RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL

June 2023 – August 2023

Presented by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), the River To River Festival is Downtown New York City’s completely free summer arts festival, celebrating artistic and creative diversity across disciplines, and presenting live art and installation in public spaces and in partnership with leading institutions in Lower Manhattan.

River To River was created in the aftermath of 9/11 with the intention to heal and celebrate New Yorkers’ resiliency through to the power of art. For almost 20 years, this principle has been the driving force behind this unique festival, totally free and open to all. The festival has always been a celebration of what is possible when artistic creativity, cultural institutions, civic bodies and corporate entities come together in mutual support, and we recognize the importance of this ecosystem to the health, vibrancy and future of our city.

The 2023 River To River Festival marked the organization’s 50th anniversary. In honor of the milestone, the 2023 event series featured many LMCC alumni working across disciplines, with a captivating array of dance, performance, public art installations, historic tours, and live music that reflects the interdisciplinary ethos of LMCC. Featuring 12 presentations of live art, performances, and participatory events in public spaces throughout Downtown New York, the 2023 River To River Festival explored themes of reclamation, resistance, and interconnectivity. 

NuevaYorkinos’ collaboration with the 2023 River To River Festival features a photography exhibition that amplifies stories of Caribbean and Latin American (im)migration to New York City, from their show El Camino: Stories of Migration. All photos were taken before 2005 across the five boroughs, and each story was written by the family depicted in each photograph.

The show was on view from June 2023 through August 2023 at The Seaport, along the Fulton Market building windows on Front and Beekman Streets.

Presented in Partnership with The Howard Hughes Corporation at the Seaport.