If you've hung around with artists recently -- or at all -- then you've heard someone say, "this is a tough time for the arts." And while it's pretty much always a tough time for the arts -- that's why they're the arts and not, say, arbitrage -- this is New York, which means that there's still plenty of great places to see performances. One of the better-known and generally one of the better of these is the Baryshnikov Arts Center, housed in the John W. Averitt-designed 37 ARTS building in Chelsea. Having living dance legend Mikhail Baryshnikov as part of the brand obviously helps, but BAC also presents very good, very ambitious work. With the news that the BAC's new Jerome Robbins Theater has received unspecified LEED certification, that ambition has crossed over from something my wife (a dancer who works at another awesome modern dance presenter) cares a lot about to something I care a lot about.
The Galapagos Art Space - formerly of Williamsburg - opened last night at 16 Main Street in Brooklyn. The 10,000-square-foot performing arts space will no longer be hosting rock bands, but expect a mix of theater, cabaret, dance, orchestral music, and puppetry in the coming weeks. Galapagos includes a 1600-square-foot indoor lake that helps cool the space and a major design focus was recycled-content material; 90 percent of steel used in construciton was recycled while poured concrete includes 30 percent recycled material. The project is in the midst of pursuing an unspecified LEED rating; when conferred, it would be the first for any performing arts venue in New York City. Check out Brooklyn Based's interview with Galapagos director and founder Robert Elmes via the link below.
