In the beginning there was Hip-Hop…

Our Mission

Hi-ARTS is a leading cultural hub within the urban arts movement. Through development residencies, vibrant multi-disciplinary creative programming, and civic engagement opportunities, we empower artists to develop bold new work while creating a positive, lasting impact on our community. 

What we do…

Hi-ARTS is the only institution in New York City, and one of the few in the country, exclusively dedicated to supporting and developing Hip-Hop and the urban aesthetic. Hi-ARTS supports emerging and established theater, performance, and visual artists to develop and present new work. We do this through our CRITICAL BREAKS, SKY LAB, and ONE WALL MOVEMENT Artist Residencies. We engage directly with the community through our artists, educational programming, and partnerships. Learn more about our Civic Engagement here.

What is “Urban Art”?

Hip-Hop refers to work that engages emceeing, graffiti, deejaying, and/or b-boy/girling. As a form of expressive culture, Hip-Hop has evolved over its history and will continue to adapt. In a broader sense, urban aesthetics include Hip-Hop and a continuum of works that respond to social, cultural, economic, or political realities disproportionately impacting Black and Latinx communities, and communities of color.

“Urban” has historically represented a particular engagement with the built environment, access to technology, aesthetic choices, and lived experience. When we talk about Hip-Hop and urban aesthetics, we understand that there are many understandings and broad points of entry to this genre of work. We welcome all forms and are open to both classic, new and experimental interpretations.

“Hi-ARTS is one of the most important organizations we must ensure receives support because it is one of the few that centers and furthers Hip-Hop, a culture born from the intersection of various lineages from the streets of New York City that continues to transform the globe.”
— André M. Zachery, SKY LAB 2021

Our History

  • 2000
    The New York City Hip-Hop Theater Festival (HHTF) is born. Co-founded by Kamilah Forbes, Clyde Valentín, and Danny Hoch, HHTF marks one of the first organized festivals exclusively dedicated to showcasing the stories, people, music, dance, and words of Hip-Hop in one venue. The first HHTF takes place at Performance Space 122 in the East Village and features Liza Colon-Zayas, Will Power, Hip-Hop Theater Junction, and Toni Blackman and presents the national premiere of Sarah Jones’ Off-Broadway solo show Surface Transit. Jones would go on to become a Tony and Obie Award Winner.

    2001
    The Hip-Hop Theater Festival returns and establishes itself as a bonafide presence in the U.S. theater community. Running for three weeks at Performance Space 122 in the East Village, HHTF presents over 20 artists from around the United States and Europe, including Nilija Sun, Benji Reid, and Jonzi D.

    2003
    Alongside New York Theater Workshop, Hip-Hop Theater Festival co-produces Will Power’s Flow, directed by Danny Hoch. HHTF would later produce Flow’s National Tour and International Premiere.

    2004
    The Hip-Hop Theater festival transitions into year-round production and begins presenting work in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Illinois, and the San Francisco/Bay Area. 

  • 2005
    Directed by Derrick Sanders and featuring Bakesta King, Chadwick Boseman’s Deep Azure premieres at the 5th Annual Hip-Hop Theater Festival at the Chernin Center for the Arts in Chicago    . Through lyrical verse, Deep Azure takes on police brutality through the lens of a young Black woman with an eating disorder in the wake of her fiance’s untimely violent death. The play was nominated for a 2006 Jeff Award for Best New Work and was said to be a cultural precursor for the likes of Hamilton. 

    2009
    The 9th Annual Hip-Hop Theater Festival presents Angela’s Mixtape, written by Eisa Davis, directed by Liesl Tommy, and starring Kim Brockington, Denise Burse, Eisa Davis, Ayesha T. Tgaujah, and Linda Powel.     Named a “Best Play of the Year” by The New Yorker, Davis takes on her family history, and her aunt Angela Davis’ tumultuous tenure in the Black Panther Party.

  • 2010
    In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, we presented CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP, an evening of 10-minute plays and a celebration of theater, Hip-Hop, and Black joy!

    2011
    Ten years after its founding, Hip-Hop and urban arts have found widespread representation in mainstream culture — calling for a shift in growth within the organization. The Hip-Hop Theater Festival establishes itself as Hi-ARTS with the mission of supporting and developing the work of artists working in Hip-Hop and urban arts. Hi-ARTS begins to expand its support of visual and street arts and offer educational and curatorial programming. 

    2013
    Hi-ARTS Teaching Artist-in-Residence Alice Mizrachi is featured in the New York Times in an article written by Sandra E. Garcia, highlighting her artistic journey. “Ms. Mizrachi, who started teaching this month at the Hi-ARTS organization in East Harlem, developed a curriculum built around “The Block,’’ a six-panel piece created by Mr. Bearden in 1971 that was inspired by the block where he lived on Lenox Avenue.“

    2014
    Hi-ARTS Curator in Residence Mare139 is featured in the New York Times in an article by David Gonzalez highlighting Mare139’s creative practice as a sculptor. ”His most famous works include the design for the BET Award sculpture and the innovative website for the innovative website for the graffiti documentary Style Wars.”

    Craig ‘muMs’ Grant’s solo autobiographical work, A SUCKA EMCEE, directed by Jenny Koons with music by Rich Medina premiers at Labyrinth Theater.

  • 2015
    Hi-ARTS finds a home in El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 in East Harlem and Dr. Raymond Codrington joins Hi-ARTS as Executive Director.

    2016
    Alongside Georgetown University’s Faith, Culture, and Common Good and the Hip-Hop Theater Festival co-presents Just to Get By at the Kennedy Center. Featuring artists MC Talib Kweli, Jin, Poetic Pilgrimage, AmKoullel, The Narcicyst, Mandeep Sethi, and DJ Boo, the concert showcases inter-religious diversity, and tolerance through the lens of Hip-Hop.

    Hi-ARTS joins Kennedy Center as Curator in Residence of Hip-Hop. The partnership supported theatrical performances, panel discussions, educational engagement, and more.

    2017
    Hi-ARTS continues to expand and offers developmental residencies and production spaces for new and innovative works. Our educational partnerships and opportunities increase access and diversity in the arts and aim to address key issues impacting our communities.

    2018
    Hi-ARTS Co-Founding Artistic Director Kamilah Forbes is nominated for an AUDELCO Award for Lynn Nottage’s By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, produced by Signature Theatre.

  • 2020
    In response to COVID-19, SKY LAB is born. Supporting artists working in social practice and community engagement, SKY LAB aims to support artists working beyond the traditional walls of the theater. We welcome Ebony Noelle Golden as our inaugural SKY LAB artist. 

    2021
    Hi-ARTS celebrates two decades with the 20th Anniversary Jubilee, a virtual gathering and fundraiser. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we embrace change and adapt, offering virtual programming and engagement opportunities for both audiences and artists.

    Hi-ARTS moves to a bigger space within El Barrios’ Artspace PS109! Our new space includes 24/7 access to office suites, a dance studio, a black box theater, and iincreased support for our artists. 

    Aaron L. McKinney Announced as Hi-ARTS Executive Director! With a full-time staff of four and a part-time staff of three, our team is the biggest it has ever been!

    2022
    Developed in partnership with independent cultural worker and artist Ayana Ayo, ONE WALL MOVEMENT is launched. ONE WALL MOVEMENT is a public initiative that commissions writers, muralists, graffiti artists, and street artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, BIPOC, PGM, femme, women, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming.