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Lower East Side Festival for the Arts Set for May 23-25
May 20, 2025, 3:06.57 pm ET

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Photo: Lower East Side Festival of the Arts

With over 200 performing arts organizations, independent artists, poets, puppeteers and film makers now scheduled, Theater for the New City (TNC) has announced the lineup for its 30th annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, which will be mounted May 23 to 25 in and around Theater's landmark building at 155 First Avenue.

This year, the festival is mounted with the theme "We will not be silenced, speak up for democracy." The subject will be addressed in some of the playlets and acts written for the festival.

A cohort of theater, dance, performance, music, film, literary and visual artists are participating on all three days. Multidisciplinary indoor performances will take the stage from 6pm to midnight each evening, utilizing two of TNC's four theaters. From 10am to 5pm on Saturday, vendors and food sellers, including booths from nearby restaurants, will line the closed-off block of East Tenth Street between First and Second Avenues.

In addition, A film program will be presented Saturday from noon to 10pn. in the Cabaret Theater, featuring works by auteurs from the Lower East Side/East Village along with works that reflect the essence of the neighborhood.

On Saturday afternoon inside the Johnson Theater, there will be performances by and for children, curated by T. Scott Lilly, Danielle Hauser and Miguel Loyola, emceed by John Grimaldi. A fine art show, curated by Carolyn Ratcliffe, will be hanging throughout the fest in the theater's lobby On Saturday, an Outdoor Stage adjoining the theater will offer music and multi-discipline performances curated by Richard West, assisted by Didi Champagne.

Finally, on Sunday from 4pm to 7pm inside TNC's Community Theater, there will be a "Poetry Jam with Prose on the Side" curated by Lissa Moira and emceed by Richard West and Didi Champagne.

For more information, visit www.jsnyc.com/season/LES25.htm.


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