Reserve

Reserve Your Event at The Forum

The Forum has hosted events ranging from intimate concert performances to multi-day conferences, with speakers and guests hailing from the greater Harlem community and around the globe. 

In booking events at The Forum, priority is given to events that foster Columbia’s research, educational, and community-building initiatives, namely:

  • academic conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures sponsored by Columbia departments and faculty;
  • workshops, retreats, and conferences that contribute to building knowledge, strengths, and institutional effectiveness within or between Columbia’s divisional units;
  • speakers, conversations, and cultural events that engage diverse communities with new ideas, research, questions, and perspectives;
  • events that celebrate contributions of the Columbia community and its partners;
  • programs that promote the health, well-being, and strengthening of Columbia partnerships, locally and globally.

Prior to submitting a request for space at The Forum, please familiarize yourself with our event spaces, rental rates and services, as well as our policies.

To submit your request, please use the Event Management System (EMS). Visit the links below for more information, or contact us at [email protected] with any questions. Our staff is available to consult with you as you consider The Forum for your next event.

Requesting Space at The Forum

Columbia affiliates, namely faculty and staff, should use Columbia University's Event Management System to request event space at The Forum. 

Prior to submitting a request for space at The Forum, please familiarize yourself with our event spaces, rental rates and services, as well as our policies.

Please note that our reservation book is currently open through June 30, 2025. For events taking place at a later date, please contact The Forum directly.

For step-by-step instructions on how to use EMS, please view the EMS Instructional Guidelines found here

At this time, The Forum is not open to event reservation requests from Student Groups. 

Recognized Student Groups hoping to reserve event space on campus should submit their requests via Columbia Event Management.

As a new Columbia resource, The Forum currently takes reservations from only Columbia affiliates, namely faculty and staff, as well as nonprofit organizations that come through the WHDC application process. We are working on the process and systems for requests from nonaffiliates, and we will share them here once we are ready to consider reservations from organizations outside of the University.

  • Please complete this form to be added to our email list, and we will let you know when we open up for requests from non-Columbia affiliates.

If you are a nonprofit organization, the West Harlem Development Corporation (WHDC) administers applications for in-kind space requests at Columbia University, including The Forum. Please contact WHDC directly for more information about eligibility and the process.

Helpful Resources

For additional guidance as you navigate the reservation process, please review the documents below

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Venue Overview Sheet

Overview of The Forum's room rental rates & maximum occupancy numbers.

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Room Descriptions

Learn more about each of The Forum's rental spaces including the AV options and amenities available in each room. 

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Rates & Services

The Forum's rental rates and list of included services for the 2023-24 school year. 

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Recommended Caterers

The Forum's recommended caterers list includes local, minority-owned, women-owned, and sustainable catering business options.