Lincoln Center is once again throwing open its doors—and its plazas, studios and stages—for one of the city’s most thoughtfully designed arts festivals. From April 10–26, the Big Umbrella Festival returns with nearly three weeks of free and pay-what-you-can performances, workshops and installations, all tailored for neurodivergent audiences.
Big Umbrella, which launched in 2018, was the first large-scale performing arts festival of its kind and it’s only grown more ambitious since. This year’s edition spans dance, theater, comedy, music, visual art and outdoor installations, welcoming kids, adults, families and first-time arts-goers into spaces designed to be flexible, relaxed and judgment-free.
At the heart of the festival is the idea that arts experiences don’t have to look (or feel) the same for everyone. All events are presented as “relaxed performances” with a “no shushing” rule, which means audiences can come and go as needed, move, speak or engage on their own terms.
One of the most visible additions will be at the complex’s main Josie Robertson Plaza, where “Mi Casa, Your Casa 2.0” turns the iconic forecourt into a swing-filled installation of glowing red frames inspired by Latin American street markets. It will be open daily throughout the festival and free to explore, even if you’re just stopping by for five minutes.
Inside, performances include “The Unexpected Gift,” by the Barrowland Ballet, a high-energy dance-theater piece designed with neurodivergent young people, and Ireland’s Rosán’s Sensory Adventures will debut “Antarctica! Crew Wanted,” a theatrical journey inspired by Ernest Shackleton’s legendary expedition. (There’s no frostbite, but plenty of movement and imagination.)
Dance will take center stage at Alice Tully Hall, where AXIS Dance Company presents “Patterns,” featuring performers who are disabled, non-disabled, D/deaf and neurodiverse. During ReelAbilities Comedy Night, guests can enjoy sharp standup from outstanding disabled comedians as part of the citywide ReelAbilities Film Festival.
Music lovers can catch relaxed, up-close performances from the Viano Quartet during “CMS Kids: Tuneful Teamwork,” while families and younger audiences can dive into ASL Slam and ASL Baby Slam, celebrating American Sign Language as an expressive art form.
Tickets for choose-what-you-pay events go on sale on Thursday, February 5, and many of the festival’s outdoor and visual art offerings are completely free. Full schedules, accessibility details and visual guides are available on Lincoln Center’s website—or just follow the crowd under the biggest umbrella on the Upper West Side.