New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Speaker of the City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito on Tuesday announced that IDNYC will remain free in 2017.
The Office of the Mayor said the legislators are now processing full enrollments under a new policy that does not involve the retention of cardholders’ personal background documents.
This year, IDNYC welcomes 11 new cultural partners offering free memberships, the Mayor’s Office said.
It said cardholders will have access to free memberships at 38 of the City’s premiere cultural organizations.
Every IDNYC cardholder can redeem a free membership at all 38 cultural benefit partners for 2017, regardless of the year their card was issued, according to the Mayor’s Office, adding that IDNYC is a municipal ID card for all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status.
To apply for an IDNYC, the public can call 311 and say “IDNYC” or visit nyc.gov/
“The IDNYC program started with the simple idea of bridging divides between the people and government, so that all New Yorkers have access to the resources they need to live full, productive lives here in NYC,” de Blasio said.
“We’re keeping IDNYC free in 2017, so that all city residents can feel confident interacting with the NYPD [New York Police Department], entering their child’s school, obtaining City services, and so much more,” he added.
“I am excited that so many of our benefits partners are returning for 2017, and that we’ll be welcoming some great new institutions to the IDNYC family,” the mayor continued. “With their partnership, we’re giving more New Yorkers access to culture, arts, fitness and a long list of enriching opportunities.”
Mark-Viverito said: “As we enter the third year of the largest, most successful municipal identification card program in the country, I’m thrilled that IDNYC will remain free and available to all New Yorkers,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
“IDNYC is a safe, secure form of identification that makes it easy for residents to access City services, visit NYC’s premiere cultural institutions, obtain discounts on prescription medication and much, much more,” she said. “I encourage all residents to join the nearly 1 million New Yorkers who are already cardholders to enroll in IDNYC and take advantage of all the benefits our program has to offer.
“IDNYC cardholders can rest assured knowing that they will continue to receive the many benefits that IDNYC has to offer, at no additional cost,” the speaker added. “IDNYC was established to fight inequality by giving New Yorkers of all backgrounds access to the resources and services that make New York City the best in the world.”
Joining a diverse group of benefits partners, IDNYC welcomes 11 new 2017 cultural institution partners, including the Museum of Arts and Design, China Institute, The Drawing Center, Park Avenue Armory, Symphony Space, Museum at Eldridge Street, Film Forum, Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling, St. George Theatre, Center for Performance Research, Jacques Marchais Center for Tibetan Art.
The Mayor’s Office said returning cultural benefits include free one-year memberships at 38 of the City’s premiere cultural organizations, including the Public Theater, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, Queens Museum, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center, Wave Hill, and more.
Every IDNYC cardholder can redeem free membership at all 38 cultural benefit partners for 2017, regardless of the year their card was issued, the Mayor’s Office said.
To be eligible, it said cardholders cannot have been a member at any particular institution in the last four years (since Jan. 1, 2013).
Cardholders would still be eligible for free IDNYC membership benefits at any other participating organization where they have not been a member within the last four years, the Mayor’s Office said.
For more information on benefit terms, visit www.nyc.gov/
