SPAC announces the return of its WAMC@SPAC series with “BAM! And Then It Hit Me with Karen Brooks Hopkins” on Sept. 26 at 6 P.M. in the Nancy DiCresce Room at The Pines@SPAC facility.
Karen Brooks Hopkins is the president emerita of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where she worked for 36 years, serving 16 of those as president. Hopkins was presented the National Medal of the Arts, the highest award given to artists and arts organizations by the U.S. government, on behalf of BAM by President Obama in 2014.
We are so proud to be presenting Karen Hopkins at SPAC. She has been a powerhouse and an icon in the industry, someone who was instrumental in the evolution of the Brooklyn Academy of Music into one of the most important presenting and producing organizations in the world. BAM’s fierce commitment to contemporary artists and new work made Brooklyn a magnet for anyone who cared about the arts. I myself moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn precisely to be right there in BAM’s orbit, a mere walking distance from a great cauldron of creativity. Both lovers of the performing arts and the uninitiated will be compelled by Karen’s ‘behind-the-scenes’ storytelling from 36 years at the helm of the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Elizabeth Sobol, President & CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center
“BAM! And Then It Hit Me” is a memoir of Hopkins’ life and her 36 years at America’s oldest performing arts center. It is an inspiring and constructive read for any not-for-profit organization or local arts center detailing key strategies for institutional success. Visual elements highlighting behind-the-scenes moments from BAM’s legendary performances over the years will also be shared with the public for the first time.
The book event is a part of SPAC’s growing LiteraryArts@SPAC initiative, which includes WAMC@SPAC events and conversations with renowned authors and poets, like Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco, journalist Chris Cox, New York Times columnist Pamela Paul, and more.
The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is known for its summer concerts, as well as for hosting residencies from the New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
“BAM! And Then It Hit Me with Karen Brooks Hopkins” is free to attend, however, seating is limited. Go here to reserve seating, there will also be a book signing following the event.
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