Katy Clark To Succeed Karen Brooks Hopkins As BAM President

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) will remain in capable hands come the end of June, with the arrival of Katy Clark to the role of president of the well-respected arts institution. Clark is currently president and executive director of New York’s Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

Clark will take over the position from outgoing BAM president Karen Brooks Hopkins, who is retiring after 35 years at the institution — 10 as president — which includes a sprawling collection of performance spaces in Fort Greene.

On her appointment, Clark enthused that “BAM has always been fearless in the creation and presentation of art, for the borough of Brooklyn, the city of New York, and audiences around the world [and she] couldn’t be more excited to join this organization as its new president. It is a privilege to succeed a great and beloved leader, Karen Hopkins.”

BAM Chairman Alan H. Fishman also praised Clark’s “leadership skills and passion to lead this dynamic institution. . . during a period of exciting growth for BAM and Brooklyn.”

As reported in Crain’s, Hopkins explained that she isn’t sure what her next step will be, but will keep working in some capacity and that she hopes for “less frenetic, more flexible” life.