Author: Cornershop

Woodlands Youth Crew Completes New Park Trail

September 10, 2021

Visiting the park this fall, you may notice a scenic addition in the heart of our woodlands—a rustic trail just off Center Drive that invites visitors to slow their pace and meander into parts unknown. 

The work to restore this woodland area and create a new trail was work of the 2021 summer cohort of the Prospect Park Alliance Woodlands Youth Crew, one of our signature youth employment programs that provides local teens with employment, training, mentorship and professional experience in environmental conservation and park stewardship. The program was funded this summer through the generous support of NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, whose longstanding partnership with the Alliance and essential work during the pandemic will be honored on September 30 at the Prospect Park Alliance Gala.

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Pictured: at top, Paul Lubrun and Kayla Green; above left, Phil Lubrun, right, Jeshua Figueroa and Paul Lubrun.

The work of the Woodlands Youth Crew is an essential part of the Alliance’s work to restore and sustain Brooklyn’s last remaining forest. The semicircular route created this summer by the crew features a never-before-seen view of the top of the Lullwater, previously inaccessible to park visitors. “This area was a complete vine-land, with invasive plants everywhere—you couldn’t see the water at all,” says Kate Abrams, the Alliance Woodlands Youth Crew Manager. “But there is also so much good stuff in here, witch hazels, red maples, oaks and sumacs, and the idea of the trail just came together.” 

On a recent summer afternoon, the crew members were proud to point out the work they had done to transform this part of the park. Heaping compost piles were a testament to the volume of invasive vines that the crew had removed, and mulched paths with cedar railings were getting their finishing touches. “We’ve been getting lots of passersby saying thank you,” says Philip Lubrun, a crew member since 2016 who is now back for his second year as a supervisor. “This was my first job, and it comes naturally to me now. I’ve learned about planting, carpentry, invasive removal—it’s opened up a lot of opportunities for me…this is not the type of job you find everywhere.” 

“This is a great crew and the teamwork over time is the best thing to see,” says Abrams, “hopefully this path opens up possibilities for this area—people already seem to really appreciate it and the kids are really proud of what they’ve done.”

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A peek at the new trail, off Center Drive in Prospect Park.

Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance’s Woodlands Youth Crew.

c. Frederick Charles

Prospect Park’s NYC Climate Week 2021 Events

The effects of climate change are being felt near and far, including in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. During NYC Climate Week, September 20-26, join Prospect Park Alliance for virtual and in-person events to learn more and lend a hand in Brooklyn’s Backyard:

c. Elizabeth Keegin Colley

The Last Stand: An Experimental Opera for Trees

August 12, 2021

Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks Art in the Parks is partnering with Creative Time to present artist Kamala Sankaram’s first public artwork, The Last Stand, in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

On view September 18–October 10, this public sound installation and experimental opera for and about trees invites audiences to consider the complex and expansive life cycle of one of our most vital natural resources. 

Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest with more than 30,000 trees and many species of native flora that are an integral habitat to the hundreds of species of birds and wildlife.

“Since our founding in 1987, Prospect Park Alliance has played a critical role in revitalizing the park’s 250 acres of core woodlands,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance and Park Administrator. “The park’s 30,000 trees are the ‘lungs’ of Brooklyn and are vital to our community’s health and well-being. We are so pleased to be hosting The Last Stand, and drawing attention to the importance of trees to our environment and future.”

The Last Stand chronicles the lifespan of a 300-year-old Northern Red Oak—the “Mother Tree”—from the years 1750–2050. The rich soundscape tells the story of the Mother Tree in Black Rock Forest, a nearly 4,000-acre diverse ecosystem in upstate New York with tree species tracing back 14,000 years. Sankaram personally created field recordings of the environment to develop sounds for the installation, which will be experienced through rhythms, looped sounds, and the physical vibrations they generate.

“In the wake of this year’s catastrophic heat, storms, and floods, the immediacy of the climate emergency has only become clearer. We can no longer hold ourselves separate from the world around us. Rather, to stave off the most devastating effects of climate change, we must recognize the interconnectedness of humankind with our delicate world and all the living beings that inhabit it. It is my hope that by allowing ourselves to try and step inside the perspective of a tree, to experience its different intelligence and sense of time, we can rekindle this sense of connection,” said Kamala Sankaram. 

Over the course of 10 hours, the opera spans the Mother Tree’s life from acorn to its “last stand,” the final burst of life-giving energy a tree gives to its vast forest life network before it dies. Trees and visitors will experience sounds native to the natural environment, including animal and tree canopy noises, as well as sounds that mimic moments of life-altering tragedy, including invasions from non-native insects to human-induced threats such as excess rain, logging, and fire. Finally, the narrative carries the audience into the future with sounds that hint at the catastrophic effects of climate change, calling attention to the symbiotic and sometimes negative relationships within ecosystems.

The Last Stand is the winner of Creative Time’s 2021 Emerging Artist Open Call, which offers the opportunity for an artist to create their first-ever public artwork. Lead Project Support for The Last Stand is generously provided by Costa Brazil.

Learn more about The Last Stand, on view in Prospect Park from September 18–October 10, 2021.

Walking Tour of New Park Features

July 21, 2021

Prospect Park’s 585 acres boast a variety of picturesque destinations, delightful nature elements, and important architectural features, shaped by 150+ years of history. For those interested in learning more, Turnstile Tours offers in-park tours weekly to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at Brooklyn’s Backyard. Learn more and book your tour today. 

Prospect Park Alliance has recently completed work on a few exciting projects around the park, and we’ve put together a self-guided walking tour for you to enjoy during your next park visit. Let’s get started!

Endale Arch (directions) Above, the newly restored Endale Arch in Prospect Park, c. Paul Martinka.

Entering the park from Grand Army Plaza, head in through the pathway furthest on the left, closest to the Brooklyn Public Library. Follow the path to the newly restored Endale Arch, a transporting portal out of the concrete of the city and into the peaceful landscape of the park.

Endale Arch was one of the first architectural elements constructed in Prospect Park in the 1860’s, conceived of by park creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. In recent decades, the arch had fallen into disrepair, and Prospect Park Alliance undertook a restoration that completed in 2020. Now, fully restored to it’s original splendor, visitors can enjoy the alternating color motif and fine craftsmanship of the arch with the added benefit of new LED lighting that illuminates the interior. The result is a breathtaking window into Prospect Park’s historic past—learn more about the Endale Arch. 

Flatbush Entrance Dec 2020
New Flatbush Avenue Entrance, c. Svetlana Ragulina.

Flatbush Avenue Entrance (directions)

Head south down the path by the Long Meadow, and cross the Park Drive at Nellie’s Lawn. Follow the path into the woods and you’ll arrive and Prospect Park’s first new entrance to be added to the park since the 1940’s. The Flatbush Avenue Entrance was funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio through the Parks Without Borders initiative, and was designed by Prospect Park Alliance.

The entrance, which opened in early 2021 features new landscaping, seating and lighting, two rock scrambles, and plantings of a variety of resilient trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. It is the only park entrance that leads directly into the woodlands, and provides easy access to the Rose Garden and Vale of Cashmere. Learn more about the contruction and features of the new Flatbush Avenue Entrance. 

PPA Concert Grove Pavilion 029.JPG
Newly restored Concert Grove Pavilion, c. Paul Martinka.

Concert Grove Pavilion (directions)

Continue south, either along the Park Drive or on the paths that meander through the Ravine. Pass the Boathouse and arrive at the newly restored Concert Grove Pavilion. The Pavilion was designed by Calvert Vaux in 1874 and borrows motifs from Hindu, Chinese, Moorish and Egyptian architecture. The Pavilion—a beloved community destination, was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1974, but the elaborate cast iron columns were salvaged and the pavilion was restored for the first time in 1988, and again in 2021.

Through this current restoration, the Alliance brought back beautiful features including elaborately detailed wooden trim and moldings at the eaves of the roof, terne-coated, stainless-steel roof shingles, and new high-efficiency light fixtures illuminate a beautiful star-patterned, stained-glass ceiling in the center dome and light the surrounding landscape. Learn more about the restoration of the Concert Grove Pavilion. 

Interested in learning about more of Prospect Park Alliance’s work? Visit our Capital Project Tracker to stay up-to-date on improvement projects in the park. 

C. Jordan Rathkopf

2021 Summer Movies Announced

Summer is back in Prospect Park with the return of its annual outdoor movie series, A Summer Movie Under the Stars, this year presented by SHOWTIME® and hosted by Brooklyn Magazine,  Prospect Park Alliance and the office of the Brooklyn Borough President. The series kicks off Thursday, August 5, and runs for four consecutive Thursdays through August 26, at the north end of the Prospect Park Long Meadow.

RSVP to let us know if you plan on attending!

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This year, the series dives into nostalgic classics and feel-good fan favorites for all ages. The month-long series lineup includes The Goonies, Jumanji: The Next Level, Black Panther and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The themes throughout deal with connectivity, perseverance, friendship, self-empowerment, creativity and fantasy—exactly what everyone needs right now.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brooklynites from across the borough back to our ‘Summer Movie Under the Stars’ event at Prospect Park. This year’s amazing lineup of films offers fun for the whole family. I thank the Prospect Park Alliance, SHOWTIME, and Brooklyn Magazine for partnering with our office to put on this event, and hope you all can join us to enjoy some free cinema in Brooklyn’s communal backyard,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“What better sign that summer is back in Prospect Park than the return of our beloved annual movie series,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “We are so appreciative of SHOWTIME, Brooklyn Magazine, and the Brooklyn Borough President for bringing this series to Prospect Park for another season of outdoor fun.”

The films will begin shortly after sundown at the north end of the Prospect Park Long Meadow, located nearest to the Grand Army Plaza entrance. The closest subway stations are the Grand Army Plaza and the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum stops on the 2, 3 lines or the B41 bus lines.

NOTE: Due to predicted storms, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, originally scheduled for July 29, has been rescheduled to August 26.

The full lineup:

The Goonies (1985)
August 5
A group of young misfits discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate’s long-lost treasure in this Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg classic. 

Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)
August 12
The crew is back, but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the Jumanji players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

Black Panther (2018)
August 19
T’Challa, heir to the advanced yet hidden kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from the past.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
August 26
Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers after a radioactive spider bite. Miles transforms into Spider-Man, but there’s an interdimensional twist when he learns that he is not alone with his otherworldly gifts.

RSVP now to let us know you’re attending the summer film series at Prospect Park. This event is free and open to the public, and RSVPs are not required for entry. 

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Brittany Buongiorno

Caring for the Park’s 30,000 Trees

July 13, 2021

Prospect Park is home to more than 30,000 trees of more than 175 species. A key focus of the non-profit Prospect Park Alliance’s mission is to sustain and restore the park’s natural areas, including the woodland Ravine and the park’s historic watercourse and lake, which suffered from significant erosion and neglect prior to the Alliance’s founding. This commitment represents a $15 million investment over the past three decades, which has encompassed nearly 200 acres of woodlands, and the planting and ongoing care of more than 500,000 trees, plants and shrubs.

Prospect Park Alliance’s Forester, Michael Marino, sat down for a chat about the importance of our caring for the park’s trees and how they contribute to our community’s well being and quality of life. 

Recently, a generous grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provided the Alliance with the opportunity to survey roughly half the park’s trees to shed light on their significant impact on Brooklyn’s quality of life, and to create a forest management plan. Through the survey, the Alliance discovered that the surveyed trees alone provide more than $2 million in annual environmental benefits: removing 21,000 pounds of pollutants and 3,000 tons of greenhouse gases from the air, and saving 1,300 megawatt hours of energy consumption and 22 million gallons of stormwater runoff from the city sewer system. 

“A lot of my work involves the care of recently planted trees,” said Marino. “The work you do when a tree is young will impact the rest of its life.” Trees, like many other living organisms, can experience and express pain, but often it takes years before the signs of pain and stress are apparent to those who care for them. “The culmination of stress on a tree can show up 20 years later.”

The primary source of funding for planting new trees in the park is the Alliance’s commemorative tree program. “We plant about 100 trees a year for community members, to celebrate a loved one or special occasion or simply to give back to the park,” Michael explained. Donors have a variety of different tree planting options in order to honor a loved one, including a special Arbor Day program. Prospect Park Alliance conducts commemorative tree plantings each fall and spring. Through this program, roughly 1,100 trees have been planted over the past 30 years.

When asked about simple things park patrons can do to help ensure the health of the trees in the park, Michael had a few tips. Climbing trees and hanging hammocks are damaging to the trees. While climbing a tree in a private backyard isn’t necessarily damaging, in a public area thousands of people doing this activity daily is. He also spoke at length about soil compaction. “Whenever you see large dead patches around trees, or the ground is very hard and flat, the tree is not getting enough air or water. The tree is suffocating from the bottom up.

Please spread the word on how to be an environmental champion in Prospect Park by following these simple rules:

  • Please dispose of litter in designated receptacles or consider taking your litter with you when you leave the park and disposing of it at home.
  • Please stay on paths in our woodland areas, and do not go beyond fencing or build forts in our woodlands: this protects fragile nesting areas for birds, turtles and other wildlife.
  • Please keep dogs leashed at all times in the woodlands: off-leash hours are provided in our large meadow areas, learn more on our Things to Do with Dogs page.
  • Please do not climb or hang objects on trees in the park: our trees are our environmental treasure. While sap is flowing up to provide nourishment to the emerging buds and flowers, bark is at its most vulnerable. Wounds become easy access for insects and disease.
  • Please enjoy the flowers, but don’t pick as they are important for our pollinators, the cycle of life in any wildlife habitat.
  • Please avoid having barbecues s under trees and dumping hot coals on the lawns. Learn more about barbecue rules and safety.

Learn more about the Alliance’s efforts to preserve the environment. 

Want to give back to the park and honor a loved one? Learn more about our commemorative tree program, and how to get involved.

Prospect Park Alliance Archives

Prospect Park Bandshell Renamed for Lena Horne

June 25, 2021

Prospect Park Bandshell has been renamed Lena Horne Bandshell to honor the legendary singer, actress, dancer, and Brooklyn native. This renaming is part of the New York City Parks Department’s pledge, made in June 2020, to stand in solidarity with the Black community in its fight to combat systemic racism. Since then, Parks has named 28 parks spaces in honor of the Black experience to help acknowledge the legacies of these Black Americans, encourage discourse about their contributions, and work to make the park system more diverse and reflective of the people it serves.

The renaming of the Bandshell honors Bed-Stuy native Lena Horne, a legendary 20th century singer, actress, and dancer. Lena was active in the Civil Rights movement, and faced racism in her own career as a Black performing artist, but overcame these obstacles to win three Grammys. The Lena Horne Bandshell is home to the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, New York’s longest-running, free outdoor performing arts festival, which will honor Horne’s legacy this summer by showcasing a diverse array of Black musicians, including Ari Lennox, KAMAUU, Mr. Eazi, Junglepussy, and Son Little.

In addition to the Horne Bandshell, the 15 other newly named park spaces represent educators, Civil Rights leaders, pioneers in the LGBTQ+ community, novelists, playwrights, abolitionists and more. To commemorate the newly renamed park spaces, Parks staff and elected officials from across the city joined together at Mullaly Park and Recreation Center in the Bronx on June 16, in timing with our new federal holiday, Juneteenth, the day to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The event was held at Mullaly Park to honor its planned new name for Rev. T. Wendell Foster, the first African-American City Councilmember to represent the Bronx. The site will officially be renamed in September 2022 in accordance with Parks policy of naming three years posthumous. Learn more about the Parks Department’s renaming efforts.

“As our city works towards reopening after its sanctioned period of confinement, it’s a joy to see New Yorkers populating our parks and other greenspaces” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams at the June 16 celebration. “Kudos are extended to NYC Parks for making the renaming of 16 new park spaces after notable Black icons an added lure and cause for celebration. My unwavering love and support of Prospect Park and its bandshell, now renamed, at my office’s suggestion, after the legendary actress, singer, civil rights activist and homegrown Brooklynite Lena Horne, will make it one of my much-anticipated points of re-entry this summer.”

About Lena Horne
Lena Horne was born in 1917 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and attended what is now the Boys and Girls High School. As a young girl she was drawn to the performing arts and became a regular singer at many New York City institutions of the ‘30s, including the Cotton Club, a Prohibition-era nightclub that, despite showcasing some of the most talented Black musicians of the time, refused to admit Black guests, and Café Society, New York City’s first racially integrated nightclub, located in Greenwich Village. In 1942 she was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and went on to win singing roles in many films, although the industry’s racism prevented her from being cast in leading roles. Eventually, she abandoned Hollywood, stating that she was “tired of being typecast as a Negro who stands against a pillar singing a song. I did that 20 times too often.” At this time, she returned to the nightclub circuit and became one of the United States’ premier performers of the post-war era, as well as a regular feature on variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Dean Martin Show. Over the course of her career she won a Tony for her one-woman show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, and three Grammys.

Horne was active in the Civil Rights movement, attending NAACP rallies in the South, participating in the March on Washington as a speaker and performer, and working with Eleanor Roosevelt in attempts to pass anti-lynching laws. Horne passed away in 2010, but her immense talent and drive to challenge injustice stays with us to this day.

The Bandshell isn’t the only new name in Prospect Park this summer! Learn about “Juneteenth Way,” the new name for the path and benches across from Lefferts Historic House.

Prospect Park Alliance Welcomes Juneteenth Way

June 18, 2021

Today Prospect Park Alliance kicked off the restoration of Lefferts Historic House with a celebratory event led by Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver, Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue, Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo and Council Member Mathieu Eugene, who joined civic leaders and community members. The occasion was marked with two unveilings: the designation of the path across from Lefferts as “Juneteenth Way,” and a site-specific installation produced in partnership with Photoville, “Jamel Shabazz: Prospect Park, My Brooklyn Oasis.” 

Prospect Park Alliance is restoring Lefferts Historic House through $2.5 million in funding from the Speaker and the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council. The restoration will enable the Alliance to replace the roof, restore the exterior of the building, and repair paths and drainage surrounding the house. The restoration is slated to conclude by Fall 2022.

In timing with Juneteenth and in partnership with NYC Parks, the pathway across from Lefferts Historic House is being designated as “Juneteenth Way.” The stretch of benches along this shaded walkway were painted the colors of the pan-African flag, and interpretive signage was installed as part of this designation. The Alliance and NYC Parks will look to officially rename the area after a celebrated Black community member next year via the public nomination and voting process of the NYC Parks Renaming Project.

In partnership with the non-profit Photoville and acclaimed Brooklyn-based photographer Jamel Shabazz, the Alliance unveiled “Prospect Park: My Oasis in Brooklyn,” a site-specific installation of works on the Lefferts Historic House construction fencing. For the past 41 years, Shabazz has documented the people and places that truly make the park Brooklyn’s Backyard. His work is exhibited worldwide, and featured in the collections of The Whitney Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The installation is on view through December 1, 2021.

“Lefferts Historic House is located at the nexus of Prospect Park and the Flatbush community, and our vision in terms of its restoration is to rethink its mission and vision to make it better reflect the history and culture of our community,” said Sue Donoghue, President, Prospect Park Alliance. “In strengthening the bones of this historic structure, the Alliance is committed to recognizing the role the house played as a site of slavery, and telling the stories of enslaved Africans and Native Americans who lived and worked the land. We are so thrilled to be marking this moment by unveiling ‘Juneteenth Way’, and also celebrating the work and career of the preeminent photographer Jamel Shabazz.”

“We are elated to celebrate the start of Lefferts Historic House’s restoration and the unveiling of Prospect Park’s Juneteenth Way. It is fitting that this momentous occasion would fall on the eve of Juneteenth,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “We hope that collectively we can reflect and acknowledge the history of this site as a former slave property. Thanks to the Prospect Park Alliance and the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council, the Lefferts Historic House will be restored and renewed to serve as a living testament to the hurdles we have overcome in the quest for equality and as a reminder of the harsh realities of slavery.”

“These dual projects to honor the end of slavery on which the Prospect Park Alliance is partnering are right on time,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “The unveiling of “Juneteenth Way” as restoration of Lefferts Historic House commences, and the rotating art exhibit surrounding it, first featuring the photography of Jamel Shabazz, acknowledge the profound cultural contributions that continue to be made by people of African descent in this country, and the long overdue homage being made to those formerly enslaved who learned late in1865 that they were finally free. I thank Prospect Park Alliance and my colleagues in government for their work to begin this recognition process.” 

“Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park is one of many cultural milestones in my district,” said Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo. “I know my neighbors and many residents cherish the local history of Brooklyn and their neighborhoods, and I cannot wait to see how Jamel Shabazz’s installation will depict the Park as the oasis it truly was, and always will be, for Brooklyners.”

“The restoration of Lefferts Historic House and the unveiling of Juneteenth Way is not only a beautiful addition to our beloved Prospect Park but a step in making sure all New Yorkers’ history is represented. As well as celebrating the career of photographer Jamel Shabazz,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “This is a critical moment to make sure our collective histories are shared and not to gloss over some parts of it we don’t want to share. I hope that when it reopens, the Lefferts Historic House will be able to teach all who come to visit it the stories of the enslaved people who lived and worked there, and that we continue to make New York City historical sites more inclusive.”

“It is a great honor for me to join my colleagues from the Brooklyn Delegation in funding the $2.5 million restoration of  Lefferts Historic House,” said Council Member Mathieu Eugene. “This project represents a very important long-term investment in our community that is preserving history for future generations of New Yorkers. By restoring this historic landmark, once home to prominent slaveholder Pieter Lefferts, we are preserving a part of our city’s rich history and recognizing the struggle that our enslaved ancestors went through on their journey to freedom. The dedication of Juneteenth Way in the very place that housed slaves so many years ago is indeed a powerful statement to the progress we have made as a society towards equality.”  

Background on Lefferts Historic House

Lefferts Historic House is an 18th-century historic house museum jointly operated by Prospect Park Alliance and the Historic House Trust. Its programming focuses on the lives of the people that lived and worked the land, including the Lenape, Dutch colonists and enslaved Africans. The museum features a working garden and farm plots, historic artifacts, period rooms and indoor and outdoor exhibits. 

The Dutch colonist Lefferts family resided in the town of Flatbush starting in the 1600s. Their wealth was the result of the labor of enslaved Africans, who worked the land to produce staple crops. The original home burned down in August 1776 during the Battle of Brooklyn, and was rebuilt circa 1783. Although it is not known for certain how many enslaved Africans lived at the homestead, the 1800 census showed 12 enslaved African residents, a high number for a single family farm. By some estimates, one third of the people living in what is now Brooklyn in the early 19th century were enslaved. In 1824, the Lefferts family began to free enslaved Africans, and after the abolition of slavery in New York State in 1827, most of the Lefferts farmland was rented to tenant farmers. At the end of the 1800s, the Lefferts family sold the farmland to developers. Originally located four blocks south at 563 Flatbush Avenue near Maple Street, the house was moved to the park after its presentation to the City in 1917.

While the house is closed for restoration, Prospect Park Alliance is undertaking a re-envisioning of the museum’s mission and programming to strengthen its focus on the history and culture of the Flatbush community. This includes a stronger emphasis on the homestead as a historic site of slavery, and how the museum tells the story of the enslaved Africans and Native Americans who lived and worked the land. The Alliance will be partnering with leading researchers, community leaders and cultural organizations to identify and create innovative programming for the restored museum.

Learn more at prospectpark.org/lefferts.

Jamel Shabazz

Jamel Shabazz: Prospect Park, My Brooklyn Oasis

June 17, 2021

In celebration of the start of restoration of Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park, Prospect Park Alliance is proud to partner with Photoville to present a site-specific photo exhibition celebrating the work of legendary photographer Jamel Shabazz: Prospect Park: My Oasis in Brooklyn. Opening in timing with Juneteenth, the exhibit will bring the work of Shabazz to the Brooklyn community. The photographer, whose work is housed within the permanent collections of The Whitney Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is best known for his iconic photographs of New York City in the 1980s.

Jamel Shabazz, Best Friends, 2006
Best Friends, Jamel Shabazz, 2006.

“At the early stage of my photographic development, I wanted to improve my skills as a photographer, and Prospect Park with its five hundred and eighty-five acres, became the ideal place for me to practice” Shabazz says. Forty-one years and thousands of Prospect Park photos later, Shabazz has captured reunion picnics, musicians, races, dog walks, and so much more in the beloved park he calls his “oasis in Brooklyn.” Exhibited along the construction fence surrounding Lefferts Historic House, the community of Brooklyn will be able to discover new stories and recognize old friends in Shabazz’s work.

“I have photographed a number of locations during my career as a photographer, but I can honestly say that my work centered on Prospect Park is both my largest and one of my very favorite series” says Shabazz.

The Art of Love, Jamel Shabazz, 1988
The Art of Love, Jamel Shabazz, 1988.

Prospect Park: My Oasis in Brooklyn will be on display outside Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park through Spring 2022.

Header Image: We Are One, Jamel Shabazz, 1998

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Announces 2021 Season

June 2, 2021

Today, BRIC, a Brooklyn-based leading arts and media institution, announced its artist lineup for the 2021 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, which recently confirmed it will return to the Prospect Park Bandshell with live, in-person performances. For the past 43 years, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival has grown to become one of the city’s foremost cultural attractions and a beloved summer tradition. This year’s festival will take place from Saturday, July 31st through Saturday, September 18th with doors opening at 6:00pm for all shows, except the family day performance.

“The opportunities we have been afforded to provide a platform for incredible talent from Brooklyn and around the globe, brings up indescribable joy,” said Kristina Newman-Scott, President of BRIC. “This year’s line-up marks a momentous time for BRIC, continuing our tradition of bringing some of the best talent to the Prospect Park Bandshell stage, which we have called home for 42 years. We can’t wait to see everyone there.”

“After the past challenging year, it is such a thrill to welcome the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival back to the Prospect Park Bandshell,” said Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance. “This is one of our flagship events, and for our community a clear sign of summer. Over the past four decades, this festival has brought a wide range of free music and family programming to Prospect Park, to the delight of the many diverse communities we serve.”

The festival will boast  an impressive lineup showcasing musical artists from Brooklyn and around the world including: Neo soul phenom Ari Lennox; grandson of the reggae legend Bob Marley and GRAMMY award-nominated singer/songwriter Skip Marley; Global Afrobeats superstar Mr. Eazi; Multi-instrumentalist Trombone Shorty with his notorious brass funk band Orleans Avenue; Brooklyn-bred hip hop powerhouse Junglepussy; folk rock icon and climate activist Buffy Sainte Marie and singer/songwriter/advocate Naia Kete for a special evening dedicated to highlighting the impact of climate change; Latinx alternative multi-lingual quartet Ladama, Haitian born, Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist Tiga Jean-Baptiste and a set by DJ Ali Coleman for a family-friendly daytime performance; local Jazz artists including rhapsodist Vijay Iyer, vibes innovator Joel Ross, singer and multi-instrumentalist Melanie Charles, and renowned poet/author, and educator Mahogany Browne for an evening in remembrance of the impact of COVID-19 on the Jazz community; Colombian-Canadian singer/songwriter Lido Pimienta; Korean-American Brooklynite Yaeji, who curated a hand-picked lineup for the evening that includes up and coming singer/songwriter/instrumentalist KeiyaA and prolific local writer/rapper/producer, and emcee Nappy Nina; politically conscious rapper and poet KAMAUU; Jamaican R&B singer Gary “Nesta” Pines; Philly-based rapper and producer Ivy Soly; Jamaican-born multi-disciplined musician Tygapaw; celebrated Dominican-born, Puerto Rico-based cult hero Rita Indiana; the GRAMMY award-winning Attacca Quartet and Brooklyn based indie rock collective led by Ellis Ludwig-Leone San Fermin; R&B musician Son Little, and boundary-pushing singer Yendry.  

The 2021 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival will also offer a movie night featuring the 1973 documentary Wattstax, which highlights the 1972 Watts Summer Festival, as well as an evening dedicated to dance co-conceived by Tatiana and BRIC featuring the Passion Fruit Dance Company with DJ sets by Soul Summit Dance Party and St James Joy. Founded in 2016 with a mission to promote the authenticity and contributions of social dance styles and cultures like street and clubbing, Passion Fruit Dance Company comes to the park for the world premiere of TRAPPED, a brand-new work commissioned by BRIC. After the show, stay for a very special iteration of legendary Brooklyn party Soul Summit. To open the night will be St. James Joy, a streetwise celebration that sprang up in Fort Greene during the pandemic honoring the distinguished history of black house music.  Additionally, there will be a ticketed benefit concert with British Rock Band Glass Animals.    

In accordance with New York State and CDC guidelines, BRIC is currently planning for reduced capacity within socially distanced pods. While the Festival will remain free of charge, RSVPs will be required to manage capacity, and either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test will need to be shown; however, these terms remain subject to change. BRIC hopes all music, film, and dance lovers will prioritize getting vaccinated as a step towards bringing back live performances in their fullest form. BRIC will ensure the Festival is accessible to the community at large by creating both a web-based RSVP portal as RSVP by telephone system. RSVPs officially open July 1 for opening night and then every two weeks after that for subsequent performances. 

Learn more at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! website.