The Theater at the 14th Street Y honors the edgy, diverse and rich history of innovative culture making in the East Village. Each year, the organization curates a provocative season of theater, dance, music and film from independent New York artists in dialogue with the residency program LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture.
In 2016, the Theater lowered its weekly rental rate by 40%, accepting artists and productions through a submission process. The Theater provides a highly reduced rental agreement that includes subsidized space, marketing consultation and support, technical support, administrative support, a fully staffed box office, and production consultation.
For the Fall 2018/Spring 2019 Season, The Theater at the 14th Street Y is interested in Theater, Dance, Film, Music, and Festivals that revolve around the theme "War & Peace." "When is it a time for war?" "What is the price of peace?"
"We are interested in dance, theater, films, festivals, and installations that grapple with these questions through artistic dialogue with the audience," said Ronit Muszkatblit, Artistic Director of Arts + Culture, the 14th Street Y. "With a goal to provide a big picture narrative focused on social awareness and change, The Theater at the 14th Street Y supports the creation of new art and culture by placing artists at the heart of the 14th Street Y community, and specifically by providing the space, time and resources needed to create new work. We are inspired by works that welcome artists of all backgrounds, seeking to create an inclusive and open cultural experience for all. We are excited to invite inspiring provocative and innovative culture into our theater. As an incubator for new work we are moving away from being a strictly "rental house". We want to create a space where independent artists are supported administratively with a more cost-effective model that will bring a diverse group of artists and diverse programming to the center of our community and inspire discourse around the theme of War & Peace, which is the LABA theme for 2017-2018."
The Theater is also the home of LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture and incorporates at least one LABA Second Stage production in each season.
In July of 2016, the 14th Street Y launched its first ever, fully curated Theater/Dance Series, moving away from a rental model to become an organization that co-presents work. The 14th Street Y endeavors to be true incubators of artists and to reduce the financial strain that NYC independent artists feel in producing their works. During the 2015-2016 Season, the Theater at the 14th Street Y presented more than 205 performances attended by nearly 13,000 audience members.
About The Theater at the 14th Street Y
The Theater at the 14th Street Y focuses on social awareness and change through big picture narrative. Inspired by works that welcome artists of all backgrounds, we place artists at the heart of our community and seek to create an inclusive and open cultural experience for all. Art is incubated here.
About the 14th Street Y
The 14th Street Y's philosophy is grounded in the belief that contemporary Jewish sensibilities can be a source of inspiration, connection and learning. No matter what your background, we aim to inspire you to live your best life. We're committed to the development of the whole person, to strengthening family connections and to building inclusive and sustainable communities. The 14thStreet Y serves more than 20,000 people annually with a variety of community programs and is proud to be a part of Educational Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a 128-year history of serving New Yorkers downtown.
For more information, visit www.14streety.org.
