Day: January 30, 2025

A ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiled a “first-of-its-kind” cultural hub in Downtown Brooklyn on Tuesday, bringing together a collection of creative institutions under one roof.

The L10 Arts and Cultural Center will feature new cinema and archival space for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), gallery and performance space from the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), 651 ARTS‘ first physical location, and a new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.

“The opening of the L10 Arts and Culture Center represents a monumental investment in the cultural vitality of Downtown Brooklyn and New York City as a whole,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer in a staement. ”This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a vital community hub and will elevate and support the incredible talents of New Yorkers. By prioritizing spaces like L10, we are ensuring that New York City remains a global hub for culture, creativity, and innovation for generations to come.”

The center — built with $84 million in city investment — will occupy a 460,000-square-foot mixed-use tower featuring 76 units of affordable housing and ground-floor retail, including an Apple Store and a Whole Foods.

L10 aims to support the growth of cultural initiatives already underway in Brooklyn. The space is designed to host visual art performances, lectures, exhibitions, and film screenings

MoCADA Culture Lab II has been added to the space, celebrating African and diasporic culture. The new lab will host intergenerational STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) activities and serve as the home of MoCADA Radio, which will broadcast 24 hours a day, highlighting the African diaspora. MoCADA is also planning a series of new initiatives, including the Taste of Brooklyn Food Residency, which will bring together up-and-coming chefs and local businesses to explore African cuisines.

“From music to movies to art, our city’s cultural organizations bring people together, uplift communities, and power our economy. With this $80 million investment in the L10 Arts and Cultural Center, we will do all three,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a statement. “Alongside a record investment in the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and our commitment to expanding the city’s Cultural Institutions Group to support even more cultural organizations, this project is just one of the many ways we are bolstering our cultural sector and making New York City the best place to raise a family.” 

The Brooklyn Public Library’s new Library for Arts & Culture will feature its first branch dedicated exclusively to the arts. The library will offer a curated collection of modern and contemporary art books, international literature, music, plays, and magazines. It also plans to host artist talks, readings, and creative collaborations with artists working within L10.

“This permanent home at 10 Lafayette is a watershed moment in our history,” stated Toya Lillard, executive director of 651 ARTS. “For 37 years, 651 ARTS has been an arts presenter of innovative performing arts from across the African Diaspora, and our new 12,500-square-foot multipurpose facility will be 651 ARTS’ first ever rooted space, our opportunity to boldly declare: the world is our stage but Brooklyn is our home.” 

Cinephiles can also rejoice with the addition of BAM’s Hamm archives, a comprehensive collection of BAM’s documents and recordings of past performances, now open to the public. The space also features two 108-seat cinemas, a 25-person screening room, a state-of-the-art black box theater, workspaces, and the Leon Levy & Shelby White Reading Room.

“Make no mistake, the L10 Arts and Cultural Center is a really big deal,” said New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo at the Jan. 28 ribbon-cutting. “This amazing new facility has been worked toward and dreamed of by the people who made it a reality for a very long time.”

The L10 Arts and Cultural Center is located at 10 Lafayette Ave. in Downtown Brooklyn.