Performa, the New York City-based nonprofit dedicated to performance art, is hosting a one-night-only variety show fundraiser on June 10 at Midtown's Town Hall theater. The cabaret-style event will feature 12 acts blending comedy, dance, music, and acrobatics, with participants including visual artists Barbara Kruger, Laurie Simmons, and Marcel Dzama, performance artist Anne Imhof, dancer Yvonne Rainer, actor Julio Torres, and musicians Slauson Malone, Precious Renee Tucker, and Lonnie Holley. The fundraiser supports Performa's biennial, which takes place every other November.
This event matters because Performa is a vital institution for commissioning and presenting live art in New York, bridging visual art and performance. The variety show not only raises funds for the biennial but also demonstrates how performance art continues to expand into theatrical and popular formats, attracting a diverse range of artists from different disciplines. It highlights the ongoing relevance of performance art as a dynamic, cross-genre practice that engages audiences beyond traditional gallery settings.