BRIC, which considers itself the leading Brooklyn-based leading arts and media institution, announced on Wednesday its 2024 festival lineup for the 46th annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! festival at Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park.
“The longest-running free performing arts festival in New York City, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! has become one of the city’s foremost cultural attractions and a beloved annual tradition,” said BRIC, stating that it is the summer-long outdoor concert and performance series that celebrates talent spanning global music icons to chart-topping indie bands.
It said “Brooklyn’s biggest summer party” will run from June 8 through Aug. 24.
This season, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! expands its community reach by bringing “a pop-up festival experience” to Brower Park, as well as to Highland Park in Brooklyn for a second year.
BRIC said this year’s “genre-crossing lineup” includes performances by trailblazing punk-ska vets Fishbone, 4x Grammy winner Meshell Ndegeocello, rising Afrobeat star Seun Kuti, reggae stars Lila Ike and Jesse Royal, Belgian dance sensations Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, retro soul ensemble Thee Sacred Souls, Sinkane, and a host of “vital emerging acts” like Ambar Lucid, Adi Oasis, Black Belt Eagle Scout, and Talibah Safiya.
In a night commemorating visionary musician Arthur Russell, BRIC said the Wordless Music Orchestra will perform Russell’s seminal 1983 instrumental album Tower of Meaning in its live New York premiere.
BRIC said the festival kicks off on June 8, with a family-friendly themed day with headliner The Halluci Nation and Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced “Shu-TEZ-caht”) and Asase Yaa Youth Ensemble as the opening acts.
“BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! is known for its distinct curatorial mix that elevates emerging artists, popular indie talent and showcases legacy artists from all genres and subgenres,” said BRIC, stating tha,t this season, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! is paying homage to the borough’s rich cultural tapestry with the theme “Raised by Brooklyn.”
BRIC said the theme is “a tribute to the role Brooklyn has played in shaping the lives and trajectories of global cultural icons, public servants, artists, community activists, and business leaders born – and the role of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! in shaping the Brooklyn cultural landscape.”
By centering “Raised by Brooklyn,” BRIC said “the festival celebrates the contributions of Brooklynites while providing a platform to inspire the next generation of changemakers and creatives, affirming its commitment to uplifting the diverse voices and experiences that make this community so vibrant.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to share this vibrant and diverse festival lineup that embraces our ‘Raised By Brooklyn’ theme,” said Saidah Blount, the new executive director of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! “This season’s array of musical genres and cultural moments represents the best of this vibrant borough.
“Across 10 weeks, you’ll hear music from the Caribbean Diaspora, global rock and dance beats, as well as hometown heroes presenting orchestral works, powerful dance performances, and one of the most acclaimed films ever from a Brooklyn-born director,” she added. “I’m hoping that everyone who comes out to the Lena Horne Bandshell this summer has the opportunity to see a bit of ‘their Brooklyn’ in this dynamic lineup.”
Wes Jackson, president of BRIC Arts & Media, said, “We are so proud to be back at the Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park for our 46th season.
“BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! is one of the many things that have made Brooklyn one of the cultural capitals of the world,” he added. “Together with the Prospect Park Alliance and the Parks Department, we have given a stage to the world’s best and brightest for more than a generation.
“With this year’s theme of ‘Raised by Brooklyn’ we pay homage to artists and our community who not only have Brooklyn as their home but as their muse,” Jackson added. “Whether you are from NYC or not, we are proud of a lineup that represents us all in all of our beauty.”
Morgan Monaco, Prospect Park Alliance president and park administrator, said, “BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park is a beloved flagship event and a clear sign of summer for our community.
“Music and performing arts help keep us thriving in good times and in bad, and I’m grateful that the park is a place of inspiration for artists of all kinds,” he added. “The festival has brought a wide range of free music, performances and family programming to Brooklyn’s Backyard, and we look forward to coming together for an exciting season ahead with the many diverse communities of Brooklyn.”
BRIC will officially start the season on June 12 with its 2024 BRIC House Party & Gala, “Raised by Brooklyn,” where it will honor multi-talented artist D-Nice.
