News and Press Releases

For Immediate Release: May 13, 2025

Contact: publicaffairs@culture.nyc.gov

NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS (NYFA) AND NYC DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS (DCLA) ANNOUNCE $493,350 IN GRANTS FOR 154 QUEENS-BASED ARTISTS, ARTIST COLLECTIVES, AND SMALL NONPROFITS THROUGH THE QUEENS ARTS FUND (QAF)

2025 Grant Program Funded by DCLA and Administered by NYFA

Queens, NY – The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), has announced the 154 recipients of the 2025 Queens Arts Fund (QAF).

The awarded projects will be supported by $493,350 in total funding, and span creative disciplines including music/sound, poetry, literary and book arts, performance art, film, social practice, painting, photography, and sculpture. The projects create spaces for learning, meditation, community, and awareness-building, exploring topics ranging from immigration, cultural heritage, and gender and identity to memory loss and preservation, the environment, health and wellness, and more. The QAF represents a significant investment in the cultural community that is essential to the economic and social vibrancy of communities across Queens and all of New York City. As part of its FY25 Cultural Development Fund, DCLA provided a 15% increase to local arts councils across the five boroughs—including the Queens Arts Fund—to provide greater support to artists living and working in New York. Together, the projects present a multi-faceted reflection of Queens—one of the most ethnically diverse urban areas in the world—and the remarkable creative community that calls the borough home.

Click here for a full list of 2025 recipients and panelists.

“Artists and cultural organizations bring so much life, energy, and dynamism to New York City, and their work strengthens communities in every corner of the five boroughs,” said Cultural

Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “Through the Queens Arts Fund, we’re honored to invest in the creative community in one of the most diverse places in the world, supporting the

opportunities for expression, inspiration, education, enjoyment, and social connection that these

incredible artists create. We thank NYFA for their stewardship of these funds, which we were

proud to increase by 15% this year, and congratulate the 154 artists and small arts groups who

are receiving QAF awards.”

Michael Royce, NYFA CEO, continued: “We’re thrilled to help support and uplift Queens-based artists, arts collectives, and small nonprofits through Queens Arts Fund, and are grateful to partner with the city to administer such an impactful program–not only for the artists but for the individuals who get to experience their projects and events across the borough through 2025.”

In the application and review process, inclusivity and representation that reflects the diversity of Queens communities was a strong consideration for staff and panelists. Nearly 70% of the panelists who chose to self-identify identified as People of Color, and 75% identified as women or gender non-conforming/nonbinary. NYFA also ensured that language access was a considered part of the application process, making materials available in Spanish and Chinese, alongside English.

The annual City-funded program, administered by NYFA, offers project grants to Queens-based artists, artist collectives, and small non-profit organizations of all artistic disciplines to support the local production of artwork and cultural programs that highlight, engage, and bolster the borough of Queens. Key to the program is that all recipients must have a public component—held in-person, virtually, or combination of both—in Queens within the 2025 calendar year to provide Queens community members with the opportunity to experience dynamic, easily accessible arts and cultural events. Follow the hashtag #QAF2025 for details on upcoming events.

The Department of Cultural Affairs invests in the city’s artists and small organizations in all five boroughs in partnership with local regrant partners in each borough. These investments—which have been sustained at robust levels despite the fiscal challenges facing the city—support hundreds of creatives across the city, who in turn engage New Yorkers with the sort of vibrant arts programming that makes New York City such a dynamic place to live, work, and play.

2025 QAF projects include:

Divya Jyoti Association (QAF Arts Access ‘25)’s “Diwali Motorcade,” a festival of lights that bring families together to celebrate Diwali. It will begin with prayers and chanting to the Goddess "Lakshmi," who is the Goddess of Diwali. Afterwards, there will be a Diwali Motorcade where vehicles will be decorated in lights and children will depict the different Hindu Gods. The event will conclude with a stage show with dancing, singing, and skits by children from the community.

International Girls Ensemble (QAF Arts Access ‘25)’s "Voices of Queens: A Youth Ensemble Performance,” a free, family-friendly theatre experience at Socrates Sculpture Park that will take place in late summer 2025. Performed by a dynamic youth ensemble (ages 10-13) from NYC, this original show will weave together poetry, music, and movement to bring stories to life in a fun and engaging way. Inspired by IGE’s global partners in Kenya, Thailand, and South Sudan, the performance features international voices and creative storytelling that celebrate the diverse experiences of young people.

Rafael Herrin-Ferri (QAF New Work 25)’s All the Queens Gardens: A Botanical Portrait of New York's Largest and Most Diverse Borough, a follow-up to All the Queens Houses (JOVIS, 2021; Instagram here). The book will explore the urban vernacular of Queens, focused on the green spaces that accompany the houses and small multi-family buildings of the "World’s Borough." Through its photographs and text, this book paints another portrait—softer and greener this time—of the dynamic and multicultural landscape that is Queens.
Bonita Jackson (QAF New Work ‘25)’s “Black WOMBman,” a one-woman play that is a deeply personal and public examination on the Black Maternal Health Crisis in America. The storytelling in this one-woman play will take on multiple artistic forms such as music, stepping, dance, visual art, and poetry. There will also be some verbatim-theatre based on the research and interviews conducted with Black mothers, families, doulas, midwives, healthcare providers, and Black Maternal organizations.
Colleen Kong-Savage & Plushie (QAF New Work '25)'s “Language of Art,” which will bring the artists together to work with students of Lexington School for the Deaf to conceptualize and paint a mural for their hallway. They will hold a paint party, inviting the school community and Queens neighbors—both hearing and Deaf—to join in the creation. While Deaf individuals constantly have to navigate their way through a hearing world, hearing individuals often don’t even think of operating in a Deaf world. Lexington's paint party is an opportunity for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing folks to mingle, and a chance for hearing people to practice or learn a bit of American Sign Language as everyone adds color and imagery to school walls. An ASL interpreter will be present.

Pilar Lagos (QAF New Work '25)'s “Latino Voices and Community Expressions Through Art,” which aims to bring visibility to the lives and experiences of Latino service industry workers in Elmhurst through interviews with Latino service industry workers, a printmaking workshop, and subsequent exhibition of abstract prints at Centro Cultural Barco de Papel.

Mortal Hearts AKA Daniel Giachetti and Arthur Fleischmann (QAF New Work ‘25)’s “Surround Sounds Piano_QNS,” a reconstructed piano that lets people play the sounds of Queens by assigning a different, local loop-sample to each of the 88 keys via a custom software solution. Through the piece, Mortal Hearts hopes to create a lasting connection to the sounds of Queens, and to dramatize how the sounds people make are part of a much larger, diverse, interconnected tapestry.

Lu Zhang and Herb Tam (QAF New Work ‘25)’s Dream City 2.0, a book project that is collectively built from the memories and dreams of its residents. The project expands on research from the exhibition Zhang and Tam curated in a Flushing mini-mall in 2023 that found a lack of documentation and storytelling on the influx of immigrants of Chinese and Korean descent to the neighborhood. The artists will hold public memory workshops that bring together art, history, and urban planning to address this gap in civic discourse. Their resulting book will incorporate historical research, community oral histories, and scholarly research into a single timeline.

Upcoming Queens Arts Fund events, exhibitions, and film screenings include:

Saturday, May 17 | Emma Foti (QAF New Work ‘25) will be presenting a new set of songs from her forthcoming album Gut Tissue, at The Footlight at The Windjammer in Ridgewood. Joined by Sam Seeger on drums and lead guitar, the album also includes an ensemble of cello, banjo, piano, bass, and synth. Foti pulls from the folk and rock genres, and with a focus on lyricism she shares musings on nature, relationships, fate/chance, storytelling. Event details and RSVP here.
Sunday, May 18 | Bayside Glee Club, Inc. (QAF Arts Access ‘25) will present its Spring Concert at All Saints Episcopal Church in Bayside, with another concert forthcoming in December. The May concert will feature music from the 1950's and 1960's. A unique aspect of their concerts is the commentary giving background and context to each selection.

Saturday, May 24 | Taplife Hero Foundation, Inc. (QAF Arts Access ‘25)’s “National Tap Dance Day Celebration - Queens Edition” will take place at the George Seuffert, Sr. Bandshell in Forest Park. This annual event honors the art of tap dance and will bring the community together for a day of dynamic performances, live music, and an opportunity for everyone to learn how to tap dance. Attendees will also enjoy live music, a DJ, and a special collaboration between singer/songwriter Frank Persico and #Taplife Company. Shelby Kaufman @shelby.kaufman (TikTok), a current community leader in the tap dance community, as “a champion for tap dance,” will also be honored.

Sunday, May 25; Saturday, May 31; and Sunday, August 31 | Eric Hagan (QAF New Work 25)’s “Cocoons,” a public sculptural installation, explores questions of comfort, safety, and transformation. The public is invited to touch and interact with the yarn-based objects, with programming alongside the work that will include conversations and reactions to the Taking place from 1:30-4:30 PM ET at 31st Avenue Open Streets, 31st Ave. between 33rd St. and 35th St in Astoria.

Sunday, June 1; Sunday, June 15; Sunday, July 13; Sunday, August 10 | Rockaway Chamber Music (QAF Arts Access ‘25) will present “Rockaway Chamber Music: Season Three” by bringing a world-class level of classical music to the Rockaway Beach community. RCM will perform four outdoor chamber music concerts with strings, bassoon, trombones, and percussion, which will include four world premieres and a performance alongside 14 youths from the local non-profit RISE’s “Shore Corps.” All concerts will take place at 7:00 PM ET.
Sunday, June 1 | Salvatore LaRussa Dance Company, Inc. (QAF Arts Access ‘25) will present “Free Sunday Performing Arts | Queens Outdoor Dance Festival 2025 at Larussa Studio,” Outdoor Stage, 66-85 73rd Place in Middle Village. The festival will feature dance companies and choreography from Cara Marguerite, Chitzpah Dance, Dalit Agronin, Lihi Dor, Jill Moshman, Ping Zhou, Soco Dance, Susanne McHugh + Dancers, Taylor Gorgan, and Wildflower Collective.

Sunday, June 22 | Abang-guard (Maureen Catbagan + Jevijoe Vitug, QAF Arts Access ‘25)’s "Makibaka" exhibition will reconfigure the Philippines and NY State Pavilions of 1964-65 World’s Fair at Queens Museum to commemorate the Filipino American history and legacy of solidarity, community care, and labor empowerment. “Makibaka - Salakot Sweat Power: Family Tour and Workshop,” will include a performative tour of the exhibition followed by a workshop in which families can learn to make salakots, a traditional Filipino hat used by farmers.

Thursday, June 26 | Kelly Han (QAF New Work ‘25) will present “Bless This House – Bali” from 2:00-4:00 PM ET at Fountain House Studio in Long Island City. Banten are daily offerings made from flowers and other natural materials created by Balinese women for blessing and protection and to appease demons. Han will present her artwork and lead a workshop inspired by banten where participants will use dried flowers as offerings, affixing them to Balinese sarongs framed in shadow boxes.

Assemblymember Ron Kim, Chair of the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development, said: "I would like to thank the New York Foundation for the Arts and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs for continuing to champion and support Queens-based artists and cultural organizations through the Queens Arts Fund. The nearly half a million dollars in grants that will be given this year encompass a diverse range of mediums for artistic expression, and ensure that a critical sector in our borough can continue to thrive even with potential difficulties on the horizon."

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said: "There is no borough with a brighter, more vibrant or more diverse cultural scene than Queens. We are The World's Borough because of the countless performers, photographers, artists and more who dedicate their lives to wowing, engaging and uplifting our families. With nearly $500,000 being awarded across more than 150 Queens-based artists and art groups through the 2025 Queens Arts Fund, I know we can expect another incredible year of captivating programming in every corner of our borough. Thank you to the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York Foundation for the Arts for your fruitful partnership in growing the already unparalleled arts and culture scene here in Queens."

Said Speaker Adrienne Adams: "Arts and culture enrich our diverse communities by providing platforms for creativity and self-expression. Queens is home to talented local artists, artist collectives, and cultural organizations that produce thought-provoking, impactful works of art that tell the stories of our neighborhoods. The Council is proud to support our vibrant arts and cultural sector that bolsters our local economy and supports the well-being of all New Yorkers. I appreciate the New York Foundation for the Arts' efforts to prioritize inclusivity for Queens' diverse communities in its support of our borough's local art."

Said Council Member Carlina Rivera, Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries: “The Queens Arts Fund is a vital resource for local artists and organizations that serve our communities and enhance access to cultural experiences. As the federal policies threaten grant funding, DEI policies, and to reduce tourism, initiatives like this help protect our cultural sector. As Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries, and a member of the Council’s Budget Negotiation Team, I am determined to ensure that every arts worker and cultural organization sees enhanced, sustained support. We know that culture is the soul of our city, and it deserves to be treated as such.”

QAF offers Arts Access Grants of $1,000 to $5,000 to Queens-based small-budget 501c3 nonprofit organizations or unincorporated artist collectives. These grants support community-based organizations and collectives in their efforts to produce public arts and cultural programs in the Queens communities and neighborhoods where they are located and operate.

QAF also offers New Work Grants of $3,000 to Queens-based individual artists, unincorporated artist collectives, or collaborations between multiple artists of all disciplines to support the creation of new work. “New Work” is defined as work that has not been produced or presented to an audience before.

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The New York Foundation for the Arts: New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) was established in 1971 to empower artists at critical stages in their creative lives. Today, the nonprofit organization’s programs and services are far-reaching and are rooted in a wealth of physical and online resources. Each year, NYFA awards more than $4 million in cash grants to individual visual, performing, and literary artists throughout the United States. NYFA’s Fiscal Sponsorship program, one of the oldest and most reputable in the country, helps national artists and arts organizations raise and manage an average of $4 million annually. NYFA’s Learning programs, including its Artist as Entrepreneur and Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, provide thousands of artists, creatives, and arts administrators with professional development training and support. NYFA’s website, NYFA.org, is used by more than 1 million people and features more than 20,000 opportunities and resources available to artists in all disciplines.

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs: The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City’s vibrant cultural life. DCLA works to promote and advocate for quality arts programming and to articulate the contribution made by the cultural community to the City’s vitality. The Department represents and serves non-profit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary, and performing arts; public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens, and historic and preservation societies; and creative artists at all skill levels who live and work within the City’s five boroughs. DCLA also provides donated materials for arts programs offered by the public schools and cultural and social service groups, and commissions permanent works of public art at City-funded construction projects throughout the five boroughs. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/culture.