The Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn has launched a multi-year public art initiative called 'Brooklyn Art Encounters.' The program includes a new artist-in-residence component, with Paul Pfeiffer as the inaugural resident, and will feature digital art broadcasts, major new commissions by artists like Sarah Sze, Rashid Johnson, Mark Bradford, and Kambui Olujimi, and a series of public installations on the arena's plaza and in its entrances.
The initiative represents a significant institutional commitment to integrating contemporary art into a major sports and entertainment venue, aiming to engage the local community. By appointing a high-profile curatorial advisor, Andria Hickey, and assembling a notable advisory board including Thelma Golden and Hans Ulrich Obrist, the program seeks artistic credibility while using the arena's massive public footprint to reach new audiences. The focus on social practice, with Pfeiffer's workshop for justice-impacted youth, ties the art directly to the arena's civic role in Brooklyn.