Lincoln Center kicks off initiative to make campus more welcoming with invitation for public input

From the east, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts opens its arms to Manhattan, its iconic plaza cascading down seamlessly onto the sidewalk. Not so from the west, where the vertical faces of walls and buildings separate campus from the street. A new effort seeks to extend Lincoln Center’s welcome in all directions, both in terms of physical access and in terms of creating a sense of belonging for all, beginning with seeking input from its neighbors and other constituents.

Read the full announcement about the initiative, for which the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) provided major support.

“We at SNF are most appreciative of the opportunity to be able to contribute to this very thoughtful and exciting project,” said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos. “We share a common vision with Lincoln Center for providing access for all to welcoming, high-quality public space permeated by the arts and their power to uplift, inspire, and bring us together.”

SNF has also supported other projects to reimagine the public space Lincoln Center offers, including Summer for the City and Legacies of San Juan Hill. The SNF-LC Agora Initiative formed an ongoing link with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens to promote global cross-cultural exchange.

“We’re enormously proud of the work we’ve done on the East side of our campus, including our project to reimagine David Geffen Hall,” said Lincoln Center President and CEO Henry Timms. “Now is the time to apply the same level of thoughtfulness and rigor to our West, which needs to be reimagined to better welcome our neighbors.”

“The Amsterdam Avenue side of our campus brings to mind a fortress, which we are not,” said Lincoln Center Chief Artistic Officer Shanta Thake. “The arts teach us many things – top of mind, the importance of listening with open minds and hearts. We look forward to doing so as this process moves forward.”