Our Story

We believe access to the performing arts is a child’s right starting from birth—the right for even the youngest among us to wonder what if? and to challenge why not?

Our Mission

Under the leadership of President & CEO Russell Granet, New 42nd Street is a leading performing arts nonprofit whose mission is to make extraordinary performing arts a vital part of everyone’s life from the earliest years onward.

Through our signature projects, New Victory and New 42 Studios, we serve young people, artists and educators with invaluable arts engagement and resources in and beyond the performing arts.

We connect people to world-class performances, essential education programs and creative communities that push culture forward. Because the earlier the performing arts are part of our lives, the sooner we can achieve the extraordinary.

Core Values

Like every individual, all nonprofits are unique. The core values listed here help support our vision, shape the nonprofit’s culture and guide the decisions we make in fulfillment of our mission to engage new audiences with the transformational power of the performing arts.

Adventurous Spirit

We go for it.

Thoughtful Ingenuity

We challenge ourselves to think creatively.

Inclusive Community

We believe everyone belongs and you matter.

Steadfast Integrity

We strive to do the right thing.

Heart

We care.

Our Commitment

At New 42, we aspire to be an organization that embraces, cultivates and sustains diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as a collective group of individuals and throughout all our projects, programs and spaces.

New 42 Youth Corps Fellow being mentored by Staff Member

Our People

Together with our board, staff, supporters and audiences, we inspire new perspectives, incubate new works and create new opportunities to move us all.

Our History

New 42nd Street has transformed from an urban redevelopment organization to one of New York City’s most visionary cultural nonprofits.

Established by New York City and State to redevelop 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues, New 42 was given the 99-year leases of the block’s seven historic theaters to find new uses for the Apollo Theatre, Empire Theatre, Liberty Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Selwyn Theatre, Victory Theater and Times Square Theater.

New 42 launched the transformation of the block by transforming The Victory into the New Victory as the city’s first theater for kids and families, and building the New 42 Studios to support the creation of new work—forever ensuring the legacy and vitality of America’s most iconic theater district.

The New 42 continues to steward the block and support the City’s efforts to maintain West 42nd Street as a safe and exciting destination for both our local community and visitors to New York City.