Pollstar (04/07/23) King, Ariel

The City Parks Foundation is committed to keeping New York City's heritage a cause for celebration by drawing artists from all over the world to events in the city's parks in the post-COVID environment. "Last year was our big comeback because we presented shows not only in Central Park, but all around New York City in neighborhood parks across all five boroughs," said City Parks Foundation Executive Artistic Director Erika Elliott. "Last year was the first year we were really able to reach back in and be in all the communities. Since that's so much at the core of who we are as a festival and part of our mission is to make arts and culture accessible, that was a big deal for us to return to do that work. It was a great year, great turnout." This year's celebration is elevated by the 50th anniversary of hip-hop's birth in the Bronx. "We're uniquely positioned to celebrate this art form like almost no one else," Elliott noted. City Parks Foundation Executive Director Heather Lubov wants to showcase how hip-hop has spread globally. "We're trying to show the impact hip-hop has had all over the performing arts," she explained. International performers will return to the foundation's summer festivals this year thanks to partnerships with the French Cultural Service Office, the Australian Music Export Office and the government of Taiwan.

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