NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and Art House New York Announce Inaugural Cinema Week

NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and Art House New York Announce Inaugural Cinema Week – March 20-26 to Support Independent Movie Theaters Across NYC

5000 Free Tickets Funded by MOME to Ensure The Experience is Available to All New Yorkers

New York, NY – March 11, 2026 – NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and Art House New York (AHNY) are proud to announce the inaugural ‘Art House Cinema Week New York’, which will feature affordable screenings, exciting perks including discounted memberships and concessions, and custom programming at nearly 30 independent local theaters across the city for all New Yorkers to enjoy, with funding for 5,000 free tickets provided by MOME to be redeemed at select theaters to ensure all can participate. Running March 20-26, Cinema Week aims to highlight the city’s vibrant cultural institutions and provide New Yorkers opportunities to rediscover their local independent cinemas and gather together as a community to experience the art of filmmaking. A list of the participating cinemas is below, and the full slate of programming is available at www.arthouseny.org. With no advance registration required, eligible New Yorkers may attend screenings free of charge by presenting valid forms of identification at the box office. Eligible groups are listed at www.arthouseny.org/faq.

“MOME, in partnership with Art House NY, is proud to help kick off NYC’s inaugural Cinema Week by funding 5,000 free tickets, so more New Yorkers can experience the magic of cinema while supporting their local theaters. 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. I hope to see you at the movies!” said Rafael Espinal, Commissioner, NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME).

“Cinema Week is a chance to celebrate the local, curated and community-oriented cinemas across our city that help New York feel like New York. We look forward to welcoming new and returning audiences and together making 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.” said AHNY Co-Founder, Allason Leitz.

"As part of our work to ensure that all New Yorkers can enjoy the arts, I'm proud that MOME is partnering with Art House NY to provide thousands of free tickets to New Yorkers. These tickets will make it easier for working New Yorkers to enjoy these incredible films, and they will provide a boost for our local theaters and small businesses supporting the festival. Access to arts, culture, and entertainment should be a right for every New Yorker, not a luxury for the few," said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.

Advance tickets are currently available to all for purchase and additional information can be found on the Art House New York website. Additionally, with no advance registration required, eligible New Yorkers may attend screenings free of charge by presenting valid forms of identification at the box office. Eligible groups include, New York City teachers, CUNY students, United States active-duty military personnel and veterans, New York City families registered with “Cool Culture”, People with disabilities upon presentation of reduced-fare OMNY card or Access-A-Ride ID, and SNAP/EBT cardholders.

Art House New York (AHNY) is a regional alliance, launched in October 2025 in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, meant to strengthen independent film exhibition in New York City through audience development, research, and strategic initiatives. The initiative celebrates cinemas as spaces where people build community—especially for those new to a neighborhood or city. Core goals are to drive attendance: strengthening the impact of Art House exhibition, addressing shared challenges among exhibitors with practical, collaborative solutions and generating data to develop a deeper understanding of the Art House exhibition sector.

In addition, AHNY is also proud to welcome Rafael Espinal – Commissioner, MOME and Rachel Denny - CEO & Principal Consultant, Media Philanthropy Advisory to join the distinguished Advisory Council composed of leaders from across the film industry landscape who include: Kazembe Balagun – Executive Director, Maysles Documentary Center, Dori Begley – Co-CEO, Magnolia Pictures, Matt Bolish – Deputy Director, Film at Lincoln Center, Mark Boxer – Head of Distribution, MUBI, Karen Cardarelli – Executive Director, Facets & Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals, Gary Faber – President, ERM Research, Lesli Klainberg – AHNY Founder, former President, Film at Lincoln Center, Lela Meadow-Conner – Interim Executive Director, Art House Convergence, Dara Messinger – Director of Programming, DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, Rajendra Roy – Chief Curator of Film, MoMA, Shannon Treusch – Partner, Falco Ink., Jesse Trussell – Director, Film Program and Strategy, BAM, Barbara Twist – former Executive Director, Film Festival Alliance, and Co-Founder, Future Film Coalition John Vanco – Programming, Paris Theater / Netflix.

The AHNY Marketing Advisory Council includes Neal Block – Head of Distribution & Marketing, Magnolia Pictures, Adam Grant-Walker - Director of Communications, Film Forum, Nicholas Kemp - SVP Distribution & Marketing, Kino Lorber, Jordan Raup - Assoc Dir of Marketing, Film at Lincoln Center, and McKenzie Wilke - Consultant, Capacity Interactive. And organizational & campaign support from Ariel Adler - Programs Associate, Art House New York and Katy Gumble - Campaign Producer - Art House New York.

World-renowned graphic designer Paula Scher from the design studio Pentagram has created the Art House New York identity and the 2026 campaign.

About Art House New York Art House New York (AHNY) is a regional alliance strengthening independent film exhibition in New York City through audience development, research, and strategic initiatives. By amplifying the city’s diverse and vibrant cinema landscape, AHNY works to ensure that New York remains the nation’s cinephile capital — and sets the tone for regional art house initiatives nationwide.

About Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s mission is to support and strengthen New York City’s creative economy and make it accessible to all. Including film/TV, music, theatre/live performance, digital games and publishing, the creative industries account for roughly 440,000 local jobs and have an economic impact of over $150 billion annually. MOME comprises four divisions: The Film Office, which coordinates on location production throughout the five boroughs; NYC Media, the City’s official broadcast network and production group; the Press Credentials Office, which issues press cards; and Creative Sector Programs to advance industry and workforce development across NYC’s creative sectors.

For more information regarding Art House New York and Art House Cinema Week, please visit: www.arthouseny.org.

Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan – Carole Zabar Center for Film

Programming Highlights (35mm prints), all part of the film series "2001: The Year, Not the Movie"

Special Screenings for AHNY Cinema Week - All Seats $10

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Brooklyn445 Albee Square W 4th floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201

28 Liberty St Suite SC301, New York, NY 10005

2636 Hylan Blvd Unit 34, Staten Island, NY 10306

81-05 Lefferts Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY 11415

Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan - The Carole Zabar Center for Film

334 Amsterdam Ave at, W 76th St, New York, NY 10023

2 6th Avenue Cellar Level, New York, NY 10013

99 Scott Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237 (pop-up location)