TJ Loves Sally 4 Ever - photo by Theo Cote
JACK is an award-winning performance meets civic space located at 20 Putnam Ave in Brooklyn. We present over 80 theater, music and dance performances a year and hold community conversations on issues of importance to our neighborhood.
JACK's original co-founders include Alec Duffy, Mimi Lien, Steven Leffue, Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr., Nikaury Rodriguez, Prentice Onayemi, Ike Ufomadu, Amy Laird Webb, Jennifer Kidwell and Andreea Mincic.
JACK is named after founder Alec Duffy’s grandfather — a minister, labor activist and lover of the arts.
We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
mISSION
Our mission is to fuel experiments in art and activism, collaborating with adventurous artists and our neighbors to bring about a more just and vibrant society.
mayfield brooks - Letters to Marsha (photo: Johanna K. Wilson)
VISion & values
JACK was founded to create a space for performance that serves as a connection point for multiple communities — a space where individuals from different backgrounds come together, create art, and speak their truth.
We see the role of an arts space to also be a community space, and we connect neighbors not only through performances, but also through conversations on issues of importance.
With whatever we’re sharing — performances, community forums, mutual aid — our aim is to move people to think and feel differently. The programming at JACK is not “safe” — it is not designed for comfort, but rather to challenge our community with work that is intentional, urgent, and adventurous. We want to inspire conversation, reflection and action.
Who we are
Skye E. Kowaleski
Interim Director
John-Philip Faienza
Technical & Production Manager
Kiara Johnson
Administrative Assistant
Where we are
JACK is located on the land of the Munsee-Lenape people. JACK recognizes that our programming takes place on unceded land and acknowledges the generations of displaced families who have shaped, built, and continue to maintain the land now known as New York City. As one small step of acknowledging the indigenous people whose lands we occupy JACK donates 5% of the all ticket sales from our paid programming to Lenni Lenapexkweyok a collection of Lenape matriarchs organizing to increase Lenape presence in their homeland immediately and in the long term. This effort is being stewarded by River Whittle, community liaison for Emily Johnson/Catalyst and the Branch of Knowledge. Learn more here.