American Craft Show NYC & Contemporary Art Fair NYC—These simultaneous events bring 200 juried American Craft Artists to show and sell ceramic, fiber, glass, furniture, wearable art and jewelry works, as well as presentations by 100 independent contemporary artists specializing in painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media. Runs through Nov. 21, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 W. 34th St., 212-216-2000, www.javitscenter.com; Nov. 21, 3 p.m.–7 p.m., Nov. 22, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Nov. 23, 10 a.m.–4 p.m, $8–$16.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Philadanco—The group blends African-American dance traditions with ballet, jazz and modern styles. Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College, 2900 Campus Rd., Brooklyn, 718-951-4500; 8 p.m., $30.

92nd Street Y—Pianist Charles Rosen and cellist Fred Sherry give an all-Chopin recital. 92nd and Lexington Avenue, 212-415-5500; 8 p.m., $25+.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21

Complexions Contemporary Ballet—The company’s intense physical movements take center stage in three different programs. The Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave., 212-242-0800, www.complexionsdance.org; times vary, $10+. Runs throughout the week.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Driving Miss Daisy—James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave star in Alfred Uhry’s play. The Golden Theater, 252 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200, www.daisyonbroadway.com.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23

Next to Normal—A woman an her family struggle to cope with her bipolar disorder in this emotional, Tony-winning musical. Through Jan. 16, Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200.

BAM 2010 Next Wave Festival—The Brooklyn Academy of Music hosts its annual festival. Now in its 28th year, Next Wave comprises 16 music, dance, theater and opera performances, in addition to artist talks, art exhibitions and more. BAM, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, 718-636-4129, www.bam.org; Mon.–Sat., noon–11 p.m., Sun., 1 p.m.–11 p.m., Free.

Art20—Galleries showcase their finest 20th-century and contemporary paintings, sculpture, drawings and photography, through Nov. 15. Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Ave., 212-777-5218, www.sanfordsmith.com; $20+.

SATURDAY, NOVEMER 13

New York Jazz Choreography Project—The company’s semi-annual dance concert is devoted exclusively to jazz and presented by Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Inc. Ailey Citigroup Theater, Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 W. 55th St., 212-369-8775; $15+.

Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival—The longest-running documentary festival returns for its 34th year, through Nov. 14. American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at West 79th Street, 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14

The Pier Show—The show brings together 500 art and antiques exhibitors, as well as the Steampunk House, filled with all of the elements necessary to complete your own Steampunk project. Passenger Ship Terminal, Pier 94, 12th Avenue at West 55th Street, 973-808-5015; 10 a.m.–6 p.m., $15.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15

Latin American Cultural Week—Pan American Musical Art Research presents the fifth annual LACW, celebrating Latin American culture through performing arts concerts, films, visual arts and auctions. Nov. 10-17, locations vary, www.lacw.net.

Merkin Concert Hall—Performers celebrate the works of composer Jerome Kern as part of the Broadway Close Up series. Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St., 212-501-3300; 8, $40.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

Alice Tully Hall—Organist Paul Jacobs performs Johann Sebastian Bach’s organ masterwork Clavierübung III in its entirety. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 10 Lincoln Center Plz., 212-721-6500; 7:30, $45+.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Church of St. Ignatius Loyola—The professional choir and orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola perform works of Liszt, Viktor Kalabis and Juraj Filas as part of the Sacred Music in a Sacred Space series. 980 Park Ave., 212-288-2520; 8, $30+.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18

The Drawing Center—Gerhard Richter: Lines Which Do Not Exist. Ends Nov. 18. Claudia Wieser: Poems of the Right Angle. 35 Wooster St., 212-219-2166.

Dissident Arts Festival—Progressive artists speak out for social justice in the fifth annual festival. Nov. 6, The Brecht Forum, 451 West St., 212-242-4201; 3 p.m., $6+.

Coleridge and Patti Smith—Patti Smith’s eighth concert at the Metropolitan Museum devotes a program to the world of Khubilai Khan and the poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave., 212-535-7710; 7 p.m., $40+.

Symphony Space Thalia—The Pocket Opera Players presents Space in the Heart, A Jazzopera. Following the one-act opera, the cast and instrumentalists will perform a set of original songs and jazz standards. Symphony Space Thalia, 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400; 7:30, $25+.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7

American Ballet Theatre—ABT offers a sneak peek of The Nutcracker by Alexei Ratmansky, prior to its world premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Peter B. Lewis Theater, 1071 5th Ave., 212-423-3587; 7:30, $10+.

IFPDA Print Fair—The International Fine Print Dealers Association celebrates the 20th edition of its art fair. Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Ave., www.printfair.com; $10+.

Matthew Bourne—Bourne’s Swan Lake returns to New York with a blend of dance, humor and spectacle. New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St., 212-581-1212; times vary, $25+.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Repertorio Español—Legendary flamenco and Spanish dancer Pilar Rioja presents her new dance, Habanera, with musical accompaniment by Cuban composer and singer Guillermo Portabales. Gramercy Arts Theater, 138 E. 27th St., 212-225-9999; $25+.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Notes From Underground—Theatre for a New Audience presents Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of the revolutionary novella by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Jerome Robbins Theater, Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 W. 37th St., 212-868-4444.

Portrait of Lincoln—The Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, led by Alondra de la Parra, opens its New York season with a concert that features actor Chris Noth as the narrator in Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait.” Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, 1941 Broadway, 212-671-4050; 7:30, $15+.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30

Ballet Preljocaj—Angelin Preljocaj’s company returns with Empty Moves (parts I & II), with music by John Cage. BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave., 718-636-4129; 7:30, $20+.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Classical Sounds—Pianist Rudolf Buchbinder performs with the Dresden Staatskapelle. Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, 70 Lincoln Center Plz., 212-671-4050; 8, $35+.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

In the Heights—This heartfelt and high-spirited love letter to Washington Heights features a salsa and hip-hop flavored score by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Open run, Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St., 212-221-1211.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3

History in Quilts—Eugene Von Bruenchenhein’s Quilts: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum opens. American Folk Art Musuem, 45 W. 53rd St., 212-265-1040.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4

Editions|Artists’ Book Fair—The premier showcase for contemporary publishers and dealers presents the latest in prints, multiples and artists’ books. 548 W. 22nd St., 212-925-4338; 11 a.m., free.

Disappearing Everglades—Anthony Almeida’s exhibit, The Everglades: Vanishing Splendor, opens. Arsenal Gallery in Central Park, Fifth Avenue & East 64th Street, 3rd Fl., no phone.

Soaking Wet—Now in its eighth season at the West End Theater, Soaking Wet features eight choreographers in a mini-festival of a contemporary battle of the sexes. West End Theater, 263 West End Ave., 212-337-9565; $10+.

Fish Police and Pigeon Revolt—As part of Target Free Thursdays, The Fish Police and Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt perform. David Rubenstein Atrium, Lincoln Center, Broadway between West 62nd and 63rd streets, 212-875-5000; 8:30, Free.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22

International Sculpture Center Anniversary—The ISC celebrates its 50th anniversary with a cocktail reception, entertainment and an art sale. Metropolitan Pavilion, The Metropolitan Suite, 123 W. 18th St., 2nd Fl.; 6 p.m., $350+.

Bernstein Remembered—On the 20th anniversary of the death of Leonard Bernstein, the quintessential West Side artist will be remembered at Symphony Space. Hosted by WQXR’s Robert Sherman, the evening begins with a concert featuring soprano Harolyn Blackwell, who was handpicked by Bernstein for the 1979 revival of West Side Story, baritone Jubilant Sykes, the ensemble Essential Voices USA, conducted by music director Judith Clurman, and pianist Fred Hersch. Special guests Jamie, Alexander and Nina Bernstein, Leonard Bernstein’s children, will participate.The evening concludes with a screening of the classic film, West Side Story and an audience sing-along, introduced by Marni Nixon, the voice of Maria. Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400; 7:30 p.m., $43.

Skirball Center—In 13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests, musicians Dean & Britta perform a live soundtrack during a multimedia performance featuring a selection of Andy Warhol’s otherwise silent portraits of some of the artist’s closest friends and artistic collaborators. New York University, 566 LaGuardia Pl., 212-352-3101; 8 p.m., $20.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

Midtown Gallery Tour—Come to a guided tour of the week’s top seven contemporary gallery exhibits in the city’s business district. 41 E. 57th St., 212-946-1548; 1 p.m., $20.

Les Ballets C DE LA B—Out of Context—For Pina is an intimate work for eight dancers that narrows the divide between the performers and the audience. The Joyce, 175 8th Ave., 212-868-4444; 8 p.m., $20.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24

Laurie Beechman Theatre—Broadway stars perform songs that end the first act of favorite musicals, as part of the third annual Living For Today concert series. 407 W. 42nd St., 212-695-6909; 9:30 p.m., $10.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27

Portraits of Haunted Houses—Corinne May Botz will give a lecture on her new book of photography, Haunted Houses, which features photos taken over 10 years at haunted places throughout the United States. Her photographs, accompanied by first-person narratives, reveal a rare glimpse into American interiors, both physical and psychological. International Center of Photography, 1114 6th Ave., 212-857-0001; 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., $15.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28

Scary Movies 4—This Halloween, the Film Society at Lincoln Center reprises their eclectic and invigorating program of both classic and contemporary horror films, including classics such as Carrie and Hellraiser as well as lesser-known works such as Black Death and Dead of Night. Walter Reade Theater, 165 W. 65th St., 212-875-5601; $10.

Modern Life: Edward Hopper and His Time—Anytime the Whitney decides to mount a Hopper exhibit, it seems to be a blockbuster. Since we’re tired of seeing this museum so empty when the throngs are packing other nearby exhibits, it’s about time. And maybe there will be something new to learn from these quiet masterpieces. Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Ave., 212-5703600; $18.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

Operatic Masterpiece—The Amore Opera presents Pucini’s Tosca, sung in Italian with English supertitles. Connelly Theatre, 220 E. 4th St., 866-811-4111; times vary, $30.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16

Hip Hop Theater Festival—The 10th annual HHTF celebrates hip-hop culture with theater, dance, public art and more. Various locations, 718-497-4282; www.hhtf.org.

Art in the Park—Friends of Straus Park will host their annual Art in the Park. Artists will exhibit their work and there will be food and books for sale. Music and dance groups will entertain on West End Avenue. Strauss Park, 106th and 107th streets at Broadway; 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Free.

Classical Sounds—The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony kicks off its new season with a program that evokes nature. Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, the Pastorale, is paired with Copland’s sublime Appalachian Spring and Cimarosa’s hauntingly beautiful Oboe Concerto, performed by Pedro Diaz, solo English horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. All Saints Church, 230 E. 60th St., 212-868-4444; 8 p.m., $10-20.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17

Broadway Great in Recital—Roosevelt André Credit, bass-baritone with pianist Thomas Schmidt, will perform a recital of spirituals, Broadway classics, opera and contemporary songs on Roosevelt Island. Credit has performed on and off Broadway, playing several roles in the Tony Award-winning and national touring companies of Harold Prince’s Show Boat. His extensive repertoire includes opera, oratorio, jazz, spirituals, pop and musicals. Church of the Good Shepard, 543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, www.goodshepherdchapel.net; 2:30 p.m., Free (donation to food program suggested).

La Bete—David Hyde Pierce, Joanna Lumley and Mark Rylance bring this revival of David Hirson’s 1991 comedy (set in the 17th century and written in iambic pentameter) back to Broadway. Comedic golden boy Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage) directs. Music Box Theater, 239 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; 3 p.m., $76-$126.

Sankai Juku—Ushio Amagatsu directs the troupe in his most recent work, Tobari—As if in an Inexhaustible Flux. The Joyce, 175 8th Ave., 212-242-0800; 2 p.m., $10.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19

Seventeenth Annual Family Party—Over 2,500 children and parents are expected to participate in an evening of adventure throughout the American Museum of Natural History. The Family Party, one of the museum’s best-loved annual traditions, is a very special opportunity for children and adults of all ages to experience the wonders and magic of the museum. Taking full advantage of the magnificent halls, guests are treated to an evening full of fun. They interact with live animals, dig for dinosaur fossils, conduct fascinating experiments, experience simulated space travel, meet with scientists and much more. American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, 212-313-7161; 5-7:30 p.m., $85-$175.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20

Poems from the Women’s Movement—Barnard College welcomes a group of outstanding women writers and thinkers for an evening celebrating the work of poets whose writing helped shape, and was shaped by, the women’s movement. Participants include Jorie Graham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author; physician and poet Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins; Anne Waldman, author of more than 40 books of poetry including On the Wing and Manatee/Humanity; and Eileen Myles, whom BUST magazine called “the rock star of modern poetry.” Barnard Hall, West P117th Street and Broadway, Sulzberger Parlor, 3rd floor, 212-854-2116,www.barnard.edu; 7 p.m., Free.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8

Fall for Dance—It’s back and better than ever—five programs (performed twice) featuring as diverse and impressive an array of dancers, companies and choreographers as you’ll find anywhere. Tickets are always scarce, but there are cancellation lines before each show. Worth it to score one, so good luck! City Center, 130 W. 56th St., 212-581-1212; 8 p.m., $10.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

Chelsea Art Gallery Tour—Come to a guided tour of the week’s top seven gallery exhibits in the world’s center for contemporary art. Various locations, 212-946-1548; $20.

Mrs. Warren’s Profession—Stage star Cherry Jones leaves Hollywood behind to return to Broadway for the first time in four years in this revival of George Bernard Shaw’s controversial play about a madam and her daughter. American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St., 212-719-1300; times vary, $67-$127.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

Broadway Fall Festival—The Broadway Fall Festival features music from The Michael Grey Quartet, Japanese and Korean foods, as well as arts and crafts. Broadway, from West 86th to 96th streets; 1 p.m.-5 p.m., Free.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

Metropolitan Opera: Boris Godunov—The most talked-about new Met production this fall will be the opening night performance of Das Rheingold. A better bet for a great show is the new production of Boris Godunov, with astonishing baritone Rene Pape in the title role. Valery Gergiev will, with proper immodesty, conduct Modest Mussorgsky’s music. Pape and Gergiev are huge talents, and, good or bad, what results is not apt to be dull. Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, 212-799-3100; $25-$310.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12

A Life in the Theatre—Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight headline this season’s David Mamet revival, about two actors who work together at different stages in their careers. Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; times vary, $76-$121.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson—A hit last season at The Public, this tongue-in-cheek, rock ‘n’ roll musical takes audiences on a rollicking ride through the life of President Andrew Jackson. Benjamin Walker reprises his critically lauded role as Jackson. Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St., 212-239-6200; times vary, $51-$136.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

Jeff Koons: Exaltation—Strange after all these years that Koons’ art is now considered safe (blame it on those cutesy stainless steel balloon animals). But now seems like the time to remember when he was an enfant terrible (albeit at a more advanced age) and making sculptures and portraits of himself and his pornstar wife La Cicciolina. If you don’t want to slap your husband for leering, we recommend staying at home. Luxembourg & Dayan, 64 W. 77th St., 212-452-4646; by appointment only.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1

Forbidden Passion—A highly theatrical adaptation of the classic weepie Brief Encounter (itself based on a Noel Coward short play), this production has prestige and theatrical magic written all over it. Studio 54, 254 W. 54th St., 212-719-1300; times vary, $37-$127.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

The Heist Festival— Film Forum’s caper-centric series features an exciting selection of diffuse features, from Walter Matthau as a parachuting bank robber in Don Siegel’s Charley Varrick to The Wrong Trousers, Nick Park’s best Wallace & Gromit short film. Be sure to take advantage of Film Forum’s two-for-one double feature ticket special to catch such inspired pairings as Blue Collar, Paul Schrader’s directorial debut, and Robert Wise’s Odds Against Tomorrow, which stars Ed Begley, Gloria Grahame, Robert Ryan and Shelley Winters. Also don’t miss Un Flic, Jean-Pierre Melville’s masterfully tight-lipped final film and Richard Fleischer’s demented Armored Car Robbery. 209 W. Houston St., 212-727-8110, www.filmforum.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3

Batsheva Dance Company—The extraordinary, instinctive dancers of this Israeli company perform a mix of familiar and new material in this bare bones adaptation of Ohad Naharin’s Project 5, the newest being “B/olero,” a hypnotic duet. Alternating male and female casts perform during the run. The Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave., 212-691-9740; 2 p.m., tickets start at $10.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4

Six Degrees of Marvin Hamlisch—This won’t be a cheap concert, but it’s sure to be a fun night. Hamlisch’s quirky personality and his place as a social fixture and sometime companion of the beautiful at gilded events have obscured his actual accomplishments. Yes, he wrote the James Bond song “Nobody Does It Better.” He also composed the underrated score to A Chorus Line. Most of the surviving stars of that show join up with Robert Klein, Liz Callaway, Victor Garber and Lesley Gore in a benefit for the Actors Fund. Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400; 7:30 p.m., $50-$250.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5

Derrick Guild: After Eden—After Eden is a collection of fastidiously imagined botanical fictions. These impossible plant forms, meticulously realized, owe themselves to the artist’s 22 months on Ascension Island. A British dependency in the mid-Atlantic with only three indigenous plants, the island’s lush rain forest has been an ongoing work of human ingenuity since the mid-18th century. What British botanists achieved in real life, Guild mimics on canvas. These are the botanical equivalent of capriccios, fantastical species of flowering plants instead of invented architectural ruins. Allan Stone Gallery, 113 E. 90th St., 212-987-4997; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Free.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6

Drawings from Ribera to Goya—While we’ve seen plenty of Goya, this is the first museum exhibition to be held in New York City devoted to the broad tradition of Spanish draftsmanship, and includes works on loan from the Met, the Hispanic Society of America and extraordinary sheets from The Morgan Library & Museum, the Princeton University Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and individual collectors. The Frick, 1 E. 70th St., 212-288-0700; 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; $18.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

The Last Newspaper—Curious why every newspaper is going gaga over this exhibit? Well, it’s built into the title, so we all feel we must give it some ink. The artwork in this exhibit will be from William Pope.L, Wolfgang Tillmans and Aleksandra Mir. But most everyone seems excited about the working “newsroom” that produces a weekly printed paper. See? Now you can appreciate all of our hard work by seeing the process of creating it. The New Museum, 235 Bowery Street, 212-219-1222; 11 a.m.-9 p.m., $12.

Compiled by Allen Houston

Friday, September 24

Pipilotti Rist: Heroes of Birth—Rist already seduced many with her MoMA atrium installation; now comes a chance to check out new videos from the Swiss artist, including “All or Nothing,” a triptych of mounted LCD screens that is surrounded by an altar with daily offerings such as fresh flowers and water “for visitors to pause and quench their thirst.” Luhring Augustine, 534 W. 24th St., 212-206-9100; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Free.

Doug Varone and Dancers: Stripped—No, they’re not removing their clothes, but Varone’s ensemble of committed, juicy movers will showcase excerpts from a work-in-progress on Italian themes and repertory excerpts in these informal studio presentations—a chance to savor his adventurous, full-bodied choreography while waiting for the troupe’s March Joyce season. 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, 1395 Lexington Ave., 212-279-3344; 8 p.m., $25 at door.

Saturday, September 25

Franz Xaver Messerschmidt—If you’ve scared a child by telling her not to make faces because it may stay that way, this exhibit may be the creepy truth. The first exhibition in the United States devoted exclusively to this major late-18th-century Austro-Bavarian sculptor, the Messerschmidt exhibit focuses on the artist’s creepy-cool “character heads.” Neue Galerie, 1048 5th Ave., 212-628-6200; 11 a.m.-6 p.m., $15.

Mark Twain, a Skeptic’s Progress—If you enjoy poring over the scribblings and pontifications of legendary writers and thinkers, then here’s a granddaddy of an exhibit. Coinciding with the 175th anniversary of Twain’s birth, this joint exhibit is presented by The Morgan and The New York Public Library—which hold two of the world’s great collections of manuscripts and rare books by the iconic author. It includes more than 120 letters, notebooks, diaries, photographs and drawings associated with the author’s life and work, and is supplemented by Twain’s correspondence, drawings and illustrations, photographs and several 3-dimensional artifacts. Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave., 212-685-0008; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., $12.

Saturday, September 26

Tuesday, September 28

Me, Myself & I—Starring Brian Murray and Elizabeth Ashley, this Edward Albee play is about a mother who can’t distinguish between her twin sons. May not be promising for the boys, but it’s a great season opener for us. Playwrights Horizons, 416 W. 42nd St., 212-279-4200; 8 p.m., $75.

Wednesday, September 29

Jazz Giants—Bill Wurtzel and Mike Gari will perform jazz guitar music. American Folk Art Museum, West 66th Street and Columbus Avenue, 2 Lincoln Square Branch; 2 p.m.-3 p.m., Free.

Thursday, September 30

Blood Into Gold: The Cinematic Alchemy of Alejandro Jodorowsky—The Museum of Arts and Design screens Fando Y Lis, one of Chilean guru/filmmaker/comic book writer Jodorowsky’s movies. Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, 212-299-7740; 7 p.m. $7-$10.

By Jerry Portwood

The New York Film Festival, the city’s premiere film fest, has been lambasted over the years for being too exclusive, academic and, as A.O. Scott wrote in the New York Times last year, “as the grimmest in memory.” But recent additions to the programming staff—many of whom are now in their thirties—has shown a marked contrast with what appears to be higher-profile and more mainstream titles. This year’s opening night film, for example, is the hotly anticipated The Social Network from director David Fincher, and the closing night film is Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter, which stars Matt Damon. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t many foreign art films, but it does seem to speak to a broadening of the audience the Festival wishes to attract.

Julie Taymor’s The Tempest will be presented at The New York Film Festival.

One of the newest staff members is 32-year-old Scott Foundas, associate director of programming, who is also a recent transplant from Los Angeles, where he had been the film editor and critic at LA Weekly. Foundas downplays the influence of younger members on the selection committee and says the NYFF has always had a reputation for a broad range of excellent films.

“Godard has been screened during the festival something like 25 times,” Foundas says. “We really look for the cream of the crop. You can come every night and see the best films in the world.”

That may be the case, but the Film Society of Lincoln also presents another daylong series this week, “John Hughes: We Can’t Forget About Him,” which may have never been slated without Foundas’ support. The retrospective of the director’s work takes place Sept. 19, and is a significant achievement for Foundas.

“It’s something I’ve been working on pretty much since day one,” Foundas explains. “One of the fascinating things about John Hughes, for all the post-mortem tributes to him, is that in his lifetime he was not recognized by critics or the industry outside of a commercial base. He was not nominated or received any of the major awards. It’s really only in his death that he’s been appreciated.”

As the organization continues to evolve—with two new spaces set to open early next year—and seeks to attract newer and younger audiences, we will have to wait and see how Foundas and the other members of the selection committee continue to program for new generations of film fans. In the meantime, the world’s cinema awaits.

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Sept. 24-Oct. 10, New York Film Festival, Lincoln Center, www.filmlinc.com/nyff; $20-$40.