Travel

Event & Venue

Living Tamil LitFest — April 3–4 (ET)
Venue: Education and Conference Center, The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM)
Entrance: on 103rd Street (corner of Fifth Ave & 103rd St).

Flying (Nearest Airports)

Nearest major airports: EWR (Newark), LGA (LaGuardia), JFK (Kennedy).

From EWR (Newark)

  • Use NJ TRANSIT rail + AirTrain connections (public transit option).

From LGA (LaGuardia)

  • Take the Q70 LaGuardia Link to Jackson Heights / Roosevelt Av subway connection (Q70 is shown as fare-free for airport terminals in MTA guidance).

From JFK

Take AirTrain JFK to Jamaica, then connect to the subway or LIRR into Manhattan.

Train / Bus (Major Stations)

NYAM provides clear routes from the major hubs below:

  • Penn Station: Take M42 east → transfer to M1/M2/M3/M4 northbound to 103rd → walk west to Fifth Ave; entrance on 103rd.

  • Port Authority: Same route as Penn Station (M42 → M1/M2/M3/M4).

  • Grand Central / Midtown: Use M1/M2/M3/M4 northbound, or connect to the 6 train and exit at 103rd St.

Driving (Parking Guidance)

We recommend public transit if possible. If you drive:

  • Expect limited street parking and higher traffic near Central Park.

  • Consider reserving a garage spot in advance near 1216 Fifth Avenue.

Dress Code

We recommend smart / semi-formal attire for the LitFest. Light layers are encouraged because April weather in NYC can change.

Men

  • Blazers, suits, sport coats (no tie required)

    • Strongly encouraged for anyone who will be on stage

  • Dress shirts

  • Chinos, dress pants, or dark jeans with blazer/sport coat

  • Loafers, dress shoes, or clean leather sneakers

  • Light layers recommended

  • No shorts or chappals

Women

  • Dresses, skirts, or tailored pants

  • Sarees, churidar, blouses, tops, or sweaters with a refined look

  • Blazers, cardigans, or light jackets

  • Flats, low heels, ankle boots, or stylish sneakers

  • No shorts or chappals

Kids

  • Neat, comfortable outfits with a polished touch

  • Shirts, dresses, sweaters, or smart tops

  • Pants, skirts, or dark jeans

  • Clean sneakers or dress-casual shoes

  • Light jackets or layers for cool mornings

Accessibility

  • NYAM indicates the building is wheelchair accessible.

  • For specific access needs (entrance support, elevator routing, seating, etc.), contact NYAM: (212) 822-7200.

Arun Mahizhnan

Advisor

He has spent most of his career in culture and communications fields as practitioner, policy analyst and educator. He works for the Institute of Policy Studies and taught at the National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University. Beyond his professional career, he has been active in serving the Tamil community. Over four decades, he has collaborated with government agencies and community organisations to develop the community’s intellectual and cultural resources. His current project is to launch the first Encyclopedia of Singapore Tamils, an online resource in Tamil and English.