Socrates Sculpture Park is celebrating its 40th anniversary summer with a full season of free art, performances, and community programs this summer. This month’s highlights include a new installation by artist Sanford Biggers, the Queensboro Dance Festival, free Shakespeare, family workshops, yoga, and meditation. New Artwork by Sanford Biggers Socrates welcomes back artist Sanford Biggers with Unsui (Mirror), a new installation featuring cloud-like sculptures throughout the Park. Biggers’ connection to Socrates dates back to his 2001 work Terra Mandala, created through the Park’s artist fellowship program. His latest installation reflects on the relationship between water, sky, and the changing waterfront landscape, with reflective surfaces that shift with the light and surroundings. Upcoming August Events Queensboro Dance Festival Saturday, August 8 | 5–7 PM Queens-based dance companies will perform at the waterfront, with free family-friendly workshops before and after the show. Field Guide: Built it like a bee, using mud, stems, fuzz, and more Saturday, August 15 | 11 AM–1 PM Families can join iDig2Learn and Socrates artists for a hands-on workshop exploring bees, nature, and art-making. Hip to Hip Theatre Company presents As You Like It Sunday, August 16 | 4:30 PM Enjoy a free outdoor Shakespeare performance on the waterfront, with a children’s theatre workshop before the show. Socrates also continues its weekly summer programs, including Sunset Meditation with Mindful Astoria on Tuesdays and free Vinyasa yoga with Astoria Yoga on Sundays. For more information and event details, visit Socrates Sculpture Park’s calendar here: https://socratessculpturepark.org/programs/all/

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Dear Coffee Lovers, our waterfront is getting a new Cafe. The Astoria-based :3 Coffee has signed a lease for a new café at 30 Halletts Point, becoming the first retail tenant announced for The Durst Organization’s residential tower. The café is expected to open later this year and will serve coffee, juices, and breakfast items. Founded by Astoria residents Fabian Guzman and Andrea Gomez, :3 Coffee currently operates locations on Steinway Street in Astoria and in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. The new location will bring the locally founded business back to the neighborhood where it started, which we are excited about. The new café will be located on the ground floor of 30 Halletts Point, with easy access to the waterfront walkway and public spaces along the East River. As Halletts Point continues to grow, the arrival of :3 Coffee marks another step in bringing more local businesses and everyday amenities to Astoria’s waterfront. Read the official Durst press release here or check out the write up in QNS here.

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Looking for artistic events for this August? Green Space has announced a series free performances, community events, and wellness workshops taking place throughout the month. BEAUTY at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Green Space’s dance company, Dance Entropy, will present a free performance of BEAUTY during the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival ahead of its spring premiere. Saturday, August 8, 2026 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Flushing Meadows Corona Park The performance is free to attend. SPLASH! Returns for NYC Summer Streets Dance Entropy is bringing back the popular summertime performance, SPLASH!, as part of NYC Summer Streets in Brooklyn. Saturday, August 22, 2026 Time: To Be Announced Eastern Parkway between Grand Army Plaza and Buffalo Avenue Skimming the Surface® Movement Healing Workshop Green Space will also host Skimming the Surface®, a donation-based movement healing workshop designed for adults navigating stress, trauma, or simply seeking a restorative community experience. Tuesday, August 25, 2026 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Green Space, Long Island City Using somatic movement and expressive exercises, the workshop creates a welcoming environment for participants to reconnect with themselves through movement. Attendance is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis. Artist Residency Applications Open Green Space is also accepting applications for its Digging in Group (D.I.G.) Artist Residency, with applications due August 11. The residency will support eight choreographers through collaborative work sessions, professional development workshops, artist stipends, and two culminating performances, providing an opportunity to develop and share new work with the Astoria community. For more information about these events, check out Green Space’s website here: https://www.greenspacestudio.org/

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We are excited to have read the news that Kaufman Studios is entering a new chapter: Shadowbox Studios is the official new manager of Kaufman Astoria Studios as of week, taking over operations at this historic film and television production campus that has been part of the neighborhood for more than a century. Originally built in the 1920s as the home of Paramount Pictures, Kaufman Astoria Studios has become one of New York City’s premier production facilities. The 500,000-square-foot campus now includes 11 soundstages and more than 325,000 square feet of office and production support space. The studio has hosted countless iconic productions over the years, including Goodfellas, Sesame Street, Succession, And Just Like That…, and the upcoming The Devil Wears Prada 2. The management change follows financial challenges earlier this year that resulted in court-appointed order. Shadowbox Studios has now been selected to oversee the day-to-day management of the Astoria campus. “We want to welcome producers to this incredible studio to be enriched by its history and the storytellers that have come before them, while offering the highest level of service for today’s production needs,” said Mike Mosallam, Chief Operating Officer of Shadowbox Studios. Shadowbox operates studio campuses across the United States and internationally, including facilities in Atlanta and the United Kingdom, with another major studio currently under development in Australia. For Astoria, the announcement marks another milestone in the long history of one of Queens’ most important cultural and economic institutions. Kaufman Astoria Studios continues to attract major film and television productions, supporting local jobs, businesses, and the neighborhood’s reputation as a hub for the entertainment industry. Read more here: https://deadline.com/2026/08/shadowbox-to-manage-new-york-kaufman-astoria-studios-1237015654/

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The Noguchi Museum has announced additional August programming featuring artist talks, free admission days, community activities, and opportunities for visitors of all ages to explore Isamu Noguchi’s work. For family-friendly workshops and activities, see our previous post: Family-Friendly August Programs Coming to The Noguchi Museum. Artists Talk & Screening: Eastend Western Saturday, August 1 | 3–4 p.m. Join artists Nicolas Ménard and Jack Cunningham of Eastend Western for a screening and discussion about the hand-painted animated films created for the exhibition Noguchi’s New York. The artists will share their creative process and explore how their work brings Isamu Noguchi’s unrealized playground designs to life. The talk will be moderated by Curator Kate Wiener and is free with museum admission. Free First Friday: Chess, Music & Art-Making Friday, August 7 | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Enjoy free admission all day along with special programming throughout the museum. Activities include chess games in the garden with Pawn Chess Club, bilingual art-making with Arte en el Noguchi, and music from DJ collective Discolocas. The museum will remain open with extended hours until 8 p.m. Community Day Saturday, August 8 | 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Visitors can enjoy free admission during the museum’s summer Community Day. The event includes drop-in art-making activities and public tours featuring works from Noguchi’s New York. Drawing from a Distance Monday, August 10 | 7:30–9 p.m. This free virtual drawing program invites participants to learn about Isamu Noguchi’s work while connecting with a community of artists and art lovers from home. Draw Together Thursday, August 13 | 10–11:30 a.m. Designed for tweens and teens ages 11–15 and their adult companions, this program explores Noguchi’s sculptures through conversation, observation, and drawing in the museum galleries. Some programs require advance registration. For more information and to register, visit noguchi.org.

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You may be aware that the Noguchi Museum hosts family-friendly activities every month: This August you can expect hands-on workshops, free admission days, and interactive activities for children, teens, and adults. Family Workshop: Animation with Eastend Western Saturday, August 1 | 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Families with children ages 7 and older are invited to create an animated short film alongside artists Nicolas Ménard and Jack Cunningham of Eastend Western. Participants will color individual animation frames on transparent celluloid, inspired by films created for the museum’s Noguchi’s New York exhibition. Advance registration is required. Free First Friday Friday, August 7 | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Enjoy free admission for the day along with a variety of activities for all ages, including chess in the garden with Pawn Chess Club, bilingual art-making with Arte en el Noguchi, and music from DJ collective Discolocas. Community Day Saturday, August 8 | 11 a.m.–6 p.m. The museum will once again offer free admission during its summer Community Day. Visitors can take part in drop-in art activities and public tours exploring Isamu Noguchi’s enduring connection to New York City through the exhibition Noguchi’s New York. Draw Together Thursday, August 13 | 10–11:30 a.m. Designed for tweens and teens ages 11–15 and their adult companions, this new program encourages participants to explore Noguchi’s sculptures through conversation, drawing, and a collaborative discussion in the museum’s Education Studio. Some programs require advance registration, while the museum’s free admission days are open to everyone. For more information and to register, visit noguchi.org.  

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D.I.G. Artist Residency Applications Now Open Green Space is now accepting applications for the Digging in Group Artist Residency, known as D.I.G. This residency gives eight choreographers the opportunity to develop and share new work in a supportive creative environment. Selected artists will participate in eight work sessions, two personal and professional development workshops, two culminating performances, and a post-residency recap session. An artist stipend is also provided. Applications are due August 11. Call for Work: Fertile Ground 2026-2027 Season Green Space is also accepting work for Fertile Ground, a non-curated showcase for emerging and established artists. Each evening features work by six choreographers, followed by a moderated discussion involving the choreographers, dancers, and audience members. Available dates for the 2026-2027 season include October 18, November 15, December 13, January 24, February 28, March 21, April 11, May 9, and June 6. More from Green Space Green Space recently shared a July blog post titled “More Than Movement – Board Member Chandler Wilson,” which reflects on the many ways dance supports health and well-being, from improving balance and mobility to reducing stress and building confidence and community. The organization is also looking for new board members and inviting interested community members to get involved. Those who want to support Green Space’s mission can reach out by email for more information. Green Space is also available 24/7 for rentals, including rehearsals, classes, performances, independent productions, photo and video shoots, and special events. Rental rates start at $10 per hour. These opportunities highlight Green Space’s ongoing role in supporting artists at every stage, from creation and rehearsal to performance and community connection. Learn more and apply here.

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The Museum of the Moving Image has teamed up with the movie streaming platform MUBI to present a new exhibition celebrating the slasher film genre. Titled “Reframing the Slasher: Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” the exhibition will be on view from July 30 through November 8, featuring material from Jane Schoenbrun’s upcoming meta-slasher horror film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The exhibition includes screen-used props from the film’s fictional Camp Miasma franchise, including VHS tapes, posters, merchandise, and costumes, alongside iconic movie posters personally selected by Schoenbrun. Featured classics include Psycho (1960), Sleepaway Camp (1983), and Dressed to Kill (1980), highlighting the films that inspired the new movie. About MoMI If you’ve ever visited the Museum of the Moving Image, you’ll know it specializes in giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the art, history, and technology of filmmaking, with exhibits featuring everything from Jim Henson’s Muppets to classic and contemporary cinema. This exhibition is no different, pairing original props from a brand-new horror film with classic movie posters to explore the evolution of the slasher genre. Admission to the exhibition is free, and it will be on display in MoMI’s Founders Hall through November 8, 2026. Members can also attend a special preview screening of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on August 4, ahead of the film’s theatrical release on August 7. To learn more visit https://movingimage.org/.

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This summer, The Noguchi Museum is bringing art, creativity, and hands-on learning beyond its Astoria galleries with a series of offsite programs. It will deploy museum educators to lead walking tours, conduct workshops, and facilitate art-making activities inspired by the work of Isamu Noguchi. Socrates x Noguchi: Field Guide at Socrates Sculpture Park Join The Noguchi Museum and Socrates Sculpture Park for a series of experimental art-making workshops that connect participants with nature and Noguchi’s artistic practice. Saturday, July 18 | 11 AM–1 PM Work with clay and collect found objects throughout the park to create mixed-media sculptures. Saturday, September 12 | 11 AM–1 PM Create artwork using found materials, natural pigments, and botanically dyed fabric. Walking Tours: Noguchi’s New York Coinciding with the exhibition Noguchi’s New York, museum educators will lead guided walking tours exploring two of Isamu Noguchi’s iconic public works in Lower Manhattan: Sunken Garden for Chase Manhattan Bank Plaza (1961–64) and Red Cube (1968). The walking tour starts at 28 Liberty Street in Manhattan and takes place on July 23rd and August 13th from 5 to 6 PM. Art-Making for Families at Queens Public Library Families can explore Isamu Noguchi’s artwork through creative activities at Queens Public Library’s Long Island City branch. Designed for children ages 0–5, older children are also welcome. Queens Public Library, Long Island City 37-44 21 Street, Long Island City, NY July 20, 27 and August 3, 10 | 10:30–11:30 AM Art for Tots at Queens Public Library Young learners ages 1–3 and their families are invited to participate in Art for Tots, featuring storytelling, sensory exploration, and hands-on art-making inspired by Noguchi’s work. Upcoming locations: Queens Public Library, Woodside 54-22 Skillman Avenue, Woodside, NY Wednesday, July 22 | 10:30–11:30 AM Queens Public Library, Broadway 40-20 Broadway, Long Island City, NY July...

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OANA recently launched a cultural walking tour of the Astoria waterfront, exploring the neighborhood’s history, arts, and public spaces. We invited NYC Ferry, the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC), and community cultural partners to join us. The tour featured Layla Musawwir, NYCHA Outreach Lead for NYC Ferry, and Victor Prado of QEDC, along with Richard Khuzami, President of OANA. Participants visited local highlights including Welling Walls (formerly the Welling Court Mural Project), Socrates Sculpture Park, and The Noguchi Museum. Watch the video highlights from the tour and see what makes Astoria our favorite neighborhood.  

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