Lincoln Center’s campus in New York City is set to expand its venues with a new 2,000-seat open-air amphitheatre hosting free performances on the west side of the complex. The Baron Theater will open in the summer of 2028 and will be the first freestanding theatre to be built in the complex in over 50 years.
Named in recognition of its donor, The Baron Family Foundation, the new theatre will sit at the centre of a new community park, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Gardens, which will feature lawns, water features, tree groves and a public garden. The intention is to create a more welcoming entrance on the western side of Lincoln Center, from Amsterdam Avenue.
The design for the new theatre and open spaces has been led by Hood Design Studio, Weiss/Manfredi and Moody Nolan. The design process included community consultation with nearby residents, staff and students from nearby educational institutions, elected officials, civic leaders and other members of the New York City community. Participants emphasised their desire to see a welcoming location for performance and an urban oasis for everyone, prioritising the needs of the elderly, children and families, and ensuring that the park’s elements are accessible to all.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new park, which took place on Monday 11th May, included performances celebrating the cultural legacy of the area throughout history. Featured especially was the flourishing culture of the San Juan Hill neighbourhood – home to Thelonious Monk and James P Johnson, among others – razed during the building of Lincoln Center in the late 1950s.
“It is so important that everyone has access to spaces where community is celebrated, and individual talent is discovered and nurtured,” said Misty Copeland, former dancer with American Ballet Theatre (resident at the Metropolitan Opera House on the Lincoln Center campus) and member of the Board of Directors of Lincoln Center. “The arts can provide these spaces for so many of us. We are thrilled to break ground today to create spaces that will welcome future generations to experience the power of the incredible artistry across this great campus.”
$335 million to support the construction phase has already been raised from foundations, private donors, the Lincoln Center Board of Directors and public support from the State and City of New York.
