October combines National Arts and Humanities Month, Polish-American Heritage Month, and Italian-American Heritage Month. Broadway Stages will recognize exceptional people, businesses, and organizations important to all three celebrations throughout the month. We invite you to join us in acknowledging  their accomplishments and contributions!

October is a month of celebration for Broadway Stages and the Nation. The month honors the Arts and Humanities, Polish-American heritage and Italian-American heritage. All three are dear to Broadway Stages because our industry, our own heritage and the community where we live and work.

Over 5 million Italians immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 2000. Currently, New York City has about 2.6 million people of Italian descent. So, it is no surprise that this month is important to this City, and to Broadway Stages that was founded by a first generation Italian immigrant from Sicily! 

Italian Heritage Month was first celebrated in 1989. The purposes of Italian-American Heritage Month are educational and celebratory. The goal is to inform the public about the contributions of Italians and Italian-Americans to civilization, especially in the arts, humanities, and science. Moreover, the month recognizes the impact that Italian culture and language have had and continue to have on our lives as Italian-Americans.

About 4% of the City’s population is of Polish descent. Over the years, Polish immigrants and their descendants have contributed significantly to the City and its culture. In fact, Greenpoint is often referred to as Little Poland due to its large population of Polish immigrants and Polish-Americans that live and work in the community. 

Originally, August was deemed as Polish American Heritage Month in 1981. Later, in 1986, it moved to October. October holds significance in Polish-American history. It serves as a memorial to Generals Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko (military leaders who fought in the American Revolution), who both died in October. Also, October was the month when the first Polish settlers came to America at Jamestown, Virginia.

According to the Mellon Foundation, the arts and culture sector typically accounts for around $120 billion for the state economy and nearly half a million jobs. More than that, the Arts and Humanities raise the quality of all of our lives.

National Arts and Humanities Month was launched by Americans for the Arts more than 30 years ago as National Arts Week in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1993, it was reestablished by Americans for the Arts and national arts partners as a month-long celebration, with goals of focusing on equitable access to the arts, encouraging participation in the arts, showing support for the arts, and raising public awareness about the positive impact of the arts and humanities in our communities and lives.

Join Broadway Stages during October as we recognize local businesses and organizations representing Polish-American and Italian-American Heritage, and the Arts and Humanities.