International Arts Ideas Festival Preview EventShubert TheatreNew HavenApril 23, 2026 The 2026 International Festival of Arts Ideas lineup will make you overjoyed to call New Haven home. In fact, this year’s theme is “Home Belonging.” The festival hopes to leverage creativity to connect community. That theme and line up were unveiled at a Thursday night event in the Shubert’s Elm City Cabaret, where community members and festival staff and partners mingled. The festival’s message reverberated even further when New Haven students Journey Rosa and Christian Herron joined New Haven’s poet laureate Yexandra Diaz on stage to deliver moving pieces about their notions of home to launch the festival’s National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) Big Read program. The audience was rapt as Diaz drew comparisons between Sandra Cisneros, author of this year’s Big Read selection – the seminal book The House on Mango Street – and her own beloved mother, who escaped a traumatic past as an orphaned runaway to come to New Haven and build her life. “Cisneros said basements were filled with urban fauna, and who would want to live there?” intoned Diaz. “Well, my mother was the urban fauna. The flower in the attic that grew beneath rickety floorboards that blossomed.” Diaz’s lyrical words turned a story most would deem ugly into something beautiful. New Haven poets Journey Rosa, Christian Herron and Yexandra Diaz Credit: Janday Wilson Photo We’re living in ugly times right now. Don’t we deserve art? We are going to get all the art our hearts desire, and more, this May and June. This year, USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards ranked the International Arts Ideas Festival as number three among the nation’s best. The festival was recognized for its multifaceted mix of “world-class music, dance, and theater performances,” artist markets, intellectually stimulating workshops and interactive experiences. This year, Arts Ideas will offer its signature wide-ranging slate of programming. You would be hard pressed to feel like you don’t belong. Most events (not all) are free. Melissa Huber, Arts Ideas managing director, said that the team worked incredibly hard on scheduling to make it easier for attendees to see as many events as they like. Some highlights: • On June 26, Cimafunk La Tribu’s will bring a fusion of funk, hip-hop and Caribbean rhythms to the New Haven Green. The band is coming from Havana, so we have no choice but to have a good time. • The next evening will feature orchestral arrangements of hits from legends like Prince and Stevie Wonder, presented by the New Haven Symphony Orchestra accompanied by singers Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw. That is sure to be a magical trip down memory lane. • The Ideas Series happening every Sunday in June at the New Haven Museum will feature discussions on topics ranging from American democracy to women in hip-hop. And make sure to read The House on Mango Street for the NEA Big Read. A city that reads together writes its future better. (Lifelong bookworm here.) Cisneros is scheduled to make an appearance at the June 28th date of the Idea Series. • Then there are all the festivals within the festival. Six of the city’s neighborhoods will host family-friendly festivals featuring local vendors and performances. You may think you know your city, but it can always surprise you. These festivals are the perfect opportunity to explore and meet your neighbors. (The guided bike tours are another awesome chance to immerse yourself in New Haven.) On June 28, you can traverse even further and island hop on the Green at the New Haven Caribbean Heritage Festival. • June 19-20 features a Juneteenth celebration that will honor African American history and culture, and uplift community voices through special activities, music, and dance. • With 150+ events happening in the next two months, you’re going to get it all. A Grammy nominated artist. Films. Theatrical productions. A fanciful gala. A five-course meal. The list goes on. The International Arts Ideas Festival will remind you that “home” is not just a place, but a practice. Something we build together, again and again. For more, visit artidea.org. The post AI Invites New Haven “Home” appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less