The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment along with recently launched Art House New York unveiled the inaugural Art House Cinema Week New York with MOME providing 5,000 free tickets to participating theaters.

The event running March 20-26 also features reduced price screenings and discounted memberships and concessions. It’s among the first initiatives announced by Rafael Espinal, newly appointed as MOME Commissioner under Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“This initiative reflects our vision for an inclusive creative economy that supports the people who make art, the people who experience it, and the venues that bring it to life. At a time when many New Yorkers and independent theaters are feeling the squeeze of the affordability crisis, we’re stepping in with a simple way to open doors and strengthen our creative ecosystem,” Espinal said.

New Yorkers eligible for the free tickets include New York City teachers, CUNY students, U.S. active-duty military personnel and veterans, people with disabilities, SNAP/EBT cardholders and NYC families registered with nonprofit Cool Culture that provides free access to cultural spaces. Advance tickets are currently available. Espinal said Cinema Week will help more New Yorkers “experience the magic of cinema while supporting their local theaters.”

“Access to arts, culture, and entertainment should be a right for every New Yorker, not a luxury for the few,” added Julie Su, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice, a new role created by Mamdani. Su was formerly U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Biden.

Art House New York co-founder Allason Leitz called Cinema Week “a reminder of why these spaces matter as a cultural cornerstone of New York City. Our cinemas’ unwavering commitment to gathering people in real life, around complex stories and collective discussion, is an essential element to the future of our city, democracy, and daily lives.”  

AHNY launched in October in partnership with the MOME as a regional alliance to strengthen independent film exhibition in NYC through audience development, research and strategic initiatives.

The organization noted it’s added Rachel Denny, CEO of Media Philanthropy Advisory, to its advisory council. Advisors include executives and reps from the Maysles Documentary Center, Film at Lincoln Center, DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, the Film Forum, MoMA, BAM, the Paris Theater, Mubi, Kino Lorber and more.

Participating Cinema Week Theaters:

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Brooklyn
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Lower Manhattan
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Staten Island
Angelika Film Center & Cafe
Anthology Film Archives
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Cinema 123 by Angelika
Cinema Arts Centre
Cinema Village
Cobble Hill Cinemas
DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema
Film at Lincoln Center
Film Forum
Jacob Burns Film Center
Kew Gardens Cinema
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan – The Carole Zabar Center for Film
Maysles Documentary Center
Metrograph
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Museum of the Moving Image
Nitehawk Cinema – Prospect Park
Nitehawk Cinema – Williamsburg
Paris Theater
Quad Cinema
Roxy Cinema New York
Shorts Movie Theater
Uptown Film Center
Village East by Angelika
Williamsburg Cinema