THE LIFE STORY of Michael Bobbitt is probably very similar to what he would like to replicate for residents statewide as he takes over as the executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Bobbitt, as a young boy growing up in Maryland just outside Washington, DC, was exposed to the arts, took a strong interest, […]
Arts and Culture
Posted inOpinion
There are many Amanda Gormans out there
RIGHT NOW, poetry has our attention. On January 20, Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in US history, performed her breathtaking poem The Hill We Climb in front of 40 million viewers. The power and sublime beauty of her words, the grace of her poetic hand gestures, and the brilliance with which she captured this […]
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As BSO, Boch Center struggle, fundraising takes off
TWO OF BOSTON’S leading cultural institutions had their best fundraising years ever last year as patrons rushed to help fill a void created by COVID-19. “We’ve raised more money now than when we were open,” said Josiah Spaulding, the president and CEO of the Boch Center, which has been shut down since March 12. “The […]
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The intersection of race, COVID-19, and the arts
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC has had a disproportionate impact on the black community, at the same time as a national reckoning on race relations called attention to societal ills stemming from systemic racism. The economic displacement caused by COVID-19 has also particularly hurt artists, who are often part of the gig economy. What does this unique […]
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Now is the time to change the name of Faneuil Hall
THERE COMES A time when a city speaks as one and acts as one. The planes originating from Boston on 9/11 brought sorrow and pain to our city and the region; residents came together in an outpouring of public support. Again, with the Marathon bombing, Boston responded with heartwarming civic unity. So, too, should the […]
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Shining our light in trying times
OUR SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS teach us that even in the most trying of times, an eternal light shines through and guides us towards building a more just and compassionate society. Thanks to our brilliant, industrious researchers and scientists, the first shots of the coronavirus vaccine campaign in this country are now being administered. Still, America and […]
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Mass. Cultural Council picks new leader
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR of a Watertown theater will in February become the next director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, after a unanimous vote Friday by the council’s governing body. Michael Bobbitt, a director, choreographer, and playwright who came to the New Repertory Theatre in Watertown in 2019 after 12 years serving […]
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Poll signals new approach at Museum of Science
THE BOSTON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, known primarily as an interesting place to visit, took a step out into the community on Tuesday, releasing a poll surveying the attitudes of Massachusetts residents about a COVID-19 vaccine. The poll contained some interesting findings – most Massachusetts residents want to be vaccinated and women of color are the […]
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Elite artists face challenges on green cards
EVEN ELITE ARTISTS are having difficulty getting green cards for permanent residency in the United States. The federal government is on pace to issue 32 percent fewer green cards this year to those with “extraordinary artistic ability.” Part of the downturn is the result of a slowdown in processing applications for the visas due to […]
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The dysfunctional geography of ancient borders in a modern pandemic
LOOKING AT AN aerial photograph or walking down a side street, you’d be hard-pressed to find the border between Waltham’s South Side neighborhood and West Newton. The residential areas on both sides of the municipal line were developed around the same time, in the 1910s and 20s, and the street grid totally ignores the boundary. In […]