Bryant Park Corporation is excited to announce the current programming schedule for its summer performing arts series, Picnic Performances, featuring twenty-five live music, dance and theater events for a free, ticketed audience at midtown Manhattan's Bryant Park. Livestream broadcasts of nearly all of this season’s Picnic Performances will also be available to anyone at no cost via Bryant Park’s social media platforms, thanks to the generous support of Bank of America.

The season’s schedule features events in partnership with many of New York's most acclaimed arts institutions. The summer kicks off with a four-night run of performances from June 9 to June 12 with a 25-piece orchestra from the world-renowned New York Philharmonic. That run will be followed on June 18 by New York City Opera’s annual LGBTQ Pride concert, titled Pride in the Park, featuring a new arrangement of the finale of Iain Bell and Mark Campbell’s opera Stonewall, which was commissioned by NYCO and given its world premiere in 2019. On June 25, Bryant Park honors one facet of the rich cultural tapestry of NYC’s AAPI community with a program of traditional Chinese music, acrobatics, dance and martial arts courtesy of New York Chinese Cultural Center. The vital downtown performing arts institution Joe’s Pub presents an evening with R&B singer/songwriter and accomplished theater star Mykal Kilgore (Hair, Motown the Musical) on June 26.

The festivities continue on July 2 again with the New York City Opera, this time performing a fully staged, hour-long adaptation of Bizet’s 19th century classic, Carmen. The world-famous Carnegie Hall restarts its celebrated Citywide series with five exciting nights of genre-spanning music, headlined by the rock and roots bombshell Toshi Reagon with her band BIGLovely on July 9, the Grammy winning salsa and Latin jazz combo Spanish Harlem Orchestra on July 16, NYC’s eclectic orchestral collective The Knights on July 23, two-time Tony-nominee (Shuffle Along, Tina) and founder of The Broadway Activist Coalition Adrienne Warren performing musical hits with special guests on July 30, finishing with a set from New Orleans-born trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his band The E-Collective with the Turtle Island Quartet performing the works of Wayne Shorter on August 6. On July 31, downtown’s Greenwich House Music School (GHMS) present Ella Bric (aka the multiple Latin Grammy Award winning musician Linda Briceño) and trumpeter Riley Mulherkar of The Westerlies brass quartet, two veterans of GHMS’ seven-year strong series of new projects by local artists, Uncharted.

On August 12, Harlem Stage, in partnership with Jazzmobile and Historic Harlem Parks, presents Craig Harris’s Nocturnal Nubian Ball For The Conscientious Ballers and Cultural Shot Callers, a night honoring the music and teachings of the legendary Sun Ra, hosted by jazz trombonist Craig Harris and his band, Nation of Imagination. Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy's Club offers two memorable nights of contemporary jazz, starting on August 13 with a concert featuring a handpicked selection of up-and-coming young stars of the jazz world and continuing with a set from the vocalist, bandleader and saxophonist Camille Thurman, accompanied by the Darrell Green Quintet, performing the music of Burt Bacharach on August 14. Some of the biggest names in modern dance come to Bryant Park in August over three nights of double performances curated by Tiffany Rea-Fisher: Limón Dance Company and Music from the Sole on August 16, Paul Taylor Dance Company and Elisa Monte Dance on August 21, and more dance TBA on August 27. New York City Opera returns to the park for two final performances: Now That's What I Call Opera!, a fun-filled night for the whole family featuring opera’s greatest hits, on August 21, and, on September 3, a newly created, 90-minute adaptation of Verdi’s masterpiece Rigoletto, to be conducted by Constantine Orbelian and featuring Michael Chioldi, Brandie Sutton and Won Whi Choi. Classical Theatre of Harlem travels to midtown for an evening of dramatic performances on September 10. Picnic Performances welcomes cutting-edge performing arts organization National Sawdust and a live world premiere of Allison Loggins-Hull's Diametrically Composed, with special guests including Alicia Hall Moran, on September 17. Picnic Performances closes on September 20 with a program presented by Bryant Park neighbor, The Town Hall, starring mandolinist and public radio star Chris Thile celebrating the venerable venue's 100th anniversary. Additional artist and performance information will be available for August and September programming in the coming months.

Bryant Park Corporation's President Dan Biederman says "We’re thrilled to be able to host live events again, and Bank of America’s support for the livestreams will deliver these remarkable performances to so many who cannot attend due to capacity limitations or distance. We encourage viewers around the country to picnic in their own park while watching along."

Jose Tavarez, President of Bank of America New York City says, “Even through the pandemic, Bank of America continued its long-standing support of our local cultural institutions. The past year demonstrated the critical need for digital accessibility to share the arts with our community while still prioritizing health and safety. We’re pleased to help increase access to this incredible New York City lineup through the Picnic Performances livestream – allowing individuals to celebrate and enjoy, no matter where they are.”

As New York State and City safety guidelines for public gatherings quickly change in response to the ongoing success of NYC's COVID-19 vaccination program, Bryant Park is adjusting its on-site plans to safely accommodate as many advance registration attendees as possible. Updated audience protocols for June Picnic Performances will be shared in the upcoming weeks well in advance of the first performance on June 9. Free tickets for attending in-person events in June will be available to reserve on Eventbrite approximately 10 days ahead of each show. For the most current guidelines, program updates and additional venue information and restrictions, please visit bryantpark.org/picnics.

Bryant Park Picnic Performances' season of free, live performances continues on Friday, July 16 at 7pm with Grammy-winning Salsa and Latin Jazz from Spanish Harlem Orchestra. This performance is part of this season's Carnegie Hall Citywide Series. Entry to this event is now open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis for all audience members. Advance ticket registration is no longer required.

Feel the irresistible rhythms and be uplifted by the fire of salsa dura (“hard salsa”) when the Spanish Harlem Orchestra takes the stage. The three-time Grammy Award–winning salsa and Latin band’s performances are rooted in the great traditions of the barrio (New York City’s Spanish Harlem), but also break new ground with fresh approaches to the music.

In line with continually expanding city and state safety protocols, Bryant Park will host approximately 2,500 audience members at each of our performances. Vaccinated and negative-tested audience members will be offered open seating on the world-famous Bryant Park Lawn with ample space to distance from others at their own discretion. Attendees in this space may remove masks at their own discretion within the vaccinated/tested area of the lawn. Vaccinated and tested attendees may either bring their own picnic blanket or sit in the chairs provided by Bryant Park. Attendees who are either unvaccinated or untested will be offered seating in a separate, socially-distanced section. Food and beverages are available for purchase from vendors in the park and all event attendees are invited to bring their own food and drink.

For anyone unable to attend in person, a free livestream broadcast of the performance will be available nationwide via Bryant Park’s website and social media platforms, thanks to the generous support of Bank of America. Additional support for on-site events is provided by Amazon.

As New York State and City safety guidelines for public gatherings quickly change in response to the ongoing success of NYC's COVID-19 vaccination program, Bryant Park continues to reassess its on-site protocols for upcoming shows with the intention of safely accommodating as many attendees as possible. For the most current guidelines, program updates and additional venue information and restrictions, please visit bryantpark.org/picnics.

For 18 years, Celebrate Mexico Now (CMN) has been the only independent festival in New York City devoted to spotlighting contemporary Mexican artistry. Every year, CMN disrupts the often narrow definitions of Mexican culture by exploring the way artists are reshaping, envisioning and reflecting on their identity in the ever-changing global context. With the COVID epidemic still sadly raging, 2021 will not allow for CMN to produce more than a single in-person event, but the organization is proud to continue an unbroken tradition of consistency with a 2021 season consisting of six free, digitally streaming and live events in October and November.

This year's CMN Festival includes explorations into contemporary dance, music, film, visual art, feminist history and arts business, all with a distinctly Mexican flare. The program includes a selection of dance films created during lockdown, orchestrated by a trio of prominent choreographers; an evening of live music with singer-songwriter Renee Goust; a discussion of the role of the Indigenous woman in Mexican history; a screening of two short documentaries on elders within the community and a conversation with their directors; plus a panel talk with the leaders of Mexico's most active live performance venues on surviving COVID.

Celebrate Mexico Now creator and lead curator Claudia Norman says, "For our 2020 season, the first to be presented entirely online, we were pleasantly surprised to discover thousands of avid viewers of our streaming programming tuning in from Canada, Europe, Central and South America. While we all very much miss the live experience, the silver lining of an online festival is the opportunity to expand our audience beyond New York City. While CMN looks forward to future seasons returning with more in-person events, the intention is to continue to explore streaming and hybrid programs in the future."

Norman continues, "It was important for us to continue presenting this festival even under extreme duress and a closed border. First and foremost, we must make sure that this vital cultural interchange continues in a way that prioritizes the safety of our participants and audiences. Equally importantly, we represent an necessary source of income, not just for the artists who make up our lineup but for our administrative staff. I am proud that we have been able to continue to provide support to the NYC and Mexican families that bring CMN to life."

As an independent festival, CMN is made possible thanks to private donations from the Howard Gilman Foundation and The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York, alongside collaborations with our presenting partner: New York University’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and The Mexican Studies Institute at City University of New York. Celebrate Mexico Now's media partner for the 2021 season is PIX-11.

All 2021 Celebrate Mexico Now events will be streamed free via the festival’s website at MexicoNowFestival.org and Facebook Live. The films Yolik (Despacio) and Tote/Abuelo will be available to view through October 31; all other programming will be fully available after the premiere date.

Founded in 2004 by the award-winning curator and producer Claudia Norman of CN Management, Celebrate Mexico Now is New York City's first and only independent arts festival spotlighting contemporary Mexican culture. Over the past decade and a half, Ms. Norman has brought literally hundreds of native Mexican artists - sculptors, musicians, poets, chefs, filmmakers, actors, painters, and directors - to perform and show at venues across New York City, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, New York University, Columbia University and many more. Ms. Norman's continuing goal is to share both the rich, ancient traditions and vibrant new ideas emerging in Mexico's vital arts scene by showcasing Mexican and Mexican-American creators alongside US artists embracing Mexican traditions. In this way, she seeks to present Mexican artistry as a heavyweight player in global culture.

The avant-jazz band Irreversible Entanglements, featuring vocalist Camae Ayewa aka Moor Mother, will be performing live at National Sawdust in Williamsburg Brooklyn on Saturday, June 11 at 9:00pm. The group will be playing tracks from their newest album, 2021's Open the Gates (International Anthem). GET TICKETS HERE

Irreversible Entanglements cultivate the liberation technologies of jazz and associated Black music in root, stem, and branch. The band’s uncompromising artistic vision emerges from the experience of its five acclaimed members: poet Camae Ayewa, a/k/a Moor Mother, is a globally leading light of Afrofuturist music, art, and community activism. Bassist Luke Stewart boasts an encyclopedic knowledge of the music from which he draws with focused and thunderous intensity. Saxophonist Keir Neuringer’s prodigious avant garde technique is matched by an urgency in his tone and fierce socio-political determination.

Trumpeter Aquiles Navarro and drummer Tcheser Holmes joined the band as an already long-standing duo, bringing with them uncontainable energy and inventiveness grounded in classic jazz and Latin and Afro-Caribbean streams. The band’s third album, 2021’s double LP Open The Gates, displayed an expanded sonic palette and increased the group’s emotional breadth. Open the Gates is a co-release on the International Anthem and Don Giovanni labels, highlighting Irreversible Entanglements’ ability to make adventurous music beyond genre, both honoring and defying tradition, speaking to the present while insisting on the future.

Major institutional support for The Future Is… 2021-22 season at National Sawdust is provided by private support from the Howard Gilman Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, Alphadyne Foundation, Art Mentor Foundation, Citi, and Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trust and with public support from the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council in addition to significant leadership support from the National Sawdust Board of Directors. National Sawdust is a proud Meyer Sound Experience partner.
 
Paola Prestini is the Kris Sebastian & Alberto Cribiore Artistic Director Chair for National Sawdust's Seasons 7 (2021-22 ) & 8 (2022-23).

Bryant Park Corporation announces the 2023 lineup for its summer performing arts series, Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America. Twenty-six live music, dance, and theater events will take place at Midtown Manhattan's Bryant Park between June 1 to September 14. All shows are free to the public and designed to be enjoyed casually – no tickets required – with more than five hundred picnic blankets for audience members to borrow and ample chairs available.

Picnic Performances has grown into one of the foremost outdoor performing arts festivals in New York City. Last summer more than 75,000 people attended the series, and nearly half a million watched the free performance livestreams. Picnic Performances has become a vital outdoor platform for New York’s arts institutions including longstanding partners like Carnegie Hall, New York City Opera, The Classical Theatre of Harlem, Joe’s Pub, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The 2023 season features world-class local artists as well as performers from as far away as Italy, Colombia, Turkey, Finland, and South Africa.

Bryant Park Corporation's President Dan Biederman says, "Thanks to Bank of America’s support, Picnic Performances has become an established venue for major cultural events. There is no easier way to experience NYC’s extraordinary music, theater, and dance: just come to Bryant Park, grab a free blanket or chair, and enjoy."

“Bryant Park Picnic Performances are a staple of the New York City summer and cultural scenes,” said José Tavarez, President, Bank of America New York City. “We believe that the arts are a unifying force that promote cultural understanding, and are proud to continue our support of one of the most iconic green spaces in the city.”

2023 season highlights:

New York City Opera opens the season (6/1) with a one-night-only, staged, and costumed production of Puccini’s La Bohème with orchestral accompaniment. Later, New York City Opera brings fully staged, dressed and live music-supported productions of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (8/18) and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet (9/8), as well as a concert of Italian favorites with tenor Alessandro Lora (8/19)

Jazzmobile, celebrating its 59th anniversary, returns with the 19-member The Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra and an evening of non-stop dance music (6/2)

Major dance companies and rising stars perform over four evenings of Contemporary Dance in June. Performers include Robin Dunn and a multi-artist dance celebration of hip hop’s 50th anniversary, Dance Heginbotham, Soles of Duende, Josh Johnson, Terk Lewis, and Kayla Farrish

Up-and-coming bands perform at the annual Emerging Music Festival (6/23, 6/24). Artists include Katy Kirby, Miss Grit, THUS LOVE, Psymon Spine, Ky Voss, Seramic, and Dead Tooth

Carnegie Hall Citywide presents five nights of music, featuring six-time Grammy Award winner Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (7/7), violinist-fiddler Tessa Lark and composer-bassist Michael Thurber with special guest Louis Cato (7/14), an album-release show with renowned Mexican vocalist Magos Herrera featuring chamber orchestra The Knights (7/21), Champe-Soukous Collective (7/28), South African vocal group and America's Got Talent finalist Ndlovu Youth Choir (8/4)

Jalopy Theatre curates a three-part folk festival with bluegrass headliners Michael Daves Quartet Ft. Tony Trischka, Malian kora virtuoso Yacouba Sissoko, and lap steel guitarist Terrell King (6/30)

Ailey II, the renowned and dynamic second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, returns to Bryant Park as part of the second annual Ailey Moves NYC! (8/3)

Obie Award winning, Emmy Award nominated songwriter and performer, Shaina Taub leads a special night of music in partnership with Joe’s Pub (8/11)

Accordions Around the World brings a lineup of woman-led bands with Colombian cumbia and vallenato from Latin-Grammy nominated Diana Burco, an all-female Ragini Ensemble from Brooklyn Raga Massive, and Finland’s Suistamon Sähkö and their high-energy and experimental dance music (8/25)

Roulette Intermedium celebrates their 45th Anniversary with a program of renowned artists who got their start at the venue (8/26) including 75 Dollar Bill, Ka Baird, and a jazz artist TBA

The Classical Theatre of Harlem stages a riveting, abridged version of the musical Langston in Harlem, celebrating the Harlem Renaissance through Langston Hughes' poetry

Leon Botstein conducts the American Symphony Orchestra in a program highlighting the different forms of expression and musical languages that emerged following World War I such as dance, theater and jazz (9/7)

Drom marks the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic with the U.S. Debut of Istanbul-based psych-rocker Gaye Su Akyol (9/9)

The season closes with a Harlem Stage 40th Anniversary Celebration performance featuring a major jazz artist TBA (9/14)

More than 20 shows from the 2023 season will be livestreamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website, reaching national and international audiences. Additional media support is provided by public radio stations WBGO and WQXR.

Attendees may bring their own food or purchase from on-site food and beverage vendors near the Lawn. At all performances, attendees can discover new dishes and celebrate classics from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of local artisanal vendors curated by Hester Street Fair. Stout NYC offers giant pretzels, gourmet popcorn and other light bites as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.

Additional artist and performance information will be available in the coming months. For the most current information please visit bryantpark.org/picnics.

Bryant Park announces the 2024 lineup for its free summer performing arts series, Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America. The annual festival will feature 25 live music, dance, and theater events between May 31 and September 13. All shows are free to the public and designed to be enjoyed casually – no tickets required – with more than 700 picnic blankets for audience members to borrow and ample chairs available.

Picnic Performances has grown to become one of New York City’s foremost outdoor performing arts festivals. Last summer, more than 75,000 people attended the series and nearly half a million enjoyed the free performance livestreams. Picnic Performances has become a vital outdoor platform for the City’s arts institutions, showcasing long-standing partnerships with Carnegie Hall, New York City Opera, Harlem Stage, The Town Hall, and Joe’s Pub, as well as new partnerships with New Victory Theater, World Music Institute, and Belongó. The 2024 season features Grammy-winners, world-class dance companies, theater stars, celebrations of centenaries in jazz and opera, a James Bond-themed finale, and dozens of local artists and spotlight performers from Ghana, New Orleans, Mexico, and South Africa.

Bryant Park's president Dan Biederman says, "Thanks to Bank of America’s support, Picnic Performances has become a summer tradition for tens of thousands of New Yorkers. There is no easier way to enjoy this city’s exemplary arts and culture: just join us on the lawn.”

“The Picnic Performances are one of the best ways for New Yorkers to get outdoors and celebrate the arrival of Spring and Summer,” said José Tavarez, president, Bank of America New York City. “We believe that the arts are a unifying force that promote cultural understanding, and we are thrilled to continue our support of one of the most iconic green spaces in the city. We are excited to be, once again, the presenting sponsor of the Picnic Performances, marking a more than 10-year-long partnership with Bryant Park.”

2024 summer highlights include:

For the opening weekend of Picnic Performances, New York City Opera honors the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini with a two-night celebration of his music featuring orchestra, chorus, and star vocalists. The summer of Puccini continues with a fully-staged production of Tosca in August.

Internationally acclaimed dance companies – including Mark Morris Dance Group, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, and David Dorfman Dance – headline multiple evenings of Contemporary Dance alongside established, rising, and student companies.

Jazzmobile celebrates the Centennial of legendary jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughan, “The Divine One,” with a jubilant performance by the acclaimed vocalist Charenée Wade and her septet.

Hall Citywide presents five concerts in July and August, beginning with a special evening with Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Tania León and The Harlem Chamber Players with special guests. Carnegie Hall will also present the acclaimed South African musician Thandiswa Mazwai, Grammy Award-nominated bandleader of The Late Show Band Louis Cato, the high-energy Afrojazz trailblazer Michael Olatuja and Lagos Pepper Soup, and red-hot salsa dura band La Excelencia.

Joe’s Pub brings rising theater stars Jaime Lozano and Florencia Cuenca for Broadway en Spanglish, featuring bilingual performances of iconic show tunes with Mariachi Real de Mexico and more guest stars TBA.

As part of New Victory Theater's summer series New Victory Dance, Ephrat Asherie and Barkin/Selissen Project join for an interactive dance event curated specifically for kids and families.

World Music Institute welcomes Ghanaian highlife band Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (NYC debut).
Asian American Arts Alliance features MacArthur 'Genius' pianist Vijay Iyer and his trio.

The beloved Bryant Park tradition Accordions Around the World returns with 2024 Grammy nominee Zydeco star Dwayne Dopsie and Latin funk band Afro Dominicano.

American Symphony Orchestra kicks off their season with Beyond the Hall, a program highlighting music from beyond the confines of the traditional concert hall.

The Town Hall and Belongó celebrate John Barry’s iconic James Bond music with an all-star lineup of musicians led by Arturo O’Farrill with the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and composer arranger and slide trumpet master Steven Bernstein, together with exciting surprise special guests.

This season, 16 shows will be livestreamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website, reaching national and international audiences. Additional media support is provided by public radio stations WBGO and WQXR. View an archive of performances from previous years here.

Food and drink are available for purchase from a curated lineup of local vendors near the lawn. At all performances, attendees can discover new dishes and celebrate classics from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of artisanal vendors by Hester Street Fair. Stout NYC offers light bites as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.

Additional artist and performance information will be available in the coming months. For the most current information please visit bryantpark.org/picnics. For a selection of high-resolution artist assets, please visit this link; for a 30-second sizzle reel of previous Picnic Performances, visit this link.