Abrons Arts Center Announces Spring 2026 Season and New Mission, Vision, and Values

New York, NY – December 8, 2025 – Abrons Arts Center is pleased to announce its Spring 2026 programming centered on the theme of new beginnings – honoring Abrons’ first 50 years, which the center celebrated this year, and officially launching the next phase of its inaugural centenary. The sixth edition of From Chinatown, with Love will kick off the year, partnering with a number of Chinatown businesses to present an exhibition and a Lunar New Year arts and crafts event.

Additional programs include Performance AIRspace Resident Symara Sarai presenting their dance performance Angelic Architectures; 2024-26 New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship: Residency Exhibition featuring visual artists kiarita, Megan Mi-Ai Lee, and Cyle Warner; and rapper MIKE’s third edition of his popular Sound, Sun, Pleasure free outdoor celebration, featuring an outstanding lineup of musicians.

Abrons will continue to offer a wide variety of arts education programs with the belief that arts education should be accessible to all New Yorkers. Tuition assistance is available, and the center’s landmark program, the NYCHA Arts Initiative, provides free group class tuition for residents of Lower East Side New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments and is the only program of this kind in the city.

With this year marking Abrons’ 50th anniversary, the organization took this moment to reflect on its mission, vision, and values. Abrons examined and discussed the growth of the Center and how best to continue to support the Lower East Side and beyond. Abrons, its parent organization, the Henry Street Settlement, and local community members discussed how Abrons thrives, where it can improve, and where the focus should be for programming. This culminated in new mission, vision, and values statements:

Abrons Arts Center is anchored in the mission, vision, and values of Henry Street Settlement and our trailblazing founder Lillian Wald.

Abrons Arts Center builds a community where artists, learners, and audiences explore creative possibilities. Rooted in the immigrant and working-class history of our Lower East Side neighborhood, we offer free and affordable exhibitions, performances, classes, residencies, and space access.

We envision a future where...

… our neighborhood is resourceful, abundant with imagination, and inclusive – where art, like social services, is a vital public good for every New Yorker.

… our Center is a place where stories are shared, history is made, and solidarity is nurtured where people gather to create, learn, and connect.

… our work is sustained, balanced, and meaningful – where we model care for one another and advance opportunities for the next generation of artists.

We believe in the power of creativity, experimentation, and action.

Creativity

We believe making and experiencing art is essential for personal and community well-being. Art helps us connect to each other, reflect on the past, and seed the future.

Experimentation

We believe learning and experimentation leads to growth. It is vital for people to try new things, take risks, and question the world around them.

Action

We believe we play a part in building a more caring and just world than the one we inherited. It is our responsibility to address the impacts of structural oppression, share resources, and remove the obstacles that separate us from our neighbors.

Spring 2026 registration open now

Semester dates: January 12 - May 31, 2026 

Abrons Arts Center has been a space to congregate, connect, and enjoy unique arts education programming since its founding in 1975. It continues to be the heartbeat of the Lower East Side offering intergenerational learning opportunities in dance, music, theater, and visual art.

Registration for Spring 2026 arts education classes is now open on Abrons’ website.

From Chintown, with Love

Exhibition opening reception - January 29, 2026
February 14 - February 22, 2026 (Tear-off calendars available during this time until supplies last)

Abrons Arts Center, lucky risograph, Midnight Project, and The W.O.W. Project celebrates the Year of the Fire Horse with the sixth edition of From Chinatown, with Love, a project that honors Manhattan’s Chinatown and its beloved small businesses. Artists and writers will contribute to a daily tear-off calendar inspired by 12 participating businesses and the steadfast determination of the Year of the Fire Horse. The project will culminate in an exhibition at Abrons alongside a sister installation at Wing on Wo & Co. and mini installations at other participating businesses. 

Beginning on February 14, 2026, and while supplies lasts, patrons who spend $45 or more at participating businesses will receive an artist-made calendar (with more businesses to be announced): 

• Wing on Wo & Co. - 26 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

• Bok Lei Po Trading Inc. - 63 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

• Bo Ky - 80 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

• The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - 65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

• Hop Lee - 16 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

• Sun Vin Grocery Store - 75 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

• Kam Man Food - 200 Canal St, New York, NY 10013

• Jade Crystal and Craft Inc. - 82 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

• Bangkok Center Grocery - 104 Mosco St, New York, NY 10013

• 59 Bayard Market - 59 Bayard St A, New York, NY 10013

February 7, 2026

Abrons Arts Center, lucky risograph and The W.O.W. Project an afternoon of all-ages arts activities to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse as well as the launch of Abrons Arts Center’s new Mission Statement.

You’re invited to ring in the new year with lunar new year art-making activities, karaoke, a lion dance performance from The W.O.W. Project’s lion dance troupe, and the creation of collaborative art work inspired by Abrons’ new mission statement.

Monthly, March - June 2026

Join us for a ceremonial fire centering Indigenous protocol and knowledge. Guest artists and organizers share stories and performances in honor and protection of the land, water, and air of Lenapehoking.

April 17-18, 2026 Previews, 7:30pm 
April 23-25, 2026 Opening Weekend, 7:30pm (mask required for April 23 performance)

Angelic Architectures is a powerful dance play, developed by Symara Sarai during their performance AIRspace residency, that showcases the inner anarchy of Black queer femininity. Featuring three dancers and a musician, the show blends movement, sound, and improvisational scores to explore desire, autonomy, and one’s full range of emotion. 

June 12 - August 2, 2026
Opening reception - June 12, 2026 

kiarita, Megan Mi-Ai Lee, and Cyle Warner are the 2024-26 New York Community Trust Van Lier Visual Artist Fellows at Abrons Arts Center. Over the past 21 months, they  have received studio space and professional mentorship to support the growth of their artistic practices. This exhibition, curated by Ali Rosa-Salas, Abrons Arts Center Director and Henry Street Settlement Vice President of Visual and Performing Arts, features work developed during their fellowship period.

Sound, Sun, Pleasure III

June 20, 2026

Beloved rapper MIKE returns to curate a third edition of Sound, Sun, Pleasure, a free outdoor celebration featuring an exciting lineup of musicians.

Sound, Sun, Pleasure III continues Abrons’ ongoing commitment to its Lower East Side community through performing arts, and cements the institution’s partnership with MIKE. In 2019, Abrons Arts Center hosted the first edition of Young World, MIKE’s annual festival which has since featured headliners like Slick Rick, Earl Sweatshirt, and Noname.