BAC Mission Statement

Baryshnikov Arts Center empowers artists to undertake creative exploration with few constraints. We do so by removing barriers to artistic freedom and providing the resources, facilities, and support necessary for uninhibited creativity to thrive.

BAC Values

Responsiveness – BAC is pioneering, nimble, and flexible and seeks out innovators who experiment in the pursuit of unique artistic expression.

Transformation – We support artists who offer a profound experience and ask us to view the world in a different way.

Freedom – We believe that creating transformative and enduring art requires freedom to take artistic risks and we support artists during that process.

Inclusion – We are open-minded and inclusive in our approach to ensuring opportunity for all.

Diversity – We embrace the differences that shape our worldview and our perspective; we recognize, respect, and value differences among those with whom we work and serve.

Collaboration – We seek to expand and strengthen creative relationships in all forms and ways. We believe in the power of both individual and collective expression.

Stewardship – We are stewards of the resources entrusted to us. Our goal is to follow the highest standards in artistic, management, and governance practices while continuously safeguarding the tradition of artistic freedom.

We share in the heartbreak and outrage expressed over the brutal killings of George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. BAC passionately stands in solidarity in the fight against racism and supports the protests of the injustices disproportionately faced by Black and Brown artists and communities.

BAC provides time and space for artists of all identities; it is now our responsibility to amplify the voices that compel us to do the work to create a new America that is more just, equitable, and safe. We are committed to supporting the individuals and organizations contributing to peaceful demonstrations and direct actions. Please follow these links for more information:

BlackLivesMatter.com
NYULocal.com
ColorofChange.org

BAC Residencies support artists by providing space for creative investigation in all performing arts disciplines: dance, music, theater, multimedia, performance art, or any combination thereof. Each year, BAC hosts up to 20 artists in residence to develop ideas, projects, and collaborations. Support can include use of BAC’s studios and theaters, work-in-progress showings, artist honoraria, and technical and administrative services. BAC Residencies provide a pressure-free environment for artists, who are encouraged to focus on their current priorities without the expectation of delivering a finished product.

BAC collaborates with many organizations and performing arts groups. Among our partners are:

Dance Films Association
Danspace Project
French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF)
International Contemporary Ensemble
Irish Arts Center
The Kitchen
Lincoln Center
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
National YoungArts Foundation
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Performance Space New York
Theatre for a New Audience
Vixjo Design
The Wooster Group
 

Born 1948 in Riga, Latvia, Mikhail Baryshnikov is considered one of the greatest dancers of our time. After commencing a spectacular career with the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he came to the West in 1974, settling in New York City as principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre (ABT). In 1978 he joined New York City Ballet, where he worked with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. A year later he was appointed artistic director of ABT where, for the next decade, he introduced a new generation of dancers and choreographers. From 1990-2002, Mr. Baryshnikov was director and dancer of the White Oak Dance Project, which he and choreographer Mark Morris co-founded to expand the repertoire and visibility of American modern dance. As an actor he has performed widely on- and off-Broadway, as well as in television and film, receiving a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Metamorphosis, and an Academy Award nomination for The Turning Point. Other theatrical productions include Forbidden Christmas or The Doctor and the Patient, Beckett Shorts, In Paris, Man in a Case, The Old Woman, Letter to a Man, and Brodsky/Baryshnikov. Recent projects include NOT ONCE., a cinematic installation developed in collaboration with Jan Fabre and Phil Griffin, and a second theatrical production directed by Latvian director Alvis Hermanis entitled The White Helicopter. He is currently working with director Igor Golyak and the Arlekin Players Theatre on a new adaptation of Chekhov's masterpiece The Cherry Orchard to premiere this summer. In 2005, he launched Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) in New York City, a creative space designed to support multidisciplinary artists from around the globe. Among Mr. Baryshnikov’s many awards are the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, the Commonwealth Award, the Chubb Fellowship, the Jerome Robbins Award, and the Vilcek Award. In 2010, he was given the rank of Officer of the French Legion of Honor, and in 2017 he received Japan’s prestigious Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award in Theatre/Film.

BAC is the realization of a long-held vision by Founder and Artistic Director Mikhail Baryshnikov to build an arts center in New York City that serves as a gathering place for artists from all disciplines. BAC’s opening in 2005 heralded the launch of this mission, establishing a thriving creative space for artists from around the world. Located in the Hudson Yards neighborhood of Manhattan, BAC comprises a total of 20,000 square feet, including the 238-seat Jerome Robbins Theater, the Howard Gilman Performance Space, and four column-free studios. BAC serves approximately 700 artists and up to 22,000 audience members annually through presentations and artist residencies.