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Arts & Culture

Photo: Kate Glicksberg

Anniversaries, Expansions & Openings

  • The Shed | Manhattan | April 2019
    • The first arts center designed to commission, produce and present interdisciplinary arts, with an outer shell that contracts and expands on wheels.
  • Webster Hall | Manhattan | April 2019
    • Built in 1886, the famed East Village music venue was renovated by BSE Global and The Bowery Presents and reopened with a buzzy performance by Jay-Z.
  • Alice Austen House | Staten Island | May 2019
    • The museum, a national site of LGBTQ+ historic significance, reopened with a multi-year exhibition highlighting the works of Alice Austen, one of America’s earliest and most renowned female photographers.
  • The Statue of Liberty Museum | Liberty Island | May 2019
    • The museum, with a green roof offering views of the statue and Lower Manhattan, is free to enter with a Statue Cruises ticket. Climate controlled for all seasons, it features Bartholdi’s workshop replica, the original torch and an immersive theater.
  • High Line Spur | Manhattan | June 2019
    • The preserved, last remaining part of the original rail structure. The focal point is the Plinth, a series of rotating art, with Brick House by Simone Leigh on view through September 2020.
  • Posterhouse | Manhattan | June 2019
    • First US museum dedicated to the global medium that appeared in the 1800s as a persuasive form of visual communication often utilized in politics and advertising.
  • Artechouse NYC | Manhattan | September 2019
    • Chelsea Market’s digital arts space features multimedia exhibits connecting art, science and technology. The latest, Submerge, is inspired by Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year, classic blue.
  • BAM Strong | Brooklyn | October 2019
    • Three Fort Greene cultural centers are united with this block-long expansion. The 115-year-old Harvey Theater balcony is now accessible via elevator, along with the debut of a dedicated visual arts space.
  • Museum of Modern Art | Manhattan | October 2019
    • The museum reopened after an expansion by one-third and complete reinstallation of all art in a more integrated fashion, featuring new gallery and performance space.
  • Faurschou New York | Brooklyn | December 2019
    • This permanent exhibition in Greenpoint showcases large-scale installations and experiential works from Danish art collector Jens Faurschou’s collection, with inaugural exhibits covering war, politics, hope, longing.
  • Fotografiska New York | Manhattan | December 2019
    • A Stockholm-originated, photography-centric cultural organization will open in a landmarked Flatiron building complete with a distinct dining concept by Stephen Starr and dedicated events space.
  • American Museum of Natural History 150th Anniversary | Manhattan | 2019–20
    • The anniversary programming includes a refreshed T. rex: The Ultimate Predator, a new planetarium show, and the fall 2020 reopening of the completely redesigned Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals.
  • International Center of Photography (ICP) | Manhattan | January 2020
    • ICP’s new integrated center at Essex Crossing features exhibition galleries, media labs, classrooms, darkrooms and shooting studios, as well as an extensive research library, shop and café.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art 150th Anniversary | Manhattan | 2020
    • The historic celebration will kick off with the reopening of the British Galleries on March 2 and Making The Met, 1870–2020—on view from March 30–August 2—which will showcase 250+ works and chronicle the transformation since opening in 1870.
    • A commemoration on April 13 and public events June 4–6 are also planned. Collections galleries will display works gifted in honor of the historic occasion and Crossroads will include a new series of installations drawn from the permanent collection.
  • New York Public Library 15th Anniversary | Manhattan | 2020
    • The celebration of the third-largest library in the world includes the Made at NYPL exhibition at the iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building in Bryant Park through July 3, special programming and the reopening of the largest circulating branch, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, in Midtown on May 17.
  • NYCxDESIGN | Citywide | May 12–20, 2020
    • This annual celebration of design includes 400+ events, including citywide activations in all five boroughs, featuring local and international designers across more than a dozen artistic disciplines.
  • Dia: | Manhattan | September 2020, Fall 2022
    • Originated in NYC in 1974, the foundation—dedicated to contemporary art in industrial spaces—will expand its presence in Chelsea (2020) and Soho (2022). Admission will be free.
  • Apollo Performing Arts Center | Manhattan | Fall 2020
    • The nonprofit theater is expanding for the first time, with the Victoria Theater Redevelopment Project that will introduce two new stages, a hotel and more, creating an arts campus in Harlem.
  • The Morgan Library & Museum | Manhattan | Fall 2020
    • The preservation project of the landmark library’s Neoclassical exterior is the first in its 112-year history. A new garden and lighting will refresh the southern campus. The library will remain open throughout the restoration.
  • Bronx Music Hall | The Bronx | Winter 2020
    • A 250-seat music venue will honor the Bronx’s diverse musical legacy as El Condado de la Salsa and the birthplace of hip-hop, set within a mixed-use community.
  • Bronx Children’s Museum | The Bronx | 2020
    • The Powerhouse facility, steps from Yankee Stadium, will serve nearly 75,000 children annually when it opens with a café and programming to celebrate curiosity.
  • Irish Arts Center | Manhattan | 2020
    • A new building—currently under construction in Hell’s Kitchen—will join the existing historic center for performance, visual arts and education centered on Ireland and the Irish in America.
  • Jackie Robinson Museum | Manhattan | 2020
    • Celebrating the baseball legend’s contributions to the civil rights movement, the new cultural organization in Soho will include a 75-seat theater, two flexible galleries to host traveling exhibits, a classroom and more.
  • The Africa Center | Manhattan | 2021
    • With public programming, certain exhibits and a restaurant now open, this hub for understanding and engaging with Africa, its diaspora and the role of people of African descent will complete construction of its 70,000-square-foot center for culture, business and public policy.
  • American Museum of Natural History | Manhattan | 2021
    • The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, a new building adding exhibition galleries, classrooms, an immersive theater and a redesigned library, will place emphasis on insects, butterflies and 4 million specimens.
    • The museum will also unveil a restored Northwest Coast Hall, dedicated to indigenous anthropology.
  • Snug Harbor Music Hall | Staten Island | May 2021
    • A $20 million renovation of the 1892 structure—NYC’s second-oldest after Carnegie Hall—is underway and will include a new annex with dressing rooms, event space and an accessible orchestra pit and stage.
  • Museum of Broadway | Manhattan | TBC
    • The pop-up in Times Square will detail NYC’s Theatre District transition from Lower Manhattan to Midtown, how a show is made and theatrical eras.
  • The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center | Manhattan | TBC
    • The 138-foot-tall cubed-shaped venue at the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan will be made of translucent marble and glass that will glow amber at night. The Perelman Center will be a multidisciplinary performing arts center, offering artists the opportunity to create boundary-pushing work.
  • The New Museum | Manhattan | 2022
    • A new seven-story, 60,000-square-foot building will connect to the current museum, doubling the exhibition space and providing three additional floors of galleries, as well as programming and community spaces.
  • Palace Theatre | by TSX Broadway | Manhattan | 2022
    • This landmark theater is undergoing a $50 million rehabilitation, including being physically lifted more than 30 feet to its new home within TSX Broadway.
  • The Met Fifth Avenue | Manhattan | 2023
    • In 2020, a $70 million renovation will break ground to transform the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Galleries into a cohesive wing.

Exhibitions, Events & Performances

  • Jacques-Louis David Meets Kehinde Wiley  at Brooklyn Museum | Brooklyn | January 24–May 10, 2020
    • For the first time, Kehinde Wiley’s Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps will be on view alongside its original inspiration by Jacques-Louis David, emphasizing the painting’s commentary on race, masculinity, power and representation.
  • Tyler Mitchell: I Can Make You Feel Good  at ICP | Manhattan | January 25–May 18, 2020
    • An inaugural exhibit at ICP’s new space, this exploration of black joy and utopia is the first US exhibition by Brooklyn-based photographer Tyler Mitchell, who made history photographing Beyoncé for the cover of American Vogue in 2018.
  • Beethoven Celebration  at Carnegie Hall | Manhattan | January 30–June 12, 2020
    • Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, the iconic venue presents an exploration of his work in performances throughout the season, including artists such as Yo-Yo Ma.
  • Project 19  at New York Philharmonic | Manhattan | February 5–June 13, 2020
    • Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the US 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, 19 women were commissioned to write 19 new pieces that are premiering at Lincoln Center.
  • Measure Your Existence  at Rubin Museum of Art | Manhattan | February 7–August 10, 2020
    • Based on the Buddhist concept of impermanence, or constant change, this exhibit features works by six contemporary artists that invite visitors to participate and experience time-based installations.
  • Other Points of View  at Leslie–Lohman Museum of Art | Manhattan | February 8–May 17, 2020
    • Through the perspective of View magazine, the exhibit explores the mid-20th-century artistic scene in America to discuss modernism and diversity, including queerness, in the art world.
       
  • City/Game: Basketball in New York  at Museum of the City of New York | Manhattan | Opens February 14, 2020–January 18, 2020
    • This exhibit showcases original ephemera, photography, audio and video that connects the development of basketball to NYC’s culture, music, fashion, economy and history.
  • Gerhard Richter: Painting After All  at The Met Breuer | Manhattan | March 4–July 5, 2020
    • This exhibit showcases the breadth of the renowned German painter through works from his decades-long career, including multiple series making their US debuts.
  • Women of the Nation Arise! at Staten Island Museum | Staten Island | Opening March 7, 2020
    • Celebrating the centennial of the 19th amendment, a pivotal moment for women’s voting rights in the United States, this exhibit explores Staten Island’s role in the suffrage movement.
  • Studio 54: Night Magic  at Brooklyn Museum | Brooklyn | March 13–July 5, 2020
    • Photos, costume designs and films chronicle the history, activism and influential looks of the iconic NYC nightclub from Prohibition through the 1970s.
  • African/American: Making the Nation's Table  at The Africa Center through the Museum of Food and Drink | Manhattan | Opening April 3, 2020
    • The country’s first major exhibition celebrating black chefs, farmers and producers will be anchored by the historic Ebony Magazine Test Kitchen and a 30-foot-long Legacy Quilt with 400 blocks telling stories of African American culinary innovators.
  • Bruce Davidson: People in Public Places  at Queens Museum | Queens | April 5–August 16, 2020
    • This exhibit focuses on “private moments seen in public spaces” in photos by American photographer Bruce Davidson, a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson who redefined documentary photography.
  • Niki de Saint Phalle: Structures for Life  at MoMA PS1 | Queens | April 5–September 7, 2020
    • With 100 works by the French American feminist, activist and artist Niki de Saint Phalle, this colorful and multidisciplinary exhibit reflects on social and political issues.
  • Sanford Biggers: Code Switch  at Bronx Museum of the Arts | The Bronx | April 8–September 6, 2020
    • The first survey of the award-winning artist, this exhibit features 60 quilt-based mixed-media paintings and sculptures informed by African American history and traditions.
  • Blue  at Apollo Theater | Manhattan | April 27–August 16, 2020
    • A revival of Charles Randolph-Wright's play originally planned for Broadway, Blue is a story of class set in the 1970s, infused with jazz and soul music, that will premiere on the historic Harlem stage.
  • Tomás Saraceno: Particular Matter(s)  at The Shed | Manhattan | May 6–August 9, 2020
    • This exhibit focuses on the Argentinian artist’s concerns about climate change in immersive visual art installations centering on spiders, their webs and the cosmic web.
  • About Time: Fashion and Duration  at The Met Fifth Avenue | Manhattan | May 7–September 7, 2020
    • The Costume Institute’s spring exhibit looks at fashion from 1870 to the present as part of The Met’s 150th anniversary celebration, featuring black and white ensembles and “ghost narration” by Virginia Woolf.
  • KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature  at New York Botanical Garden | The Bronx | May 9–November 1, 2020
    • Featuring new works created specifically for the exhibition, the internationally renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama will create multiple installations engaging with nature.
  • Hamlet at Park Avenue Armory | Manhattan | June 2–August 15, 2020
    • Following sold-out runs at London’s Almeida Theatre and in London’s West End, Robert Icke’s production takes a modern approach to the Shakespearean classic.
  • Triennial of Asia: We Do Not Dream Alone  An Asia Society Initiative| Manhattan | Spring 2020
    • This inaugural festival of art, ideas and innovation will feature a multi-venue exhibition, policy discussions, forums and performances themed We Do Not Dream Alone.
  • Jasper Johns  at the Whitney Museum of American Art| Manhattan | October 28, 2020–February 21, 2021
    • Part of a dual-museum retrospective with the Philadelphia Museum of Art on this influential American artist, the exhibit includes paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, many shown publicly for the first time.
  • Day's End  at Whitney Museum of American Art | Manhattan | Fall 2020
    • This permanent public art by David Hammons will honor Gordon Matta-Clark's 1975 artwork with a structure in Hudson River Park. Concurrent exhibits, neighborhood tours and a podcast series will lead up to the opening and celebrate the area’s artists and LGBTQ+ history.
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