The beloved art institution in Long Island City dedicated to exposing people to contemporary art will offer New York City residents free entry to all of its exhibitions beginning Oct. 11.
MoMA PS1 is able to provide free admission through a grant by the Anna-Maria and Stephen Keller Foundation, which provided the grant in honor of New York City artists, the museum said.
Residents living in any of the five boroughs can present proof of residency such as a driver’s license, state-issued identification card or a utility bill. The deal excludes concerts, performances, fundraisers and ticketed events held at MoMA PS1. Though the admission is relatively cheap — a suggested $10 donation — the grant was donated to expand the institution’s audience, according to Marina Kellen French, vice president of the Anna-Maria and Stephen Keller Foundation.
“It is important to give back to New York City, a city with so many artists. MoMA PS1 in Queens has many exhibitions that should be seen by everybody from all five boroughs,” French said. “I hope the gift will help [MoMA PS1’s] efforts to lower the barriers to enter the museum and reach out to an even wider audience.”
MoMA PS1 was opened in 1976 by Alanna Heiss, who has founded several nonprofit art organizations, as a welcoming space for New York City artists. Previously an abandoned public school, Heiss invited many artists to experiment with different forms of art including video, installation and performance art.
The organization has been affiliated with MoMA since 2000 and is known for exhibits like the Young Architects Program, a competition that gives emerging architects a chance to build projects to be housed at the space, and the Warm Up Series, an outdoor music festival showcasing experimental live music and local and international DJs.
“MoMA PS1 sees itself as a citizen of all five boroughs with a proud base in Queens,” said Klaus Biesenbach, MoMA PS1 director and MoMA chief curator at large. “This gift is made in honor of all New York City artists as it also marks the occasion of MoMA PS1’s 40th anniversary in 2016.”
Art lovers looking to attend the museum on the first day of this promotion will experience the opening day of the Greater New York exhibition, which will showcase work from 157 artists and collectives living and working in New York City.
