City officials and staff from four Brooklyn cultural institutions on Tuesday celebrated the opening of the L10 Arts and Culture Center, a multidisciplinary arts hub in Downtown Brooklyn.
Located at 10 Lafayette Ave., the 65,000-square-foot space will host a range of cultural programming and activity from four Brooklyn institutions, including new cinemas and archival space for the Brooklyn Academy of Music; a new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library; a gallery and performance space for the Museum of African Diasporan Art (MoCADA); and rehearsal studios and performance space for 651 ARTS, according to a press release.
The cultural center was developed by New York City Economic Development Corporation and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs with $84 million in city funding.
“Make no mistake – the L10 Arts and Cultural Center is a really big deal!” said Laurie Cumbo, commissioner for the city Department of Cultural Affairs. "Thanks to a historic city investment, New Yorkers now have an incredible new cultural facility and hub that will welcome audiences, drive local economies and serve as a community hub for generations to come."
Programming at L10 will include performances, film screenings, lectures and exhibitions. The Library for Arts & Culture is Brooklyn Public Library's first branch dedicated entirely to the arts. The library will feature a curated collection of international books, music, plays and magazines, as well as modern and contemporary art books and catalogs, and programs that will feature artist talks, readings, performances and collaborations with creators from across L10.
MoCADA expands its campus with the addition of MoCADA Culture Lab II at L10. To serve as the institution's new flagship space, with an adjoining cafe and performance space, it adds MoCADA Radio, a 24-7, free talk and music listening experience, intergenerational STEAM (science, team, engineering, art, math) activities for all ages and introduces a Taste of Brooklyn Food Residency series, which supports celebrated local businesses and emerging chefs who will explore the diverse cuisines of Africa and beyond.
L10 will also host BAM’s Hamm archives – which includes workspaces and the Leon Levy & Shelby White reading room, two 108 seat cinemas, a 25-seat screening room and a state-of-the-art black box theater with seating up to 60 people. Together these spaces create a hub for artists, students and educators to research, experiment and present community-based art and public programming across film, archive and performance.
651 ARTS will use its new permanent home to deepen its programmatic offerings, which include producing and presenting live theater, music and dance, in addition to film screenings, art exhibitions and artist residencies. 651 ARTS will also launch a studio rental program for artists and arts groups.
The cultural center, which was designed by Andrea Steele Architecture and developed by NYC EDC and Two Trees Management, is housed within a larger 460,000-square-foot mixed-use residential tower that opened in the fall of 2017. The building includes housing, an Apple store and a Whole Foods 365 market. Additionally, the building features a public plaza for farmer’s markets, performances and other programming for the local community along with public parking.
“L10 represents an incredible investment in the culture and creativity that make this borough so special,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
