"Exhibitions run the risk of becoming passive experiences, overly didactic, or — especially to this type of audience– merely decorative. But with a reading room, you’re offering an extremely diverse range of subject matter and genres in a relatively small space, so it becomes an issue of efficiency as well. We also think the informal nature of the talks and performances has been refreshing – again, especially at a large performing arts institution like ours where the term “performance” typically evokes a formal structure – tickets, seats, commitment, duration. Instead, we’re offering something that feels more pliable and malleable – we can pivot more easily if dates or commitments from the artists shift; we can message the event via social media platforms and catch individuals who may be looking for something off-the-cuff to do. And most importantly, we’re introducing our audiences to a wonderful resource in the Brooklyn neighborhood they may not have otherwise been aware of, and vice versa."