The Shed (formerly known as Culture Shed and Hudson Yards Cultural Shed) is a cultural center in Hudson Yards, Manhattan, New York City. Opened on April 5, 2019, the Shed commissions, produces, and presents a wide range of activities in performing arts, visual arts, and pop culture.
The Shed is located in the Bloomberg Building, adjacent to the northern leg of the High Line elevated park, near the Chelsea gallery district. It is attached to 15 Hudson Yards, a skyscraper within the Hudson Yards real estate development, although the Shed itself is located on city-owned land. The cultural center is maintained by an independent nonprofit cultural organization of the same name. The CEO/Artistic Director for the Shed is Alex Poots.
Construction on the Shed started in 2015, using a design from lead architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro and collaborating architect Rockwell Group. The Shed features several architectural features, including a retractable shell that creates a space, named The McCourt, for large-scale performances, installations and events; a 500-seat theater; and two levels of exhibition space. The plans for the cultural center have drawn praise from numerous media outlets and art institutions. It was initially criticized by the surrounding community, but as construction progressed, media reviews of the Shed have leaned more positive.
The Shed is planned to host many cultural events including for art, performance, film, design, food, fashion, and new combinations of cultural content. At least one event, New York Fashion Week, is considering moving to the Shed for all of its exhibitions. In 2014, Alex Poots was named the CEO/Artistic Director of the Shed. He was formerly the director of the Manchester International Festival and Park Avenue Armory prior to assuming his position at the Shed. In fall 2016, the Shed also started a citywide dance program about social justice issues. It also partnered with the MIT Media Lab to assist artists who were creating works involving virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The first permanent art commission for the Shed was announced in May 2017. Artist Lawrence Weiner was commissioned to decorate the plaza with pavers arranged into 12-foot (3.7 m) letters, which would spell the phrase “In front of itself”. The exhibitions and performances announced for the building’s April 5, 2019, opening include a concert series exploring the impact of African American music conceived and directed by Steve McQueen and a creative team including Quincy Jones; a collaboration between artist Gerhard Richter and music composers Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt; “Norma Jeane Baker of Troy”, a performance piece by the poet Anne Carson, starring Ben Whishaw and Renee Fleming; and an exhibition of work from artist Trisha Donnelly. This would be followed by several other shows in quick succession.
