The Abrons Arts Center is the arts program of Henry Street Settlement, which has showcased artistic excellence in Manhattan’s Lower East Side since 1893. Abrons opened in 1975 to house Henry Street’s three main cultural programs: visual arts exhibitions, performing arts productions, and arts training. The two gallery spaces exhibit challenging works from emerging contemporary artists and diverse curatorial practices. The visual arts department also hosts a year-long residency for six New York City based artists in our 2nd floor studio space. Our performing arts program inherits the century-long legacy of the Neighborhood Playhouse, where some of the most adventurous artists have trained, taught, or performed, including John Cage, Aaron Copland, Dizzy Gillespie, Martha Graham, Alicia Keyes, Alwin Nikolais, Denzel Washington, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed and Orson Welles.
