For twenty years it has been the mandate of arts>World Financial Center to animate and enliven the public spaces of the World Financial Center business complex, in essence, to create alternative performance venues. The program has been able to accomplish this task with the generous support of it sponsors, American Express, Battery Park City Authority, Merrill Lynch, and Brookfield Properties. Because of this unique relationship between public and private, a new model has been created which has been successfully replicated in several other office buildings and plazas owned by Brookfield Properties. From the World Financial Center in New York to First Canadian Place in Toronto to Bank of America Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, arts>Brookfield Properties is committed to serving its local communities in all regions by providing free arts programming to enrich the cultural lives of those who work in and live near its commercial properties. In New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Toronto, among other locations, as Brookfield develops and expands its commercial portfolio, so too does the arts programming we offer to our many tenants and residents in local communities.

Some highlights from the year past include: Opening the new 7+FIG Art Space, which now participates regularly in L.A.’s well-established monthly Downtown Art Walk and has also housed three successful art exhibitions in 2008. In addition, arts>Brookfield Properties presented Australian dance troupe Strange Fruit at Ernst & Plaza and Bank of America Plaza in L.A., as well as a Summer concert series featuring performances by Barbara Morrison and Ray Fuller. In Toronto, Tropfest 2008, the world’s largest short film festival, was broadcast live from the Plaza at the World Financial Center. In 2009, Tropfest will be presented again in Toronto and other U.S. markets.

Another highlight of arts>Brookfield Properties programming expansion included the U.S. premiere of Motorexpo, a week-long display of luxury vehicles from many of the world’s leading motor manufacturers, including Porsche, Maserati, Bentley and Rolls Royce, among others. In 2009, Motorexpo will make its grand debut in Los Angeles and Toronto, in addition to its return to New York and the World Financial Center.

Through its arts and cultural programming, as well carefully selected pop culture and consumer-focused offerings, arts>Brookfield Properties continues to provide lively and vibrant free events in many of its core commercial markets, and will continue to expand those program in 2009 and beyond.