Poly Prep breaks ground on arts center

October 6, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

A rendering of the Arts Center. Rendering courtesy of Poly Prep

Share this:

DYKER HEIGHTS — Poly Prep Country Day School, Brooklyn’s largest independent co-educational day school, has formally broken ground on a $12 million Art Center. The project, initially started in 2012, is now officially underway to add 10,000 sq. ft of rehearsal, exhibition and teaching space to its Dyker Heights campus.

The event began with a special performance by students and special guest performer and alum, Douglas Jabara ’84.

Speakers included Audrius Barzdukas, Head of School, Dan Dougherty, Director of Music, Laura Coppola, The Charles and Valerie Diker Chair of The Visual Arts.

The groundbreaking. Photo courtesy of Poly Prep

The audience attending the Groundbreaking were the Poly Community, students and a special guest actor, Paul Rudd who is best known for his role as Scott Lang in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Also known for his roles in “Role Models,” “I Love You, Man” and “Dinner for Schmucks.”

The Arts Center construction expands Poly Preps mission and provides facilities that match its innovative programs in music, dance, drama, drawing, painting, ceramics and digital arts. This expansion will allow Poly Prep to deepen its longstanding relationships with community partners and local arts organizations including the Brooklyn Museum and the Elizabeth Streb Dance Company, as well as individual visiting artists who serve residencies and participate in master classes.

Poly Prep’s Director of Music explains, “Poly’s Arts Partnerships program gives our students opportunities to experience the creative process through artist visits, performances, hands-on learning, collaborations, and more. We are proud of our long-term partnerships with the Brooklyn Museum, choreographer Elizabeth Streb, and the Cora Dance company. Also, we are delighted to announce a new collaboration with acclaimed muralist and Poly Parent Lee Qiuñones, who will be working with our advanced drawing class this spring.

The new Arts Center expands the capacity of our programs. It elevates Poly’s Arts Center to the highest standard, providing large rehearsal spaces and the first-ever professional level gallery to exhibit student works and pieces on loan from galleries and museums.”

Poly Prep has already raised some $10 million toward the project through the generosity of key stakeholders and donors from the Poly Prep community. It is seeking an additional $2 million to complete the project for the 2023-2024 academic year.