BCA Mills Exhibitions Opening Reception

Join us to celebrate the opening of the next two Mills Gallery exhibitions on Friday, September 6 from 6–9pm. In the main gallery will be&nbsp;J Rowen O’Dwyer: DEVOTIONS, to a dirty queer home, curated by Lillian O’Dwyer. The show is a collection of paintings, objects, and zines showing hard gazes, gentle touches, the complexity of bodies, and daily acts of care which act as a love letter to the artist’s community of trans folks and leather dykes. In the adjoining room will be&nbsp;prayers from the earth,&nbsp;an exhibition with work by BCA Artist Studio Resident alum Kate Wildman.

Mills Gallery at Boston Center for the Arts

BCA Studios Open House

Come explore the four floors of the Artist Studios Building and meet the artists currently in the BCA Studio Residency. See the space where they create and learn more about their artistic practices from the artists themselves. On the same night in the Mills Gallery, pop in for the opening reception of <a href="https://bostonarts.org/event/j-rowen-odwyer-devotions/">J Rowen O’Dwyer: DEVOTIONS, to a dirty queer home, curated by Lillian O’Dwyer</a> and <a href="https://bostonarts.org/event/kate-wildman-prayers-from-the-earth/">Kate Wildman: prayers from the earth</a>, a Project Room Show, from 6-9pm.

Artist Studio Building at BCA

BCA 27th Drawing Show — Yušká: Uncoil

After a 5-year hiatus the BCA Drawing Show returns for its 27th run! Come see art made by 45 artists both local and across the country in the Mills Gallery at Boston Center for the Arts. Since 1979, the Drawing Show has been a signature group exhibition at the Mills Gallery that invites an accomplished guest curator to develop a unique, topical concept for artists to respond to. This year’s show, curated by Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota interdisciplinary artist, Erin Genia, explores the theme Yušká: Uncoil. In the Dakhota language, the word Yušká means to untie, release, uncoil, loosen, set free. Its meaning can widely range from the simple untying of a knotted rope to the undoing of complex political, economic, and social constructs. On view May 11–Aug. 3 | Mills Gallery, 551 Tremont Street

Boston Dancemakers Residency Showcase

Come see the culminating experience for Boston Dancemakers Resident, Laila J. Franklin, in the performance of their piece BABYBABYBABY. BABYBABYBABY&nbsp;is a dance about dances about love. Directed and choreographed by&nbsp;<a href="https://bostonarts.org/artist/laila-franklin/" target="_blank">Laila J. Franklin</a>,&nbsp;this evening-length work taps into feelings of budding romance, when falling in love is silly and fast and sexy and devastating and you are brilliant and stupid and spellbound.&nbsp;Conceived as a meta-commentary on popular Contemporary dance aesthetics, obfuscated by post-modern and improvisatory movement practice, the piece sparks reflection about the human impulse for connection and versions of intimacy through the lens of love.&nbsp; Considered Boston’s most comprehensive dance-focused residency, the Boston Dancemakers Residency is designed to support new work from conception to performance. Produced through a partnership between Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) and Boston Dance Alliance (BDA), this intensive Dancemakers Residency offers incubation elements for research, experimentation, artistic risk-taking, and growth within the dance industry in a customized manner for the artist’s practice.

Calderwood Pavilion

Opening Reception for the BCA 27th Drawing Show

Come celebrate the opening of the 27th Drawing Show at Boston Center for the Arts, a signature group exhibition that takes place in the Mills Gallery. This exhibit includes work by 45 artists both local and from across the country. For each Drawing Show, Boston Center for the Arts invites an accomplished guest curator to develop a unique, topical concept for artists to respond to through an open call. This year's curator is Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota interdisciplinary artist, Erin Genia. The theme she decided on is Yušká: Uncoil. In the Dakhota language, the word Yušká means: to untie, release, uncoil, loosen, set free. Its meaning can range from the simple untying of a knotted rope, all the way to a philosophical undoing of political, economic and social constructs.&nbsp; This group show is on view from May 11–August 3 in the Mills Gallery at 551 Tremont Street. But make sure to join us on May 17 from 6–9pm to celebrate the opening with drinks, people, and art!

Come see the culminating experience for Boston Dancemakers Resident, Laila J. Franklin, in the performance of their piece BABYBABYBABY. BABYBABYBABY is a dance about dances about love. Directed and choreographed by <a href="https://bostonarts.org/artist/laila-franklin/">Laila J. Franklin</a>, this evening-length work taps into feelings of budding romance, when falling in love is silly and fast and sexy and devastating and you are brilliant and stupid and spellbound. Conceived as a meta-commentary on popular Contemporary dance aesthetics, obfuscated by post-modern and improvisatory movement practice, the piece sparks reflection about the human impulse for connection and versions of intimacy through the lens of love.  Considered Boston’s most comprehensive dance-focused residency, the Boston Dancemakers Residency is designed to support new work from conception to performance. Produced through a partnership between Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) and Boston Dance Alliance (BDA), this intensive Dancemakers Residency offers incubation elements for research, experimentation, artistic risk-taking, and growth within the dance industry in a customized manner for the artist’s practice.

#HellaBlack Vol. 6: Sacred

Now in its 6th year, #HellaBlack is an interdisciplinary performance event curated by and for Black artists, to amplify the depth of Black artistry, and shine a bright light on the talent of Boston’s Black artists and their communities. This event is meant to create a safe space for the Black community to celebrate intersections of Blackness through dance, art, spoken word, and music, to dispel the myth of Blackness as a monolith. This annual signature event is part of a commitment to move towards race equity at BCA. #HellaBlack Vol. 6: Sacred — curated by Amanda Shea&nbsp;— asks the performing artists to embody and present what makes them feel&nbsp;grounded in their creation. The artists will showcase how this sense of safety, security, and secrecy influences their artistic expression. The performances will begin at 7pm, with a 15 minute intermission. The run time is approximately 2 hours. Doors open at 6:30pm along with a vendor market. Everyone is welcome to stay in the Cyclorama after the show ends at 9pm to enjoy the market, a beverage, share the experience, dance, and meet the artists! We are honored to have award-winning Comfort Kitchen as the exclusive food vendor for #HellaBlack Vol 6! They will be serving some of their signature dishes throughout the night. We are thrilled to have EventKore as a Sponsor for #HellaBlack Vol 6! They will be offering a cash bar service and two photo booths to enjoy; a digital and 360 photo booth.

BCA Cyclorama

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S19: interest based

WBUR’s 75th birthday celebrations 💫

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.