BAM Artistic Director David Binder to Conclude His Tenure in 2024

BAM's Artistic Director, David Binder will conclude his tenure in 2024 to pursue independent artistic projects on Broadway and elsewhere. Though he will end his role as artistic director on July 2, 2023, he will continue to work with BAM President Gina Duncan and the programming team to provide artistic continuity through January 2024.

During his tenure Binder successfully upheld BAM's adventurous aesthetic and commitment to excellence while programming acclaimed works that consistently played to sold-out theaters. He presented more than 50 BAM debuts from artists around the world who repeatedly earned critical praise and cultivated a diversified and expanded audience. During the 2021-22 season, 48 percent of the BAM ticket buyers were first-time attendees.

With an aim to broaden the institution's curatorial lens, he empowered multiple guest curators; from Larry Ossei-Mensah's art exhibitions in the recently opened Rudin Family Gallery, to a new spring music series that was inaugurated in 2022 by Hanif Abdurraqib, and continues in 2023 with Solange for Saint Heron.

Reinforcing BAM's artist-centered focus, under Binder's leadership BAM launched a new artist residency program to support emerging and mid-career artists, now in its third year. He conceived two unique and unprecedented seasons: one that was entirely site-specific-celebrating some of Brooklyn's most beloved spaces; and a New York Season that honored both iconic and emerging local artists. Binder deepened cross-cultural collaborations including co-presentations with The Kitchen, St. Ann's Warehouse, The Movement Theatre Company, New York Live Arts, Playwrights Horizons, FIAF's Crossing the Line Festival, and The Public Theater's Under The Radar Festival. He also named Davóne Tines BAM's 2023 artist in residence.

Notable productions during Binder's time include: a 24-hour performance of Nat Randall and Anna Breckon's The Second Woman; Aleshea Harris' What to Send Up When It Goes Down; Riz Ahmed's The Long Goodbye; Inua Ellams' Barber Shop Chronicles; By Heart created and performed by Tiago Rodrigues, the new director of Festival d'Avignon; Kiki and Herb: SLEIGH at BAM which subsequently toured the US; FC Bergman's 300 el x 50 el x 30 el; Thomas Ostermeier's Hamlet; the American premiere of Venice Biennale Golden Lion winner, Sun & Sea; National Theatre of Korea's opera, Trojan Women; and the launch of Madonna's Madame X world tour. Dance highlights include Kyle Marshall's Colored; Bruno Beltrao's Inoah; Pam Tanowitz's Four Quartets, and Akram Khan's Giselle for English National Ballet.

Under Binder's direction, BAM produced Simon Stone's Medea and next month will produce the first major New York revival in 50 years of Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. BAM also presented in 2021 the Jamie Lloyd Company's Cyrano de Bergerac, which broke all house records at the Harvey Theater.

"I'm honored to have had the chance to shape BAM's artistic vision over the past five years. Collaborating with my incredible colleagues here to bring many of the world's leading artists and their bold, barrier-breaking works to a wide audience has been one of the most thrilling chapters of my career," says Binder. "Gina has always had a bold vision for expanding BAM's community. I am excited to support her and the artistic team as they carry on the legacy of presenting adventurous artists. BAM is essential to the cultural life of New York City, and I look forward to its future success."

"I am grateful for all that David accomplished here at BAM-from artistic triumphs that were also box office hits, to introducing a crop of exciting new artists and expanding audiences," says Duncan. "The past few years have been incredibly challenging for the performing arts, and I thank David and the programming team for ensuring that BAM remained vital, vibrant, and relevant throughout. We are moving into the future from a place of strength and I'm eager to build on this momentum, elevating BAM as a home for adventurous new work that inspires and nourishes all of the communities that we serve."

BAM will begin a comprehensive search for new artistic leadership this spring.

About BAM

A world-class home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas, The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is North America's oldest performing arts center, showcasing the work of emerging artists and modern icons.

For more than 160 years, BAM has built a thriving, urban multi-arts complex renowned for presenting an unparalleled roster of visionary and cutting-edge dance, theater, music, opera, visual arts, literature, and film engagements. Attracting more than 750,000 people annually to its home in Brooklyn, BAM provides a welcoming cultural stage and meeting place for global and local communities of all backgrounds. BAM's distinctive, dynamic multi-theater campus is alive year-round with acclaimed signature programs and inspired new engagements including the renowned Next Wave Festival, the iconic DanceAfrica, the stunning Word.Sound.Power poetry event, the ebullient Everybooty celebration, the acclaimed repertory film program, literary and visual art events, and the extraordinary educational and humanities programs. For more information visit BAM.org.