Founded in 1968 by Venezuelan director Abdón Villamizar and a collective of Latino writers and actors, IATI Theater (Instituto Arte Teatral Internacional) has evolved into a vibrant cultural institution in New York's East Village. For over five decades, we have championed artistic excellence while serving as a creative bridge between diverse communities.

IATI is home to two intimate performance spaces: our 70-seat Mainstage Theater and 60-seat Underground Theater, where we present a dynamic mix of original productions that explore contemporary social issues through a global lens. Our programming spans full theatrical productions, staged readings, workshops, and innovative multidisciplinary performances that challenge audiences to engage with complex themes and diverse perspectives.

As a pioneering cultural institution, IATI embraces the rich tradition of vanguardia—the bold artistic movements that have transformed Latin American creative expression. While firmly rooted in this heritage, our vision extends globally, collaborating with international artists to create work that transcends cultural boundaries. All productions are presented in our East Village theater, making us a destination for audiences seeking cutting-edge, socially relevant theater in both Spanish and English.

Our commitment to artistic excellence has been recognized by organizations including HOLA, ACE, and the prestigious Small Format Theater Festival in Havana, Cuba. Beyond our mainstage productions, IATI nurtures the next generation of theater artists through our Cimientos development program, children's theater initiatives, and community workshops.

IATI Theater stands as a window to global vanguardia in the East Village—a place where creative experimentation, cultural exploration, and social engagement converge to create unforgettable theatrical experiences that reflect the complexity, contradictions, richness, and depth of our shared human experience.

IATI Theater's 2025 Gala