Loisaida Inc. Center, is an accessible multidisciplinary project space, hosting residencies, internships, providing resources and opportunities for underrepresented and emerging artists, cultural workers, collectives and creators working in diverse disciplines. 

Loisaida, Inc. is federally certified community based organization founded in 1979 to address the problem of social and economic disenfranchisement of poor and low income residents of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, at a time when the neighborhood was confronted with disinvestment, rampant violence, drugs, gangs, and poverty.

The mission of Loisaida, Inc. is to facilitate access to education, training and employment opportunities that ensure the overall improvement and economic development of the community. Loisaida, Inc. concentrates its human development efforts through comprehensive youth and family support programs in order to eliminate barriers to learning and to secure significant social and economic development opportunities as well as produce neighborhood revitalization activities that positively highlight our rich culture, heritage, and contributions to this City. 

We have since expanded on our original mission to open the Loisaida, Inc. Center’s multidisciplinary space for a multi-generational audience, emerging and underrepresented artists, cultural workers, community leaders, and creators working in diverse disciplines toward a shared goal of resiliency and sustainability.

Loisaida Inc. programs, projects and initiatives are supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC) in partnership with the City Council and the office of the New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and the New York State Legislature, City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera, NYS Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, the Manhattan Borough President’s Office and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). We also, acknowledge the support of Acacia Network, & the Julio Martinez Memorial Fund, the Ford Foundation and the Howard Gilman Foundation.