How cultural institutions are reinvigorating post-pandemic life in New York City

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs ranks among the largest government agencies funding arts and culture in the country. It plays a key role fostering arts and culture beyond well-known, large New York City institutions by giving support to community theaters, local arts centers and other organizations across the five boroughs. Former New York City Council Member Laurie Cumbo has served as the agency’s commissioner since 2022 and brings with her her own experience founding the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts in Brooklyn. The commissioner talked with City & State about the role cultural institutions play in attracting tourists to New York City and her agency’s priorities. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

What role do cultural institutions play in driving tourism to New York City?

Culture is a huge reason that New York is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Can you imagine someone visiting New York and not seeing a play or visiting a museum? It would be dereliction of duty. Our museums, our theaters, the art in our open spaces, the New York City based creators who have made and remade global culture over generations: Art is synonymous with our city, and that’s something we need to recognize, value and invest in accordingly.

How hard did the pandemic hit cultural institutions? Have they rebounded well and are we back to pre-pandemic attendance and visits? How many smaller cultural institutions simply shut down and are there any examples of this?

The cultural sector was devastated by the pandemic. It’s a sector that relies on live, in-person attendance and interactions – which are the source of so much of culture’s power, but, in an unprecedented global pandemic, also a weakness, it happens. Thanks to federal aid and other sources of emergency support, the vast majority of our cultural organizations were able to hang on. There was real pain that we shouldn’t diminish: layoffs, reduced hours, a number of closures, and, of course, the friends, colleagues, family members and neighbors lost.

With federal aid gone, the city is proud of its ongoing investment in culture, including the recent restoration of $22 million as part of Mayor (Eric) Adams’ executive budget proposal. But we need more help from our state and federal partners to fully recover.

Is there any legislation at the city or state level that has passed recently or is pending that you’ve been monitoring in terms of the impact on your work?

We were delighted to support our partners at the Department of Design and Construction and the Mayor’s Office to push for reforms at the state level that will make the city’s cultural capital investments go farther and help us to complete the construction and renovation of cultural facilities significantly faster.

How well are city and state governments doing in delivering funding for cultural institutions across the five boroughs?

This administration understands the indispensable value of culture to New York City, and we’re proud of our ongoing, significant investment in New York City’s cultural community, which we’ve maintained despite fiscal challenges. We’re thrilled that, thanks to Mayor Adams’ strong fiscal management, $22 million in funding was restored to the Department of Cultural Affairs in the fiscal year 2025 executive budget. While we’re not out of the woods yet, we appreciate the Adams administration’s strong record of support for the city’s cultural community and look forward to an adopted budget that reflects the administration and council’s mutual priorities around access to art and culture for all New Yorkers.

What role does public safety play in promoting tourism? And how safe is the city right now, in your view?

New York remains the safest big city in America, and overall crime was down again in May. Cultural activity and public safety are closely linked: research shows that the presence of cultural assets correlates with better outcomes in public safety, health and education. So while public safety is definitely important for attracting cultural audiences, the reverse is also true. A neighborhood with lively, vibrant cultural programming is a safer, stronger community.

What’s your favorite tourist attraction(s) in New York?

It’s summertime, so I’m naturally drawn to our outdoor cultural venues. On Staten Island, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is a gorgeous, underappreciated gem. In the Bronx, nothing beats the views and programming at Wave Hill. In Queens, we just helped open an incredible new building at Socrates Sculpture Park. Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn is an absolute must-visit for connecting with our city’s long, proud history of its Black residents and culture. And in Manhattan, Little Island is an incredible oasis in the Hudson River, with amazing arts programming and proximity to so many great cultural neighbors, like the Whitney, High Line and The Shed.