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Celebrate! with Benkadi Drum and Dance

The multicultural Benkadi Drum and Dance group returns to perform new dances showcasing traditional West African rhythms and movements. With vivid costumes, interpretive dance, and audience participation, join us in honor of Juneteenth!

June 14, 2025
2025-06-14T10:30:52 - 2025-06-14T11:30:52

Children are seated on a carpeted floor with their caretakers and space is available on a first come, first served basis. Additional seats are available for people with disabilities, seniors, and others unable to sit on the floor. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

This is an inclusive program and both people with and without disabilities are always welcomed. A Flexible Calming Space (Quiet Room) is available for anyone who needs a break from the program at any time, especially those who are experiencing sensory overload. Parking is free at the JFK Library.

The JFK Library takes the safety and security of all guests, staff, and visitors seriously. To make your experience safe and enjoyable, upon entry to this federal building, all visitors must pass through a security check with a metal detector. All bags will also be inspected by Security Officers. Visit our website for more details.

The Celebrate! series, appropriate for family audiences and children ages 5 and up, highlights America’s rich cultural diversity through the arts. This program is tied directly to President and Mrs. Kennedy's concern for and support of the arts and culture in a democratic society.

Thanks to generous support from the Martin Richard Foundation and the Mass Cultural Council all performances are free.

June 14, 2025
2025-06-14T10:30:52 - 2025-06-14T11:30:52
Last updated:

Colonial Dance Tunes and Love Songs

In the guise of itinerant musicians, Al Petty and Deirdre Sweeney perform popular 18th-century tunes such as “Mr. Isaac’s Maggot” and “Jack’s Health” on the penny whistle, flute, fife, and other instruments.

May 6, 2025
2025-05-06T16:21:35
May 6, 2025
2025-05-06T16:21:35
Last updated:

The Art of Spinning

May 17, 2025
2025-05-17T13:00:42 - 2025-05-17T15:00:42

The art of spinning is best learned by the young, and Zoe Lawson has been practicing the craft of spinning by drop spindle and on a wheel since childhood. She shares her techniques while in 18th century garb while illuminating the various methods colonists used to produce their own textiles.

May 17, 2025
2025-05-17T13:00:42 - 2025-05-17T15:00:42
Last updated:

Celebrate! with Tanglewood Marionettes — “The Dragon King”

Journey below the sea in this story of fantasy, courage, and wonder from Chinese folklore. Tanglewood Marionettes bring to life fantastic sea creatures and a fearless grandmother who goes in search of the Dragon King when things go amiss in the land above.

May 10, 2025
2025-05-10T10:30:07 - 2025-05-10T11:30:07

Children are seated on a carpeted floor with their caretakers and space is available on a first come, first served basis. Additional seats are available for people with disabilities, seniors, and others unable to sit on the floor. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

This is an inclusive program and both people with and without disabilities are always welcomed. A Flexible Calming Space (Quiet Room) is available for anyone who needs a break from the program at any time, especially those who are experiencing sensory overload. Parking is free at the JFK Library.

The JFK Library takes the safety and security of all guests, staff, and visitors seriously. To make your experience safe and enjoyable, upon entry to this federal building, all visitors must pass through a security check with a metal detector. All bags will also be inspected by Security Officers. Visit our website for more details.

The Celebrate! series, appropriate for family audiences and children ages 5 and up, highlights America’s rich cultural diversity through the arts. This program is tied directly to President and Mrs. Kennedy's concern for and support of the arts and culture in a democratic society.

Thanks to generous support from the Martin Richard Foundation and the Mass Cultural Council all performances are free.

May 10, 2025
2025-05-10T10:30:07 - 2025-05-10T11:30:07
Last updated:

"Ways of Making People Disappear" Gallery Reception

Please join us for the reception of "Ways of Making People Disappear," a solo exhibition by Michelle Schapiro.

June 5, 2025
  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
  • 1 City Hall Square
    Boston, MA 02201-2006
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Citywide
    Downtown
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-06-05T17:00:14 - 2025-06-05T19:00:14

Join us at Boston City Hall for the reception of Ways of Making People Disappear, a solo exhibition by Michelle Schapiro, that explores the lack of safety that the LGBTQIA+ community experiences in America.

Michelle Schapiro, Kayleigh, Making a Grass Angel (Diptych), 24 x 30 in., Archival Digital Print, Edition of 3 (plus 1 Artist Proof), 2023.
Michelle Schapiro, Kayleigh, Making a Grass Angel (Diptych), 24 x 30 in., Archival Digital Print, Edition of 3 (plus 1 Artist Proof), 2023.

Directions: Please use the entrance located on Congress St, across from Faneuil Hall. Pass security and take the elevators to the 8th floor. The Emerging Gallery will be to your left, in the hallway by room 817.

This exhibition will be on view through July 18th, 2025. For more information please visit boston.gov/cityhallgalleries

June 5, 2025
  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
  • 1 City Hall Square
    Boston, MA 02201-2006
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Citywide
    Downtown
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-06-05T17:00:14 - 2025-06-05T19:00:14
Last updated:

"Special Focus: Self Portraits" ICA Teens Gallery Reception

Please join us for the Opening Reception of Special Focus: Self Portraits, a group show by the ICA Teens!

May 15, 2025
  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
  • 1 City Hall Square
    Boston, MA 02201-2006
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Citywide
    Downtown
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-05-15T17:00:28 - 2025-05-15T19:00:28

Join us at Boston City Hall for the Opening Reception of Special Focus: Self Portraits, a group show by the ICA Teens. Stop by to celebrate the show and meet the artists! Light refreshments will be provided.

Joy Wei, Self-portrait, Digital Inkjet Print, 18 x 12in., 2025
Joy Wei, Self-portrait, Digital Inkjet Print, 18 x 12in., 2025

Directions: Please use the entrance located on Congress St, across from Faneuil Hall. Pass security and take the elevators to the 2nd floor. The Mayor's Neighborhood Gallery will be to your left.

This exhibition will be on view through July 18th, 2025. For more information please visit boston.gov/cityhallgalleries

May 15, 2025
  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
  • 1 City Hall Square
    Boston, MA 02201-2006
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Citywide
    Downtown
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-05-15T17:00:28 - 2025-05-15T19:00:28
Last updated:

David Lloyd Brown and SoWa Artists Guild Gallery Reception

We are bringing SoWa Open Studios into Boston City Hall! Familiarize yourself with the local art scene and discover new artists at this gallery reception.

May 8, 2025
  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
  • 1 City Hall Square
    Boston, MA 02201-2006
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Citywide
    Downtown
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-05-08T17:00:05 - 2025-05-08T19:00:05

Please join us for a joint reception to celebrate David Lloyd Brown’s solo exhibition and the SoWa artists from 450 Harrison Avenue group show at the Boston City Hall Galleries. The event will start at 5 p.m. at the Scollay Square Gallery located on the 3rd floor, and will transition to the Mayor’s Office Gallery located on the 5th floor at 6 p.m. Don’t miss your chance to connect with the artists and enjoy some light refreshments!

SoWa Reception Flyer

Please note the exhibitions will be on view through July 18th, 2025.

Directions: Please use the entrance located on Congress St, across from Faneuil Hall. Pass security and take the elevators to the 3rd floor. The Scollay Square Gallery will be past the information desk.

May 8, 2025
  • 5:00pm - 7:00pm
  • 1 City Hall Square
    Boston, MA 02201-2006
  • Contact:
    Arts and Culture
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Citywide
    Downtown
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-05-08T17:00:05 - 2025-05-08T19:00:05
Last updated:

Freedom Dreams in America

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University welcome you back to The Embrace for another season of public conversations on democracy, justice, memory, and values.

May 14, 2025
2025-05-14T18:00:20 - 2025-05-14T20:00:20

Join us for a free public conversation.

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University welcome you back to The Embrace for another season of public conversations on democracy, justice, memory, and values.

The series kicks off on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. and will be followed by a free public dinner and reception. This event will be co-hosted by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

V4 Freedom Dreams in America

Professor Peniel E. Joseph and Professor Danielle S. Allen will explore the meaning of “Freedom Dreams in America” and discuss the importance of using our imagination as a tool for individual and collective liberation. Brandon M. Terry, the John Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University will introduce the event. Seating will be provided. Stay for a book signing with the speakers!

What does it mean to dream of freedom in a time of deep division—and how can we turn those dreams into a new reality? At this special conversation at The Embrace, Danielle Allen, a leading political theorist, classicist, and former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate, and Peniel Joseph, a prominent historian of the Black freedom struggle, will invite us to think boldly and critically with them about the past, present, and future of American democracy. What would it mean to create a democracy built not on fear and exclusion, but on real power-sharing and mutual recognition? How can freedom be reimagined—not just as the absence of oppression, but as the hard, collective work of building a society where dignity and opportunity are widely shared? And at a time of rising cynicism, how should we think about democracy itself—its promises, its failures, and its possibilities? This conversation will be a space for hope, doubt, imagination, and serious reckoning with the question of how we might still rethink the traditions we have inherited in order to shape the future together.

Peniel E. Joseph holds a joint professorship appointment at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the History Department in the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. In addition, he is the founding director of the LBJ School's Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (CSRD). His career focus has been on "Black Power Studies," which encompasses interdisciplinary fields such as Africana studies, law and society, women's and ethnic studies, and political science. His work encourages us to explore the power of collective imagination in the pursuit of justice, reminding us that dreams for freedom and equality planted from our past generations will continue to lead us towards a more equitable country. His most recent book, Freedom Season: How 1963 Transformed America’s Civil Rights Revolution, brings to life the dramatic year when James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., and a generation of activists reshaped the fight for freedom, influenced President John F. Kennedy and his approach on civil rights, and changed the nation’s destiny.

Danielle S. Allen is one of Harvard’s esteemed “University Professors,” and a prolific political theorist and classicist who has devoted her career in academia and beyond to exploring the foundations of democracy and the question of justice. Her work, including Justice By Means of Democracy and Our Declaration, reimagines key democratic texts and ideals in ways meant to confront our contemporary struggles. A former gubernatorial candidate in Massachusetts, Allen is a tireless advocate for civic engagement and participation. Her work reminds us of our individual and collective responsibilities in creating and protecting and strengthening a more democratic future. In her most recent book, Justice by Means of Democracy, she offers a bold, inspiring vision for rebuilding democracy through real equality, power-sharing, and a commitment to embracing difference without domination.

RSVP is encouraged and will be required to attend reception. This event is free and open to the public, so we hope to see you there!

May 14, 2025
2025-05-14T18:00:20 - 2025-05-14T20:00:20
Last updated:

Arts Lessons for Older Adults

Check out Age Strong Programming happening in BCYF Holland!

May 14, 2025
  • 10:00am - 1:00pm
    Repeats weekly on Wednesday and Friday, starting from April 16, 2025, until July 16, 2025
  • Boston Center for Youth and Families
    Holland Community Center
    Dorchester, MA 02121
  • Contact:
    Tomeka Hall
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Dorchester
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-05-14T10:00:00 - 2025-05-14T13:00:00

Arts Lessons for Older Adults is a FREE 16-week arts series for Boston’s older adults offering 15 FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVE spots to learn new skills like canvas painting & candle making.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Tomeka Hall at 617-821-2357 or tomeka.hall@boston.gov

May 14, 2025
  • 10:00am - 1:00pm
    Repeats weekly on Wednesday and Friday, starting from April 16, 2025, until July 16, 2025
  • Boston Center for Youth and Families
    Holland Community Center
    Dorchester, MA 02121
  • Contact:
    Tomeka Hall
  • Price:
    FREE
  • Neighborhood:
    Dorchester
  • Event Type:
  • Posted:
2025-05-14T10:00:00 - 2025-05-14T13:00:00
Last updated:

The Painter's Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution

July 23, 2025
2025-07-23T18:00:17 - 2025-07-23T19:00:17

The war that we now call the American Revolution was not only fought in the colonies with muskets and bayonets. On both sides of the Atlantic, artists armed with paint, canvas, and wax played an integral role in forging revolutionary ideals. Join us, as Zara Anishanslin charts the intertwined lives of three such figures who dared to defy the British monarchy: Robert Edge Pine, Prince Demah, and Patience Wright. From London to Boston, from Jamaica to Paris, from Bath to Philadelphia, these largely forgotten patriots boldly risked their reputations and their lives to declare independence.

This program is part of the annual Jack Grinold Lecture in American Art and Architecture.

This is a hybrid event. FREE for MHS Members. $10 per person fee (in person). No charge for virtual attendees or Card to Culture participants (EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare).

Learn More

 

July 23, 2025
2025-07-23T18:00:17 - 2025-07-23T19:00:17
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