Welcome

The Center at West Park is a home for arts, culture, and community in the landmark West Park Presbyterian Church on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. The Center is a secular not-for-profit organization that offers a diverse range of programs for artists, audiences, and the neighborhood; manages the building’s venues; and stewards the restoration of its historic exterior.

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Upcoming Events

Beloved/Departed

April 26 at 8pm
A new immersive dance theatre experience. Aphrodite invites you to attend the wedding celebrations of Orpheus and Eurydice, and see this fabled story of Greek gods and Goddesses come to life before your eyes. Featuring movement-based storytelling and original music, audiences will be fully immersed in the myth of these two young lovers. But, as the night unfolds, Orpheus and Eurydice’s love will be tested, and ultimately they and the audience will face the question: is love enough to hold us together?
The Center at West Park and Linked Dance Theatre are proud to present Beloved/Departed a new immersive dance theatre experience Conceived by Kendra Slack & Jordan Chlapecka Directed by Jordan Chlapecka Original Text & Movement by the Company Stage Managed by Cati Phishal Original Music by Brendan Littlefield Lighting/Set Design by Cheyenne Sykes Costumes by Nicholas Smith Produced by Li Kennedy Fight Consultation by Mackenzie Knapp Featuring: Josh James - Orpheus Kendra Slack - Eurydice Kellyn Thornburg - Artemis Calvin Tsang - Apollo Maya Gonzalez - Hermes Chloe Markewich - Persephone Nick Kepley - Hades Rita Mccan - Aphrodite Matt Engle - Charon/Hymen Oliver Burke “Tillett” - The Muse
DOORS OPEN 7.30PM. THE WEDDING BEGINS AT 8PM SHARP. General Admission tickets grant you entrance into the wedding as a guest of Orpheus or Eurydice. 

Premium Bridesmaid and Groomsman tickets give you the opportunity to step into the role of bridesmaid or groomsmen and give you more intimate access to the bride and groom. There are only 4 premium tickets available per performance (2 bridesmaid tickets & 2 groomsmen tickets). You are welcome to choose either no matter what gender you identify as. 

Beloved/Departed is an immersive experience that lasts approximately 2 hours. You must be able to stand and walk for the duration of the performance, including up and down stairs. The wedding will begin promptly at 8pm; late admittance is up to the discretion of our front of house staff. Be advised that haze and laser effects will be used in this experience. Please notify our front of house upon arrival if you think this will be an issue for you. Dressing for the occasion is highly encouraged - think, semi-formal relaxed spring wedding but comfortable footwear is advised. Food and beverage will be served/available at different points throughout the night. If you have serious food allergies or do not wish to consume alcohol, we suggest you politely decline any offers of snacks or drinks. There will also be a free, mandatory coat and bag check at the start of the experience.
Linked Dance Theatre make stories come to life through movement, text, music and everything related to the body. We believe that motions inspire emotions which lead our collaborative creative process, and out of our practice comes staged and immersive works that merge the worlds of theatre and dance by telling stories through movement, and subvert the conventional norms of what theatre or dance should or should not be. We use space to inspire the work and collaborate with our dancers to make each piece a truly unique reflection of the world around us. Find out more at linkeddancetheatre.com.  

NYC Seed Group open session

April 30 at 7pm
This session of the NYC Seed Group is free and open to all. We will gather for refreshments starting at 7:15; singing will begin soon afterwards. Feel free to participate by watching or singing and dancing with us, as we lead through a series of songs drawn primarily from U.S. folk traditions. The NYC Seed Group was initiated by the Open Program of the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards and has maintained artistic residency at West-Park since 2014. Please note that McAlpin Hall is accessible only by climbing the stairs. Free admission.

Plant a Seed with the West Park Team

May 20 at 2pm
Join the team from The Center at West Park on May 20th on 86th St and Amsterdam Ave from 2PM to 4PM for music, gardening, and refreshments as we Plant a Seed for the restoration of this historic landmark!
 
More Events

Our Artist Residency program provides affordable space for performing artists to develop and present their work in the grand 420-seat Sanctuary Theater and the intimate 74-seat Balcony Theater. Applications for the Spring 2018 season are closed.

The Center at West Park’s Arts Leaders Fellowship Program is an opportunity for early career arts professionals to build skills and experience while shaping the direction of a new arts and culture center in a historic building on the Upper West Side. Fellowship positions include Arts Education, Arts Management, Development, Outreach, and Technical and Facilities. Applications for Spring 2018 are now closed.

OBJECT MOVEMENT is a curated festival and developmental residency for puppeteers and object theater artists. The purpose of the program is to develop new work and advance existing works-in-progress that address social, political, ethical, and/or philosophical questions through puppetry and object theater, culminating in a festival of performances. Participants will meet weekly as a group to share the progress of their pieces and offer feedback. The group is moderated by a curatorial team of puppetry artists and producers. Group meetings will be from September 2017 through Spring 2018, culminating in a festival of performances.

Ethics + Aesthetics

We value work that challenges aesthetic and cultural boundaries, builds lasting relationships among artists and audiences, engages with underserved and underrepresented communities, and is created and presented in inclusive contexts.

Our Spaces

Sanctuary Theater

Venue Info

Balcony Theater

Venue Info

McAlpin Hall

Venue Info

Chapel

Venue Info

Restoration Plan

Phase 1 Community House & South Facade Roof, Tower & Chimney $6.25 million Replace roofing,
Restore skylights,
Restore windows & frames
Replace flashings, accessories, gutters & leaders
Restore masonry
Restore doors, automate east doors for accessibility
Phase 2 South/Corner Tower Roof & Walls $9.25 million Replace roofing
Restore windows and frames
Restore South entrance doors, steps
Restore masonry
Phase 3 North Tower Roof, Walls & West Facade $4.75 million Reconstruct tower roof
Restore windows and frames
Restore entrance doors, steps
Restore masonry
Phase 4 Sanctuary Roof & South Facade $3.5 million Replace roofing
Restore windows & frames
Replace flashings, accessories, gutters & leaders
Restore masonry
Phase 5 North Facade (Not Pictured) $1.25 million Restore windows & frames
Restore doors
Repair areaway contrete slab
Restore masonry
All Phases Stabilization Remove loose stone material
Install temporary netting
Install smoke alarm system building wide
Maintain gutters & leaders
Complete Structural Survey

Support the Center

We need your help to build a more inclusive community in the Upper West Side neighborhood and all of New York City by

presenting diverse, engaging, and boundary-pushing artistic and cultural programming;

providing affordable performance, rehearsal, and event space to local artists and community members; and

preserving the West Park Presbyterian Church’s historic edifice to delight and inspire future.

Your generous contribution will make a lasting impact for our community. Thank you!

Contact

Location

Address: 165 W 86th Street, New York, NY 10024
Subway: 1, B, C to 86th St

Offices & Community House

Entrance on 86th Street

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm
Phone: 212-997-4490
Email: info@centeratwestpark.org

Sanctuary & Balcony Theaters

Entrance on Amsterdam Ave

See our calendar of upcoming events
Send us a venue rental inquiry

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