Jean-Michel Basquiat took the New York art scene by storm in the 1980s, when he became famous for his mixed-media works incorporating crowns, skulls and cryptic words. He took his inspiration from a combination of jazz, boxing, pop culture, anatomical drawings in Grey's Anatomy, and life in New York in the 1980s. Learn about Jean-Michel Basquiat and create your own painting inspired by his work, using paint and oil pastels on canvas.

Tickets includes art history lesson, coveralls to protect your clothing, and all art materials.

Learn about Sam Gilliam & create rake paintings!

Sam Gilliam, a celebrated artist who passed away in 2022, was renowned for his unconventional use of materials. Gilliam was inspired by DC's African American communities, jazz music, and political atmosphere. Among Gilliam's most famous works are his rake painting, which he created by using rakes instead of brushes to create unique textures in thick, colorful paint. During this event, you'll learn about Sam Gilliam and create your own rake paintings.

Art materials, popcorn and lesson included, as well as coveralls to protect your clothing.

For for The Dinner Party NYC alongside our fellow entrepreneurs, a MUSE is someone who who has the experience, capacity and mutual desire to work together to see the completion of a thing— whether a creative project, business venture, or visual idea. For many entrepreneurs and creative professionals, a MUSE (or two!) is all they need to make sure everybody eats.

Guests who share a passion in literature, the arts and sciences are invited to dine on September 12, 2024 at 6PM in Brooklyn, NY.

Capital One Cardholder Presale: Wednesday, April 17 at 10AM until Thursday, April 18 at 10PM

SummerStage Member Presale: Wednesday, April 17 at 10AM until Thursday, April 18 at 10PM

General On-Sale: Friday, April 19 at 10AM.

Perhaps best known for their role as house band on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, The Roots have been “hip-hop’s first legitimate band” (ThoughtCo) for decades. Formed in the late 80s as friends from the Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts, the band, co-led by Questlove – a legend in his own right – has won multiple GRAMMY and NAACP Image awards and has collaborated with the likes of John Legend, Erykah Badu, and Common. They’ll be joined by SummerStage alums and scions of hip-hop the Jungle Brothers, known for their fusion of rap, jazz, and house styles – and fellow Philly natives Digable Planets, who bring their style of alternative hip-hop and sing-along hits like “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” to the night.

Funk Flex is a New York City hip-hop radio institution. For decades, he’s been a champion of the culture and the artists that create it, debuting countless classics with his signature bomb drop and deep well of enthusiasm. This year he’ll celebrate his birthday in Central Park with eyepatch connoisseur and British MC Slick Rick—a pioneer of the art of storytelling; Rick’s fellow Kangol crew member, the comedic MC Dana Dane; the Human Beat Box Doug E. Fresh, whose two most famous collaborations with Rick—”The Show” and “La Di Da Di”—are iconic entries in the hip-hop canon; and DJ Maseo of De La Soul, the massively influential hip-hop trio that helped establish a new direction for the nascent Event Type in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Grab a drink, take a seat and join us for a one-of-a-kind experience with our guest host, Lisette Scott of Jam + Rico ✨

What’s Included:

– A three-hour experience alongside the talented artisan Lisette Scott

– Creating a custom pair of earrings using assorted beads & charms to create a one-of-a-kind piece

– A lil bubbly… but feel free to BYOB if bubbly isn’t your preference 🍾

– A safe space filled with laughter, tunes, and other likeminded creative spirits ✨

Coney Island’s own Gorilla NEMS is beloved across the internet for his viral videos (“Don’t Ever Disrespect Me!”) and iconic catchphrase (“Bing Bong!”), but he’s also an accomplished underground rapper with palpable skills on the mic, signed to Paul Rosenberg’s Goliath Records & Virgin Records. For the Gorilla Fest in Coney Island, he’s assembled an impressive cast of characters, including the legendary Wu-Tang Clan MC Ghostface Killah, whose unique delivery, colorful imagery, and clever wordplay has established him as one of the premier rappers of his generation; DJ Drewski, the Hot97 DJ mentored by radio legends Cipha Sounds and Angie Martinez; Statik Selektah, a gifted turntablist and producer whose list of collaborators is as long as it is distinguished; Scram Jones, a DJ, rapper, and producer who’s cut tracks with Ghostface Killah himself, Raekwon, Styles P, Jadakiss, and many others; and Tony Touch, the legendary producer and mixtape DJ who helped shape the sounds of the underground in the 1990s.

Capital One Cardholder Presale: Wednesday, April 10 at 10AM until Sunday, April 14 at 10PM.

SummerStage Member Presale: Wednesday, April 10 at 10AM until Sunday, April 14 at 10PM.

General On-Sale: Friday, April 15 at 10AM.

GRAMMY and Emmy-award winning pianist Robert Glasper has been pushing the boundaries of jazz and R&B for his entire career. The fourth artist ever to have a month-long residency at the iconic New York City jazz club, Blue Note (others include Chick Corea and Dizzy Gillespie), Glasper has collaborated with artists like H.E.R, Common, and Wynton Marsalis. He returns to Central Park with the “prodigiously talented” (Variety) Yebba; the singer-songwriter who rose to fame singing back-up for Chance the Rapper and now boasts a GRAMMY award of her own.

Learn about Sam Gilliam & create rake paintings!

Sam Gilliam, a celebrated artist who passed away in 2022, was renowned for his unconventional use of materials. Gilliam was inspired by DC's African American communities, jazz music, and political atmosphere. Among Gilliam's most famous works are his rake painting, which he created by using rakes instead of brushes to create unique textures in thick, colorful paint. During this event, you'll learn about Sam Gilliam and create your own rake paintings.

Art materials, popcorn and lesson included, as well as coveralls to protect your clothing.

Local hero MIKE has been steadily building a vibrant hip-hop community of like-minded souls at his annual Young World festival. This year the event returns to Herbert Von King Park in Bed-Stuy with Earl Sweatshirt, who has been the voice of a generation and the face of a corner of hip hop for a decade now. Milwaukee’s Myaap joins the line up with her high energy raps, as well as the DMV’s Sideshow. Atlanteans Stahhr and Stacy Epps are also set to perform, two close collaborators of the late legend MF DOOM. Stahhr made appearances on classics such as “MM…Food” and “Take Me to Your Leader” while Stacy Epps made an appearance on Madvillain, and in addition to her own catalog has continued to work closely with Madlib.

In association with Fusicology and Future x Sounds, celebrate what would have been the 50th birthday of the late great hip-hop producer J Dilla in Bed-Stuy with acts representing the legacy of his massively influential production discography and his hometown of Detroit. The Pharcyde hails from South Central Los Angeles, yet the beats for two of their biggest hits— “Drop” and “Runnin’”—were crafted by the Detroit MPC wizard J Dilla, and Slum Village, Dilla’s first group, for whom he produced most of their first three albums before leaving to pursue a solo career in 2001; and Breakbeat Lou, the pioneering DJ partly responsible for the essential Ultimate Breaks & Beats compilations that became a mainstay in every hip-hop DJ and producer’s crates for decades.

For over 30 years Bed-Stuy’s own Maimouna Keita African Dance Company has celebrated the rich art and heritage of Africa and its diaspora through extensive classes and performances. Named after Bambara singer and dancer Maimouna Keita and led by her granddaughter, Artistic Director Marie Basse-Wiles, the company also produces an annual conference that hosts dance, music, and cultural workshops helmed by masters from Senegal, Mali, Guinea, and the US. It’s Showtime NYC!, is a company of dancers with a history of performing on New York’s streets and subways. 

Find out “What time is it” when It’s Showtime NYC! performs a highlight from Pyramid, a brand new work by Flexer and artistic director Cal Hunt and composer cellist and bonebreaker Johnathan “Akuma” Moore. Culminating a community residency at Herbert Von King Cultural Center made possible through SummerStage, a space many company dancers consider a second home, the work explores how New Yorkers are, by nature, archaeologists. Be it graffiti, hieroglyphics, or freestyle dance on the street, lived stories are shared to those willing to pause and take in the messages.

Performer/Documentarian Kash Gaines debuts the live premiere of Caged Birds featuring a cast sharing intimate stories of perilous encounters with law enforcement inside and outside the MTA system. See the craft they’ve honed performing on the city’s biggest stage intersecting with their future ambitions. This performance is in conjunction with the broadcast and streaming premiere of Caged Birds Fly on ALLARTS.

Presented in partnership with Works & Process, Caged Birds, Pyramid and Maimouna Keita African Dance Company are all Works & Process commissioned projects with residency support from Works & Process LaunchPAD.

For 25 years, the Federation Sound crew has shepherded the culture of Jamaican dancehall, reggae, and roots music in New York City and beyond. This year Kenny Meez, Max Glazer, DJ Danglez, DJ Mace and Alric & Boyd celebrate the milestone anniversary in Coney Island with the help of Sister Nancy, the pioneering first lady of dancehall and singer whose iconic and instantly recognizable hit “Bam Bam” has been sampled countless times, and Tanto Metro & Devonte, the Jamaican dancehall vocal duo whose 1997 smash “Everyone Falls in Love” took them to the top of the Billboard reggae charts—and secured a permanent place in the pantheon of essential dancehall tunes. Additional artists are to be announced.

An annual summer tradition, the Metropolitan Opera’s popular concert series in New York City parks continues with a free outdoor recital. Three of today’s most exciting young stars— soprano Brittany Olivia Logan, mezzo-soprano Hannah Jones, and tenor Matthew Cairns—come together for an effervescent evening of favorite arias, duets, and ensembles, accompanied by Deborah Robertson at the piano.

Capital One Cardholder Presale: Thursday, February 22 at 10AM until Thursday, February 22 at 10PM.

SummerStage Member Presale: Thursday, February 22 at 10AM until Thursday, February 22 at 10PM.

General On-Sale: Friday, February 23 at 10AM

He’s known for his expansive use of autotune throughout the early 2000s, with hip-hop hits like “Buy U a Drank” and “I’m Sprung”, and has collaborated with artists including Pitbull and Snoop Dogg. T-Pain has won more awards– GRAMMYs, BET Awards, MTV Music Awards, Teen Choice, to name a few– than can be listed.

He also boasts the most popular NPR “Tiny Desk Concert” of all time, a performance that highlights his natural vocal talent in a stripped-down setting, sans the autotune effect that put him on the map. His latest album of covers, On Top of the Covers, has earned him critical acclaim for his “powerful vocal chops” (NME), showcasing his belt on hit songs like “War Pigs” and “A Change Is Gonna Come”. LaRussell, NandoSTL, and YoungCa$h open.

The British drummer, producer and composer, Yussef Dayes, is widely recognized as one of the most electrifying live performers of his generation – leaving audiences in no doubt as to the role of rhythm in channeling spiritual energy. He’s showcased his depth and range on What Kinda Music, his 2020 electro-jazz collaborative LP with Tom Misch, self-producing his own work, producing for R&B royalty in Kali Uchis (“Blue”) and Kehlani (“Hate The Club”), his solo debut Black Classical Music from late 2023 and much more. He’s joined by the Bay area bassist, vocalist and composer Aneesa Strings, who infuses jazz with classical, neo-soul, and R&B influences on her sophomore album Ways; and Dana and Alden, a pair of brothers who lead a troupe of multi-instrumental artists that craft jazzy melodies with an indie sensibility on their debut LP Quiet Music for Young People.

Capital One Cardholder Presale: Wednesday, March 20 at 10AM until Thursday, March 21 at 10PM. 

SummerStage Member Presale:Wednesday, March 20 at 10AM until Thursday, March 21 at 10PM. 

General On-Sale: Friday, March 22 at 10AM.

Multi-hyphenate Masego is not only a GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter, but also a talented saxophonist and showman with upbeat, jam-worthy songs like “Tadow” and “Girls that Dance”. Opening the bill is Jordan Ward, a R&B singer-songwriter who recently released his critically acclaimed debut album, FORWARD.

Ever since breaking out in 2006 with the hit singles “Put Your Records On” and “Like a Star,” Corinne Bailey Rae has oozed talent, showcasing a light and breezy style that camouflages songs with emotional depth. She’s been nominated for the Mercury Prize and taken home multiple GRAMMYs. With her latest LP Black Rainbows, she takes a loud left turn, making fiery post-punk political rock and channeling her roots as a 15-year-old rocker in Leeds. She’s joined by the singer, songwriter, and producer DIXSON, a veteran of NBC’s The Voice and collaborator with Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Beyonce, with whom he was nominated for an Academy Award for their song “Be Alive” from the film King Richard.

Pop culture icon Questlove mixes a scholar’s encyclopedic knowledge, a true fan’s passionate devotion, and an insider’s unparalleled access in his new book, Hip-Hop Is History, illuminating how hip-hop became the cultural force it is today. In an exclusive one-night-only event at BAM, he shares stories with scholar, author, and television personality Marc Lamont Hill. 🗓️June 5

For much of the last decade, Andra Day has made a name for herself as one of the most distinct and moving voices in soul and R&B. She rose from a popular YouTube account, where she covered pop hits, to performing at the White House, the Academy Awards, and the Super Bowl, singing the unofficial Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the Lee Daniels’ biopic The United States vs. Billie Holiday earned her both the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, and a GRAMMY for the film’s soundtrack. She’ll launch the 2024 SummerStage season as the free opening night performance, in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival.

This is the full four-hour experience! It will teach you the Model-Making process from beginning to end. From rubber to cement, you’ll leave with the full knowledge of how to start a new Side Hustle and/or Hobby!

Duration: Three+ Hours

Location: Flatiron, NYCFor the quintessential creator: In this class, you will learn all about casting, modeling & mold making through a live example of making personalized molds from scratch and casting a batch of your models.

The perfect intro for someone looking for a quick teaser into what Model-Making is all about. Leave with a few cement joints to add to your home decor collection!

Duration: Two Hours

Location: Flatiron, NYC

This is the full four-hour experience! It will teach you the Model-Making process from beginning to end. From rubber to cement, you’ll leave with the full knowledge of how to start a new Side Hustle and/or Hobby!

Duration: Three+ Hours

Location: Flatiron, NYCFor the quintessential creator: In this class, you will learn all about casting, modeling & mold making through a live example of making personalized molds from scratch and casting a batch of your models.