Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Diya Vij as Commissioner of New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

NEW YORK, NY— Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Diya Vij as commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Vij will lead the agency, which is the largest municipal funder of cultural programs in the United States, and will oversee efforts to support artists and cultural organizations across New York City.

“I am proud to welcome Diya Vij as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Diya is a visionary and deeply thoughtful leader who understands that art is not ornamental to this city — it is essential,” Mamdani said. “She has worked to weave culture into the fabric of public life. This administration believes art is a public good, not a luxury reserved for the few. Under her leadership, we will fight to keep New York a city where artists can afford to live and create — and where every New Yorker, in every borough, can experience the energy and inspiration that art makes possible.”

Vij previously worked at the Department of Cultural Affairs under former mayor Bill de Blasio, where she launched and co-directed the Public Artists in Residence program. The initiative placed artists within city agencies and included participants such as Tania Bruguera, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Onyedika Chuke, and Ebony Noelle Golden.

Most recently, Vij served as a curator at Creative Time, where she developed public art projects in partnership with agencies including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the city’s Parks Department, and the Department of Transportation. Her recent work includes If you hear something, free something by Chloë Bass, which was broadcast through subway public address systems.

Vij has also held roles at Powerhouse Arts, the Queens Museum, and the High Line.

“This administration has renewed my belief that city government can be a site of real change — and that art and culture are essential to that project,” Vij said. “Too many artists have been forced out of the city they love — crushed by the cost-of-living crisis. As Commissioner, I will extend the Mayor’s affordability agenda to arts and culture. It is an honor to help build a city where artists, cultural workers, and New Yorkers across all five boroughs can do more than get by — they can live full, vibrant and curious lives.”

Support for the appointment came from leaders in the arts and policy sectors. Patrick Gaspard of the Center for American Progress and the Mellon Foundation said Vij has demonstrated an understanding of the role of arts in public life.

Ayesha Williams of The Laundromat Project and Tom Finkelpearl also commented on Vij’s experience working with artists and cultural institutions.

Additional statements were provided by Thelma Golden of the Ford Foundation, Jean Cooney of Creative Time, Elizabeth Alexander of the Mellon Foundation, and Eric Shiner of Powerhouse Arts.

Vij will report to Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.

City officials said the appointment is part of broader efforts to address affordability challenges facing artists and cultural organizations, while expanding access to cultural programming across all five boroughs.