Cynthia Erivo to Headline Benefit at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City

The Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner has been tapped to headline a benefit concert at the venue’s David Geffen Hall on Nov. 16. The fundraiser supports Lincoln Center’s commitment to arts accessibility through a free and “choose what you pay” programming model. Concert-only tickets go on sale to the general public on Oct. 13.

“The arts belong to everyone and everyone should feel that they belong at Lincoln Center,” noted Mariko Silver, who serves as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts president and CEO. “That belief is at the heart of everything we do. We are profoundly grateful to the supporters who help us open our doors wider, bring extraordinary artists to New York, and ensure that more people can experience the joy, connection and possibility the arts create.”

According the institution, the “choose what you pay” model has helped bring in nearly three million people to the Lincoln Center campus through performances, educational events, festivals and open-air experiences since 2022. The model has been adopted by other arts organizations in New York, and it’s even spread to film festivals and other institutions across the country.

The gig marks a reunion for Erivo, who last performed at Lincoln Center in the Appel Room, an outing that was recorded for PBS in 2019. She most recently starred in the Wicked films, Poker Face and Drift, among many other projects. She had a fall film festival debut with Prima Facie.

Lincoln Center is a performing arts center and civic cultural campus home to 11 resident arts orgs including the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Film at Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York Philharmonic, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and School of American Ballet. Programs are made possible in part through public funds provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts.