Kensington Cultural Council
Kensington Community Iftar at Avenue C Plaza (2018). photo: Esther Robinson, ArtBuilt
The Kensington Cultural Council is a neighborhood alliance of artists and organizations who are coordinating and promoting a year-long calendar of programming, sharing resources and trainings, and activating Avenue C Plaza as a cultural hub in one of the most diverse immigrant communities in New York City. The council brings together cultural groups serving the immigrant community and supports collaborative programming, marketing, and capacity building in Kensington, Brooklyn. The council includes Arts & Democracy, Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA), Casa Cultural, The Singing Winds, NOCD-NY and partners regularly with ArtBuilt.
The council animates the NYC Department of Transportation Avenue C Plaza as a neighborhood cultural hub and offers programming including a community Iftar, Dia de los Muertos celebration, a concert celebrating immigrant culture, and various artmaking workshops. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many programs moved to the virtual realm, but many activities have safely returned to the plaza.
The Kensington Cultural Council formalizes seven years of collaboration. The diverse partners in this project have significant experience in sustained community-based cultural work that incorporates in-depth community engagement, equitable partnerships, and ethical practices. These cultural organizers and partners have consistently integrated arts and culture into the already diverse fabric of Kensington these past four years and intend to continue their work in collaboration with community members.
Location and Programming Info
Avenue C Plaza is located at the intersection of McDonald Ave and Ave C in Kensington and is accessible via the F/G trains at Church Ave and the B67 bus. Every month of June, weekly program listings can be found on the plaza.
Programming on the Avenue C Plaza is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, and New York City Small Business Services. Special thanks to City Councilmember Shahana Hanif for ongoing support.