Altice USA has forged a partnership with new Manhattan arts center The Shed to be its exclusive connectivity provider.
As part of the $25 million multi-year agreement, Altice USA will supply the new nonprofit organization with a state-of-the-art fiber network and provide WiFi access to audiences, artists and staff. The Shed is expected to open in the spring of 2019.
“Altice USA and The Shed share a critical focus to help connect people with experiences that make a lasting impact in their lives,” Altice USA CEO Dexter Goei said in a statement. “As a company whose mission centers on innovation and providing meaningful connections, we are thrilled to partner with The Shed and enable audiences to experience art and culture through a hyper-connected environment that is powered by our state-of-the-art fiber network and advanced technology. We look forward to collaborating with The Shed as it becomes a true cultural centerpiece that inspires creative and intellectual curiosity.”
Goei has also joined The Shed’s board of directors, lending his expertise to help the organization fulfill its mission to commission original works of art, and play a role in energizing the civic life of the city.
“Connecting audiences in inspiring and memorable ways is core to The Shed’s mission and a guiding principle that we share with Altice USA,” said The Shed’s chairman and president Dan Doctoroff in a statement. “Technology moves at an increasingly rapid pace. The deep infrastructure and configuration Altice USA is providing The Shed on this unprecedented scale is essential to our long-term viability as an accessible and adaptable arts center with global reach.”
The Shed, located within the Hudson Yards development and The High Line on Manhattan's West Side, will have multiple spaces that can adapt to accommodate a variety of art forms and audiences, including two expansive, column-free galleries for exhibitions; a 500-seat black-box theater that can be subdivided; a skylit event space; and a creative lab for artists to develop new work. The hallmark of The Shed is its telescoping outer “shell,” which can be deployed over the adjoining plaza to create a 17,000-sq.-ft. light-, sound-, and temperature-controlled multi-use hall named The McCourt that can accommodate large-scale performances, installations, and events.
“We have found in Altice USA and Dexter like-minded partners who believe in The Shed’s vision of all art for all audiences,” said The Shed’s artistic director and CEO Alex Poots in a statement. “As a founding sponsor, Altice USA’s significant support will ensure that we succeed in our mission to push the boundaries of civic engagement and minimize barriers to entry.”
The Shed’s 200,000-square-foot transformable, movable structure was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Lead Architect, and Rockwell Group, Collaborating Architect.
