651 ARTS, a Brooklyn hub for artistic innovation and a home for artists across the African Diaspora, has unveiled part of its 2019–2020 lineup. The upcoming season follows the recent appointment of David J. Roberts as executive director and Raelle Myrick-Hodges as the institution’s inaugural creative director.

Programming throughout the 2019–2020 slate includes Gagging on the Ornament I Made for My Mom in Mr. Raymond’s 5th Grade Class, a holiday show exploring what it means to be Queer, Black, and going home for the holidays by korde arrington tuttle (December 16 at BAM Fisher); Edisa Weeks’ solo work Liberty (January 7–12, 2020, at the Kumble Theater at LIU Brooklyn), and the New York premiere of Junebug Productions’ Gomela, about migrating north from New Orleans, described as "an experience of collective memories passed down from generation to generation." The outdoor summer show is in collaboration with Hi Arts and Brooklyn Botanical Garden and will play June 18–20 at The Water Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

651 also recently debuted its new pilot program, The Woodshed Network, which focuses on women in Jazz, in partnership with Dee Dee Bridgewater; and its inaugural Artist As Resident Series with musician Martha Redbone, co-curated by Najee Omar.

“This is a landmark year for us in so many ways. I am excited that our audiences will now get to experience our vision for the future of this institution," says Roberts. "This season reflects the growth and evolution of 651 and is focused on honoring the core tenets of the mission to inspire and enrich communities through art and continuing to invest in artists across the Diaspora. We will continue to be a steadfast resource for the cultivation, exploration, and celebration of these artists.”