Updated October 29, 2025

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Arts Funding

City Budget

On June 30, 2025 The NYC Council passed the FY2026 Budget with a historic investment in arts and culture. The budget included a $75 million increase in the arts and culture budget, with $45 million baselined. This marks the largest arts and culture budget in city history and the first growth in baseline funding in over a decade! Additionally, the budget saw a $45 million increase in city arts education funding, with $41 million of it baselined. 

We thank everyone who joined us in pushing for more sustainable arts and arts education funding! 

• Review the City Council’s Press release on the FY26 Budget
• Review Dance/NYC’s Testimony to City Council on  Arts Education Funding
 

2025 State of the City Address

In March, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams conducted her State of the City Address for 2025. As the head of City Council, her address outlines the City Council's key priorities and planned actions. In the accompanying report, Speaker Adams highlighted the City Council’s support of arts and culture in the City Budget last year. She reaffirmed the importance of arts and culture in strengthening neighborhoods and contributing to the overall city economy.

• Learn more about Speaker Adams’ State of the City 2025 address
• Review Speaker Adams’ State of the City 2025 report

 

Space for Dance

NYC Create in Place Pilot Program

Created in January 2025, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs pilot program NYC Create in Place seeks to preserve and expand the city’s creative spaces, including cultural organizations and creative businesses. It includes:

• A centralized resource hub for assistance with space needs
• One-on-one casework and support
• A network to match organizations seeking space with those who have space to rent
• An interagency task force

• Visit the Create in Place web portal
• Explore the Create in Place Resource Hub
• Check out City Limits coverage on Create in Place

 

NYC Arts Space Act - Council Resolution

On March 26, 2025, the New York City Council passed Resolution 0720-2025, calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, the NYC Arts Space Act. If passed, the law would incentivize developers to include affordable arts spaces like studio, rehearsal, performance, and programming spaces, in housing development. The resolution signifies increased attention and support for the bill, bolstering continued advocacy by the arts community.

• Check out the press release on the resolution
• Call on NY lawmakers to pass the NYC Arts Space Act
• Review the text of the New York City Arts Space Act

 

“Dancing Ban” Repealed in Zoning Reforms 

On June 6, 2024, the New York City Council voted to lift a Prohibition-era dancing ban as part of the “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity” zoning reforms. Under old zoning laws, social dancing was prohibited in smaller nightlife venues in over 80% of New York City. These laws, through uneven enforcement and burdensome fines, disproportionately impacted marginalized BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant communities. Now, any commercially-zoned bar or restaurant can have a dance floor, provided it is appropriately sized for the business.

• Review Dance/NYC’s City Council Testimony on the importance of social dancing
• Explore LegalizeDance.Org
• Check out the New York City Council’s Instagram summary 

 

Open Culture

In June 2023 The New York City Council voted to adopt Int 0590-2022 and make Open Culture a permanent City program. The Open Culture program allows the City to issue permits for eligible arts and cultural organizations to use outdoor spaces for cultural performances.

• Visit the NYC Open Culture Program Resources page is here.
• Learn more about the past accomplishments in the program and changes from the pandemic era legislation.

 

Arts Workforce

Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2024, the minimum wage increased to $16 in New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester, and to $15 in all other parts of the State.

• Review press release on historic agreement to raise NY minimum wage.
• Learn more about New York State’s minimum wage.
• Check out the history of New York State minimum wage
 

Job Listing Transparency

In 2022, The New York City Council voted to adopt Int. 1208, which mandates employers to include in job listings the minimum and maximum salary offered for any position located within New York City. The law went into effect September 2023. Violations constitute an unlawful and discriminatory practice and can be reported to the NYC Human Rights Commission.

•  Learn more about the law and its effects on bridging inequities.
 

Freelance isn’t Free

In 2017, NYC enacted the Freelance isn’t Free Act, which establishes freelance workers’ rights to a written contract, timely and full payment, and protection from retaliation. (In 2023, a statewide version of this legislation was also passed.)

• Review your rights as a freelance worker in NYC.
• Read The Freelancers Union guide to filing a nonpayment claim with the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs.
• Read the city’s 5-Year Report on the effectiveness of the legislation.

 

City Charter

Charter Revision Proposals Passed

In 2024, Mayor Eric Adams established a Charter Revision Commission to propose additions to the New York City Charter, which functions as the city’s Constitution. The Commission proposed five changes that became ballot proposals in the 2024 General Election.

Four out of five of these proposals passed, including two that make it harder for the City Council to pass laws and increase the Mayor’s power, especially around public safety legislation. 

• Check out City & State's breakdown of the proposals
• Review the full text of the ballot proposals
• Review the election results for NYC ballot proposals 

 

Housing and Transportation

FARE Act Goes Into Effect Banning Forced Broker Fees

On June 11, 2025 the FARE Act went into effect, ending forced broker fees. Now, renters are no longer required to pay broker fees when a broker was hired by the landlord. This means that landlords cannot charge tenants a broker fee, even if the lease was signed before June 11. Brokers who list apartments online must bill the landlord, not the tenant, for their services. Those who were charged a broker fee after June 11 can file a complaint with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protections to get your money back.

• Check out FARE ACT frequently asked questions
• Review Dance/NYC’s testimony in support of the FARE ACT

 

Rent Increase

In June 2024, the NYC Rent Guidelines Board voted to approve a 2.75% rent increase for one-year leases and 5.25% on two-year leases for rent-stabilized apartments. These increases will go into effect for any leases signed on or after October 1, 2024.

• Review news coverage on the Rent Guidelines Board increase
• Check if your building is rent stabilized
• Learn more about rights in rent stabilized buildings

 

Fair Fares NYC Program

The Fair Fares NYC program has expanded eligibility by increasing the range of income levels that qualify. Fair Fares NYC allows low-income New Yorkers to ride the subway or bus at a 50% discount. Pay-per-Ride, weekly unlimited, and monthly unlimited options are all available.

• Check your eligibility for the Fair Fares Program
• Learn more about the Fair Fares expansion

 

Anti-Discrimination

New Legislation Passed to Protect Transgender New Yorkers

On April 24, 2025 the New York City Council passed a series of laws to support transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary (TGNCNB) New Yorkers.

The new laws include:

• Making it illegal to physically interfere with someone’s access to gender affirming care and reproductive healthcare facilities
• Requiring the city to develop a TGNCNB health agenda
• Having the city develop a plan to support newly arrived TGNCNB youth
• Requiring city agencies to offer an “X” gender option on certain forms

The Council also passed resolutions calling on New York State to pass laws that would protect the medical privacy of trans patients and require NYC hospitals to adhere to World Professional Association of Transgender Health Standards of Care.

• Review an overview of the new legislation
• Learn about trans rights protections in New York with NYCLU’s guide

 

Immigration

Trump Administration Sues NYC Over Immigrant Rights Protections

Trump administration has led three lawsuits over NYC immigrant rights protections. These include:

• Sanctuary city laws, which limit cooperation between city officials and federal immigration enforcement
• The Green Light Law, which allows all New Yorkers—regardless of immigration status—to obtain a drivers’ license
• Protect our Courts Act, which bars ICE from staking out state courthouses (but not federal ones, where most NYC arrests have occurred). 

These legal challenges come amid Mayor Adams’s attacks on sanctuary laws. For now, all three protections remain in place, while civil rights groups defend them in court.

• Review coverage on Trump’s NYC sanctuary city lawsuit
• Review coverage on Trump’s Protect our Courts lawsuit
• Review coverage on Trump’s Green Light Law lawsuit