About

Opened in 2018, SoMad® is a femme and queer led, independent art space and artist residency program that fosters creative experimentation. A platform, production house and gallery, located South of Madison Square Park, the name “SoMad” refers to both the physical location of the space as well as the collective’s frustration with the current landscape for emerging artists, particularly for artists from underrepresented communities. SoMad® empowers artists through togetherness, practice, and collaboration.

SoMad® supports and nurtures artists and curators by providing space: mental, physical and digital; for them to make and exhibit their work. SoMad® itself is a collective of artists. As such, the collective utilizes its own multimedia skill set to document the work created in the space along with the events, happenings and day-to-day dialogue amongst artists, collaborators and friends.

SoMad® maintains a high-quality, extensive, digital archive; a resource for the collective and the community. This community includes the growing number of present and past artists and collaborators frequently invited back to play, develop, perform and showcase interdisciplinary work: new media, performance, and visual arts, in the space.

SoMad® focuses on providing resources to artists early in their career as well artists who have yet to receive significant acknowledgement or support towards the development of their practice. Honoring the creative freedom of the artist to forge their own path is of the utmost importance. Therefore, SoMad® endeavors to provide an environment without rigid expectations or preconceived outcomes. The artist residency program, launched in 2023, offers a personalized workspace and access to resources, equipment and technical support for photography, videography, printing digital and analogue works, and making multimedia art.

Each floor of SoMad®, three in total, serves as both venue and forum for workshops, studio visits, exhibitions, events and community evenings as well as additional rental space; available to friends of the collective who may need a venue for their fundraisers and special events.

SoMad® draws inspiration from the person-to-person connection that has historically defined the studio scene and social life of New York City; an environment in which cultural work, the advancement of dialogue, and new ways of making are both a call to action and a collective action.