Immigrant Movement International

Street view of a multi-story building, made of tan brick and black trimmings. Five wide steps, with black railings, lead up to the office headquarters of Immigrant Movement International. Down on the sidewalk, a tall metal pole holds up their sign that reads “Immigrant Movement International”.

Photo: Immigrant Movement International headquarters in Corona, Queens, 2012.

Immigrant Movement International (IMI Corona) was a community space in the heavily immigrant neighborhood of Corona, Queens. Founded in 2011 as a partnership between artist Tania Bruguera and the Queens Museum, with support from Creative Time, the project, inspired by Bruguera’s notion of Arte Útil, and the Queens Museum’s interest in addressing the pressing needs and unique potential of Corona’s immigrant residents, offered comprehensive educational programming, health, and legal services at no cost. On any given week free workshops were hosted at the project’s storefront on Roosevelt Avenue, including dance, nutrition, childcare, bicycle maintenance, construction safety, classical music, English language through art history, Spanish for Mandarin speakers, computer literacy, screen printing, immigration law, and counseling for women who are victims of domestic violence. The space also served as a hub for cultural organizing initiatives surrounding the social and political representation of immigrants at the local, national, and global level. Between 2018-2019 IMI Corona transitioned to an independently run community center, Centro Corona.

Supporters

immigrant Movement International was supported by grants from The Kresge Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Toby D. Lewis Philanthropic Fund. Additional support was provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts.