Color Factory Chosen to Design New Hudson Square Color Walk Through The New York Forward Investment Initiative
Reported Monday, July 21, 2025.

Photo Credit: Color Factory
NEWSROOM POST: NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Color Factory's Public Interactive Art Trail will run throughout Manhattan’s Hudson Square Neighborhood and is set to debut in 2026
New York, NY – A vibrant new addition is planned for Hudson Square, Lower Manhattan’s bustling creative hub. Color Factory, the immersive art experience celebrating the joy of color, has been chosen as one of six projects to receive NY Forward funding from Governor Hochul as part of an overall Hudson Square revitalization project. Launching in 2026, the Hudson Square Color Walk aims to bring a unique, interactive installation to the streets of the neighborhood.
“This is an opportunity to bring a burst of Color Factory’s creativity into the public sphere,” said Ben Williams, Interim CEO of Color Factory. “Our goal is to design an experience that’s as joyful as it is meaningful and engaging, and open to all.”
“Color Factory has always believed in the power of color to transform spaces into joyful moments,” said Susan Retterbush, Chief Design Officer of Color Factory. “Our team is thrilled to be bringing this new project to life, celebrating the uniqueness that is Hudson Square through collaboration with our neighbors.”
Funded through New York State’s NY Forward initiative, the $600,000 commissioned project consists of multiple vibrant installations scattered throughout the neighborhood. Together, the installations serve as a walkable, interactive journey, inviting visitors to explore public spaces through the lenses of color, play, and community storytelling.

Photo Credit: Color Factory
“Thanks to funding from Governor Hochul and Color Factory’s vision, Hudson Square is poised to enliven our streetscape with vibrant public art,” said Samara Karasyk, President & CEO of the Hudson Square Business Improvement District. “This project celebrates what Hudson Square is all about by championing the creativity and diversity of the neighborhood, while shining a light on our unique local businesses, cultural anchors, and vibrant open spaces. We’re excited to bring this color map to life and can’t wait for our community to experience Hudson Square in a new way.”
Hudson Square, long known for its industrial past and now a hub for creative industries, offers a unique setting for urban cross-disciplinary collaboration. The Hudson Square Color Walk also supports the Hudson Square BID’s ongoing efforts to activate public space and enhance the neighborhood’s walkability.
“This project underscores our mission to bring our award-winning experience to new spaces,” said Williams. “We’re thrilled to be bringing new hues to Hudson Square in 2026.”
For additional information or to purchase tickets to Color Factory itself, please visit: https://www.colorfactory.co/new-york-city or follow along on social at https://www.instagram.com/colorfactoryco.

Photo Credit: Color Factory
About Color Factory
Voted USA TODAY’S #1 Best Immersive Art Experience two years running, Color Factory is an interactive art experience that invites visitors to experience the joy of color through multi-sensory installations, immersive rooms, and carefully curated moments. In each of our locations, Color Factory collaborates with artists, art institutions, nonprofits, and brand partners to bring more art and color to the world. Since our 2017 launch with a temporary space in San Francisco, Color Factory has grown into a series of permanent locations in New York, Houston, and Chicago.
At the core of Color Factory’s mission and work are our partner artists. These creatives, designers, and makers tell their unique stories through site-specific exhibits created just for Color Factory. Our experiences are thoughtfully designed to awaken natural curiosity and encourage uninhibited play. Every hue is hand-selected and paired with a sensory experience to unleash the full power and impact of color. Inspired by the cities that we call home, we create custom palettes for each of our locations and work to identify local charities and businesses to support and give back to the community.
Since 2018, Color Factory has immersed New Yorkers through art and color with experiences that engage all the senses, including installations and local artist partnerships across 12 exhibits. Color Factory New York assembles a roster of renowned artists, designers and creatives to tell their unique color stories and collaborate on participatory installations. Color Factory wants all its visitors to experience artful wonder and to engage their senses in unexpected ways. Above all, Color Factory seeks to make the joy of art and color accessible.
To learn more, visit www.colorfactory.co or follow along on social media.