Global Arts Live, the accomplished Cambridge nonprofit presenting organization, has announced that the forthcoming 45,000-square-foot performing arts center it is helping to launch in Kendall Square will be known as The Platform (incorporated as 585 Arts) and that Takeda — a global biopharmaceutical company and Massachusetts’ largest life sciences employer — has become lead corporate sponsor of The Platform’s main performance space, to be known as the Takeda Theater at The Platform. Developed by BioMed Realty to benefit the Cambridge community as part of its 585 Kendall project, The Platform is scheduled to debut with an opening celebration on September 19, 2026.
The Platform features a state-of-the-art main stage accommodating 400 patrons, a rehearsal studio that matches the working space of the 3,100-square-foot main stage, a 125-seat cabaret stage, and public gathering spaces in a ground-floor commons area with an indoor garden, bar, and café. As a new facility in the regional cultural ecosystem, Takeda Theater at The Platform addresses a long-documented need for a mid-sized professional theater that benefits the broader arts community. The performance and rehearsal spaces at The Platform will be available to independent artists and community organizations at subsidized rates, with 25 nights per year offered rent free. The entire center has been designed with close attention to accessibility that ensures it will be welcoming to all visitors.
Beyond the performances presented by local independent artists and community organizations, one third of The Platform’s artistic programming will be curated by Global Arts Live, including music and dance performances that the organization has presented locally for 35 years.
Global Arts Live Founder & Director of Artistic Programs Maure Aronson says “The Platform will significantly increase our programming and expand the boundaries of what we’re able to present. For years Global Arts Live and other area presenters have faced challenges in securing appropriately sized, affordable performance spaces. The Platform will give audiences a chance to see more jazz, more dance, and a wider range of performing artists.”
The building’s exterior texture was inspired by the vertical folds of a theater curtain, rising to reveal what’s behind it; its rounded form evokes a warm, welcoming space. The logo echoes these design elements and gestures to the shape of the main stage.
Global Arts Live Chief Executive Officer Connie C. Chin says the name reflects the facility’s cultural and community mission. “The Platform is not just a performance venue. It’s a platform for supporting artists and nonprofits; a platform for work that expands our perspectives; a platform for culture, connection and conversation. Serving as a vital cultural hub, local, national and international artists will have a home to create and present meaningful work.”
The main stage will be named Takeda Theater at The Platform, in recognition of the company’s $3 million, multi-year sponsorship agreement. Takeda has leased 585 Kendall’s approximately 600,000-square-foot lab and office space that will be the home of Takeda’s Global Research & Development (R&D) Center—creating a purpose-built facility to deliver life-transforming therapies for patients. The lease is part of Takeda’s long-term strategy to create one Cambridge campus in Kendall Square, along with its suburban campus in Lexington.
Julie Kim, president of the U.S. Business Unit and U.S. country head for Takeda, andwho was appointed to be Takeda’s next CEO says, “Takeda Theater at The Platform will be a place where people can connect and inspire one another through the performing arts. Our continued support for the Cambridge community is unwavering, and we are proud to be part of this important, creative space.”
BioMed Realty, a Blackstone portfolio company and the largest private operator of world-class real estate for the life science and technology industries, developed the cultural hub with the Cambridge community in mind and selected Global Arts Live to operate the performing arts center including its main theater and its 15,000-square-foot ground floor public space. 585 Kendall was designed by CBT Architects, and is being built by Suffolk.
“Since long before we broke ground at 585 Kendall, this has been a project for—and informed by—the Kendall Square community,” says Salvatore Zinno, Senior Vice President of Development at BioMed Realty. “We are confident that our decision to enlist the expertise of Global Arts Live to establish and operate The Platform arts center will bring our local arts and science communities, neighbors, and visitors alike, together to showcase and contribute to the artistry, innovation, and ingenuity that defines the Canal District Kendall neighborhood.”
The Platform is currently under construction at 585 Kendall Street in Cambridge, located a few blocks from the Kendall MBTA station, and is scheduled for occupancy in Spring 2026. After a spring and summer spent installing equipment, moving in, and testing the systems and spaces, The Platform will have its grand opening celebration in Fall 2026.
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