PolyArts

Our New Arts Center

TIME TO PLAY YOUR PART

Arts Center Construction Underway

Time to build

UPDATE: Construction on the Poly Arts Center accelerated during the summer and the project is more than 75% complete with much of the exterior cladding and windows in place. Interior work continues to progress rapidly, and we expect the permitting process to be complete by December with occupancy in early 2024. Look for an invitation to special hard hat tours and other celebratory activities. Find out more about the new PolyARTS Center and contact us.

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Multipurpose spaces impact all art forms

Poly Prep is on the verge of completing the $12 million campaign for the Arts Center. The initiative began in 2012, and has been recently reimagined as a comprehensive, multidisciplinary facility for the performing and visual arts. You can help deliver a facility—endorsed by the Board of Trustees and with a strong foundation of philanthropic support—that matches the level of excellence demonstrated every day by our students and faculty.  Find out more about the new PolyARTS Center and contact us.

Plans for the Arts Center

Arts Center At-A-Glance

10,000
Square Feet of Additional Arts Space
$12 Million
Budget
24
Month Time Frame
Arts Center Time to Move Dance

Time to move

New Dance Studio is a leap forward

  • Timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of POLYDANCE at the Dyker Heights campus
  • Expands the dance curriculum and improves scheduling
  • Greater opportunities for advanced dancers to rehearse independently and to prepare college auditions

Support Dance
“The Arts Center will anchor the growth of Poly Arts and inspire and nourish creativity, discovery, interdisciplinary programs, and community-engaged partnerships.”- Michael S. Robinson, Head of Arts
Arts Center Time to Play Music

Time to play

Instrumental Music Room resounds with joy

  • Nearly doubles the size of the existing band room with capacity to expand the program
  • Opportunity to perform large-scale works
  • Offers space, time, and equipment for seniors preparing audition materials
  • Provides state-of-the-art space for master classes and workshops with professional musicians

Support Music
Arts Center Time to Create

Time to create

Theater and Musical Theater share our stories

  • Alternative rehearsal spaces when the main stage is occupied
  • Greater flexibility in scheduling
  • Offers space, time and equipment for seniors preparing audition materials
  • Best-in-class facilities for visiting directors, playwrights, choreographers, and designers
  • Performance space for works in development

Support Theater
“The new Arts Center marries our world-class arts program with distinguished working artists. Through artist-led collaborations, students experience the creative process and make important connections that will serve them for years to come.”- Robert Aberlin ’62, P’00, ’03, Director of Arts Outreach

Time to show

Art expresses beauty and emotion

  • Doubles the size of the existing theater lobby
  • Professionally designed with state-of-the-art lighting, digital technology, and display cases
  • Comfortable seating and embedded public address system for exhibitions, events, and receptions

Support Visual Arts
Arts Center Time to Share

Time to share

Our partnerships with artists and institutions infuse our programs with creative energy and inspiration

  • Poly’s Arts Partnerships develop high-quality professional
    collaborations with Brooklyn-based artists and companies
  • With increased capacity, we hope to share more of our resources with public schools, senior centers, and community-based organizations
  • The new Arts Center expands the number and quality of rehearsal spaces for rent for community arts organizations

Partnerships & Outreach
“Creativity is fundamental to humankind and even the youngest among us have the ability to shed light on feelings and experiences. As educators, often we talk about the aspects of teaching that produce curiouslearners who are fearless in their pursuit of knowledge. Artistic expression is just one of many ways we encourage students to seek all that life has to offer and to flourish–eudaimonia.”- Audrius Barzdukas P’20, Head of School
Arts Center Prominent Alumni Frederic Willis

Prominent Arts Alumni and Grateful Parents

Poly Prep has a long and distinguished history of producing alumni who are leaders in the performing and visual arts. A small sampling includes legendary record producer Richard Perry ’60 (Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, The Pointer Sisters) and film producer Robert Cort ’64 (On the Basis of Sex, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Jumanji), among others. More recently, Poly’s arts alumni include director Shaka King ’97 (Judas and the Black Messiah), actors Dan Fogler ’94 (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Kung Fu Panda), and Grace Gummer ’04 (American Horror Story: Freak Show and Mr. Robot), as well as Broadway dancers Jill Sigman ’85 and Noah Aberlin ’00, and musical theater star Doug Jabara ’84. In the visual arts we proudly claim Akili Tommasino ’05, assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum, and video game illustrator Zachary Pytlak ’99. Thanks to your investment, Poly will continue to produce alumni leaders in the arts.

Poly Artists

Alumni in the Arts

Alumni

Akili Tommasino ’05

Akili Tommasino ’05 studied art history at Harvard and founded the Prep for Prep/Sotheby’s Art Academy in 2017 “to give high school students of color an earlier window into the art world.”

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Alumni

Will Hochman ’10

“I felt like maybe I could become who I imagined myself to be.”

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Alumni

Alexandra Nava-Baltimore ’20

“Being a student at Poly has allowed me to live what I learned. Poly has been my home, my studio, my classroom, and my inspiration.”

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