Atelier Artist, a new affordable and inclusive artist and professional creative co-working studio in Central Brooklyn, debuted “Lakay” on Sunday, Sept. 14, showcasing a dozen artists from its residency program.
“We established Brooklyn’s first BIPOC-owned and -operated co-working artist studio with a focus on empowering our community as the first and foremost priority, and the artists featured in our inaugural exhibit reflect that,” co-founder Jonathan Pierre Lafleur told Brooklyn Paper’s sister publication Caribbean Life earlier this month.
He said “Lakay,” the Haitian Kreyòl word for “home,” “emulates the Caribbean diaspora’s sense of home — by boosting culture pride, sense of belonging, and a collective spirit of resilience.
“Just like ‘Lakay’ means a lot more than home to immigrants, we are much more than another studio space — Lakay’s values define Atelier Artist’s mission,” Pierre added.
As a home for creatives, he said the residency provides 24/7 studio access, monthly exhibitions, artist talks, and community-driven programming including healing circles, open mics and mixers.
“By amplifying BIPOC, immigrant, queer, and emerging voices, Atelier Artist aims to serve as a cultural anchor and incubator for Brooklyn’s artistic future,” Pierre said.
“This space was born from our own struggles as artists seeking affordable places to create,” said Franck Henry Godefroy, co-founder and managing partner of Atelier Artist. “We wanted to build a home where our community can thrive, connect, and celebrate its cultural identity without being priced out of the neighborhoods we helped shape.”
“Atelier Artist isn’t just about making space — it’s about reimagining what community-centered creativity looks like,” added Mc Alexander Ciceron, creative director and partner. “Through ‘Lakay,’ we’re amplifying stories that too often go unheard and creating a platform where artists from every background can truly belong.”
The exhibition is on display at Brooklyn Commons’ Clock Tower Loft, 495 Flatbush Ave., in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
This story first appeared on Brooklyn Paper’s sister site Caribbean Life
