MISSION, VISION,
AND VALUES
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when New York City’s performing arts sector faced one of the greatest economic fallouts in decades, Chelsea Factory Founder and Board Chair Jim Herbert envisioned an organization that could quickly and meaningfully respond to the needs of a wide range of artists and community partners.
In November 2021, Chelsea Factory opened our doors to do just that. Chelsea Factory launched as a pop-up project that responsively supported our partners as a non-competitive resource.
Through bespoke programs and initiatives, Chelsea Factory welcomed multidisciplinary artists for performances, technical residencies, community workshops—providing them with the space and resources to incubate and experiment. With two possible performance venues, including a 160-seat black box theater and a flexible multi-use space, Chelsea Factory occupied a 14000 sq landmarked building in the heart of Manhattan through May 2025.
During our time on West 26th Street, we served 5,000+ New York City-based artists primarily from historically excluded communities, proudly welcomed over 50,000 audience members back to live performances, produced over 300 public performances and free events, and partnered with nearly 200 artistic and community organizations.
Chelsea Factory was envisioned as a temporary space that could help rebuild an inclusive and sustainable arts sector—one that would continue to thrive far beyond our walls.
Chelsea Factory exists to provide subsidized resources, responsive partnership, and transformative experiences for New York City’s artists from historically excluded communities.
MISSION
Photo by Lawrence Sumulong
With art making at our core, Chelsea Factory is committed to being a place for New Yorkers to find connection, inspiration, and joy.
Over a finite timeline, Chelsea Factory aims to uplift an inclusive and sustainable art sector that will long outlast our physical infrastructure.
VISION
Photo by Joe Carrotta
Realizing our vision requires active, ongoing, and conscious work. We invite and encourage a broadly diverse group of individuals to engage with our programs and join our Board, Advisory Council, and Staff.
All of Chelsea Factory’s programs are rooted in our core values of integrity, transparency, flexibility, and accountability. Chelsea Factory’s success is measured through the quality of deep, meaningful relationships we build with our partners, artists, audiences, and communities.
VALUES
Photo by Jomo Davis