Henry Street Settlement

Founded in 1893 by social work pioneer Lillian Wald, Henry Street Settlement’s mission is to open doors of opportunity to enrich lives and enhance human progress for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs. From funding the first public school nurse in the nation (1902) to opening the first apartment-style shelter for homeless families (1972), Henry Street is an organization of firsts and the arts are no exception. The Abrons Arts Center, opened in 1975 to consolidate Henry Street’s arts programming, and to advance artistic excellence on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, supports the creation and presentation of bold, multidisciplinary work; cultivates artists in all stages of their creative development through training and educational programs, internships, commissions, and residencies; and serves as an intersection of cultural engagement for local, national, and international audiences and arts-workers.