Bigvision announced its inaugural fall season of programming Friday, debuting a new Midtown Manhattan community space focused on substance-free connection and addiction recovery advocacy.
Founded in memory of Isaac Goldberg Volkmar, the organization operates out of a 4,000-square-foot facility that utilizes arts, sports, fitness, and education to build sober communities. The mission aims to reshape national conversations regarding addiction and recovery by providing a space for creative and social engagement.
The fall programming includes the Hazelden Betty Ford Speaker Series and the Philip Seymour Hoffman Reading Series. The speaker series features prominent figures including six-time Emmy Award winner Hank Azaria, Tony Award winner Tom Kirdahy, and Dr. Joseph Lee, the president and CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. The reading series will showcase new plays and musicals designed to challenge the stigma of addiction, with works performed by various Broadway artists.
To ensure the space remains accessible to those in need, Bigvision reserves seats at all events for members of the recovery community, including residents and graduates of sober living homes. While organization members are guaranteed seating, all other tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The center will also provide free drop-in classes, such as weekly Pilates and a series of workshops titled Creativity and Recovery. These workshops feature industry leaders including novelist Erin Khar and Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Ellen Gooseneberg Kent.
Bigvision also introduced its first class of Associate Artists, a group of professional creators and performers that includes Annaleigh Ashford, Dan Bakkedahl, Norbert Leo Butz, and Lauren Gunderson.
