River To River Festival in downtown New York City

NEW YORK -- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) unveils the 2015 edition of the annual River To River Festival, Downtown NYC's completely free summer arts festival. This 14th edition takes place June 18-28 and presents a diverse collection of music, dance, theatre and visual art by both renowned and breakout artists from NYC and beyond.

The Festival seeks to provide world-class, free summer entertainment and to inspire residents, workers and visitors in the neighborhoods south of Chambers Street by connecting them to the creative process, unique places and each other. For audiences of few to crowds of thousands, River To River provides an intense and rewarding way to experience and discover Lower Manhattan's waterfronts, parks, plazas and history.

This year, the Festival kicks off on June 18 with the R2R Bash, featuring performances by acclaimed East African vocalist Somi.

Much more than just a series of free events, River To River serves as a platform for the arts sector in both nurturing new ideas and extending the life of existing work by inviting artists to create site-responsive versions of premiere performances that translate pieces to public space and alternative sites in new and unexpected ways.

Additionally, the spectrum of work represents all stages of the creative process and audiences are encouraged to get closer to artists and their practice through open studios, rehearsals and workshops.

Sites for the 2015 festival include: North End Way, Winter Garden at Brookfield Place, Rockefeller Park, Wagner Park, Federal Hall, Governors Island, South Street Seaport, VBar Seaport, Pier 15, 28 Liberty Plaza (formerly known as Chase Manhattan Plaza), 14 museums and cultural institutions in Lower Manhattan, and more to be announced.

Click here to see the full Festival schedule.