A construction site in Inwood will soon be home to a new performing arts center. The space will allow immigrant communities to build upon a future as artists. It’s called the People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante.
Mino Lora is the executive artistic director of the People’s Theater Project, a performing arts organization in Washington Heights. She said New Yorkers will have access to performance spaces, studios and a gallery.
What You Need To Know
- A construction site in Inwood will soon be home to a new performing arts center that will allow immigrant communities to build upon a future as artists
- The $37 million project is both public and privately funded
- The site sits on a mixed-use residential development with nearly 700 apartments, 280 of which are affordable
- “In the Heights” and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda's family donated $1 million to the theater
“It will be the first immigrant research performing arts center in New York and the largest latino theater. It is People’s Theater Projects first home after 15 years of serving our community,” Lora said. “The Theater Project will house its productions and education programs on the site, but the vision for this space is that it is for the community. So a lot of local artists who have been yearning and asking for a home for decades will be able to be resident companies here.”
The site sits on a mixed-use residential development with nearly 700 apartments, 280 of which are affordable. The $37 million project is both public and privately funded.
On Wednesday, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held at the site. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $4 million grant to complete the project.
“Immigrant stories are American stories, Dominican stories are American stories, and Puerto Rican stories are American stories, and they all must unfold here in this place,” Hochul said.
Among the other donors are New York Presbyterian Hospital and “In the Heights” and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. His family donated $1 million to the theater.
“This is a real dream come true for the many artists who grew up in Washington Heights and Inwood who will now get to make theater in the neighborhood that they live in,” Miranda said.
Lora says each season, the theater will celebrate different immigrant communities.
“In a moment where immigrants are so often vilified, we make our city run, and here we will be taking center stage, literally,” Lora said.
The center will also partner with the New York Public Library to provide research and literary programming. It is expected to open in 2026.