New 42 and TDF to Launch Arts Access Pathway for NYCHA Residents

New 42 and TDF are launching the Arts Access Pathway, a program that fosters long-term relationships between New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents and New York City’s performing arts ecosystem by removing financial and logistical barriers that too often stand in the way of arts access. Now available to eligible families, the Arts Access Pathway creates a supported trajectory from a first theater experience at the New Victory Theater to sustained participation with TDF’s theatergoing programs, serving the NYCHA community from the earliest years to adulthood and fostering lifelong theatergoing habits.

NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in North America and is home to 1 in 16 New Yorkers. Through the New Victory NYCHA FamilyTix program, NYCHA residents receive up to four free tickets per household per production at the New Victory Theater, as well as access to ASL and sensory-friendly productions, free activities inspired by the shows with trained teaching artists, opportunities to meet the performers after every show, and prepaid OMNY cards to remove transportation barriers. Since 2022, New 42 has distributed 4,804 free tickets through the program.

For the Arts Access Pathway program, families who have attended at least three New Victory performances will be invited to explore TDF's citywide offerings through free and heavily discounted tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, as well as dance and music performances at venues including City Center, Lincoln Center, and more. Families will be invited to opt into continued engagement at their own pace and will have opportunities to participate in community-based offerings, such as daytime performances and talkbacks. By connecting first-time theatergoers to ongoing opportunities, this program transforms arts access from a single moment into a lasting practice.

A growing body of research links regular arts participation to wellbeing outcomes, particularly for families, similar to other preventive health behaviors like physical activity or social connection. As part of this partnership, New 42 and TDF will work with Dr. Thalia R. Goldstein, associate professor and director of the Play, Learning, Arts, and Youth Lab at George Mason University to study the impact of regular theater attendance. The multi-year study will be designed to promote the dignity and joy of the theatergoing experience. NYCHA families will be invited to share their experiences through voluntary surveys and focus groups.

This research partnership provides a unique opportunity to explore how habits are developed, what sustains them, and the cultural implications for the larger arts and health communities. This research will be used to optimize arts access initiatives and create a blueprint that can be replicated and expanded both citywide and nationwide.