Governor Hochul Celebrates Groundbreaking for the People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante in Inwood

Governor Kathy Hochul today celebrated the groundbreaking for the People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante, a new 19,000-square foot performing arts center in Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood that will also serve as the home for the theater nonprofit organization The People’s Theatre Project. The center, which will be located at 407 West 206th Street, will amplify the voices of New York City’s diverse immigrant communities and cultivate work by local artists and arts organizations.

“As the largest Latine theater in New York City and the city’s first Dominican-managed cultural institution, the People’s Theatre Project’s new home will be more than a performing arts center – it will be a tribute to the diverse artists, cultures, and communities that define our great state,” Governor Hochul said. “New York has always cherished its diversity and inclusiveness, and through our support for timeless institutions like this one, we always will. I will continue working with my partners in government and the arts community to find ways to celebrate the history, creativity, and culture of all New Yorkers, and I look forward to cutting the ribbon on this beautiful space in a few short years.”

Founding Executive Artistic Director of the People’s Theatre Project Mino Lora said, “The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante will be an exemplary space, developing and producing theater that is more equitable and representative of immigrants, Latine artists and our communities of color. For the last 15 years, we have been committed to uplifting the voices of marginalized communities, and The People’s Theatre will connect, inspire, and catalyze generations of immigrants and their allies. We are extremely grateful for the catalytic support from Governor Hochul, EDC, DCLA, The Miranda Family Fund and New York-Presbyterian during this exciting moment for our neighborhood and our organization, with an opportunity to build a community-rooted and anti-oppressive cultural institution in New York City from the ground up.”

The new center will feature a flexible midsize theater, a smaller performance space, rehearsal studios, a soundproof practice room, and gallery space. When the new theater opens in 2026, audiences will experience theatrical performances that center and explore the breadth of immigrant experiences represented in New York City, enjoy live music, and dance performances, film screenings, and other civic and community events. For children and families, the center will offer classes, festivals, and student matinees field trips. The People’s Theatre Project will also partner with the New York Public Library to provide research and literary programming that will allow community members to explore the immigrant experience through scholarship and the performing arts.

It is being developed by a joint venture of LMXD, MSquared, and Taconic Partners and designed by woman- and immigrant-owned architecture firm WORKac and theater and acoustics consultant Charcoalblue.

The center will be housed in a new mixed-income, mixed-use residential development at 405-407 West 206th Street with 698 units of housing, 281 of which will be affordable to residents earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income, that broke ground earlier this year. The Inwood development will also include leading sustainability features that advance the State's climate goals like all-electric heating and cooling, offer free broadband internet to residents, and provide neighborhood amenities like a new grocery store and other neighborhood retail.

The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante has a total capital budget of $37 million, which includes both public and private financial support. New York State will support the project with a $4 million capital grant, to be administered through the Dormitory Authority for the State of New York.

Representative Adriano Espaillat said, “Today marks a momentous occasion, as the People's Theatre Project breaks ground on the Centro Cultural Inmigrante, a cultural institution that will serve the residents of my district and across New York City. The arts have the power to bring communities together, and for the last 15 years, the People's Theatre Project has been doing just that in Washington Heights and Inwood. I am thrilled to see this development move forward and look forward to attending the ribbon cutting for this beautiful performing arts space that will showcase immigrant stories throughout our community."

State Senator José M. Serrano said, "As the chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks & Recreation, I am excited to help welcome this new performing arts center to Upper Manhattan, where community voices will be uplifted, not only through the arts, but through the sense of representation that will be fostered here. The People's Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the New York artist community, serving as a place where history and culture can be shared and celebrated.”

Assemblymember Manny de los Santos said, “Congratulations to the People’s Theatre Project on selecting a name that illustrates the vision of what will become a cultural gem that welcomes all: The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante. This is a product of tremendous dedication and effort by The People’s Theatre Project leadership and community members over the years. When it opens its doors, it will serve as a place for all people - a unique cultural center to house and showcase the creativity, voices and history of immigrants.”

Assemblymember Amanda Septimo said, “People’s Theatre Project will operate the largest Latina-owned, immigrant-centered research and performing arts center of its kind. The new arts center will be an instrumental example of what a center serving the local community should look like, providing representation, inclusion, and amplification of immigrant voices in the arts, and economic development for the historically-immigrant neighborhood. PTP’s new center will provide a permanent, accessible, safe space for the growth and development of immigrant and BIPOC performance arts, and I can’t wait to see the mark it will make on the Washington Heights community.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said, “I’m delighted to join The People’s Theatre in celebrating this milestone toward establishing their permanent home, which will anchor their work to democratize and diversify the production of and access to the arts. New York is the capital of the art world, but stories from immigrants and artists of color aren’t in the spotlight nearly enough. I look forward to seeing the revolutionary community hub for art, education, and advocacy that The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante will be.”

New York City Councilmember Carmen de la Rosa said, “Northern Manhattan has always had a rich culture, and we are ready to make it a beacon for the arts. This new cultural center will welcome new visitors uptown while honoring the work of the immigrants, especially those of Latinx descent, who have transformed New York. The People's Theatre Project knows how to navigate the intersection of cultural preservation, education, and art, making them the right fit to own and operate what will be one of the city's newest cultural attractions. We look forward to the continued investment in cultural institutions in our district that will provide our local artists the opportunities to grow and create.”

Deputy Speaker of the New York City Council Diana Ayala said, “Congratulations to the People's Theatre Project on the groundbreaking of its new immigrant performing arts center, the Centro Cultural Inmigrante. This visionary project enriches not only New York City but also the tapestry of our diverse community, where every culture finds its stage to shine.”

NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball said, “NYCEDC celebrates the People’s Theatre Project and their new performing arts center, The People’s Theatre: Centro Cultural Inmigrante that will undoubtedly become an emblematic space not just for the Inwood community but for New York City. We are proud of the $15 million commitment and years of hard work alongside the community NYCEDC has made culminating in our ‘Inwood NYC’ plan to ensure Inwood remains a neighborhood to live, work, and raise a family. The Immigrant Research and Performing Arts Center will support the work of Northern Manhattan’s rich network of artists and cultural organizations and celebrate the contributions of generations of immigrants to the history and culture of Northern Manhattan.”

New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro said, “New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the world because of our rich immigrant history, abundance of culture, and the hundreds of languages immigrant New Yorkers speak. I am excited to see the vision of the immigrant community for a community space come to life with the Centro Cultural Inmigrante. I look forward to the completion of this project and seeing the space used by immigrant New Yorkers.”

Luis A. Miranda Jr. and Lin-Manuel Miranda of the Miranda Family Fund said, “It is with tremendous pride that we break ground today on The People’s Theatre: Centre Cultural Inmigrante, here in Northern Manhattan. It is no secret our family loves this neighborhood. This is because Northern Manhattan is a vibrant, hardworking community of diverse creators, makers, movers and shakers - all looking to share their stories. Theater is about community, offering a space where art, culture, and identity converge. Our uptown neighborhood is more than ready to have a permanent home for its theater practitioners, to nurture and showcase countless generations of storytellers and stories to come.”

President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Dr. Steven J. Corwin said, “NewYork-Presbyterian is proud to support the People’s Theatre Project, and we look forward to the future of the Centro Cultural Inmigrante. This will be a space where members of the community can come together to create meaningful social connections, build a sense of belonging, and help enrich the community and New York City through the arts.”