Assembly Resolution No. 1242

BY: M. of A. Wright

COMMEMORATING the 40th Anniversary of BRIC, and
paying tribute to its President, Leslie G. Schultz

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to commemorate
those events of historical significance which add strength, vigor and
inspiration to the cultural diversity and quality of life in the
communities of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary of BRIC, and to pay tribute to its
President, Leslie G. Schultz; and

WHEREAS, For 40 years, BRIC has presented programs in contemporary
art, performing arts, and video which reflects the creativity and
diversity of Brooklyn, New York; BRIC also advances and nurtures
emerging voices and works-in-progress by local artists and media makers;
and

WHEREAS, This vital organization supports open access to arts and
media by making programs available without charge or at very low cost,
through education and public programs, and by enabling and amplifying
individual and community voices; and

WHEREAS, Leslie G. Schultz began her career as a partner in the New
York office of the law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, where she
practiced corporate law with a specialty in non-profit transactions and
capital projects; and

WHEREAS, In November of 2004, Leslie G. Schultz served as a
consultant for BRIC; one year later, she assumed the title of Executive
Director; and

WHEREAS, When Leslie G. Schultz first joined the staff of BRIC (then
called Brooklyn Information and Culture), the organization consisted
primarily of three loosely affiliated programs: the Celebrate Brooklyn!
Performing Arts Festival, at the Prospect Park Bandshell; the Rotunda
Gallery, in Brooklyn Heights; and Brooklyn Community Access Television
(BCAT), located in a small part of the 66,000-squarefoot former Strand
Theater; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her tenure, Leslie G. Schultz has led the
organization through a period of remarkable growth; she was instrumental
in expanding BRIC's programming, education initiatives, and community
engagement work to transform BRIC into a vibrant institution committed
to arts for all; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, under Leslie G. Schultz's luminous leadership,
BRIC opened BRIC House, a 40,000-square-foot arts-and media complex
which brings BRIC's year-round programs together under one roof, and
attracts 100,000 visitors each year; the facility includes two
performance spaces; a major contemporary art exhibition space; a project
room for small-scale contemporary art exhibitions; a glass-walled

television studio where BRIC TV, the award-winning Brooklyn-focused
cable and digital network, films and broadcasts; and a state-of-the-art
public access media center; and

WHEREAS, Currently, BRIC's programs include the free, summer-long
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival; the New York Emmy Award-winning BRIC
TV, whose programming includes acclaimed original scripted series, a
live daily show, and hyper-local news stories and documentaries
illuminating issues affecting the borough's diverse communities;
Brooklyn Free Speech TV, a leading public access TV network which
amplifies alternative voices in media; a major contemporary art
exhibition program; BRIC JazzFest, which brings global legends and
emerging artists in jazz to Brooklyn each October; the BRIC House
Sessions concert series; the weekly Stoop Series of free public
conversations at BRIC House with artists, authors and filmmakers; BRIC
Radio, Brooklyn's premier podcast network; family programs; and more;
and

WHEREAS, In addition, BRIC's nationally recognized school-based arts
and media education program was operated in more than 35 Brooklyn public
schools last year; and

WHEREAS, BRIC has also expanded its focus on supporting the work of
artists and media-makers who reflect the diversity of New York City,
including launching BRICLab, which awards 10 residencies per year to
playwrights, choreographers, composers and others developing new
performing arts works; and residencies providing 16 visual artists with
work space each year; commissioning programs for Brooklyn filmmakers to
create new scripted TV series; and long-term residencies for established
Brooklyn artists; and

WHEREAS, Moreover, Leslie G. Schultz co-founded and provided
leadership to two major new coalitions of arts organizations: the
Downtown Brooklyn Arts Alliance, consisting of 39 local arts
organizations, founded in 2011, to help create synergies among arts
organization neighbors and minimize the traditional competition among
arts organizations; and the New Coalition of Culturals in City-Owned
Buildings, founded in 2015, and representing the arts non-profits that
are in city-owned buildings but are not CIGs; and

WHEREAS, The success of BRIC is in direct correlation to the efforts
of its President Leslie G. Schultz, and her staff, whose involvement is,
and always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an
unbridled enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of excellence in
all endeavors on behalf of the institution and the community it serves;
and

WHEREAS, It is most fitting that we take time to celebrate the arts
of our Nation, to honor artists, and to express our appreciation to
everyone who patronizes the arts; and as we celebrate the arts, we
celebrate and give thanks to our American freedom, the only atmosphere
in which artists can truly create and in which art is truly the
expression of the soul; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary of BRIC, and to pay tribute to its
President, Leslie G. Schultz; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Leslie G. Schultz, President, BRIC.