2021–2022 Impact Report
Artwork: Mithsuca Berry; photo: Melissa Blackall.
We are an incubator of new work; a celebration of process; progress in motion.
Dear BCA Family,
Boston Center for the Arts strives to be the boldest artistic incubator in the city. Our vision is to work with a coalition of artists, arts collectives, cross-sector nonprofits, and community members to develop and maintain the infrastructure needed by artists and culture-makers to thrive.
During the last two (unprecedented) years, we continued to put laser focus on deepening support for Boston-area artists by expanding our residency programs, creating trans-disciplinary micro-residencies, expanding pathways for artists to engage with The Mills Gallery, and developing critical feedback loops so that we can continue to be nimble and responsive to the needs of artists in real time. We interrogated our own white supremacist systems and practices by conducting a Racial & Cultural Equity Audit process in partnership with Steward Cultural Development Group. We also allowed space for dreaming, working with Technical Development Corp. (TDC) to examine how our business model can support a reclamation of the historic Cyclorama for use by artists.
Your support of BCA matters. Whether you made art in our spaces, attended #HellaBlack, or became a BCA member for the first time, you are making art happen.
With gratitude,
Emily Foster Day & Kristi Keefe
Co-Executive Directors
Artwork: Szu-Chieh Yun; photo: Julia Ruis Borys.
“Partnering with BCA was really phenomenal for us. They are a really wonderfully run organization, full of very creative thinkers who are kind, generous people who do everything they can to help facilitate artists’ work. And for us as newcomers in the Boston arts community, partnering with BCA really made us feel like this is our home, this is our community. They connected us to other artists, they really made us feel situated in Boston’s creative world.”
— Mia Dalglish, who together with Jun Kuribayashi are the creative force behind Hybridmotion, and were our inaugural ACTivate Residents.
Mia Dalglish and Jun Kuribayashi. Photo: Hybridmotion.
RESIDENCY OVERVIEW
Residencies are at the heart of our work at BCA and are a critical part of how we support the artistic process. We were proud to launch a brand new three-year Studio Residency in July 2021, with a pilot cohort of sixteen jury-selected artists. The BCA Studio Residency fosters access, equity, and experimentation in the arts and provides Residents with a subsidized studio space in the heart of the South End alongside exhibition, networking, and professional development opportunities. Learn more about our Studio Residents here.
“After Dark” by Laura Sánchez; photo: Olivia Moon Photography.
In addition to our now established year-long Boston Dancemakers Residency program, BCA established a new shorter-term Dancemakers Laboratory in 2021 to further broaden support for more local dancers and dancemakers. This residency offers choreographers and dancers the opportunity to further research and revise works that address current issues. This inaugural year featured Rachel Linsky, Jenny Oliver, and Ilya Vidrin.
Click here for detailed information about all of our residency programs and opportunities for artists.
EXHIBITION & PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
In September 2021, we celebrated the safe reopening of the acclaimed Mills Gallery and launched the 1:1 Exhibition series, which fostered groundbreaking exhibitions, performances, and events by dozens of artists throughout the last year. These included exhibitions featuring the work of Catalina Schliebener: Growing Sideways, Mithsuca Berry: The Sun Knows No Impostor, and Raafat Majzoub: Grounds. BCA also presented Rights Along The Shore by Danielle Abrams and Mary Ellen Strom, and a fourth edition of #HellaBlack Live Mixtape Vol. 4: PRIDE Edition.
Castle of our Skins, Dorchester Stringfest. Photo by Robert Torres Photography.
RECLAMATION OF THE CYCLORAMA
And we are in the midst of further reimagining our unique spaces to help develop new work.
Launched in the spring of 2021, our ACTivate Residency throws open the historic Cyclorama over a period of five days to enable Boston-based BIPOC artists to activate the space to explore a site-responsive project. In 2021-22, Iwalani Kaluhiokalani and Steph Davis became the latest ACTivate residents to participate.
ACTivate Residency of Iwalani Kaluhiokalani, September, 2021. Photo by Andrea Blesso.
COMMITMENT TO RACIAL & CULTURAL EQUITY
We continue to actively confront the pressing issues of racial and cultural equity. In January 2022, we completed a year-long, comprehensive race equity audit in partnership with Steward Cultural Development Group (SCDG). We are committed to building on the recommendations made by SCDG and are actively seeking a consultant with whom to partner on an Equity & Anti-Racism Action Planning process in 2022-2023. Keep an eye on updates on our website here.
“Grief Objects” by Laila J. Franklin; photo: Miranda Meyer.
Our Work In FY22 By The Numbers
Our Generous Supporters
BCA wishes to thank our generous supporters. With your partnership, we amplify culture that challenges, provokes, and moves people. Together, we are Boston Arts, Thriving.
Amanda Accardi
Anonymous (6)
Jonathan Aibel and Julie Rohwein
Virginia S. Aisner
Miki Akimoto
Jim Alexander and Thomas Stocker
Alexander, Aronson, Finning & Co., P.C.
Pam Allara
AmazonSmile Foundation
Alena Aniskovich
Jason Archibald
Steven Avruch
Stephanie Ayotte
Hillary Babick
Dianne Chipps Bailey
Robert Band
Aileen O. Erickson
Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund
Katie Barry
Deidre Baugh
Theresa Baybutt
Benevity
Alexandra Bennett Huff
Ginny Berkowitz and Susan Fleischmann
Linda Berry
Leo Bertelli
Doreen Biebusch
Morris Birnbaum
Melissa Blackall
Aaron Blaine
Jamie Boccia
Michael Bojanowski and Richard Lambert
Lawrence A. Boxer
Judith Braha
Colette Bresilla
Miranda Brown
Seth and Makeda Brown
L. Thomas Bryan and Jean Olson
Jamie Burke
Anna Bursaux
McKenna Bush and Ryan Bush
Rebecca Camerato
Jonathan Smith and Rosella Campion
Theodore Cantrell
Robert Caro
Kirsys Catalino
Contemporary Theatre of Boston
Bill Chapman
Amelia Charamba
Paula Chasan
Alexandra Chiou
City of Boston
Jonna Clark
Sarah-Kay Clark
Kristine Clerkin and Catherine Hay
Clinton H. and Wilma T. Shattuck Charitable Trust
Charlotte Coberley
Steven Cohen
Harry Collings
Claudia Colombo
A B Commendatore
Carrie Conaway
Marianne Connolly
Mary Cook
Jennifer Coplon and Robert Frank
Marie and Roger Craig
Megan Cronin
Christopher and Tucker Crum
Cummings Foundation
Mary Darmstaetter
Emily Foster Day
Richard and Carol Daynard
Jennifer Keller and Mary Debisschop
Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund
Zack Declerck
Sandra DeJong
Candy DeLorenzo
Heshan de Silva-Weeramuni
Lisa Desruisseaux and Lisa Giuffre
Karen DeTemple
Kenneth D. Dietz
Marilyn Dimson-Doyle
Joanna DiSpirito
David Dolbashian
Alicia Downey
Joseph Thompson Downs
Jenifer Drew
Paul Duffy
Laura Evans Durant and Stephen Durant
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
Margaret Emerson
Jennifer Epstein and Bill Keravuori
Barbara Eskin
Catherine Esser
Iris and Robert Fanger
Kara Fedak
Darrell Finnegan
Michael Fitzpatrick
Emily Flax
Juanita Forsythe and Stanley Hunter
The Fish Family Foundation
Paul R. and Maria L. Freddura
Jim Miller and Annette Furst
Sheila Gallagher
Lizandro Garcia
Susan Gassett
Gibson Sotheby’s International
Jennifer Gilbert
Kate Gilbert and Christopher Colbert
Jamie Golden
Jazelynn Goudy
Jon Grand
Lael Greenstein
Grace and Bill Gregor
David Beck and Gregory Van Boven
Chris Grimley and Kelly Smith
Steven and Barbara Grossman
Marni Grossman
Ellen Grubert and Janis Lippman
Marc Gurton and Jim Kiely
Betsy Hall
Joan Halpert
Elisa H. Hamilton and Bill Unsworth
Katie Haranas
Elizabeth Haranas
Susan Hartnett and Wayne Raila
Jack Hills and Scott Beach
Kate Holcomb Hale
Barbara and Amos Hostetter
Alex Bennett Huff
Jessica Hughes
Kata Hull
Eric Robsky Huntley
IBM Corporation
Shiori Ito
Frederic Johnson
Charla Jones
Hannah Kanstroom and Joseph Cappellano
Nancy & Zachary Kaplan
Kristi Keefe and Tammy Forsette-Keefe
Karen Kelley Gill and Geoffrey Gill
William Keravuori
Angie Khaw
Ann Kibbie and Kevin Wertheim
Laurel Sgan Kibel
Michael J. Klein
Kelly Knight
Julie Koo
Denise Korn
Lynne M. Kortenhaus
Sabrina Kubiak
Larry and Maureen Kunz
Daniel Kurz
Laura Kurzrok
Sophie Kushkuley
James Labeck
The Lang Family
Aaron Larget-Caplan
Sandy Larson
Lassner Family Gift Trust
Debra Leahy and James Ryan
Xuan Li Leong
Jay and Jenny Leopold
James Lerner
Georgina Lewis
Liberty Mutual Foundation, Inc.
Rachel Linsky
G. Montgomery and Jo-Ann Lovejoy
Jordan Lovejoy
Philip W. Lovejoy and James A. Moses
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Daria Lugina
Keith MacDonald
Anita L. and Robert E. MacDonnell
Ed MacLean
Benjamin and Amy Markham
Maura Marx
Wendy Matchett
Ruth Mattson
Tom and Cindy McDonald
Molly K. McDonald
Ann McQueen
James McQueen
Lauren Mecca
Kevin Meuse
Olivia Meyer-Jennette
Elizabeth A. Mezias
Carsten Miller
Paul and Pia Miller
Sydney Mokel
Carol Moses
Movement Arts Creation Studio
Jeff Myer
M.B. Nelting
New England Foundation for the Arts
Scott and Alicia Nichols
Amanda Nicholson
Maya Nigrosh
Joan Nissman
Marie Zack Nolan
Hunter O’Hanian
Cigdem Oktem
Connie Oliviero
Jill Palese
David Palubicki
Michael Pasquet, Jr.
Michael Penn
Andy Pepper
Susan Petrlik
Ted Pietras
Oneil Pimentel Jr.
Hank Pinkowski
Emily Pitcairn
Robert H. Pittinger
Christopher Plunkett
Lillian Pozadas
Mr. and Mrs. Harold I. Pratt
John A. Quatrale
Sherri Quist
Lydia Rainville
Red Bull North America
Quinn Redmond
Mary Reinhalter
Ellen and David Rich
Cilicia Rios
Malcolm A. and Mona J. Roberts
Allison Maria Rodriguez
Rebecca Rohr
Joel Roston
Margaret Rotzel
John G.F. Ruggieri-Lam and John D. Lam
James Santos
Brian Savage
Beth and Eric Schalger
Len and Nancy Schmelkin
R. Michael and Susan Scott
Bette Skandalis and Jo Seidler
Bill Serovy
Amanda Severin
Carolyn Shattuck
Hansen Shi
Bianca Sigh Ward and John Ward
Lucas Simpson
SMFA Library at Tufts University
Jill Slosburg-Ackerman
The Smith
James and Margaret Smith
Nancy Smith
SpeakEasy Stage Company
Della Spring
Vanessa Stangle
Robert and Holli Stanley
Jill Stauffer
David Stephens
Bryan Stevens
Janusz Sulanowski
Jonelle Sullivan
Carol and Elliot Surkin
Stacy Sweeney
Elisa Sweig
Sarah Swettberg
Laura Talaway
Kelly Teer and Brendon Downey
Guy Michel Telemaque
Chris and Anne Ten Eyck
Hal Tepfer
Mark Thatcher
Titanic Theater Company
Robyn Tjornhom
Treasure Bay Jewelry
Danielle Torres
Louis Tucciarone
Nan Tull
Ivy A. Turner
Twelve Points Wealth Management
United South End Artists, Inc.
Gregory Van Boven and David Beck
Michael Veloso
The Vishwanath Family Charitable Fund
Mary I. Vlad
Heather Walsh
Julia Walsh
Sarah Walsh
Randy Walther and Martin Borbone
Kierstan Warning
Jordan and Nicole Warshaw
Leslie Warshaw
Lecolion Washington
Kyle and Susan Weaver
John Weidenbruch
Irwin and Amy Weiss
Ann Welch and TJ Poole
Andrew Wheeler
Leslie Wilcox
Bruce Withey
Michael Wong
George S. Yip
Caryn Young
Richard Zachert
Zoe Friend Charitable Fund
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jennifer Pinck, Chair
Anna Bursaux, Co-Vice Chair
Molly McDonald, Co-Vice Chair
Hannah B. Kanstroom, Secretary
Randall M. Walther, Treasurer
John G.F. Ruggieri-Lam, Chair Emeritus
Rashin Fahandej
Juanita Forsythe
Karen Kelley Gill
Jessica Hughes
Lynne Kortenhaus
Paul Miller
Cigdem Oktem
Jonathan A. Smith
Stacy Sweeney
Louis Tucciarone
Bianca Sigh Ward
Lecolion Washington
We are also very grateful for the support and partnership of each and every one of our volunteers, interns, gallery sitters, house associates, and colleagues for helping Boston artists continue to thrive!
Our Financials
Video Still from WATERMARK, 2022, 2 channel video installation. Image care of the artists Danielle Abrams and Mary Ellen Strom.