Under Reynold Levy‘s tenure, the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts has undergone a rebirth. The Center, built in 1959, has experienced great eras of art, music, theater, and dance, and Levy has continued this tradition as he brings the Lincoln Center into the 21st century. After becoming President in 2002, Reynold Levy pushed the existing renovation plans into reality, despite many critics’ doubts that the Lincoln Center would ever complete the renovation.
Reynold Levy has experience as a leader: before becoming President of the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, he was President of the International Rescue Committee, President of the AT&T Foundation, and Executive Director of the 92nd Street Y, in addition to many other leadership positions.
Once he became President, Reynold Levy recognized that the Lincoln Center would have to change in the 21st century. It would have to welcome a wider audience of has also worked to open the Lincoln Center to a wider audience. The Center began installing public art pieces outside the Center; they began featuring late-night shows; and in their redevelopment, they sought to create a space where people would feel comfortable shopping, eating, and spending time.