2026 CLLIC
Season Launch Party
Thursday, February 12, 6pm
​
Channeling the energy that once made New York the undisputed center of the arts universe, Culture Lab LIC invites you to their first Season Launch Party.
​
The 2026 season launch is your chance to step into a room where "the who’s who" hasn’t been decided yet. Inspired by a time when taxi drivers danced with debutantes, and Andy Warhol shared drinks with the future of pop art. We're opening our doors, not only to the community but to the visionaries, the disruptors, and the next wave of the NYC art scene.
​
As we highlight our first major exhibitions of 2026—including the masterclass in contemporary tradition, Modern Ink, and the hyper-local historical deep-dive, Queens Women in Action—you’ll find yourself in conversation with the creators who are currently reshaping our cultural landscape.
​
Expect a vibrant mix of emerging artists from our residency programs, curators, and some of NYC's creative elite. Enjoy beer, wine & specialty drinks at our cash bar before making your way to the dance floor to vibe to Culture Lab regulars and favorites, Os Clavelitos.
This is your opportunity to get a first look at our 2026 calendar of exhibitions, theater performances, live music, cultural festivals, and much more!
​
In a time where everyone is always looking for the "next big thing," this is the room where it happens first. Dress to be seen (or to disappear), but don't miss the chance to say you were there before the world caught on.
​
Free Admission (Donations welcome.)
Modern Ink
Crossing Media, Blending Cultures
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 5, 6 - 9pm
​
Visual art has been an essential component of human civilization for more than 3,500 years. From the earliest ancient Greek palace murals to contemporary artistic practices, art like language, music, and theater has evolved through ongoing cultural exchange. Art reflects human thought and artworks shape society; when these forces converge, they generate profound creative energy.
​
Ink is the soul of Chinese art. In celebration of the 2026 Chinese New Year, Culture Lab LIC presents Modern Ink: Crossing Media, Blending Cultures, a group exhibition of contemporary Chinese artists. The five participating artists each possess a distinctive style and unique artistic language. Through their works, audiences can hear a voice that traverses Eastern and Western artistic media, integrates the essence of both cultures, and resonates with the pulse of contemporary society; they can also see conceptual expressions that range from the concentrated spirit of Chinese calligraphy and expressions to the Wall Street Series, which is deeply connected to the realities of modern life.
​Drawing on years of artistic practice, the artists reveal both their personal creative pursuits and broader cultural concerns. These works invite viewers into a multilayered aesthetic experience while encouraging reflection on classical and contemporary art, Eastern and Western traditions, and the human condition of our time.
​
Artists:
Li Geng
Wang Houtang
Gan Yu
Qin Feng
Bian Hong
Curator: Ethan Cohen
Assistant Curators: Chere Hong and Jessica Yang
Academic Host: Tess Howsam and Gan Yu
​
Full support from Culture Lab LIC, New York
Generous sponsorship from Kung-Fu Ink, Inc., New York
​
On view February 6 - March 29 during gallery hours:
Thursday & Friday, 5-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday, 2-9pm.
Free Admission. Donations Welcome.
The Stories Behind Their Names
Queens Women in Action
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 5, 6 - 9pm
On view: February 6 - March 29 during gallery hours:
Thursday & Friday, 5-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday, 2-9pm.
Free Admission. Donations Welcome.
​
The Stories Behind Their Names: Queens Women in Action is a community-centered public history exhibition honoring women whose names are woven into our public landscape and whose stories are integral to the making of Queens. Presented during Women’s History Month by the Queens Memory Project in partnership with Urban Archive, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how history lives in our neighborhoods - on the streets, schools, parks, and buildings we pass every day, often without knowing the stories they hold.
​
Drawing from the Queens Name Explorer project, this exhibition honors the democratic power of participatory archiving by including photographs shared by families, oral histories recorded with neighbors, and records shared across generations. These materials reflect a collaborative approach to history-making, where community members are not just subjects of history, but active stewards of it.
​
From Long Island City to Jamaica to the northeastern corner of Queens, the exhibition highlights a diverse group of women whose contributions reshaped neighborhoods and paved the way for a more sustainable future. The women featured here are educators, activists, journalists, public servants, artists, and community advocates, many of them breaking barriers in race, gender, class, and language to create systems of change central to thriving communities.
These women's names mark more than the places they occupy. They tell stories of collective action and sustained efforts, stories that continue to resonate today. By uncovering the stories behind their names, we invite visitors to consider how public memory is constructed, and whose contributions are celebrated.
​
Curated by the Queens Memory Project team: Meral Agish, Dacia Metes, Aimai Reporter, and J. Faye Yuan. Thank you to Queens Public Library’s Archives and Marketing & Communications Department and John Paul Chirdon.
Twist & Tease
A Valentine’s Cabaret Burlesque Experience
​
Friday, February 13, 7:30pm
Saturday, February 14, 7:30pm
​
Step into a glamorous, flirty world of feathers, sequins, Charleston rhythms, and 1920s-inspired charm.
Twist & Tease delivers a captivating cabaret and burlesque evening blending sultry solo performances, high-energy ensemble numbers, comedy skits, and audience interaction.
Open Call for Art:
Rooted
Artists of LIC
Rooted: Artists of LIC is an upcoming fine art exhibition at Culture Lab LIC that celebrates the artists who established Long Island City's creative foundation and enabled this thriving community, as well as the many other artists who contributed to the community’s creative fabric.
The exhibition will trace LIC’s artistic lineage, from late artists who helped define the neighborhood to contemporary artists continuing this legacy today.
​
Artworks will be selected by an exhibition committee of local artists and community leaders. Community members are invited to nominate artists - both current and late - whose work deserves recognition, alongside an Open Call for artists currently living / working in LIC.
Submission Deadline: Friday, March 6, 11:59pm
Exhibition on view: April 2 - June 1, 2026
Culture Lab LIC is One of Boasts Best of LIC
The results are in, and we are thrilled to announce that Culture Lab LIC has been voted a BOAST: Best of Astoria & LIC 2025 Winner!
​
We are so excited, proud and grateful to the community for their votes and support!
In the DO & SEE section, we were voted:
• Best Museum
• Best Organization or Cause to Contribute To
• Best Performing Arts Venue
• Best Place for Live Music​
Sunset
JAZZ
Sunset Jazz is a free, indoor jazz music series every Friday at Culture Lab LIC. Come listen to incredible musicians, have a drink and take in the art.
​
Donate to Culture LAB LIC!
Help us keep the arts accessible, inclusive, and alive in Western Queens.
​
Culture Lab isn’t just another venue. We are a year-round home for artists, neighbors, and community groups — hosting exhibitions, concerts, theater, festivals, AA meetings, school partnerships, and cultural celebrations that reflect the full spectrum of our city.
Every dollar we raise goes directly toward the programs and people that make this happen.
This year, our target is ambitious because the need is real. With your support we will:
​
• Fund local artist residencies and ensure creators have space and resources to thrive.
​
• Keep our community programming free or low-cost, so no one is priced out of culture.
​
• Invest in education and partnerships with schools and cultural organizations to amplify underrepresented voices.
​
• Strengthen our capacity for growth as we plan for larger spaces and expanded service to Queens and beyond.
​
Your gift isn’t just a donation. It’s an investment in equity, creativity, and community. It ensures that Culture Lab LIC continues to be the anchor where art and people meet — where neighbors gather, stories are told, and new ideas take root.
​
Let’s show what collective impact looks like. On December 2, stand with us. Click, give — and watch your generosity drive real change.
Become a Member!
Culture Lab LIC is celebrating 5 years & we need you to help us build the next 5!
Thanks to you, in 2024 our mission to bring impactful art to Western Queens has flourished beyond our wildest dreams. Your contributions--whether through donations, volunteer efforts, or simply by spreading the word about our initiatives --have helped us to make a profound difference in the lives of artists and art lovers in our community.
​
Your generous support not only fueled our programs but also directly impacted the artists we serve, providing them with invaluable opportunities and resources, and a platform to share their stories, visions, and inspirations with the world.
With your continued support in the coming year, we aim to expand our reach, continue to present local and international artists, and further enrich our community through art.
Here are 3 ways you can help...
Donate so we can continue to present the great art & events you love.
Join the Culture Lab LIC Family by Becoming a Member!
Help us keep our doors open by becoming an Official Sponsor!
Our ART GALLERY is open Thursday & Friday, 5-9pm, and Saturday & Sunday, 2-10pm. Keep your eye on our social media for updates on our upcoming theatre, dance and comedy performances!
As a member of Culture Lab LIC, you directly support dozens of arts, cultural and neighborhood organizations enjoyed by the entire community. As a Thank You for your awesomeness, each of our membership levels offer something for everyone: $2 off drinks, early viewings to monthly exhibitions, artists talks, Culture Lab LIC swag, and discounts to theater, dance, music concerts, and special events. We have an exciting season ahead of us and we cannot wait to share it with you!
_edited.jpg)
.png){kind=small}
NYC Council Member Julie Won
NYC State Senator Kristen Gonzalez​
Karen Dimit in Loving Memory of Greg Dimit
