Riva Nyri Précil leads Brooklyn residency celebrating Haitian Heritage Month

A new artist residency in Brooklyn is placing Haitian culture, spirituality and community at the center of Haitian Heritage Month celebrations this May.

Atelier Artist, a BIPOC-owned creative co-working studio in Central Brooklyn, launched its first monthlong residency on May 1, featuring Haitian American interdisciplinary artist Riva Nyri Précil. The program includes free public events, live performances and community gatherings throughout the month.

The residency, hosted at 495 Flatbush Ave., reflects the studio’s broader mission to support immigrant and community-rooted artists through accessible creative space and cultural programming.

“Atelier Artist was created to be more than a venue — it is a living ecosystem where artists can create, gather, and be supported by the community,” co-founder Jonathan Pierre Lafleur said in a press release. “Welcoming Riva for our Spring Residency reflects exactly what we believe in: making space for artists whose work carries culture, memory, and healing.”

Centering Haitian heritage and spirituality

Précil’s residency draws inspiration from Kouzen Zaka, a spirit in Haitian Vodou associated with agriculture, labor and abundance. Her work blends music, ritual, storytelling and visual art to explore themes of land, healing and cultural memory.

“My work is about creating spaces where people can return to themselves, to spirit and to the wisdom carried through culture,” Précil said in the release.

The programming reflects those themes, offering a mix of performances and participatory experiences rooted in Haitian traditions.

Events include an artist talk, an intimate concert, a sound bath inspired by Vodou practices and a traditional herbal tea gathering highlighting Haitian healing knowledge. The residency will conclude with a Fèt Kouzen celebration on May 24.

Expanding access for Diaspora artists

The launch of the residency also marks a milestone for Atelier Artist’s Haitian-American founders, who say they aim to expand visibility for Haitian culture while addressing gaps in New York’s creative ecosystem.

The studio offers 24/7 access to affordable workspaces alongside exhibitions and programming designed for multidisciplinary artists, including painters, filmmakers and designers.

By centering Haitian Heritage Month in its inaugural residency, the organization underscores the role of the Haitian Diaspora in shaping cultural spaces in Brooklyn and beyond.

Organizers say the goal is not only to showcase Haitian artistry but to create a space where community members can gather, reflect and celebrate together.

Additional events will continue throughout May, with organizers encouraging the public to attend and engage with the programming.

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