International Human Rights Art Festival at Court Square Theater

The International Human Rights Art Movement announces it’s first IHRAF Festival: Queens, adding to its annual IHRAF Festival, December 8-14, 2025, at the Tank Theater in Manhattan. The IHRAF Festival uses creativity and beauty to fight for human rights and social justice, and fight against authoritarianism and division.  

IHRAF: Queens will highlight the talent and passion of Queens-based artists, representing the most diverse neighborhood in the world.  It involves performance blocks curated by the Queens Artist Connection/Hit the Lights Theater Company, Valerie Green/Dance Entropy and SarAika Movement Collective, in addition to our curated performances.

The International Human Rights Art Movement, founded at Dixon Place Theater (NY) in 2017 as a the international Human Rights Art Festival, uses creative platforms (Festivals, IHRAM Press, African Secretariat etc.) to give voice to artists and issues around the world. We protect freedom of expression by highlighting those who might be suppressed or oppressed in their home countries.  We bring together all members of society, from artists in-exile and at risk; to activists on the front lines of the struggle for rights and justice; to creators working in all media; to national and international politicians, government agencies, social leaders and celebrities.  Creative engagement with all members of the society is the surest path toward positive  change.

IHRAF: Queens is made possible by a generous grant from the Flushing Town Hall “Go Queens” program.

IHRAF Festival: Queens Schedule:

• Friday September 26th, 7 pm: Beyond One Medium: Stories of migration and belonging, Opening night curated by Hit The Lights! Theater Co. presenting:
  1. Yankee Crank, by K!NG $LUT (music)
  2. "The Future is the Past is the Present", by Macabre Americana (music)
  3. ISLA, by Hit The Lights! Company (theater)
  4. Don't Open The Door, by Andrew Aaron Valdez (theater)

FREE after-party for all audience members and anyone else interested!

• Saturday September 27th, 3 pm: Assigned at Birth, dance curated event by sarAika movement collective, presenting:

1. Unsaid, Still Understood: sarAika movement collective (dance)

2. Tapestries: The Hunters Enter the Woods: Suzanne Ponomarenko Dance 

3. Faim: Rylan Joenk (dance)

4. Dear: Lo Poppy (dance)

• Saturday September 27th, 7 pm: Celebration of Human Rights I

1. Queens of Queens, by Rashmi (Music)
2. Duet Rehearsal, by Rebecca Kane (Theater)
3. The Dark Phoenix Saga, by The Hokum Arts/ Louis DeVaughn Nelson (DeVo) (Theater+Dance)
4. Las Pizcas, by Felicia B Avalos (Dance)
5. Hot Water Fuss, by David Mills (Poetry/Spoken Word)
6. The Merboy Next Door, by Joel B. New (Musical Theater)

• Sunday September 28th, 3 pm: Celebration of Human Rights II

1. Before It's Too Late, Dr. Evilletown (Performance w/ live music, and a pre-recorded video projection) 
2. Threads of the Wild, by Melis Sena Yeiller (Dance)
3. Where Language Ends, by Ali Motamedi (Theater/Performance)
4. Pathway~pave your own way~: Mariko Shibata
5. Choke, by Susanne McHugh (Dance)
6. Magnum Octopus, by Suni Reyes (Comedy/Stand up)

• Sunday September 28th, 7 pm:, Dance as Reflection and Reckoning, curated by Valerie Green/ Dance Entropy, presenting:

1. man/Mother: Valerie Green
2. Pillow Talk: Aidan Feldman. 
3. Just InSight : Chris Ferris: Chris Ferris and Dancers
4. Oasis: Feathers Dance Company
5. UnFinished Object: Nicole Y. McClam 
6. Concrete Ocean: Rebecca Lloyd-Jones