PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Katie Hill, Office of the Executive Director at The Perelman Performing Arts Center
2:09:49
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169 sec
Katie Hill from The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) presents testimony on the center's mission to create community through the arts and its impact on Lower Manhattan. She highlights PAC NYC's diverse programming, community engagement initiatives, and commitment to providing free access to high-quality art.
- PAC NYC has welcomed over 200,000 visitors since opening in September 2023
- The center offers free lobby stage performances and collaborates with local institutions through its Civic Alliances program
- PAC NYC provides performance opportunities for BMCC students and aims to contribute to the revitalization of the downtown area
Katie Hill
2:09:49
Good morning.
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My name is Katie Hill.
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I'm the I'm in the executive director's office at the Roman performing arts center known as Pac NYC.
2:09:58
New York's newest performing arts center.
2:10:00
Thank you, Cher Phyllis, Cherovera, the committee members, and your staff for this opportunity to share with you our mission to create community through the arts.
2:10:08
Chaired by former mayor Mike Bloomberg, Pack NYC is the last public piece of the rebuilding of the world trade center site.
2:10:15
Since opening in September 2023, we have welcomed over 200,000 visitors to our building.
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We create connections by cultivating bombs between extraordinary artists and communities.
2:10:26
Under the leadership of executive director, Hedi Kamara Nunez and artistic director, Bill Roush, PAC NYC Champions daring works and diverse voices in a range of genres, including theater, dance, music, and opera.
2:10:38
These projects focus on artistic excellence and speak to the pressing questions of our time while spotlighting diverse voices from all five boroughs of New York City and around the world, including those from by pocket and immigrant backgrounds.
2:10:52
You do not need a ticket to enter the building to experience the artistic events on our lobby stage or grab a meal at our restaurant, metropolis by Marcus Hamilton.
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Our lobby is a living room for Lower Manhattan where all are invited to relax, connect and be inspired by what they see on stage.
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The lobby stage is designed to increase access to high quality art because all programming is free.
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Pack NYC launched our civic alliances program to deepen relations ships with area institutions, including VMCC, Lenape Center, Sydney, the Interfaith Center of New York, and the New York Immigration Coalition.
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We have worked closely with these organizations to diversify the audiences and performers coming into our spaces.
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And provided the resources of the center to support our partner's missions.
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We have also worked with neighborhood organizations, including Trinity Church, Chinatown Bid, and the downtown alliance to strengthen the cultural community downtown.
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We are committed to deepening our alliances with longtime downtown institutions.
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For example, the students from BMCC have public monthly showcases on our lobby stage.
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We provide the students with professional performance experience, a stage run by Union Cruise, and the same dressing rooms used by Oscar and Tony winning actors for these students.
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The performances by the music and theater students are truly exceptional.
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They are the future of the arts, and we are very proud to be part of their present In closing, I invite all members of the council and your staff to join us for our next free lobby stage performance, and we look forward to continuing to build relationships with other downtown cultural organizations and retail businesses and contributing to the revitalization of the downtown area.
