About BIPA
Mission
BIPA strives to promote the Bangali arts and language in New York City’s growing multi-cultural communities. We offer accessible classes and prove platforms for emerging artists and performers while increasing exposure to the rich Bangali arts among New Yorkers.
While providing access to the arts to many young children growing in New York City who may not had the exposure or means to do so, BIPA schools have contributed to the well being and development of successful young adults as contributing members to society. In addition to learning the arts, BIPA’s platforms provide children with opportunities to build self-confidence and awareness. Furthermore, over 20% of BIPA’s students attend gifted-and-talent high school programs. While promoting the arts and contributing to New York City’s rich vibrant culture and heritage, BIPA is helping our young Americans become stronger and contributing members to society. BIPA’s love for the arts is open to everyone irrespective of their cultural, socio-economic or religious affiliations and provide for a stronger bridge fostering diversity and assimilation.
The Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA), works to promote Bengali arts and language in New York City's growing multicultural communities by offering accessible classes and providing platforms for emerging artists and performers. It also seeks to increase all New Yorkers' exposure to the rich heritage of Bengali artistic traditions, regardless of the audiences' ethnic or social origin.
BIPA was founded in 1993 by several Bangladeshi artists who immigrated to New York and were seeking a platform to keep their love for Bangla arts alive in their new home. It began as a one-room schoolhouse in Astoria, Queens, with six students, and has now grown to three locations in Brooklyn and Queens to serve its growing student body. Many alumni stay involved in active board and volunteer roles.
For almost the last twenty-five years, BIPA has continued to strengthen its programming, offering additional classes, producing new works, and expanding its reach throughout Bengali communities. Hundreds of students have received lessons and have performed at numerous community and mainstream spaces in New York- including the United Nations; Oye Corona! at the Queens Museum; the Bronx Museum of the Arts; New York City public libraries, parks, schools and colleges; Governor's and Mayor's programs; Asian heritage festivals--and in many other states, both along with and under the guidance of their teachers
For the past several years, BIPA has been celebrating Bengali New Year with a colorful parade & festival at its Queens and Brooklyn locations. To celebrate Bengali New Year 1424, BIPA continued this recent tradition, organizing a parade and block festival in LIC and a music & dance showcase at Queens Theatre in April of 2017.
2015 marked BIPA's first ever collaboration with the Bangladesh Shilpokola Academy in Dhaka to jointly produce and perform a group dance show titled "Noibeddo" ("Gift"). BIPA returned to Dhaka in 2017 for another joint collaboration with the Shilpokola Academy on "Tasher Desh" ("Land of Cards").