Mikki Shepard’s connection to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) began in 1972 when she served as the assistant to the then Associate Director, Courtney Callender. A decade later, Shepard is recognized for producing BAM’s longest-running festival, DanceAfrica, which debuted in 1982 and remains a significant part of BAM’s programming today. In 2013, multidisciplinary artist Solange Knowles made her BAM debut as a headline performer at the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival. Similar to Shepard, Knowles returned a decade later to curate her own vision, a 10-day experiential concert and screening titled Eldorado Ballroom, a nod to her hometown of Houston, Texas. This week, both were honored by the BAM community for their contributions to this year’s BAM Spring benefit.
The event unfolded on the same stage where Shepard and Knowles first showcased their works, albeit at different points in BAM’s history. “This feels incredible for me to be able to honor two incredible artists and curators whose whole ethos embodies what I want to do here at BAM,” Gina Duncan, BAM President, shared with Vogue. Since its inception in 1861, BAM has been a vital part of Brooklyn’s art scene, particularly in championing diverse artistic expressions—a feat that presents its own unique challenges within the arts generally. The honorees have notably brought to life pivotal moments in BAM’s Black and African history under one roof. To offer a glimpse into the past, the benefit featured aged images, contact sheets, and pamphlets from the archives, allowing attendees to immerse themselves in the early stages of DanceAfrica and the world of Mikki Shepard. The enlarged black-and-white images depicted Black performers in motion, setting the stage for Knowles’s sold-out show in the Howard Gilman Opera House nearly forty years later.
In celebration of Black-centric works, there were performances from Alva Puppet Theater and Beverly Glenn-Copeland, who performed alongside his wife. Some attendees included designer Raul Lopez, Tiona Nekkia McClodden, Kyle Abraham, and Toyin Ojih Odutola. All of whom represent BAM’s commitment to championing community.