Hi-ARTS

Hi-ARTS Hi-ARTS OPEN CALL: Solo & Duo Addition. Apply by June 30 at hi-artsnyc.org!

Hi-ARTS (formerly known as the Hip-Hop Theater Festival) is a leading organization within the urban arts movement. For fifteen years, Hi-ARTS has consistently broken new ground, advancing urban art by empowering artists to develop bold new works, while creating a lasting and positive impact on urban communities. Hi-ARTS is adding to the legacy of the HHTF at an exciting stage of growth that engage

s Hip-Hop while creating the new urban arts. With the move to our new home at PS 109, Hi-ARTS is poised to grow into new realms of artistic creativity, advocacy and service to the arts and the communities in which we live. Our commitment to this work has developed an audience that is equally unique within the landscape which is young and ethnically and racially diverse. Located at the center of creative and community practice in El Barrio’s Artspace PS 109, Hi-ARTS engages arts and culture both locally and nationally.

06/10/2026

OPEN CALL: Solo & Duo Edition

Happy Pride month y'all. How you cooking on your Hi-ARTS Residency Applications?!! We can't wait to see what you're working on this year and to discover how we can support.

Feeling hesitant? Have questions? DON'T PANIC! If you haven't yet, check out our FAQ at the link in bio. You can also DM us! MJ or Eleanor (or if you're lucky, both of us) will get back to you ASAP and/or point you in the right direction.

Apply by June 30, 2026. It's a no brainer. Apply today.
Learn more and apply at hi-artsnyc.org!

📸 León Ramos Tak as Ariel in Nikhil Mahapatra's SWEETFISH. Image credit: Blue

06/01/2026

OPEN CALL: Solo & Duo Edition

Hi-ARTS is now accepting applications for 2026-27 CRITICAL BREAKS and SKY LAB Artist Residencies. This cycle we are on the lookout for those Solo & Duo projects that are looking for their next big beak.

Placing an emphasis on process and creative exploration, we take pride in providing our artists with financial support, time and space, and public programming opportunities. We do this through two developmental residencies: CRITICAL BREAKS and SKY LAB. CRITICAL BREAKS is a residency program for artists who are in a pivotal phase of developing new work while SKY LAB supports artists who center community at the root of creative development, research and process.

Apply by June 30, 2026. It's a no brainer. Apply today.
Learn more and apply at hi-artsnyc.org

Meet the cast and Drector of SWEETFISH! by Nikhil Mahapatra! Then tap the link in bio to grab tickets to this WORK IN PR...
05/26/2026

Meet the cast and Drector of SWEETFISH! by Nikhil Mahapatra! Then tap the link in bio to grab tickets to this WORK IN PROCESS presentation of a bold new play with music exploring race, color, gender, sexuality, and the silent power within relationships — all with a strong dose of camp and drag.⁠
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⋆*˙˚°𖤐 León Ramos Tak as Ariel 𖤐 Credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Classical Theatre of Harlem), The Seat of Our Pants (The Public), and Gooey’s Toxic Aquatic Adventure (Bushwick Starr).⁠
⁠
⋆*˙˚°𖤐 Jarvis D. Matthews as Ursula 𖤐 Actor, writer, and Founder of YOJI Productions whose work has appeared at the Apollo Theater, The Public Theater, Shakespeare in the Park, HBO Max, and more.⁠
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⋆*˙˚°𖤐 Miles G. Jackson as Eric 𖤐 Broadway: Chicken & Biscuits. Off-Broadway credits include Bull (JACK), Endlings (NYTW), and Pay The Writer (Signature).⁠
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⋆*˙˚°𖤐 Mahima Saigal as Stage Directions 𖤐 Recently appeared in THE CEREMONY by Mfoniso Udofia and creates work exploring truth, joy, grief, and “the polite horrors.”⁠
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⋆*˙˚°𖤐 Directed by Nicky Maggio 𖤐 A new works director and theatrical curator experimenting with form, composition, and theatrical discovery.⁠
⁠
SWEETFISH!⁠
by Nikhil Mahapatra • with songs by Ellen Winter • Directed by Nicky Maggio • Featuring: Miles G. Jackman, Jarvis Matthews, and León Ramos Tak⁠
⁠
May 28 at 7pm⁠
Hi-ARTS | 10 Lafayette Ave 4th Fl, Brooklyn, NY 11221⁠
Tickets: $5-20 | Pay what you can >>⁠
⁠
A limited number of complimentary industry tickets are also available. For inquiries, please email [email protected].

05/19/2026

🎭 CAMP. DRAG. DESIRE. POWER. 🎭⁠
⁠
Join us for a WORK IN PROCESS of SWEETFISH! by CRITICAL BREAKS ARTIST Nikhil Mahapatra — a play with music exploring race, color, gender, sexuality, and the quiet power living inside relationships.⁠
⁠
Directed by Nicky Maggio (@ and Composed by Ellen Winter (@⁠
⁠
✨ A bold evening filled with camp, drag, music, and emotional chaos. ✨⁠
⁠
📍 10 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn⁠
🗓 Thursday, May 28 at 7PM⁠
🎟 $5–20 | Pay What You Can⁠
⁠
Seats are limited! Grab your seat before it’s gone!
🔗 bit.ly/4dm3n08

05/14/2026

Journal 2 Journey Participants Colin Sherer and Kadija "K-Drizzy" Camara participated in REBEL VERSES this past weekend at The Public Theater.⁠
⁠
REBEL VERSES is Developing Artists's youth artists festival in which the next generation of theater artists take the stage with their original work. ⁠
⁠
The festival brings together youth arts organizations from across the city to bring fearless original performances. It’s one of the few spaces in NYC where young artists challenge what’s happening around them, and create work that fights for the kind of world they want to live in.⁠
⁠
Another one of these spaces is taking place this week at Hi-ARTS! Luminance: The Unearthing will feature work and performances by Sasha Bolkova, Kadija “K-Drizzy” Camara, Ligaya Cullom Kassidy Khuu, Hakimah Malam and Colin Sherer.⁠
⁠
Don't miss these young artists shine on stage — May 14 + 15 at Hi-ARTS. Tickets start at only $5. Get yours today at the link in bio!⁠
⁠
Images by Jinn Kim

Journal 2 Journey Participants Colin Sherer and Kadija "K-Drizzy" Camara participated in REBEL VERSES this past weekend ...
05/13/2026

Journal 2 Journey Participants Colin Sherer and Kadija "K-Drizzy" Camara participated in REBEL VERSES this past weekend at The Public Theater.

REBEL VERSES is Developing Artists's youth artists festival in which the next generation of theater artists take the stage with their original work.

The festival brings together youth arts organizations from across the city to bring fearless original performances. It’s one of the few spaces in NYC where young artists challenge what’s happening around them, and create work that fights for the kind of world they want to live in.

Another one of these spaces is taking place this week at Hi-ARTS! Luminance: The Unearthing will feature work and performances by Sasha Bolkova, Kadija “K-Drizzy” Camara, Ligaya Cullom Kassidy Khuu, Hakimah Malam and Colin Sherer.

Don't miss these young artists shine on stage — May 14 + 15 at Hi-ARTS. Tickets start at only $5. Get yours today at the link in bio!

Images by Jinn Kim

05/12/2026

✨ When words become worlds, magic happens! ✨ DO NOT MISS
“Luminance: The Unearthing”, a powerful evening of devised theater presented by the incredible youth artists of Hi-ARTS and Urban Word NYC’s Journal 2 Journey program.

From Eastern Europe to the Boogie Down Bronx, an ensemble of six poets travel through space, time, grief, and gratitude, while shifting identities and barriers to excavate their personal truths.

Written by and Featuring: Sasha Bolkova • Kadija “K-Drizzy” Camara • Ligaya Cullo • Kassidy Khuu • Hakimah Malam • Colin Sherer

May 14+15, 2026
Tickets: $5-20 | Pay-what-you-can
Come witness the raw talent of the next generation of NYC theater makers.

🎟️ Grab your spot at the link in bio! 🛍️ HI-ARTS Merch is available for purchase at checkout!

05/08/2026

Meet the artists behind Luminance: The Unearthing. 🎭✨⁠
⁠
✨ Sasha Bolkova: A multidisciplinary artist working across acting, music, and poetic expression, shaped by emotion and imagination.⁠

✨ Kadija “K-Drizzy” Camara: Bronx-born spoken word poet and storyteller rooted in identity, expression, and community.⁠

✨ Ligaya Cullo: An actor-playwright and multidisciplinary artist moving between performance, design, and imagination.⁠

✨ Hakimah Malam: A Ghanaian poet and activist whose work explores identity, justice, and lived experience.⁠

✨ Kassidy Khuu: A poet and organizer whose writing is grounded in community and recognition on national stages.⁠

✨ Colin Sherer: A Nuyorican poet exploring transformation, growth, and becoming through performance.⁠
⁠
For the past weeks, these six young artists have been in process—writing, collaborating, and building an original work together through Journal 2 Journey.⁠
⁠
🗓️ May 14–15, 2026⁠
📍 Hi-ARTS⁠
🎟️ Tickets: $5–$20 | Pay-what-you-can⁠
⁠
Come experience the work these artists are bringing to life.⁠
🎟️ Tickets available at the link in bio

05/08/2026

Meet the artists behind Luminance: The Unearthing. 🎭✨⁠
⁠
✨ Sasha Bolkova: A multidisciplinary artist working across acting, music, and poetic expression, shaped by emotion and imagination.⁠
✨ Kadija “K-Drizzy” Camara: Bronx-born spoken word poet and storyteller rooted in identity, expression, and community.⁠
✨ Ligaya Cullo: An actor-playwright and multidisciplinary artist moving between performance, design, and imagination.⁠
✨ Hakimah Malam: A Ghanaian poet and activist whose work explores identity, justice, and lived experience.⁠
✨ Kassidy Khuu: A poet and organizer whose writing is grounded in community and recognition on national stages.⁠
✨ Colin Sherer: A Nuyorican poet exploring transformation, growth, and becoming through performance.⁠
⁠
For the past weeks, these six young artists have been in process—writing, collaborating, and building an original work together through Journal 2 Journey.⁠
⁠
🗓️ May 14–15, 2026⁠
📍 Hi-ARTS⁠
🎟️ Tickets: $5–$20 | Pay-what-you-can⁠
⁠
Come experience the work these artists are bringing to life.⁠
🎟️ Tickets available at the link in bio

Address

10 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
11217

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 3pm

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