The Shed Promises Art for Everyone

Art lovers will finally get to experience The Shed on Friday. The 200,000 square foot arts center, located on Manhattan's west side, has an innovative, moveable outer shell that will let The Shed mold itself to a performance hall. The Shed will also have a 500-seat theater and exhibition spaces that will showcase original work by artists of all disciplines. The Shed will focus on showcasing emerging and local artists. 

 

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Bill de Blasio praised The Shed for its mission to make art accessible to everyone and for commissioning works by 52 local artists through it's Open Call. He said that artists are crucial to the identity and future of New York City.

 

"We have to create opportunity for artists. I don’t know if you’ve heard but it’s a little expensive here. It’s a little expensive to live here. The way to answer that is not only to build a lot of affordable housing, which we’re doing and protecting the affordable housing that we have, but it’s also to create more and more opportunity for our artists to make a living, great opportunities for them to perform and to have the kind of livelihood that will keep them here in this city," said Mayor DeBlasio.

 

The mayor also said that performances at the Shed will have ticket prices starting at $10.

 

The Shed's inaugural performance will be Soundtrack of America, a 5 night concert series celebrating the impact of African American music in American culture.