Creative recycling

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About Materials for the Arts

Location:

33-00 Northern Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Long Island City, NY 11101, US

Mission Statement

Materials for the Arts collects unneeded items from businesses and individuals, and make these donations available for free to its recipients: nonprofit organizations with arts programming, government agencies, and public schools. The MFTA warehouse is operated by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with additional support from the City's Departments of Sanitation and of Education. Friends of Materials for the Arts, in collaboration with the City of New York and the creative community, is the nonprofit strategic partner that guides and supports educational programming, warehouse operations, and other initiatives of Materials for the Arts.

Description

Materials for the Arts (MFTA) provides NYC arts nonprofits, public schools, and city agencies with access to free materials donated by individuals, manufacturers, fashion brands, film and tv, etc. We strive to keep valuable materials from entering the landfill and put these materials into the hands of arts professionals, educators, and students across the five boroughs for free. We give unwanted items the opportunity to become something new through creative reuse, inspired education, and unlimited imagination.

Volunteering with Materials for the Arts is a great opportunity to help the arts community in NYC. We need your help with organizing, arranging, and stocking our shelves with the incredible donations that come into our warehouse. MFTA’s warehouse is a mix of JOANN’s, Home Depot, Best Buy, Raymour & Flanigan, Party City, and Staples. We have a little (and a lot) of everything! Volunteering also builds morale and is a great way to unwind and get to know fellow NYCers. We provide music and a great friendly laid-back environment to unwind.