Contemporary performing arts and culture of the African Diaspora

Liminal adjective

lim·​i·​nal | lim-uh-nl

1. relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process.
2. occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

651 ARTS is a 34-year-old legacy institution that was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1988 as an answer to a call to create programming that centers and values the performing arts and cultures of the African Diaspora. Until now, 651 has fulfilled its mission to deepen awareness of and appreciation for contemporary arts and culture of the African Diaspora without its own physical space. The word liminal is rooted in the Latin word limen, meaning “threshold.” In its literal sense, a threshold is a doorway—or border between two places or stages. 651 ARTS has a legacy of fueling the arts ecosystems within Brooklyn, while also presenting and producing work by emerging, established, and world-renowned artists from all over the United States, and the globe. For Black people world-wide, liminal spaces have historically offered opportunity to imagine and create more sustainable futures. Futures where we may survive and thrive.

For 34 years, 651 ARTS, as an institution, has navigated both literal and figurative liminal spaces—and is now homebound. That is, on the threshold of moving into its first permanent home at 10 Lafayette, in March 2023. This season, Liminal Spaces: Homebound, offers an opportunity to think, individually and collectively, about how we will show up in the future that we imagine.

We begin our season with a panel discussion, Performing an Afro Future, where we will check in with artists representing a range of artistic fields, to discuss the creative cartography involved in imagining Afro futures. Our first performance of the season is Malik Work’s Verses at Work, a solo performance piece. In Verses at Work actor/MC Malik Work tells his own story of perseverance, love, music, and the struggle to survive as an artist in New York City. We will close out the fall with a showing of works-in-progress by our Black Seed Cohort at Weeksville Heritage Center. The cohort have been in residency with 651 and are developing works ‘towards a generative theater’.

In 2023, we are excited to begin year four of The Woodshed Network Residency, a 2-day Dance Convening centering on the work of Ms. Diane McIntyre in partnership with Octopus Theatricals, the 2nd season of our Virtual Griot series, new work by Kendra J. Ross, and the GRAND OPENING of our space at 10 Lafayette during our 3rd annual Juneteenth Celebration.

We invite you, our beloved 651 family to join us on this season’s journey to our new home, and into community with 651 ARTS!

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