El Puente Arts

El Puente Arts

El Puente is one of the most comprehensive Latino arts and cultural programs in Brooklyn. El Puente’s legacy of pre-professional arts training, led by Frances Lucerna, El Puente’s Co-founder, Artistic Director, and current President, has nurtured thousands of young artists some of whom have gone on to professional arts careers, to include three Tony winners. Our pre-professional arts training (both afterschool and in-school Integrated Arts Projects) includes dance, theatre, voice, bomba, film/media art, studio art/public art, breaking (bboy/bgirl) and spoken word. El Puente has received multiple Van Lier Fellowships grants (funded by The New York Community Trust) to support additional intensive professional arts training, coaching and mentoring for aspiring young artists. El Puente Arts produces a robust presenting season that includes performances and cultural events featuring new and recognized local/international artists, as well as the work of our resident youth companies. To address issues of community sustainability and equity, El Puente Arts created CADRE – Community Artists’ Development and Resource Exchange. CADRE is a diverse coalition that has become a platform for primarily local Latinx and artists of color to network, collaborate and create projects that will grow and sustain their capacity to lead and contribute to the unique cultural community of North Brooklyn.