Adam Yarsinsky started Downtown 500 in late 2017 after discovering a community of young visual artists on Twitter. He wanted to create a company that could help give more exposure to these creatives. As Adam was brainstorming ideas for the company, he watched a documentary on the late Jean-Michel Basquiat. He learned that the artists of 1980’s-era SoHo, a large group of artists of all mediums who would hang out together, were referred to as the “Downtown 500.” 

 

In March 2019, Adam interviewed band Courier Club and met guitarist Ryan Conway. After spending some time together, they quickly realized Adam’s vision for Downtown 500 was in line with a project Ryan had been working on. In May 2019, the two officially joined forces to begin crafting Downtown 500 into what it is today.