Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced $14 million in New York state funding for three Brooklyn cultural institutions: the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN), the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
The investment will support expansion projects, educational programming and infrastructure improvements across the borough. The projects will also support workforce development, create job opportunities and improve access to educational and cultural resources.
The funding includes $5 million for HITN, $7 million for the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and $2 million for BAM. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York will administer the grants.
“Brooklyn is home to vibrant cultural communities and institutions that create opportunities for New Yorkers to learn, grow and thrive,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
"This funding announcement will support projects that will directly expand access to our educational resources, strengthen cultural institutions and ensure that communities across the borough continue to benefit from these investments for generations to come.”
HITN, a nonprofit Spanish-language television network reaching more than 35 million households nationwide, plans to expand its production facilities at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The $5 million grant will help fund a 17,000-square-foot rooftop production facility and event space, increasing studio capacity and creating workforce development opportunities.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum will receive $7 million to advance its Earth Science Garden project and address infrastructure needs.
The planned garden will transform the museum’s courtyard into a year-round outdoor learning environment where children can explore earth science and discover how natural events, including the ice ages, shaped Brooklyn.
BAM will use its $2 million grant to fund critical repairs and renovations to the exterior of its historic Peter Jay Sharp Building. The improvements will address aging conditions, prevent water intrusion and weather-related damage, and help preserve the building for future generations.
The three projects will move forward through the respective institutions, with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York overseeing the distribution of state funding. No specific construction schedules or completion dates have been announced.
