Photo by Urška Boljkovac
La MaMa is a remarkable arts institution with a worldwide reputation for producing daring work in theater, dance, performance art, and music. Founded in 1961 by theater pioneer and legend, Ellen Stewart, La MaMa has produced and presented more than 3,200 theatrical productions to date and is a vital part of the fabric of cultural life in New York City and around the world.
La MaMa provides a supportive home for artists and takes risks on unknown work. Artists such as Sam Shepard, Lanford Wilson, Philip Glass, Robert Wilson, Harvey Fierstein, Blue Man Group, David and Amy Sedaris and other luminaries began their careers at La MaMa. International artists introduced to America by La MaMa include Tadeusz Kantor, Andrei Serban, Kazuo Ohno and, more recently, the acclaimed Belarus Free Theatre. La MaMa has been honored with more than 30 OBIE Awards, dozens of Drama Desk and Bessie Awards, and, in 2006, Ellen Stewart was recognized with a special TONY Award for Excellence in the Theater.
In 2009, La MaMa and longtime partner Seoul Institute of the Arts founded CultureHub, a nonprofit art and technology studio that utilizes telepresence technology to facilitate multi-location performances and art education events. CultureHub builds upon Ellen Stewart’s legacy of international engagement and innovation, transforming the black box theater for a new century and bringing artists and audiences from various international locations together in performance. Their internet-based developments offer a replicable, user-friendly, and open-source model and set of tools for artists and arts organizations to collaborate across a wide range of locations, budgets, and technologies. Since founding, CultureHub has held over 300 events and classes involving more than 100 artists from 20 different countries.
Last updated: November 25, 2013