Step inside caffe lena
Many photographers have enjoyed documenting our performances and venue over the years. Joe Alper in the 1960s captured performances by Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Mississippi John Hurt, Tom Paxton, Jean Ritchie, and all the greats of the Folk Revival era. Joe Deuel from the 1970s to today has photographed a stunning variety of artists, from Don McLean and Utah Phillips to Billy Strings and Anais Mitchell. You can find a treasure trove of historic and contemporary Caffe Lena images online. Here are a few of our favorites.
Live Shows
Around the Venue
In the Community
Caffè Lena
Paper-cut lightboxes
We commissioned Brooklyn artist Andrew Benincasa to create a series of three paper-cut lightboxes to serve as the crown jewels of our reborn listening room. Read Andrew’s artist statement here. You can watch the entire creation process in this time-lapse video, with music provided by The East Pointers.
The Storied Tables of Caffe Lena: Preserving the Story and Spirit of a Legendary Venue
By kathleen rehl & charlie pickett
The tables featured between these pages represent $289,000 of donations, a significant portion of the campaign that saved our historic home from the wrecking ball back in 2015 – 2017. These donations were given with genuine love, and with the sincere belief that Caffè Lena has an important role to play in the life of our city, and in the future of folk music. Take a moment to feel that love and hope as you read about Caffè Lena’s storied tables.