PARTICIPANT INC

Artists, and the people who love them, come to New York City seeking communities of freewheeling 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 its signature black box design that feels like a DIY theater where something exciting is about to happen.

Some shows hark back to the historical slice of time when feminism’s second wave, AIDS activism, and the culture wars of the 1970s and '80s raged. Others are snapshots of the moment we’re living in now by emerging artists—think climate activism, Palestinian rights, and transgender rights.

There’s a freedom of expression in the art shown here that makes us feel free, too. Go to be part of conversations behind the ones in the news. Go back to become 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 be as textured and culturally rich without her. In 2008, New York Magazine named PARTICIPANT INC the Best Alternative Art Space. Lia hasn’t stopped making waves since.