The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (LPA) has received a $60 million donation from an anonymous donor. The largest gift ever received by the research library, the funds will be used to expand public access to LPA’s archives, as well as preserve and catalog its collection.
In time, the project will make parts of the library’s collection available online to members of the public without requiring a New York Public Library card. The donation will also support updates to the library’s digital infrastructure.
LPA will also use part of the gift to address the preservation of fragile physical items within its collection. This includes the library’s still-photo archives, which contain the White Studio Archive of photographs from 85 percent of Broadway productions mounted in the early 20th century. The preservation project will also conserve rare manuscripts, including unpublished prompt books, archival records and three-dimenstional items — like the original set models for Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies,” “Into the Woods” and “Sunday in the Park with George.” Rare audio recordings on lacquer discs and wax cylinders — like test pressings from Louis Armstrong and oral dance histories — will also be preserved.
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“LPA is a place where actors and dancers go to prepare for roles by watching footage of the greats that came before them, where choreographers, directors, composers and other artists go for inspiration,” said the anonymous donor in a statement. “It’s exciting to recognize what far-reaching impact the digitization project will have, both by preserving these valuable materials for future generations and by making them accessible to anyone anywhere around the world.”
“The performing arts belong to everyone, and breaking down barriers to accessing these one-of-a-kind materials enriches our entire community,” said Roberta Pereira, executive director of LPA. “Thanks to this historic gift, we will be able to share our archive with people locally and around the world and on their timeline — thus connecting today’s audiences, tomorrow's artists and lifelong learners directly to our extraordinary treasures.”
Located on the Lincoln Center campus, the Library for the Performing Arts was founded in 1965. Part of the broader New York Public Library, LPA said its collection is composed of 15 million theater-, dance- and music-related items. This includes video recordings of Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theater productions housed in the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive.
Ruthie Fierberg
