Saving Our Cultural Capital:
The Challenges Facing Independent Venues and Artists in Manhattan
Saturday, June 7th, 2:00pm – 6:00pm
A symposium presented by The Tank,
Milano The New School For Management and Urban Policy,
and Fractured Atlas, in cooperation with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer
New York City is a world-renowned cultural destination: from big-budget Broadways shows to dance performances in small Brooklyn lofts to Chelsea gallery openings. The performing arts drive the city’s economy and tourism and give New York the cultural texture that makes it a uniquely dynamic environment.
New York is also a cultural engine, generating the work that spreads across the country and shapes our society. It is the incubator where new and emerging artists develop their work, engage with an established artistic community and make their mark on the arts world. The network of individual artists, venues and performance groups constitutes a vital support system for new artists that contributes to the economic health and cultural vitality of the city.
As cost-of-living and real estate prices continue to rise, can young artists and small venues still call Manhattan home? The stories of beloved venues closing are legion – Tonic, Mo Pitkins, most recently Rififi – and there are whispers that artists who would have once colonized SoHo have moved past Brooklyn to set up shop in Philadelphia or even Berlin. New York – and Manhattan, in particular – cannot lose the energy brought by these individuals and organizations, and the higher-market entertainment industry in the city relies on their innovations…but can we still make New York work for the emerging arts?
A half-day symposium to discuss these issues will bring together city officials, arts professionals, business representatives, advocates and freelancers for an afternoon of conversation. From public policy solutions to entrepreneurial services aimed at the “creative class,” the topics of this conference will appeal to all those – young and old, established and just starting out – who want Manhattan to stay the cultural capital of the world.
The Tank, a non-profit multidisciplinary venue, and Milano The New School for Management and Urban
Policy, with the support of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, will organize the symposium. The Tank is a creative, collaborative home for emerging artists and producers that makes presenting new work affordable in Manhattan. Having presented over 1,000 performances (with low ticket prices to attract new, diverse audiences), The Tank has become a center for experimentation and an incubator of innovative programming. The Tank’s own history – overcoming real estate challenges, collaborating with other non-profits, working with City government and foundations – is a success story of a small venue beating the odds
and surviving in an increasingly difficult market. This event coincides with The Tank’s 5th anniversary.
Time: Afternoon, Saturday, June 7th, 2:00pm – 6:00pm
Place: Wolman Hall, 64 West 11th Street
Admission: Free, RSVP to Rachel Schweitzer at Rachel@thetanknyc.org
Program: Designed to appeal to professionals and newcomers across discipline and sector, the tentative
program will include:
• 2:30pm: Keynote by Borough President Scott Stringer on the state of the arts in Manhattan
• 3:00pm – 4:30pm: Panel on the challenges facing independent venues and artists in Manhattan
• 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Livable New York Services Fair and Happy Hour with complimentary drinks,
highlighting the resources available to freelance artists and small organizations including healthcare,
accounting and law services
Get Involved: The Tank is looking for participants, partners and sponsors – please contact Rachel Schweitzer
at rachel@thetanknyc.org or 212-563-6269 for more information.
