International Human Rights Art Festival
IHRAF Festival ‘24 submissions are open!
The International Human Rights Art Festival was founded at Dixon Place Theater (NYC) in March 2017, and incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit in August 2018. Since that time, we have grown into an international art-activist organization, featuring 2000+ artists from 100+ countries. But we still honor our roots here in New York City, producing the IHRAF Festival for one week every December, straddling International Human Rights Day, December 10.
The IHRAF Festival in NYC has encompassed numerous presentation projects, in off and off-off Broadway houses.
IHRAF Festival, full-week of performances in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023
IHRAF Winterfest: January, 2023
IHRAF Columbia University 2019
IHRAF Interim Events 2017-2021
IHRAF Festivals
IHRAF Festival
December 4-10, 2023
The Tank Theater
53 different performances
11 performance blocks
One magical week!
IHRAF 2023
The documentary of the full-week festival, filmed and produced by Chris Bradley
Photos below by Robin Michals
Aseemkala Initiative - Nithya Ramesh
Inside-Out by BodyStories/ Teresa Fellion Dance I
Seam Route by Joshua Piper
Shakti/ Then and Now by Maithili Patel
The Box by Tina Bararian Dance Company
Inconceivable by Blessed Unrest
Not One Real MF by Radical Reversal
Sibling Sperm by Imperfect Productions
Struggles and Hope by Àkójọpọ̀ Music Foundation
La Monica by Artist Collective
No More Fairy Mary’s by Steph Prizhitomsky
Sacred Women by Moving Spirits
Sistersongs by Rachael Sage
Dream On The Farm by Farm Arts Collective
Eruption / Regenesis by mignolo dance
V.A.L (study 1) byAriel Lembeck
Angel Acuña
To Unfold and Hold by Eilish Henderson
Lost Words by Iyanna Jackson
Blackpilled, A Blueprint by Alex Beige
Full Moon by Fleurette Modica
IHRAF Winterfest
January 11-13, 2023
The Tank Theater
Coming out of Covid, and after “Omicron” Covid experience in 2021, we truncated our vent to three evenings at the Tank Theater, in midtown Manhattan. This slimmed-down iteration showcased the uncensored work of more than 50 artists in 15 performances, in theatre, dance, improv and performance art. We were thrilled to have very strong audiences all three evenings in the main stage, and look forward to returning for our full-week festival this December, 2023!
Photos by Robin Michals
Aalokam Indian Dance School Students
Aalokam Indian Dance School Students
Astral by Kai Xing Mun
Astral by Kai Xing Mun
Bedside Manners by Susan Moon
Bedside Manners by Susan Moon
Don't Feed the Ducks by Haley Rice
Don't Feed the Ducks by Haley Rice
Paper Chains by Loretta Oleck
Paper Chains by Loretta Oleck
Safe Walk by Rebecca Kane
Safe Walk by Rebecca Kane
Tribute to Ukraine by Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company
Tribute to Ukraine by Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company
IHRAF Wild Project December 6-12, 2021
Our fourth full festival found us back at the Wild Project Theater in NYC's East Village, but into the teeth of the Covid Omicron wave. Not to be daunted, however, we sailed into the teeth of this viral wind, producing our full event. This iteration showcased the uncensored work of over 150 artists from 24 countries in 40+ performances, in theatre, dance, music, circus, clowning, spoken word, visual art, discussions, workshops and performance art.
Photos by Steven Pisano and Deb Fong
IHRAF 2021
The documentary of the full-week festival, filmed and produced by Mollie Block
Photos below by Steven Pisano and Deb Fong
Jalikunda with Ebrima Jassey
Rhoda Moise with Aseemkala Initiative
Red Microphone
Farm Arts Collective
Let's Pretend by Tom Block
Isha Parupudi of Aseemkala Initiative
Gabrielle Senza and G. Delano Burrowes in IN/VISIBILITY: A Lab Report
Amy Liou and Sayoko Kojima in A Practice: Alone/Together
Rebecca Ibarra and Caroline Yamada in For Sake
Dance Entropy
Teresa Fellion Dance: Continually Healing
IHRAF Wild Project December 9-15, 2019
Our third full festival found us back at the Wild Project Theater in NYC's East Village, but moved in time to coincide with International Human Rights Day, which falls on December 10 every year. This iteration showcased the uncensored work of over 150 artists from around the world in 40 performances, in theatre, dance, music, circus, clowning, spoken word, visual art, sculpture, film, discussions, workshops and performance art.
Check out the full program from 2019 HERE.
Photos by Danny Boyd
IHRAF Columbia University November 14-15, 2019
IHRAF traveled uptown to present a two-day mini-festival, produced by Columbia University student Noa Levy Baron. On Thursday evening, we held an art exhibit and discussion with a dozen artists, and then on Friday held a performance event with seven different acts in the beautiful Lehman Black Box Theater on the Columbia University campus.
Photos by Jess Saldana
IHRAF Columbia University Documentary
The International Human Rights Art Festival traveled to Columbia University, produced, performed, filmed and created by an all-student cast. The students created the energy for social change through art, and expressed their true feelings in a vulnerable and meaningful manner. As the film notes, the previous generations have failed in saving the world -- and now our only hope is "Youth Power."
Made by Columbia University student Hanna Agbanrin.
IHRAF Wild Project November 12-18, 2018
In 2018, we moved uptown (slightly) to the renowned Wild Project Theater, one of the most important off-off Broadway houses, sending plays on to off Broadway and Broadway. We expanded to a full week of programming, and highlighted more than 40 performances and 150 artists in the East Village theater.
Check out the full program from 2018 HERE.
Photos by Steven Pisano
Celebration of Justice
On Friday, November 16, 2018, as the highlight of our first Festival at the Wild Project, we hosted a selection of politicians, NYC government officials, international activists, artists and performers to highlight our work at the intersection of art, society and the spirit. NYC Commissioner of Human Rights Carmelyn Malalis, a film made for us by Congressman John Lewis; Chinese democracy activist Wei Jinghseng and others appeared at the signature event.
IHRAF Dixon Place March 3-5, 2017
Ellie Covan and the Dixon Place team welcomed us to their space for a full-weekend of events, in both the upstairs lounge area and the beautiful downstairs theater. We produced nearly 50 events with 200 artists throughout the weekend; employed 40 volunteers and were covered in more than a dozen press outlets, including Am-NY; Metro-NY; Voice of American, Mandarin; Brooklyn Rail; New York Observer; Huffington Post; Broadway World and many others.
Photos by Elisa Guitierrez
IHRAF Documentary 2017
The documentary of the 2017 Festival was made by high school students Dalya Block and Kalina Gibson. The film was juried into the 2019 Sotambe Arts and Film Festival, in Kitwe, Zambia
IHRAF Interim Events
The IHRAF has held more than two dozen interim events since 2017, highlighting everything from Celebration of Women, Celebration of Black Men and Black Queer Night to immigration, diversity, health and wellness, Jewish-Muslim solidarity and other social issues of concern. We have been banned by the Catholic Church for our LGBTQ content; presented Kathleen Turner and more than 100 other performers on our interim stage; been featured on television and in the newspapers and reached hundreds upon hundreds of audience members with our message of open-hearted beauty and sincerity.
Celebration of Black Men March 12, 2018
Tom Block, Founding Producer of the International Human Rights Art Festival joins Bob Lee for a preview of this event designed to showcase poetry, nature, beauty, and celebrate Black Men. The event took place at the Davenport Theater, midtown Manhattan.
Celebration of Women December 10, 2017
NYU Broadcast Journalistm student Hannah Foley made this short reportage about our Celebration of Women's Power: an evening of performance, at the Playroom Theater in Times Square.