Photography by Scott Rudd Productions. Courtesy of Henry Street Settlement.
Independent is pleased to partner with the historic non-profit Henry Street Settlement to host a gala celebration at the opening night of the fair’s 17th edition, taking place at Pier 36, May 14th-17th, 2026. Ticket sales for the event will support Henry Street Settlement’s work enriching the lives of Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social service, arts, and health care programs.
“Our collaboration with Independent marks an exciting step in Henry Street’s long history of supporting the intersection of the art world with our community. The work we do helps the Lower East Side’s most vulnerable neighbors, and provides access to the arts and creative expression for all,” says David Garza, the organization’s president and CEO. “We could not be prouder to share in creating a new ecosystem within the art world that carves a fresh path toward opportunity.”
True to its legacy as an immigrant enclave and the hub of progressivism in New York, the Lower East Side today remains rich in diversity, activism, and artistic experimentation. At the same time, it suffers from one of the highest poverty rates in Manhattan, with many households in the district earning less than $20,000 a year. Henry Street Settlement has developed deep roots in the Lower East Side community over its 132-year history, and since its founding, has been committed to opening the art world to everyone, in the belief that self-expression and creative opportunity is fundamental to human wellness and social progress.
Henry Street is central to the history of art and culture in New York. Since its founding, access to the arts has been integrated into Henry Street's social service programs and in 1975, they opened Abrons Arts Center, offering cutting-edge performances and exhibitions, arts education programs, and residencies. The non-profit co-founded The Art Show with The Art Dealers of Association of America in 1989 and sponsored the 50th Anniversary Exhibition of the 1913 Armory Show, which benefited the organization, in 1963. Its partnership with Independent further anchors Henry Street’s philanthropic events within proximity of its locations, and establishes Independent as a core player in the Lower East Side, the new home of its high-profile annual event. The gala will attract some of New York’s top benefactors and public figures, generate milestone funding, and make a meaningful difference to local residents’ lives by helping Henry Street’s low-income neighbors find jobs, learn English, access food, go to college, find needed mental health, participate in programs in the visual arts, and find paths to success.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to be passed the torch from Henry Street Settlement, one of the longest-serving charitable organizations serving New Yorkers with an impressive track record of collaboration, to inaugurate our next chapter. The Henry Street gala at Independent promises to bring together some of the best and brightest in New York to preview the exhibition, support an important cause, and broaden awareness of the critical work that the organization has been doing for more than 100 years. Right now, that work is needed more than ever and we’re privileged to be in a position to participate,” says Elizabeth Dee, Founder of Independent.
Press Contacts:
Independent
Emily Stewart-Han
press@independenthq.com
Henry Street Settlement
Barbara Kancelbaum
bkancelbaum@henrystreet.org
Independent
May 14–17, 2026
Pier 36
299 South Street
New York, 10002