By Lauren Rapp, Brooklyn Paper

A ribbon-cutting ceremony unveiled a “first-of-its-kind” cultural hub in Fort Greene last week, 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, gallery and performance space from the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, 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 statement. ”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.”

MoCADA’s new gallery space.
MoCADA’s new gallery space. Photo by Gregg Richards via Brooklyn Public Library

The center — built with $84 million in city investment — occupies a 460,000-square-foot mixed-use tower featuring 379 apartments (including 76 affordable units) and ground-floor retail, including an Apple Store and a Whole Foods.

Located at 300 Ashland Place at the corner of Flatbush and Lafayette avenues in Fort Greene, the metal-clad building opened in 2016. Back in 2013, when plans for the TEN Arquitectos-designed building were filed, developer Two Trees announced that 50,000 square feet of the building would be dedicated to cultural organizations, including a new branch of the Brooklyn Library. Over the years, the raw spaces sat empty as plans slipped and construction was delayed.

L10 aims to support the growth of cultural initiatives already under way 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.

brooklyn - plaza at 300 ashland with signage for community organizations
The plaza in November of 2024. Photo by Susan De Vries

“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.”

BPL’s new Library for Arts and Culture.
BPL’s new Library for Arts and Culture. Photo by Gregg Richards via Brooklyn Public Library

The Brooklyn Public Library’s new Library for Arts & Culture is the first branch dedicated exclusively to the arts. The library offers 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.”

ribbon cutting
City officials, cultural leaders, and artists celebrated the opening on January 28. Photo by Gregg Richard via Brooklyn Public Library

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 January 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.”

— additional reporting by Cate Corcoran

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here to see the original story.

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