PARTICIPANT INC

Artists, and the people who love them, come to New York City seeking communities of free-wheeling makers, thinkers, and doers. PARTICIPANT INC is one of those rare places where they find each other.

No “white cube” standards here. No pristine white walls. Instead, the space is known for a signature black box design that makes it feel like a DIY theater space where something exciting is about to happen.

Some shows harken back to the historical slice of time when feminism’s second wave, AIDS activism, and the culture wars of the 70s and 80s raged. Others are pure snapshots of the current moment we’re living in. Think climate activism and Palestinian and transgender rights.

There’s a freedom of expression in the art shown here that makes us feel free, too. We come to be part of conversations behind the ones in the news. We come back to be part of pushing systemic justice forward. 

PARTICIPANT INC and its beloved founder, Lia Gangitano, have been championing art and artists since 2001. It originally stood at 95 Rivington Street before moving to Houston Street. Now you’ll find it inside a luxury building on Elizabeth Street.

We’ve never visited without seeing Lia there. She’s woven into the neighborhood’s history, one that would not have been so textured and culturally rich without her. In 2008, New York Magazine named PARTICIPANT the Best Alternative Art Space. Lia hasn’t stopped making waves since.