NYC Parks & Recreation x NBPA x Kevin Couliau
Role: Producer
Natashia Betancourt produced Kevin Couliau’s Heart of the City exhibition across two iconic New York City locations. The show debuted at the NBPA headquarters during NBA Draft Week, before Natashia oversaw its seamless relocation to NYC Parks & Recreation’s Arsenal Gallery in Central Park. Curated by NYC Parks and A Common Practice, the exhibition featured photographs from Couliau’s archive (2004–2020), offering a powerful visual journey through New York’s outdoor basketball culture.
The show was deeply rooted in Kevin’s longstanding relationship with NYC’s courts, building on the narratives explored in his book Blacktop Memento: Fragments of Erosion and the acclaimed documentary Doin' It in the Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC. With support from the NBPA and Project Backboard, the exhibition ran from June 29 to September 5, 2023.
In addition to producing the exhibition, Natashia organized the first-ever film screening at West 4th Street Park, partnering with NYC Parks to celebrate the legacy of pick-up basketball through a community-centered public event.