Jan 11, 2026
3 min read
What you should know
- Free tickets for Flatbush residents were distributed Friday to college students and local residents
NEW YORK, NY - TODAY, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attended the Under the Radar Theater Festival to promote the massive free ticket giveaway that will provide 1,500 free tickets to participating shows at theaters around the city in January as part of the "Under the Radar for Everyone" effort.Under the Radar, America's largest theater festival, hosts more than 25 new shows from innovative artists from around the world in partnership with a vibrant community of partner venues across the five boroughs.As part of his commitment to making the arts accessible to working New Yorkers, Mayor Mamdani helped distribute tickets to students and neighbors outside the Leonard & Claire Tow Performing Arts Center at Brooklyn College, where the festival presents RESTRUCTURING.New Yorkers can get their free tickets when available at UTRfest.org/under-the-radar-for-all.Photos of the ticket giveaway are available on the Mayor's Office's Flickr page.
Nine days into office, Mayor Mamdani has already focused his attention on the affordability crisis on significantly improving the lives of New Yorkers.From cracking down on bad landlords and trash collection fees to fixing dangerous bike infrastructure, the Mayor is fighting hard with Governor Hochul to provide more than $1 billion for the universal child care New Yorkers deserve.This commitment goes beyond rent and child care.- to the plays, comedy shows and art exhibitions that every New Yorker deserves.
"Too often, the arts are considered a luxury of the rich or a pleasure for tourists, rather than a form of expression, joy and leisure that all New York deserves," said Mayor Zohran Mamdani.Let's do it in our five neighborhoods. "
"Under the Radar for a long time has committed to building an environment that is livable for the many, not the few. If Shakespeare is free, so should be the work today. That faith is clearly visible in many cooperative organizations coming together behind the belief that they were not commercial art and international ideas are very important. We have helped Mayor Mamdani and his team to bring joy to Radar," says Radar and his team to bring a great celebration of Radar.Founding Artic Director Mark Russell said.
“We are in the business of understanding how ideas move between people and the world. Theater at its best exemplifies participatory community. Over the past 3 years, Under the Radar has continued to expand to accommodate more voices and ideas.
About the Under Radar Theater Festival:
For more than two decades, the Under the Radar Theater Festival has brought bold, risky work to New York City, celebrating innovative theater and productions from around the world and down the street.In the festival's works, the festival's works showcase innovative multidisciplinary artists influencing the contemporary world.UTR's 21st season runs from January 7th to January 25th at 25 separate venues, including Lincoln Center, La MaMa, PSNY, and includes more than 30 performances at New York Theater Workshop, Japan Society, and Mabu Mines.2026 marks the third year of Radar, a city-wide collaboration informed by the multifaceted perspectives of our partner institutions' artistic directors.This season features the most exclusive Under the Radar commissioned and produced work.Also in 2026 are co-creative directors Meropi Peponides and Canesa Schaal, with founder and artistic director Mark Russell joining and implementing a new leadership model that will create a rotating cohort of first-ever festival curators to ensure festival programming in perpetuity. Produced by Kriegsman and Sami Pine.Learn more at utrfest.org.
