HellaBlack is an interdisciplinary performance event curated by and for Black artists. It amplifies the depth of Black artistry in the city and shines a bright light on the talent of Boston’s Black artists and their communities. While centering Black voices, all audiences are invited to attend, celebrate, and support the work of the artists.
This year’s edition, HellaBlack Vol. 8: Genesis, is curated by renowned poet & cultural curator Amanda Shea, along with the program’s first ever associate curator, dancer Alanna Logan. The theme for this year is GENESIS – inviting audiences to reflect on rebirth, growth, and the act of pushing forward in times of change. This will be the first edition of HellBlack that centers and highlights youth artists ages 18-24. Artists will perform pieces about transformation, emergence, and the courage to build something new, using art to inspire a sense of becoming and belonging.
The artists featured in this year’s volume are:
- Dior Stacks
- L.J. Gabriel
- Maya Divine
- Sophia
- Stax
- Val Lapree
- $hmoney
HellaBlack is designed to create a safe space for Boston’s Black community to celebrate intersections of Blackness through dance, art, spoken word, and music, dispelling the myth of Blackness as a monolith. A signature program of Boston Center for the Arts (BCA), the event is part of BCA’s commitment to advancing cultural equity.
This year the program will be free and accessible to all, thanks to the support of the Neighborhood and Downtown Activation Grant from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture and the City of Boston. RSVP is required to secure your spot, as space is limited.