Design, Drama, Murals, and Music: Sunnyside Arts and Culture

Architects have long celebrated Sunnyside’s Art Deco housing and the landmarked Sunnyside Gardens district, but everyone can appreciate the many sights and stories of the neighborhood’s cultural heritage. This walk traces some highlights, from Thalia Spanish Theater (NYC’s first and only bilingual Hispanic theater), the Bliss Theater (a rare surviving example of an Egyptian Revival movie palace), and iconic Sunnyside Arch, to plaques and murals commemorating jazz and punk rock pioneers. Along the way, we will see both Art Deco treasures as well as new galleries and storefronts that are nurturing current artists of this close-knit community. The route runs from the bustling corridors of Greenpoint Ave. to the south of Queens Blvd. to Skillman Ave. on the north, and participants can continue the discussion over drinks at Sanger Hall.