A new arts and cultural center has opened in Downtown Brooklyn, and will serve as a hub for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), a brand new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA), and 651 Arts.
The L10 Arts and Cultural Center is located at 10 Lafayette Avenue and was developed with $84 million in city funding. The 65,000 square foot center is located in a mixed-use building with 76 affordable housing units, as well as the Downtown Brooklyn Apple store and a Whole Foods on the ground level. The building is adjacent to The Plaza at 300 Ashland, a public space that will host outdoor L10 performances and programs in the future.
The center will be home to the newest branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, and the first one to be entirely focused on the arts, with a collection of international books, music, plays, magazines, and art catalogues. The library has a reading room and an event space that will host readings, debates, and performances. They will even host pre- and post-performance talks for institutions also located within L10.
The library branch is now open, and hours are Monday through Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-3pm, closed on Sundays. There is no kids section, but it is a great place for adults to work. You cannot place books on hold for pick-up at this location; however, you can drop off any Brooklyn Public Library books to be returned. There is also an outdoor terrace adjacent to the library.
MoCADA’s “Culture Lab II” will open in May 2025, and will feature a new gallery, performance spaces, and a cafe (the cafe’s opening date is still TBA). The Culture Lab will be home to the 24/7 MoCADA Radio, STEAM programs for all ages, and a new Taste of Brooklyn Food Residency series, featuring cuisine of the African Diaspora.
L10 will also be home to BAM’s Hamm archives, with documents and recordings of past performances, plus workspaces and a reading room. BAM will also have two new 108-seat theaters and a 25-seat screening room. These new facilities are expected to open in Fall 2025.
Finally, the arts organization 651 ARTS has its first permanent home in the L10 center. For 35 years, the organization has presented performing arts from the African Diaspora, and will now have its own rehearsal studios, a gallery, and a blackbox theater space. 651 Arts already hosted its inaugural dance performances in January to sold-out audiences. Their upcoming play Thoughts of a Colored Man will be presented February 14 & 15 at L10; you can purchase tickets here.
Updated: February 1, 2025.
