Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX)

- 421 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX) is a dynamic, multigenerational arts organization centrally located in the vibrant Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. More than just a children's camp provider, BAX is a non-profit organization, a dance school, and a performing arts theater committed to nurturing creative expression and artistic process at the intersection of arts and social justice. For over three decades, BAX has been a cultural home, supporting artists of all ages, from young children to award-winning professionals, through communities of learning.

The focus of BAX's youth programming, including its popular school break and summer arts programs, is on embodied practices such as dance, movement, theater, and multidisciplinary performance. The camps are designed to be non-competitive, emphasizing peer-mentorship, creative choice-making, and collaboration in a culturally inclusive social environment. These programs operate during major school breaks, providing New York City families with a creative, nurturing, and professional space where young artists-in-progress, typically those entering Kindergarten through 5th grade, can thrive. Professional artists and warm, experienced staff facilitate the exploration of different daily and weekly performing and visual arts activities, balancing structured studio time with essential outdoor play.

As an organization that explicitly identifies as women-owned and is committed to building equity and access, BAX creates a safe, affirming space. It is notably recognized as an LGBTQ+ friendly environment and a transgender safespace, aligning with its broader mission to forge brave spaces for historically underrepresented backgrounds. This commitment to inclusion is a cornerstone of the BAX experience, distinguishing it as a culturally and socially aware option for Brooklyn families.

Location and Accessibility

BAX operates from its long-time home, known as The BAX Building, situated in the heart of Park Slope, Brooklyn, and also utilizes The BAX Annex for expanded, accessible programming.

The BAX Building (Primary Children's Camp Location) Address:

421 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA

The Park Slope location is conveniently located roughly one block from the 4th Avenue-9th Street subway station, served by the F, G, and R lines, making it easily reachable for New York City commuters. Paid street parking is typically available in the surrounding area.

Important Note on Accessibility at the 421 5th Avenue Building:

It is crucial for local users to know that the main BAX Building at 421 5th Avenue is housed on the second and third floors and currently does not have elevator or ramp access. The space is accessed via multiple flights of stairs—a total of 44 front steps from the street to the third floor. BAX acknowledges this limitation and is committed to a long-term vision of making this site fully accessible. However, they are actively working to expand physical accessibility by hosting more public programs at their secondary location, The BAX Annex in Fort Greene, which is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and features ADA-compliant restrooms. Families with mobility concerns should inquire which location their child's specific program is held at and reach out to the BAX team to discuss access requests.

Services Offered

The Brooklyn Arts Exchange offers a comprehensive range of arts education and performance-based programs for youth, including specialized children's camp formats:

• Year-Round Youth Education: Ongoing studio classes in dance, creative movement, drama, and tumbling for toddlers through teens (ages 12 months to 18 years).
• Summer Arts Program (SAP): Flexible, week-long sessions for children entering Kindergarten through 5th grade (divided into NanoBAXers and MegaBAXers groups by age), exploring various forms of mixed media art and performance around a specific weekly theme.
• School Breaks Programs: Arts programs held during NYC public school holidays, such as Presidents' Week and Spring Break, offering the same high-quality arts exploration as the Summer Arts Program.
• Drag Summer Arts Program (DragSAP): A specialized summer program that provides a brave space for youth to explore a full range of gender expression through performance, pantomime, lip sync, and other art forms.
• Performance Workshops: Structured opportunities for older youth to develop work in dance, theater, and performance, often mentored by professional artists.
• Arts Specialists Instruction: Daily workshops taught by professional artists specializing in various disciplines, including acting, movement, circus arts, tumbling, and visual arts.
• Outdoor Play Integration: Program days consistently include a healthy balance of indoor studio time and supervised outdoor activities and play at the nearby Washington Park field, which includes the historical Old Stone House.

Features / Highlights

BAX is renowned in the New York arts community for its unique ethos and foundational features that extend beyond typical children's programming:

• Commitment to Social Justice and Inclusion: BAX's mission intersects arts and social justice, actively committing to forging "brave spaces." The organization is openly LGBTQ+ friendly and a designated transgender safespace, prioritizing a culturally inclusive environment for all young artists.
• Women-Owned and Visionary Leadership: The organization identifies as women-owned, reflecting a commitment to empowering female leadership and mentorship in the arts.
• Sliding-Scale Tiered Tuition and Financial Aid: To ensure broad access, BAX offers scholarship assistance and a sliding-scale tiered tuition structure for all its education programs, with a significant percentage of its student population receiving some level of financial assistance. Families can apply for discounted rates.
• Professional Teaching Artists: All youth programs are taught by a diverse cohort of professional performing artists and experienced educators who incorporate trauma-informed, socio-emotional learning practices into their instruction.
• Intergenerational Arts Incubator: The physical space is purposefully constructed so that children study and professional artists create under the same roof, fostering a unique environment where young students are mentored by and learn from the professional citywide performing arts community.
• Amenities: The facility offers gender-neutral restrooms, aligning with the organization's inclusive policies. Discounts are also provided for kids and families, reinforcing its community focus.
• Focus on Process, Not Just Product: BAX’s educational philosophy prioritizes experimentation, collaboration, and the artistic process over a purely competitive, outcome-driven model.

Contact Information

For more information on registration, scholarship opportunities, or program details, New York residents can contact Brooklyn Arts Exchange:

Address: 421 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA
Phone: (718) 832-0018

What is Worth Choosing

For parents in the New York City area, particularly those in Brooklyn looking for a children's camp experience that offers more than typical recreation, Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX) is highly worth considering. The camp's core value proposition lies in its unique combination of rigorous arts education and a deeply rooted commitment to social justice and inclusivity. This creates an unparalleled environment where a child can develop technical skills in dance, theater, and movement while also growing as a confident, collaborative, and socially aware individual. The availability of a sliding-scale tiered tuition model removes significant financial barriers, making high-quality arts training accessible to a broader range of NYC families. This financial accessibility, combined with family discounts, shows a genuine commitment to the community.

Furthermore, the specialized camp programs, such as the Drag Summer Arts Program, offer a rare and valuable opportunity for self-expression and identity exploration in a supportive, judgment-free zone. The camp’s location, near Washington Park, provides necessary outdoor time that balances the intensive indoor studio work. The small, non-competitive class structure, led by professional artists, ensures that every child, regardless of experience, is seen and nurtured as an "artist-in-progress."

However, New York families must be fully aware of the physical accessibility challenge at the main 421 5th Avenue location, as it is not wheelchair accessible and requires navigating multiple flights of stairs. While BAX is actively working towards greater accessibility and utilizes a fully accessible annex space for some programming, parents with mobility concerns for themselves or their children must confirm the specific program location before enrollment. For families prioritizing an inclusive, arts-centric, and socially conscious camp that views children as part of a larger artistic community, BAX remains a standout choice in the Brooklyn landscape.

Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX)

421 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USA