$50 million new gift from Lynne and Richard Pasculano to promote contemporary dance raises their giving to $70 million
In a significant boost for the arts, philanthropists Lynne and Richard Pasculano have made a landmark $50 million donation to Lincoln Center, the largest gift in the institution’s history for programming initiatives.
This transformative investment comes at a pivotal moment for the dance world, which continues to grapple with economic uncertainty in the wake of the pandemic.
The Pasculano Collaborative for Contemporary Dance, the initiative established through this donation, will support performances, commissions, and young artists while expanding Lincoln Center’s role as a global hub for dance.
The funding is intended to bolster the city’s vibrant but often precarious dance community, where securing rehearsal and performance space remains a persistent challenge, and many artists struggle to sustain their careers in one of the world’s most expensive cultural markets.
Lincoln Center President and Chief Executive Mariko Silver emphasized the profound impact of the Pasculanos’ generosity, stating, “This gift will be catalytic, transformative. It will enable us to truly elevate contemporary dance as a long-term artistic pillar at Lincoln Center.”
While Lincoln Center is home to the renowned New York City Ballet and the esteemed dance division of The Juilliard School, it has historically lacked a dedicated program for contemporary dance. This initiative aims to fill that gap by fostering collaborations with industry leaders and complementing the rich array of dance performances already happening across New York City.
Lincoln Center has begun assembling an advisory committee to help shape the initiative’s vision and execution. The committee includes an impressive roster of dance luminaries: choreographer Kyle Abraham; ballet star Misty Copeland; dance educator Jody Gottfried Arnhold; Alicia Graf Mack, the incoming artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Alice Sheppard, artistic director of Kinetic Light, which champions disabled artists; arts leader Lane Sugata; and Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico.
The Pasculanos are longtime supporters of Lincoln Center and have demonstrated a deep commitment to the arts.
In 2021, at the height of the pandemic’s disruption to cultural institutions, they contributed $20 million to revitalize opera, jazz, theater, and dance at Lincoln Center. That same year, they also donated $15 million to the New York Public Library.
Reflecting on their decision to make this historic gift, Richard Pasculano expressed confidence in Lincoln Center’s leadership and its ability to broaden access to dance.
“It’s going to bring more people to Lincoln Center, which means more opportunities for artists and audiences alike,” he said. “Hopefully, it will attract a more diverse and younger audience, which is something the center greatly needs.”
Lynne Pasculano echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the initiative will cement contemporary dance as a defining part of Lincoln Center’s artistic identity. “New York has an incredible contemporary dance scene,” she noted. “What was missing was a dedicated presence for it at Lincoln Center.”
While specific programming details are still in development, Lincoln Center has outlined an ambitious roadmap.
The initiative will include seasonal performances in winter and summer, commissions for emerging and established choreographers, professional opportunities for young dancers—including students at Juilliard—and investments in audience engagement to build and diversify the dance-going community.
Shanta Thake, Lincoln Center’s chief artistic officer, will oversee the collaborative’s integration into the center’s broader programming, ensuring that the initiative strengthens connections between dance institutions across the city and around the world.
With this groundbreaking investment, Lincoln Center is poised to redefine its role in the dance ecosystem, fostering innovation, accessibility, and artistic excellence at a time when the industry needs it most.