Senate Resolution No. 2312
BY: Senator PARKER
RECOGNIZING and commending the Brooklyn Arts
Council upon the occasion of hosting its Brooklyn
Arts Awards 2026
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize
institutions that have shaped the cultural identity of our communities
and invested in the artists, voices, and traditions that make Brooklyn
one of the world's most celebrated creative centers; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
recognize and commend the Brooklyn Arts Council upon the occasion of
hosting its Brooklyn Arts Awards in celebration of 60 years of
extraordinary impact; and
WHEREAS, On May 19, 2026, the Brooklyn Arts Council hosted its
Brooklyn Arts Awards at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, bringing together
artists, cultural leaders, and community members for live performances,
a Blue Carpet and Artist Mixer, an awards ceremony, and an after-party
commemorating six decades of artistic excellence and civic engagement;
and
WHEREAS, Held under the theme Then. Now. Next., this milestone event
honored the legacy of those who helped shape Brooklyn's cultural
landscape, celebrated the voices transforming it today, and invested in
the artists and leaders who will carry it into the future; and
WHEREAS, In 1966, a group of Brooklyn residents committed to
sustaining the borough's artistic heritage convened in the Flatbush
apartment of Charlene Victor and founded the organization then known as
the Brooklyn Arts and Cultural Association, laying the foundation for
what would become the Brooklyn Arts Council; and
WHEREAS, From its earliest years, the Brooklyn Arts Council
demonstrated a deep commitment to nurturing emerging talent, including
through its first Salute to Creative Youth program in 1968 at the
Brooklyn Museum, which showcased artwork by Brooklyn schoolchildren
alongside works from the museum's permanent collection; and
WHEREAS, Throughout its history, the Brooklyn Arts Council has
recognized and supported artists whose work would go on to shape
American culture, including honoring emerging filmmaker Danny DeVito in
1973 for his comedic short The Sound Sleeper and partially funding Spike
Lee's graduate thesis film Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads in
1983; and
WHEREAS, During the 1980s, many influential artists found creative
community at BACA Downtown, the organization's Willoughby Street
performance space and gallery, including Suzan-Lori Parks, Holly Hughes,
Mac Wellman, Glenn Ligon, and David Wojnarowicz; and
WHEREAS, In 1980, the Brooklyn Arts Council expanded its mission to
include grant-making on behalf of the New York State Council on the Arts
and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and in 1986
formally adopted the name Brooklyn Arts Council to better reflect the
breadth of its advocacy, programming, and outreach; and
WHEREAS, In 2025, the Brooklyn Arts Council distributed more than
$1.82 million to 378 Brooklyn-based artists, creatives, and cultural
organizations, including support for teaching artists serving older
adult centers and in-school residencies, demonstrating the
organization's enduring investment in Brooklyn's creative economy and
cultural vitality; and
WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Arts Council advances its mission through
initiatives that empower artistic creation and learning, strengthen
connections between artists and communities, and advocate for
sustainable development strategies that recognize the arts as a driver
of social innovation and civic engagement; and
WHEREAS, Among this year's honorees is photographer Laylah Amatullah
Barrayn, whose work documents and preserves Black culture through
photography that captures memory, community, labor, and identity,
helping to safeguard stories and histories that might otherwise be
overlooked or forgotten; and
WHEREAS, Through her powerful visual storytelling, Laylah Amatullah
Barrayn has made significant contributions to the preservation of
collective memory and the documentation of institutions, relationships,
and neighborhoods, work that remains especially meaningful at a time of
rapid cultural and technological change; and
WHEREAS, For six decades, the Brooklyn Arts Council has served as a
cornerstone of Brooklyn's cultural life, uplifting generations of
artists, preserving the borough's rich creative traditions, and ensuring
that the arts remain accessible, inclusive, and transformative for
communities across Brooklyn; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend and recognize the Brooklyn Arts Council upon the occasion of
hosting its Brooklyn Arts Awards 2026, held on May 19, 2026, at
Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, and to celebrate 60 years of extraordinary
impact on the cultural, civic, and creative life of the Borough of
Brooklyn; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body extends its deepest
congratulations to all honorees of the Brooklyn Arts Awards - including
photographer Laylah Amatullah Barrayn - whose contributions to
Brooklyn's artistic legacy embody the spirit of Then. Now. Next.; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body further expresses its sincere
appreciation to Executive Director Rasu Jilani, along with the staff,
board members, grantees, teaching artists, and community partners whose
dedication continues to sustain and strengthen this vital institution;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Brooklyn Arts Council and this year's honoree, Laylah
Amatullah Barrayn.
