include David Amram, KT Sullivan, Austin Pendleton, Penny Arcade, and Vinie Burrows. City council member Carlina Rivera will also be speaking at the festival.

The festival will be held from 6:00 PM to midnight each day, utilizing two of TNC’s four theaters. There will also be a closed-off block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues where vendors and food sellers will set up. On Saturday, an outdoor stage will offer music and multi-discipline performances. On Saturday afternoon, there will be performances by and for children. On Saturday from 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM, over 15 films will be screened, accompanied by talkbacks with a number of the filmmakers. On Sunday, there will be a “poetry jam with prose on the side”. Throughout the festival, an art show will be displayed in the TNC lobby spaces.

The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts is a great opportunity to see a variety of performing arts and to learn more about climate change. Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted.