Phoenix House New York Celebrates New Art Studio & Community Wellness Space at Brooklyn Recovery Center

BROOKLYN, NY (06/20/2025) (readMedia)-- Wednesday, Phoenix House New York's Brooklyn Community Recovery Center (BKCRC) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, unveiling its new art studio and community wellness space, a dedicated hub for creative expression and holistic healing in recovery. The event also marked the launch of Phoenix House's first-ever recovery-centered magazine, ReCenter.

VIEW photos from the event here.

The Brooklyn Community Recovery Center's work remains timely and urgent for residents who have historically faced barriers to recovery care. Across the borough, 6.9 out of 1,000 patients had a suspected opioid overdose, and 6.2 out of 1,000 received emergency narcan in 2023 alone, according to emergency dispatch data from the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. In the same year, Brooklyn accounted for 23% of the city's opioid overdose deaths, with nearly 700 fatal overdoses.

The expansion comes days after BKCRC debuted UnBound, a new community art exhibit featuring ceramics, stained glass, metalwork, and more from over 150 artists in recovery and members of Phoenix House's Art of Advocacy program. Now stocked with a new community narcan vending machine to increase access to overdose life-saving overdose reversal medication, the Center is amplifying its support for Brooklynites with low-threshold, harm-reduction services.

"Phoenix House is proud to offer our new art studio and wellness space as a sanctuary where creativity and recovery intersect. We recognize that recovery isn't one-size-fits all. That's why we created this space: a place where New Yorkers can rediscover their voices, connect in solidarity, and reclaim their identities beyond addiction. By integrating art-based healing into recovery care, we're empowering community members to create their own canvas for self-discovery, build resilience, and find grounding in sobriety," said Ann-Marie Foster, President & CEO of Phoenix House.

"Recovery isn't just about stopping substance use - it's about rebuilding lives from the ground up. These new additions to our center reflect this deeper truth. Here, art isn't just a tool, but a bridge to healing – where painting, poetry, or simply being in community all become powerful vehicles for sustainable healing. This is recovery reimagined: every participant can engage at their own pace with the peer support that creates a foundation for lasting change," said Shaun Willis, Director of Recovery Services and Community Outreach of Brooklyn Community Recovery Center.

About Phoenix House - Brooklyn Community Recovery Center:

Since 1967, Phoenix House New York has helped thousands of people overcome substance use disorders in order to lead healthy, productive, and rewarding lives. The Phoenix House Brooklyn Community Recovery Center (BKCRC) is a peer-driven drug and alcohol addiction recovery support center created in collaboration with state and local community-based organizations. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, BkCRC is a first-in-the-state recovery community outreach center providing peer recovery support services. Recovery coaching utilizes a peer advocate's lived experience to help others in their recovery journey. The Center's outreach aims to combat stigma through information and education, our vocational trainings promote dignity through service, and our wellness group activities aim to support self-care. All services are free of charge.