Coney Island USA
Coney Island USA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization founded in 1980 that is dedicated to the cultural and economic revitalization of the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Headquarters building in the heart of Coney Island's amusement district houses a theater in which the organization presents "Sideshows by the Seashore", a showcase for performers with unusual talents that runs continuously during the warmer months, as well as the Coney Island Museum. The Coney Island Museum features artifacts and memorabilia about the amusement park, beach and neighborhood's history and culture, as well as changing exhibits of art and culture.
Coney Island USA
Jim.henderson · CC0
- Name
- Coney Island USA
- Founded
- 1980
- Headquarters
- Brooklyn
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Coney Island USA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization founded in 1980 that is dedicated to the cultural and economic revitalization of the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Headquarters building in the heart of Coney Island's amusement district houses a theater in which the organization presents "Sideshows by the Seashore", a showcase for performers with unusual talents that runs continuously during the warmer months, as well as the Coney Island Museum. The Coney Island Museum features artifacts and memorabilia about the amusement park, beach and neighborhood's history and culture, as well as changing exhibits of art and culture.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Coney Island USA. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q5159606 · wikipedia · Coney Island USA
In this article
Overview
Overview
The museum is open seasonally.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Coney Island USA • Established — 1980 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. • Type — Art, cultural • Executive Director — Patrick Wall • Director — Adam Rinn, (artistic) • Founder — Costa Mantis, Jane Savitt-Tennen, Dick D. Zigun
History
History
Coney Island USA was founded in 1980 by Costa Mantis, Jane Savitt-Tennen and Dick D. Zigun. Over the years, Coney Island USA has been funded, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York Council for the Humanities, the Brooklyn Borough President, and New York City Council member Mark Treyger and others. In 2025, Coney Island USA joined the Coney Island History Project and other Coney Island community organizations in opposing the casino proposed by Thor Equities for Coney Island. Coney Island USA Executive Director Patrick Wall said of the casino: "We're asking for a giant fort to come and plop down on top of our entire amusement district across three blocks. That's crazy! It's going to keep people locked in, they've got food, they've got accommodations, they've got entertainment. They're never going to come outside, they're never going to give us money." In September 2025, a community advisory committee rejected the casino proposal, effectively ending the plan.
Parade
Parade
Coney Island USA is notable as the organizer of the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade, the first of which took place in 1983.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- United States
Film festival
The Coney Island Film Festival is an annual independent film festival held in Coney Island. It was founded in 2001 and is presented by Coney Island USA.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Thornton, Claire. 'Coney Island stew': Mermaid Parade kicks off summer by embracing the weird. USA TODAY.
- 2.Camille, Jada. Make way for the mermaids! Coney Island USA gears up for 42nd annual Mermaid Parade • Brooklyn Paper. www.brooklynpaper.com. May 14, 2024.
- 3.About Coney Island USA Coney Island USA. August 18, 2021.
- 4.Delaney, Jillian. Coney Island casino hits major roadblock in development. silive. January 26, 2025.
- 5.Hallum, Mark. Thor and Partners Release Scale of Coney Casino Proposal. Commercial Observer. May 16, 2024.
- 6.Staff, Brooklyn Eagle. Coney Island History group fights against plans for casino. Brooklyn Eagle. January 22, 2025.
- 7.Brendlen, Kirstyn. Coney Island community board votes against land use change for proposed casino. www.brooklynpaper.com. January 24, 2025.
- 8.Garber, Nick. Coney Island casino appears dead, continuing string of rejections. Crain's New York Business. September 22, 2025.
- 9.Brendlen, Kirstyn. Coney Island casino bid appears poised to fail as CAC members announce 'no' votes. Brooklyn Paper. September 22, 2025.
- 10.Brooklyn's Beachfront Romance With Cinema Continues at the Coney Island Film Festival. The Brooklyn Rail. August 19, 2024.
- 11.About Coney Island USA. Coney Island USA.
- 12.New York City Department of Finance, Office of the City Register. Declaration of Restrictive Covenant.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Institutions
3,152 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Como Civic Art GalleryOrganisation
- Compton Verney Art GalleryOrganisation
- Condé MuseumOrganisation
- Conejo Valley Art MuseumOrganisation
- Consolidated WorksOrganisation
- Contemporary Art Museum 'Number 8'Organisation
- Contemporary Art Museum of CaracasOrganisation
- Contemporary Art Museum of RaleighOrganisation
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Coney Island USA?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.