Ars Nova exists to discover, develop & launch singular theater, music & comedy artists who are in the early stages of their professional careers. Our dynamic slate of programs supports outside-the-box thinking and encourages innovative, genre-bending work. By providing a protective environment where risk-taking and collaboration are paramount, Ars Nova amplifies the voices of a new generation of diverse artists and audiences, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment by nurturing creative ideas into smart, surprising new work.
Ars Nova gets to know a wide range of artists each year by inviting them into our home and giving them free reign of our toys. A low-stakes, high-fun night at the theater, where genre-bending artists take big swings. Come see who’s caught our eye!
Our untamed variety-show-meets-party is hosted by our resident comedians and features a who’s-who of New York City’s weird, wild and wonderful performing comedy to burlesque and everything (and anything) in between.
Our annual festival of All New Talent showcases the next wave of pioneering theater, comedy, music and hybrid theater-makers, who fill our stage with their freshest ideas.
Play Group is home to vibrant, cutting-edge, collaborative playwrights interested in creating a community with their peers.
Makers Lab is an individually tailored residency for creators working between genres to develop the first draft of a new project over the course of a season.
The Comedy Artist Makers’ Program (CAMP) provides an eclectic group of theatrical comedy creators with peer support and artistic mentorship as they develop an original comedy show over the course of the season.
The Vision Residency invites artist-curators to partner with Ars Nova’s Artistic Team, strengthening their curatorial muscles while crafting a season of Discovery programming.
The Company in Residence program welcomes nascent companies to make a home base at Ars Nova as they develop collaboratively created or devised work.
Ars Nova commissions and develops new projects with artists who work non-traditionally, create across multiple disciplines, and have big dreams for what they want to make next.
Every year, we world premiere at least two original, innovative new works by emerging artists Off-Broadway. These homegrown projects are radically supported from development through premieres and introduce New York City to the new forms and voices of the next generation of theater-makers.
Ars Nova is committed to launching our artists just as far and wide as their big ideas can take them. Our productions of their work have gone on to stages around the world, including the Tony-Award winning Freestyle Love Supreme Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and KPOP on Broadway; the award-winning return Off-Broadway engagement and international tour of Underground Railroad Game, and the Off-Broadway transfer and US tour of Small Mouth Sounds.
Ars Nova is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization and was founded in memory of Gabe Wiener.
