BPL PRESENTS is Central Library's series of arts and culture events, including talks, conversations, and readings with authors, artists and scholars; live music, dance and theater performances; film screening; and art exhibitions. Events are free or ticketed and are taking place at Central Library's Dr. S. Stevan Dweck Cultural Center, unless noted otherwise.
All BPL Presents programs at the Dr. S. Stevan Dweck Cultural Center at Central Library are free of charge (unless otherwise noted) and reservations are required for most adult programs. Patrons with reservations will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Unclaimed reservations will be released fifteen minutes before the start of an event; we recommend arriving early. Patrons without reservations will be seated as capacity allows.
Reservations can be made 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week on our website by visiting the program’s calendar entry at bklynlibrary.org/bplpresents or by phone at 718.230.2200 (please see our phone reservation policy for hours and additional details). Reservations can be made up to approximately one hour before the scheduled program start time. The maximum number of seats that can be reserved per event is 3.
The Dweck Center is an accessible venue. To request additional information regarding accessibility or accommodations at the event, please contact Margie Cook: MCook@bklynlibrary.org.
Reservations for adult programs can be made with a BPL representative Monday-Friday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. For weekend events, reservations must be made by 4 pm on the Friday before the event takes place. Any reservations received after 4pm will not be processed. If leaving a message, please slowly and clearly state your first and last name, your phone number, the name and date of the program you would like to attend, and the number of seats you are requesting (maximum of 3).
Upcoming
2019 Small Press Flea
A summer market of your favorite local publishers and magazines, SPF '19 is the sixth installment of the Small Press Flea, co-presented by BOMB Magazine and Brooklyn Public Library. SPF '19 is...
Green Series: Meehan Crist on Climate Grief
In August's Green Series talk, writer Meehan Crist will first explore how traditional notions of grief have become obsolete in the age of climate crisis, then try to imagine new ways to live with...
Artist Books in Action: politics, race, gender
Join Franklin Furnace Senior Archivist Michael Katchen as he and two guest panelists take us through the ways performance and visual artists use the medium of artist books. This first event will...
Billy Bragg Discusses "The Three Dimensions of Freedom," with Amy Goodman
Co-presented with Greenlight Books, BPL Presents musician and activist Billy Bragg, in conversation with Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman. Bragg diagnoses the crisis of accountability in Western...
Artist Books in Action: humor, satire, parody
Join Franklin Furnace Senior Archivist Michael Katchen as he and two guest panelists take us through the ways performance and visual artists use the medium of artist books. This second event will...
Franklin Furnace: Performance Is Public Artist Talk and Reception
We welcome you to an artist talk with visionary artist and Franklin Furnace Founder Martha Wilson. Reception to follow with light fare and refreshments served.
View information on the...
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Events for Youth and Families
Looking for BPL’s signature events for families, including author signings, theatrical performances and workshops? Explore our top picks for family events.
Contact Us
BPL Presents
Brooklyn Public Library
10 Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11238
bplpresents@bklynlibrary.org
718.230.2200
Past Events
Theater of War: Hercules in Brooklyn, November 2016
Oliver Stone and Ben Wizner, September 2016
Edwidge Danticat and Jacqueline Woodson, April 2016
Alash, January 2016
Slavoj Žižek and Hari Kunzru, November 2016
The Night of the Cookers, February 2016
Viet Thanh Nguyen and Vu Tran, April 2016
Night of Philosophy. January 2017
Salman Rushdie with Joel Whitney, October 2015
John Irving, November 2015
SYBARITE5, February 2016
Yaa Gyasi, June 2016
Brooklyn Public Library gratefully acknowledges the many donors who have provided generous support for BPL Presents programs, including: Los Blancos, Cheryl and George Haywood Endowment for Cultural Diversity, The Kahn Endowment for Humanities Programs, Dr. Beverly S. Jacobs, The Miriam Katowitz and Arthur Radin Fund, Mapleton Endowment, New York State Council on the Arts, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Estate of Pearl S. Reuillard in memory of her parents Yetta and Louis Schwartz, Sandra and Peter Schubert Endowment Fund, The Weissman Family Foundation, Inc., Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation, Janet Anderson, Todd Ferguson and numerous individuals.
Programs are also supported by Brooklyn Public Library’s Fund for the Humanities which was established through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Hearst Foundation, Inc., Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Starr Foundation, the Leon and Muriel Gilbert Charitable Trust, Henry and Lucy Moses Fund, Inc. and a gift in memory of Samuel and Pauline Wine.
WNYC is a media partner of the 2019 BPL Presents Season
