Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a nonprofit multi-arts center headquartered at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1861, it is America's oldest continuously operating performing arts center, with more than 160 years of continuous operation. As a 501(c)(3) organization, BAM presents programming across six artistic disciplines: theater, dance, music, opera, film, and multidisciplinary performance.
Technical work at BAM centres on live performance production, film programming, and multidisciplinary arts programming. Its signature programmes include the Next Wave Festival, an annual showcase of adventurous and innovative artistic work; DanceAfrica, which celebrates African and African diasporic dance; and BAMFreeMusic, which offers free music programming. Each is described as a cultural touchstone in New York City and beyond.
Artistically, BAM encourages risk-taking and experimentation, and positions itself as a home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas, bridging international figures with bold local artists. Its stated mission includes making its spaces accessible to all New Yorkers and championing inclusion and accessibility throughout the arts, with engagement spanning both global and local communities.
