Over the holiday season, you might have been scrolling on Instagram and noticed that the account from local venue ArtsDistrict Brooklyn (25 Franklin St.) looked a bit…well, different.
“ADBK owes vendors hundreds of thousands of dollars but refuses to pay despite continuing to exploit their work product. Receipts below 
Broadway World recently spoke to Mount and several additional vendors about their experience with the ArtsDistrict team. According to over a dozen vendors, ArtsDistrict has yet to entirely issue payment for services rendered and eventually ghosted vendors altogether, some of whom say they are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars (Mount’s company’s, Henry Street Creative, obtained a $181,970 default judgment against an LLC affiliated with ArtsDistrict).
David Galpern and Charles Roy founded ArtsDistrict alongside managing partner Jacob Feldman. The 25,000-square-foot art complex opened in 2022, advertising itself as “a place where innovation meets imagination,” offering immersive experiences that blended art, music, and technology. Greenpointers love supporting artists and new venues but ArtsDistrict never quite meshed with our local low-key arts scene. Art is, of course, wildly subjective, but many attendees said that the experience didn’t quite live up to the pricey ticket. As one Google reviewer said, “Total waste of time and money. $40 to sit in the dark and have a person whisper in your headphones.”
The venue has not announced a closure, but a supplementary Instagram account created after Mount took control has not been updated since September. “ArtsDistrict Brooklyn rejects unfounded allegations and inaccuracies,” the team said in a statement to Broadway World. Third parties have either been settled, are in negotiations or will soon be brought to the table for talks.”
Update, March 14, 2024: This story has been updated to clarify Mount’s ownership of the @artsdistrict_bk Instagram account