The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is excited to usher in 2024 by presenting a season that honors the power of artistic community. Engagements for the new year include fresh music from Caetano Veloso; Mark Morris’ The Look of Love; a special program from Alvin Ailey; visionary queer performers Taylor Mac, Matt Ray, and Machine Dazzle; powerful hip-hop artists for Word. Sound. Power.; Long Play Festival concerts; a seminal Jeffrey Wright film retrospective, and others.
"This spring audiences of every age will experience a range of music, dance, theater, film, hip-hop, poetry, and exhibitions that elevate unsung voices, redefine genres, and radiate joy," said BAM's Interim Artistic Director, Amy Cassello. "I'm thrilled to invite everyone to join us in this season of collective creativity."
BAM’s spring film programming will highlight a vibrant range of works from directors around the globe and an illuminating look at women in media. Beginning February 11, BAM will present American Fiction: The Characters of Jeffrey Wright. From his first starring film role as artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, to his latest appearance as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison in American Fiction, BAM celebrates Wright’s exceptional contributions to cinema. The line-up will start with Basquiat (1996) on January 10.
Rounding out the season are two BAMkids live performances. The beloved BAMkids Film Festival will return to the delight of young film fans in February.
"We deeply appreciate the generosity of Bloomberg Philanthropies and all of our donors as we continue our commitment to adventurous art, artists, and audiences," said BAM President, Gina Duncan. "The overwhelming support of our civic leaders, council members, community representatives, and elected officials allows us to present programming that’s as expansive as the community we serve."
The first performance of the year will be the 38th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., presented by BAM and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso on January 15, 2024. Brooklyn will honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s radical spirit with music, performances, and an invigorating call to action. Experience unity and empowerment as artists, activists, civic leaders, and our Brooklyn community gather to celebrate the tenacious individuals who continue Dr. King’s relentless pursuit of equality and justice. Additional free events will take place throughout the day. Keynote speaker, musical guests, and more details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Bark of Millions will have its United States Premiere from February 5 to 10. A powerhouse collective of international artists ignite an electrifying collision of performance, live music, and drag spectacle in the latest from theater-making renegades Taylor Mac, Matt Ray, and Machine Dazzle. Part rock opera, part reimagined pride parade, Bark of Millions features 55 original songs – one to mark each year since the landmark Stonewall Uprising—in an exploration of humanity through a queer lens. Co-directed by Taylor Mac with the award-winning visionaries Niegel Smith and Faye Driscoll, and with the extravagance of Machine Dazzle’s costume design, this joyous epic is brought to life by an international ensemble of 22 artists.
The Look of Love, An Evening of Dance to the Music of Burt Bacharach, from Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble will have its New York Premiere on March 20. Mark Morris teams up again with musical collaborator Ethan Iverson for The Look of Love, a wistful and heartfelt homage to the chart-topping songs of Burt Bacharach which premiered to acclaim in 2022 at the Kennedy Center. A towering figure of popular music, Bacharach is known for his soaring melodies and unique orchestrations influenced by jazz, rock, and Brazilian music—his longtime lyricist Hal David providing unsentimental, poignant lyrics.
BAM in association with World Music Institute presents Caetano Veloso will take place April 3 and 4. Brazil’s most celebrated musician, Caetano Veloso returns to BAM where he’ll sing from the album Meu Coco, his latest and first solo album of new songs in almost a decade. Over an illustrious five-decade career, the father of Tropicália has proved himself as both a piercing social commentator and a romantic balladeer, drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as The Beatles, concrete poetry, the French Dadaists, and Brazilian modernist poets. Playful, tender, and uncompromising, this new album finds Veloso as original as ever.
Word. Sound. Power. 2024: SOUND—Rhythm is Rhythm will take place April 19 and 20. Experience the electrifying collision of wordsmiths, beats, and the relentless spirit of hip-hop at Word. Sound. Power 2024. This annual hip-hop and spoken word showcase transcends performances, immersing audiences in politically charged artistry. The program stands as a testament to the enduring influence of hip-hop, where the rhythm of protest meets the melody of storytelling.
The Long Play Festival will take place from May 3 to 5, the full schedule, venues and ticket information are to be announced soon. BAM welcomes Bang on a Can for its third annual Long Play festival featuring 50+ concerts that bring musicians and audiences together for “a supercharged musical ride through right now." Long Play also showcases a dense network of inventive music venues throughout Brooklyn with performances at Roulette, Public Records, BRIC, Murmrr, Irondale Center for the Arts, The Center for Fiction, plus outdoor events and more.
DanceAfrica 2024 will take place May 24 to 27. BAM’s corner of Fort Greene transforms into a celebration of community, discovery, and collective joy at this beloved annual festival. BAM, the DanceAfrica Council of Elders, and partners at Weeksville Heritage Center and The Billie Holiday Theater (formerly Restoration Arts) come together to create the nation’s largest festival of African dance—and Brooklyn’s unofficial start of summer. Featuring the iconic outdoor bazaar, traditional dance and music from Cameroon, classes, workshops, late-night dance parties, and FilmAfrica’s lineup of cinematic gems, this can’t-miss cultural celebration electrifies Brooklyn for the 47th year.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be stopping at BAM from June 4 to 9. The iconic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrating its 65th anniversary brings its passionate energy and dazzling technique back to BAM with a program of recent works, and classic audience favorites, —including Alvin Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations. Ailey’s long-standing relationship with BAM began in 1969 when the trailblazing choreographer established The Ailey School in Brooklyn and presented his company’s first BAM performances. The company remains a vital force in New York City—and around the globe.
Tickets go on sale for the general public on December 14.
