Downtown Brooklyn + Dumbo Art Fund

Downtown Brooklyn + Dumbo Art Fund

The Downtown Brooklyn + Dumbo Art Fund was created to fund public art, performance, and accessibility projects that serve to enhance public space, increase access to cultural programming, and connect the neighborhoods of Downtown Brooklyn.

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP) and the Dumbo Improvement District (Dumbo) partnered to create the Downtown Brooklyn + Dumbo Art Fund. Funding for these transformative grants was provided by New York State through its Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).

Part of New York State’s approach to create vibrant neighborhoods and boost local economies, Downtown Revitalization Initiative investments are a crucial part of the State’s strategy to revitalize communities. DBP and Dumbo partnered with Borough President Eric L. Adams on the winning 2018 proposal, which awarded $10 million to a range of projects including the Downtown Brooklyn + Dumbo Art Fund.

  • DTBK DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE: BACKGROUND + OBJECTIVES

    New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) is a program which invests $100M annually into transforming downtown neighborhoods into vibrant communities where New Yorkers want to live, work and raise families.

    Selection is based on the downtown’s potential for transformation, and each community is awarded $10 million to develop a downtown strategic investment plan and implement key catalytic projects that advance the community’s vision for revitalization.

    The Downtown Brooklyn DRI Proposal

    In 2018, DBP and DUMBO applied for and were awarded a $10M grant through the DRI program. The proposal drew on the Brooklyn Strand Plan – specifically addressing the need to reconnect the core of downtown to the waterfront and to invest in underserved neighborhoods.

    The application goals included:

    Rectify mistakes of urban renewal
    Connect Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods
    Advance equity by extending educational & entrepreneurial opportunities to underserved communities
    Link the Brooklyn Cultural District and DUMBO arts hubs
    Broaden the benefits of Downtown Brooklyn’s growth to better serve local residents, businesses, and workers
    It is these goals that inform the DTBK Public Art + Placemaking Fund.

    Other projects selected to receive funding under the $10M Downtown Brooklyn DRI fund include: Commodore Barry Park upgrades; safe crossings at the intersection of Tillary and Navy Streets; a new pedestrian crossing at St. Edwards Street and Flushing Ave.; a more accessible public entrance to the Brooklyn Navy Yard; a digital tech center at the Ingersoll Community Center; and transformation of Walt Whitman Library into a modern community hub. All projects were selected to address the Downtown Brooklyn DRI goals of re-connecting the core of Downtown Brooklyn to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and DUMBO, and investing in areas that have been traditionally underserved.