Harlem, cradle of one of the great flowerings of American art, is investing in the connection between its storied past and a vibrant present. New programs, performance spaces, and archives are linking the neighborhood's legacy to a thriving contemporary scene.

Anchored by institutions old and new, the effort spans music, visual art, dance, and literature. The fictional Uptown Cultural Trust has opened a center pairing exhibitions on the neighborhood's history with studios and stages for living artists.

Residents and cultural leaders frame the work as reclaiming a narrative too often told by outsiders. As Harlem continues to change, its cultural institutions are determined that the neighborhood's artistic identity remains rooted in the community that created it.