Hi-ARTS

Hi-ARTS is a leading cultural hub within the urban arts movement. Through artistic development residencies, vibrant multi-disciplinary creative programming, and civic engagement opportunities, we empower artists to develop bold new work while creating a positive, lasting impact on our community.

Hi-ARTS is the only institution in New York City, and one of the few in the country, exclusively dedicated to supporting and developing Hip-Hop and the urban aesthetic. Hi-ARTS supports emerging and established theater, performance, and visual artists to develop and present new work. We engage directly with the community through our artists, educational programming, and partnerships.

The organization was founded as the Hip-Hop Theater Festival (HHTF) in 2000 by Kamilah Forbes, Clyde Valentín, and Danny Hoch. At the time, artists working in Hip-Hop and urban expressive forms were excluded from the theatrical canon. The first festival began in New York City at Performance Space 122 with Surface Transit, an off-Broadway solo show by Sarah Jones, who went on to become a Tony and Obie Award winner. Festivals continued annually, expanding across the country to Chicago, the Bay Area, and Washington, D.C., where Hi-ARTS continues to produce the Hip-Hop Theater Festival today.