Since opening in 2015, The Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Center for Thought & Culture has remained true to our mission to create a space in the cultural landscape of New York City committed to artistic excellence, where the virtues of faith, hope and love  infuse our programming  with meaning and  purpose. The Sheen Center is an idea as much as a destination, which has allowed us to move online during this public health crisis.

Our unique niche in the New York cultural scene comes from curating everything we present through a Catholic lens. The thought leaders, performers, and artists The Sheen Center touch people’s lives through their art and ideas to create respectful, engaging dialogue on major issues as well as hope and uplift during trying times.

As the arts center of the Archdiocese of New York, The Sheen Center has always been a source of faith, hope and love, in our programming as well as our history. Located downtown on historic Bleecker, The Sheen Center is a vibrant arts organization focused principally on theater, music, film, and talk. The state-of-the-art complex encompasses the 273-seat Loreto Theater, equipped with five-camera high-definition live-stream capability and a multi-track recording studio; the 80-seat Black Box Theater; four rehearsal studios; a chapel for quiet contemplation; and our prized art gallery, prominently located in our Elizabeth Street lobby.

THE SHEEN CENTER

The Sheen Center was named in honor of the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, well known for his popular, inspirational radio and TV ministry in the 1950s and 60s, who was an innovator in all he did, spreading widely his message that “Life is worth living.”

MISSIONin the image and likeness of God, the Sheen Center aspires to present the heights and depths of human expression in thought and culture, featuring humankind as fully alive. At The Sheen Center, we proclaim that life is worth living, especially when we seek to deepen, explore and challenge ourselves, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, intellectually, artistically, and spiritually.

MISSION & HISTORY

“I think that the name of The Sheen Center is appropriate – a center for Thought & Culture. I see the arts and music events and it really gets me thinking. It’s something totally unique in the city.” - Virginia Hill, Sheen Center Member and Donor

Library of Holy Name Centre

Holy Name Centre

Stained glass, still in our Chapel

Holy Name Centre Homeless Ministry

HISTORYThe Sheen Center started life on Elizabeth Street as a mission church for Sicilian immigrants, founded in 1891. By 1926, a new school and cultural center was built with 16 rooms, a gymnasium and swimming pool, as well as an auditorium with a professional stage, where six or more full-scale operas were produced each year.

After a foreclosure in 1938, the depths of the Depression, Catholic Charities purchased the property at 18 Bleecker Street and converted the school to the Holy Name Centre, a mission serving homeless men. An employment bureau, cafeteria and pool hall were added. The theater hosted Mass on weekends and Golden Gloves tournaments. In the 1950s and 60s. The Holy Name Centre and the Church of Our Lady of Loreto closed in 2011 as the neighborhood gentrified. The building and theater were extensively renovated and reopened in 2015 as The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture.

The world has changed considerably since The Sheen Center was closed on March 13. Although current circumstances prevent us  from gathering in our theaters and spaces, we have taken our mission digital with the creation of  new online content  inspired by  the  sustaining virtues that motivated our online programming, which we call the  Faith, Hope & Love series.

The Sheen Center began our online ministry fittingly enough with the premiere of the video of our recent production of the one-man The Gospel of John. This three-day exclusive presentation over the Easter weekend demonstrated the appeal of the intelligent, inspirational, and meaningful programming that is our forte.

We are now presenting new content four days a week and a selected highlight from our YouTube channel library of video-taped shows on the fifth day. Every Wednesday, we premiere a live-stream or new taped program on topics such as the power of prayer, how Catholics are helping the afflicted around the world, the importance of foster care and adoption, and interviews with notables such as Jeannie Gaffigan. We are partnering with respected organizations such as America Media, National Review, and the Catholic Medical Mission Board on our online initiative.

WHAT WE’RE DOING NOW

The Sheen Center continues to provide a distinctly Catholic arts venue offering New Yorkers a place to contemplate and experience life through the arts. As our former artist-in-residence Rex Hausmann has observed, “We need art now more than ever.”

The Loreto Theatre, our off-Broadway performance space, is unique and beautiful, boasting lovingly restored early 20th century architectural details and well-spaced modern, comfortable seating. With a regal proscenium stage and a 273-seat capacity, this majestic yet intimate theater is a welcome addition to the New York scene. Ideally suited to these virtual times, the Loreto is equipped with five-camera high-definition TV and livestream capability, a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system, and a multi-track recording studio. These features allow for maximum flexibility and creativity, whether you’re presenting a play, talk, product launch, or livestream. Cushioned theater seats with wide aisles allow guests to remain comfortable and focused. The backstage area is inviting, with two dressing rooms for presenters and performers to relax and prepare before going on stage. Many events have found a home here, from panel discussions to off- Broadway plays and musicals, concerts to seminars, dance to opera, and each event has been imbued with the unique and vibrant energy of this theater.

“I believe that music can change our thoughts and bring us together. God is with us in all our assorted foolishness and is pleased to use us as hands and feet -- and strings, sticks and reeds -- here in this really cool space!”- Grammy Award-winning musician Kirk Whalum on performing at The Sheen Center

Uncommon Sense Risen Hollywood sneak peekCivility in America Part 1: Religion

LORETO THEATER

BLACK BOX THEATERThe Black Box is a flexible 80-seat off-off-Broadway theater located on the border of Manhattan’s trendy NoHo and East Village neighborhoods. The experience begins in the lobby, where expressively patterned and eclectic walls provide a downtown vibe, guiding you into a space designed with creativity in mind. With a full light plot and incredible sound system, the space is a canvas for artists of all sorts - theater, music, talk, thought, dance, and more - a blank slate from which art will rise.

The Black Box is highly convertible to accommodate a variety of staging; the comfortable theater seating can be retracted, creating an open stadium-like space. Imaginative artists have converted the theater for in-the-round performances, horseshoe-shaped stages, interactive playing spaces, and many other configurations.

“It’s a story that needs to be told. This is a morality play. It will get you to think and it needs to be thought about. The Sheen Center is a place where, as an actor, I can make a difference.”- Tony Award winning actor, John Glover on playing Bishop von Galen in All Our Children

9 Circles PygmalionHamlet, starring Arian Moayed

STUDIO A is an elegant 28’ x 16’ studio that brims with natural light from its many windows. Variable light settings and optional blinds allow one to adjust the atmosphere to fit any mood. This versatility is rounded out by a sound system compatible with devices you bring in. A perfect space for rehearsals, meetings, and classes.

STUDIO B is also 28’ x 16’ and retains the versatility of Studio A with less windows. Often used for corporate presentations as well as rehearsals and meetings, this pristine space brings a professional polish to any event. Connect your devices to our large HD monitor for A/V presentations.

STUDIOS A AND B can be combined to form a larger 56’ x 16’ STUDIO THEATER fit for small-scale performances, such as readings or conferences. The space is equipped with a stage, lighting package, sound system, and large high definition monitor.

STUDIO C is bright and versatile, a spacious 30’ x 16’ studio home to our most active events. With a sprung dance floor and full-length mirrors, this space is perfect for anything requiring movement, such as dance rehearsals or yoga classes. Large windows let in light or can be covered with blinds. A dynamic sound system and weighted 88-key keyboard round out this flexible space.

STUDIO D is an intimate 18’ x 17’ rehearsal space with a tremendous amount of versatility. With Marley floors and full- length mirrors, this space functions well for a solo dance or yoga practitioner. A keyboard and music stands make this a great room for music practice; its separation from other spaces provides guests with privacy.

STUDIOS

STUDIO A

STUDIO THEATER

STUDIO C

STUDIO D

The crown jewel of the Elizabeth Street lobby of The Sheen Center is a gem of an art gallery. The Gallery at The Sheen Center faces the corner of Bleecker and Elizabeth Streets, receiving beautiful, gentle northern and eastern light filtered through the trees outside the windows. The Gallery is an L-shaped space created to be as flexible as possible. The glass wall that separates the space from the lobby is fully retractable to open the Gallery up to create more space for artist talks, receptions and even red-carpet events for screenings. The Gallery, curated by Fr. Frank Sabatté, O.P., has hosted exhibitions of multi-media work, including painting, photography, sculpture, video, and more. The shows change regularly, creating a showcase for many artists each year.

CATHOLIC ARTIST RESIDENCYThe Sheen Center has been providing opportunities to emerging or mid-career Catholic artists whose work supports the Sheen Center’s mission. Residencies are for practicing Roman or Eastern Catholics and can be from two to four months. The residency helps an artist be exposed in and to New York City, one of the art capitals of the world, in order to further their career or output. Included in the residency are housing in The Sheen Center, invitations and tickets to Sheen Center events, and a possibility of having their work exhibited in the Gallery.

THE GALLERY AT THE SHEEN CENTER

“The two groups that society often labels as “superfluous” are artists and contemplatives and yet they are essential if society is to thrive. The gallery is far more than a display of pretty pictures, it has the potential to transform anyone who allow their spirit to be touched by an encounter with that Ground we know as God.”Fr. Frank Sabatté, CSP, is a Paulist Father, an artist, and the Senior Curator of The Gallery.

The Chapel of Our Lady of Loreto reflects the history of the building as part of the parish of the Church of Our Lady of Loreto and later as the Holy Name Centre, which was a Catholic Charities project that served the homeless and unemployed of the area for 70 years.

The chapel, just off the lobby in the Elizabeth Street entrance, is a place of prayer and quiet contemplation, an oasis of peace in the midst of a busy performing arts center.

Mass is offered in the chapel and a rotating series of sacred Marian art is displayed on the walls within. The stained-glass window depicting the Good Shepherd (see left) and the crucifix are what remains of the original church and chapel. The Sheen Center is the only performing arts center in the city with a chapel.

THE CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF LORETO

STUDIO A

STUDIO THEATER

STUDIO C

STUDIO D

PAST SHOWS AND EVENTS

Cardinal DolanRex Hausmann Gallery OpeningBreakthrough sneak peek screening

Vanessa Williams & Friends benefit

An Evening with John Lithgow Eileen Ivers and her band

Broadway Bares Soul: Raúl Esparza

Mel Gibson at Hollywood sneak preview of Hacksaw Ridge

All Our Children

CBS’s God Friended Me

The Gospel of John

Jesuits & Jedi: Science and Spirituality in the Age of Star Wars

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BOARD AND STAFF

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

ChairmanTimothy M. Cardinal DolanArchbishop of New York

Msgr. Joseph LaMorteVicar General, Archdiocese of New York

John Cahill, Esq.Chancellor, Archdiocese of New York

Rev. A. R. BernardSenior Pastor, Christian Cultural Center

Arthur J. BurkePartner, Davis Polk

David FontanillaManaging Partner, Madison Paige Capital LLC

Terence GreenePresident, Capital Counsel, LLC

Fr. Matt J. Malone, S.J.President and Editor in Chief, America Media

Jonathan O’BrienChief Operating Officer, Proskauer Rose LLP

Rabbi Joseph PotasnikExecutive Vice President, The New York Board of Rabbis

Vanessa WilliamsActress, Singer, Dancer, and Author

David Di CertoInterim Executive Director212-219-3132 x1351

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

Andrew LevineManaging Director212-219-3132 x1349

Vern T. CalhounDirector of Communications212-219-3132 x1376

MaryLou PaganoDirector of Development212-219-3132 x1383

The Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Center for Thought & Culture is the arts center of the Archdiocese of New York.

Box Office: 18 Bleecker Street, NYC 10012

(212) 925-2812Hours: M-F: Noon-5pm &

One hour before performances

SheenCenter.orgOffice: (212) 219-3132

Facebook.com/SheenCenterInstagram/Twitter: @sheencenter