HOB News

Message from the Heart of Brooklyn Board of Directors

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Heart of Brooklyn (HOB) is an award-winning consortium that has strengthened and united six of Brooklyn's leading cultural institutions: the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo.

Despite more than a decade of recognition and programmatic success, the organization has recently experienced an unfortunate convergence of funding challenges, which has required the Board of Directors to make the difficult decision to close HOB's storefront office and make plans to discontinue several programs. That process has just started.

Heart of Brooklyn will not disappear with its physical office. The value of twelve years of collaborative work is now an integral part of the fabric of its six member institutions, affirming the importance of continuing the relationships, the cooperation, and the work being done together. In particular, the Board is committed to continuing HOB's award-winning Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP) and the Building Strong Community Networks project.

HOB has been a model for cultural partnerships both locally and nationally. Through ongoing collaborations, Heart of Brooklyn members will seek to continue to serve Brooklyn's dynamic and diverse communities.

The Heart of Brooklyn Board of Directors

Heart of Brooklyn (HOB) is a partnership of the leading cultural institutions located near Grand Army Plaza in central Brooklyn: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo. Heart of Brooklyn encourages tourism and learning by making its world-class collections and historic treasures more visible and accessible. As an integral part of Brooklyn’s renaissance, Heart of Brooklyn is committed to strengthening the future of its neighborhoods.

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Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program Celebrates "Transformations” in 2013

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Registration Is Open For Award-Winning Summer Camp

This summer, youth ages 7–12 can explore the many cultural riches right here in Brooklyn during Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP), the signature education program of the Heart of Brooklyn cultural partnership. BCAP Summer Camp weaves connections between art, science, history, culture, and nature at some of the city's premier cultural institutions. Each day, BCAP Adventurers travel to two different sites and participate in hands-on workshops that make learning fun. This unique camp forges lasting connections between Brooklyn’s kids and their cultural community, while introducing them to new friends from across the borough and beyond. BCAP's innovative approach has been recognized with a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award presented by First Lady Michelle Obama.

This year at BCAP, children will explore how places, ideas, and living things can change into something new under 2013’s theme, “Transformations.” In each two-week camp session, Adventurers will: learn about environmental sustainability at Brooklyn Children’s Museum; become plant scientists at Brooklyn Botanic Garden; meet animal imposters who transform to survive at Prospect Park Zoo; create their own avatars at Brooklyn Public Library; discover the wildlife of Prospect Park; explore masks and how they transform those who wear them at Brooklyn Museum; and much more.

BCAP is offered in three two-week sessions this summer:

Session 1: July 1–12 (9 Days; $625)
Session 2: July 15–26 (10 Days; $675)
Session 3: July 29–August 9 (10 Days; $675)

Tuition assistance is offered for qualifying families. BCAP’s lessons are consistent with New York State Learning Standards and are taught by professional educators. To register, visit www.heartofbrooklyn.org/bcap or call the BCAP Registrar at (718) 638-770. Register by February 28, 2013 to receive a 10% "Early Bird" discount.

BCAP is a proud recipient of a New York Life Foundation "Nurturing the Children" Award and a Nickelodeon Parents Pick Award. BCAP received a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (formerly, Coming Up Taller) from First Lady Michelle Obama in 2010.

Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP) is grateful for leadership support from Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin, American Eagle Outfitters Foundation, American Ireland Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Cashin Family Fund, Goldman Sachs Gives, Ingrassia Charity Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, O. Paul Decker Memorial Foundation, Offensend Family Foundation, The Pinkerton Foundation, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, and the generosity of individuals and member institutions.

National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Awards is an initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH). The President's Committee partners with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to administer the program.

Heart of Brooklyn (HOB) is a partnership of the leading cultural institutions located near Grand Army Plaza in central Brooklyn. Founded in 2001 by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park Alliance, and Prospect Park Zoo, this partnership is dedicated to promoting its unique cultural campus as a "must-see" destination to a diverse audience in Brooklyn and beyond. Heart of Brooklyn encourages tourism and learning by making its world-class collections and historic treasures more visible and accessible. As an integral part of Brooklyn's renaissance, Heart of Brooklyn is committed to strengthening the future of its neighborhoods. Learn more at heartofbrooklyn.org.

Sign the Appeal: One Percent for Culture

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

The city's cultural organizations attract 24 million tourists every year, provide 54,000 jobs, and generate $7.6 billion in economic activity*. Heart of Brooklyn stands with One Percent for Culture and encourages future city leaders to increase cultural funding to 1% of the city expense budget. Help preserve some of the most celebrated non-profit organizations in all five boroughs long into the future; sign the appeal today via WCS.

*Source: One Percent for Culture

Heart of Brooklyn Launches National Initiative

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Strengthening the Collective Impact of Cultural Institutions In Meeting Significant Community Needs

Heart of Brooklyn (HOB), a cultural partnership of six neighboring cultural institutions anchored around Grand Army Plaza in central Brooklyn, announces the next phase of Building Strong Community Networks — a catalyst for promoting critical change and inclusive civic and cultural engagement in Brooklyn.

Building upon a planning process that began in fall 2010 and the award-winning community initiatives already in place at the Heart of Brooklyn cultural institutions, Building Strong Community Networks will include a comprehensive public value audit and a cross-organizational capacity-building curriculum. The partnership includes Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park Alliance and Prospect Park Zoo. HOB will develop new tools and processes to share with other partnerships across the country to facilitate cultural and community collaboration. This project engages five satellite cities—Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia—to ensure a national community of practice.

Building Strong Community Networks was awarded a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. IMLS Director Susan Hildreth stated: “These grants will advance the museum, library, and archive professions through new research and the creation and dissemination of innovative tools, models, and activities that can be shared broadly." In addition, the project received significant support from The Rockefeller Foundation through its NYC Opportunities Fund.

Nationally recognized research leader WolfBrown will lead a team of specialists, and the Center for the Study of Brooklyn will provide access to current data.

“Cultural institutions are essential components of life long learning and vibrant communities,” notes Ellen F. Salpeter, HOB Director. “Through this project, HOB and our community partners are eager to leverage our collective impact to engage Brooklyn’s communities in the bold act of envisioning the future.”

“Building Strong Community Networks represents an exciting progression of our unique partnership and once again, Brooklyn is a recognized leader in cultural innovation,” states HOB Board Chair and Prospect Park Zoo Director Denise McClean.

Please visit the Building Strong Community Networks website, as HOB will be updating it frequently over the two-year course of the project: www.heartofbrooklyn.org/communitynetworks.

Heart of Brooklyn (HOB) is a partnership of the leading cultural institutions located near Grand Army Plaza in central Brooklyn: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo. Heart of Brooklyn encourages tourism and learning by making its world-class collections and historic treasures more visible and accessible. As an integral part of Brooklyn’s renaissance, Heart of Brooklyn is committed to strengthening the future of its neighborhoods.

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