SenStory: Home as Verb - Exhibition
Jan
13
to Jan 18
Exhibits, Featured

SenStory: Home as Verb - Exhibition

Vermilion Theater’s bilingual project explores how the intersection of theater, visual arts, music, and mental health awareness can support cultural expression and wellness among immigrant families in Boston. Working closely with the Families Services department at BCNC, Vermilion Theater engages Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking participants in Karaoke and Ping-Pong Nights, by creating a welcoming space for connection and outreach to address critical issues such as well-being and sense of belonging in a fun, supportive environment.

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Year of the Snake Party
Feb
25
6:00 PM18:00
Featured, Events

Year of the Snake Party

Bring in the Year of the Snake with an elegant reception featuring live music, small plates, and drinks. Enjoy imaginative Lunar New Year-inspired dishes provided by local chef, Asia Mei of Moonshine 152. Experience live performances and the current exhibit at Pao Arts Center. Before the night is over, leave your hopes for the new year on our wishing tree to bring good fortune to the community and local artists.

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Ping Pong Block Party: Celebrating Community in Chinatown
Oct
20
1:00 PM13:00
Featured, Events

Ping Pong Block Party: Celebrating Community in Chinatown

Join community artists Jennifer Duan, Stephanie Li, and Katelyn Lipton for the unveiling of their public art project, Ping Pong Tables of Chinatown: A Celebration of Diversity and Nature. Spend the afternoon participating in friendly ping pong competitions, art making, lawn games, face painting, and win prizes!  

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Experience Chinatown After Dark
Oct
16
6:00 PM18:00
Featured, Events

Experience Chinatown After Dark

  • Pao Arts Center, 99 Albany Street, (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Under the glow of the lights of Chinatown, discover new artists who are lighting up the neighborhood with new murals. Meet up at Pao Arts Center and then you will be taken on an exclusive tour of Experience Chinatown murals. After the tour, enjoy award-winning Asian-inspired small plates and drinks at a cocktail reception at Shojo Boston. 

RSVP by Wednesday, October 9th.

Artwork: “A Breath into the Future” by Sam Lê Shave. Photo Credit: Mel Taing

Funds raised will support free public arts and culture activities by Pao Arts Center. Your donation will ensure that arts is accessible to all. 

Schedule

6:00 PM - Check-in and view The Inventive Brush: Calligraphic Echoes from China, Japan, and Korea at Pao Arts Center, 99 Albany Street, Boston

6:15 PM - Tour of Experience Chinatown Murals 

7:00 PM - Reception with small plates and cocktails at Shojo Boston, 9A Tyler Street, Boston

Tickets

Single Ticket: $150 

Make a bigger impact with a sponsorship of $1,000. Sponsorship includes 6 tickets.

Goods and services are valued at $100 per ticket.  

Artwork: “A Breath into the Future” by Sam Lê Shave. Photo Credit: Mel Taing

For questions please contact Wes Boudreau at 617-249-2995 x1091

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Performances, Activities, and Exhibits at Experience Chinatown 2024
Sep
28
11:00 AM11:00
Events

Performances, Activities, and Exhibits at Experience Chinatown 2024

Performances, Activities, and Exhibits

Saturday, September 28 from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Rain Date: Sunday, September 29 

Access the digital program here

This fall, see, hear, create, and connect. Together, celebrate the rich cultural fabric of Boston Chinatown through free creative activities.

Schedule

Auntie Kay & Uncle Frank Chin Park on The Greenway (near Chinatown Gate)

Performances

11:00 AM | Kwong Kow Chinese School, Youth Lion Dance Team

11:15 AM | BU Bhangra, an all-inclusive Bhangra team  

11:30 AM | Kapatid Kud, global fusion music collective

12:30 PM  | Kold Kwan, Chinese-American hip-hop artist

1:30 PM | The Flavor Continues, community-led street dance organization

2:00 PM | JC Alula + her band, Chinese/Cantopop singer-songwriter and band

Activities

Passport to Experience Chinatown 

Look for the Pao Arts Center yellow tent and pick up your passport to visit the mural sites in Chinatown. Collect your stamps to redeem a special prize! 

Imagine Safety with Joanna Tam
Share what safety means to you in this project which amplifies the voices of Chinatown community members.

The Thousand Bloom: A Chrysanthemum Grows in Chinatown with Anita Yip
Contribute to a collaborative puzzle that celebrates Chinatown’s rich legacy and enduring spirit.

Sprouts of Resilience: A Journey from Seed to Tofu with Ying Ye
Explore gardening, food, and healing in her communal project.

Flower-Crown Making

Celebrate the end of summer and show off your creativity by making your own decorative headpiece.

Library Park Cart with Maria Fong and ACDC 

Fold paper fans and learn about heat resilience in Boston Chinatown. Share what open space and public parks mean to you. 

Fun with Bunker Hill Community College
Come by for an interactive activity.

SaturPLAY with ACDC’s A-VOYCE Youth | 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Family friend activities at Mary Soo Hoo Park celebrating this month’s theme Back to School!

Pao Arts Center | 99 Albany Street

Enjoy the current exhibit: The Inventive Brush: Calligraphic Echoes from China, Japan, and Korea

BCNC | 38 Ash Street

BCNC Acorn’s 50th Anniversary Celebration | 10:00 AM -12:00 PM

BCNC’s Acorn program turns 50 years old! Reconnect with fellow alumni, beloved teachers, and supportive parents. It's a perfect opportunity to relive cherished memories and create new ones. 

Key Sites

Performers

Credit: BUIC 2024 Spring Show

BU Bhangra

BU Bhangra is Boston University’s premier all-inclusive bhangra team. They are dedicated to raising awareness about South Asian culture through a folk Indian dance form, bhangra. The team fosters a safe space for members of all backgrounds to become not just skilled dancers, but moreover, confident artists. They perform at events, such as festivals and weddings, and compete in national competitions.

Credit: The Flavor Continues

The Flavor Continues

The Flavor Continues is Massachusetts’ first community-led nonprofit serving the Street and Club dance communities.

JC Alula Headshot

Credit: zeroeriko

JC Alula + her band

JC Alula + her band bring the energies of jazz, R&B, and rock together for audiences to enjoy. JC Alula is a Taiwanese artist based in Boston who is also the music director, singer, and arranger for the Taiwanese Music Festival. Be sure to check out their set, which will feature upbeat Mandarin songs!

Credit: courtesy of artist

Kapatid Kud

Kapatid Kud is proud to present their multicultural collective including third culture artists hailing from Bahrain, India, and the Philippines. Their playful music is grounded in community and joy. They also strive to explore music as a way to process trauma, bring to light stories of those in the margins, and connect with those around them.

Kold Kwan Headshot

Credit: Krispy Pic

Kold Kwan

Kold Kwan is a Chinese-American hip-hop artist raised by Cantonese speaking immigrants from Guandong. Inspired by lyricists and storytellers such as Lupe Fiasco, Nas, and Kendrick Lamar, Kwan makes music authentic to his personality and lived Asian American experiences and aims to represent Asian Americans in a positive light.

Credit: Kwong Kow Chinese School

Kwong Kow Chinese School Lion Dance

Kwong Kow Chinese School's Youth Lion Dance Team unites teens from their community to positively impact schools, organizations, and AAPI communities by showcasing traditional Chinese culture. With more than two dozen members, the team is uniquely driven, led, and governed by its members and its elected youth executive board. Since its formation in 2021, the team has performed traditional lion dance at nearly a hundred festivals and events throughout Greater Boston.

Parking

Thanks to our official parking partner, SP+ Parking, we can offer a discounted rate at the Beach Street Garage (40 Beach Street Boston, MA 02111).

From September 1 - October 27, you can book a parking reservation at $10 for 4 hours and $19 for 8 hours. Click the link below to get started.

Sponsorship

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS FOR MAKING THIS EVENT POSSIBLE! (last revised 9/12/24)

PRESENTING

PLATINUM

GOLD

EVENT PRESENTER

BENEFACTOR

PATRON

FRIEND

COMMUNITY

Partners

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"abundance among us: dragon and friends" Public Art by Sheila Novak, Cass Li, and Wen-hao Tien with project support from Maria Fong
Aug
7
to Nov 30
Exhibits, Featured

"abundance among us: dragon and friends" Public Art by Sheila Novak, Cass Li, and Wen-hao Tien with project support from Maria Fong

  • Tufts Community Commons (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The "abundance among us" table installation first created spaces for intergenerational gatherings in Boston's Chinatown in 2021. Co-designed by artist Sheila Novak and Chinatown resident Cass Li as part of Residence Lab, this functional artwork ensures that children and elders all have a seat at the same table, illustrating the abundance in community and emphasizing how individuals contribute to community power, regardless of their age. Joining the team this year, artist Wen-hao Tien’s new activity book for the Year of the Dragon called “dragons and friends” will guide the projects community event in mythical storytelling.

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The Inventive Brush: Calligraphic Echoes from China, Japan, and Korea
Jul
19
to Dec 13
Exhibits, Featured

The Inventive Brush: Calligraphic Echoes from China, Japan, and Korea

The Inventive Brush: Calligraphic Echoes from China, Japan, and Korea, curated by Professor Aida Yuen Wong, showcases the diversity of contemporary calligraphy; it features the works of three Massachusetts-based artists, Mike Yuguo Mei, Michiko Imai, and YoungSun Jang.

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Film Screening: Twilight’s Kiss (Suk Suk)
Jun
20
6:00 PM18:00
Featured, Performances, Events

Film Screening: Twilight’s Kiss (Suk Suk)

Join us on Thursday, June 20, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM for a screening of the film Twilight’s Kiss (“Suk Suk”), 2019 co-presented with BAAFF. The film follows the story of two closeted married men in their twilight years as they navigate their families and personal histories while contemplating a possible future together. 

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Collective Rest Session for BIPOC Creative Workers
May
31
6:00 PM18:00
Featured, Classes

Collective Rest Session for BIPOC Creative Workers

Join us on Thursday, June 20, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM for a screening of the film Twilight’s Kiss (“Suk Suk”), 2019 co-presented with BAAFF. The film follows the story of two closeted married men in their twilight years as they navigate their families and personal histories while contemplating a possible future together. 

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SOLD OUT! Corky Lee’s Asian America – Book Release
May
23
6:00 PM18:00
Events

SOLD OUT! Corky Lee’s Asian America – Book Release

Join us in celebrating the release of Corky Lee’s Asian America, a stunning retrospective of his life’s work- a selection of the best photographs from his vast collection, from his start in New York’s Chinatown in the 1970s to his coverage of diverse Asian American communities until his passing in 2021. 

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Stardust in a Dandelion
Apr
19
6:00 PM18:00
Featured, Events, Performances

Stardust in a Dandelion

Join Maddie Lam, Anny Thach, and Pao Arts Center for an evening of poetry and music. The performances take you through an inner landscape of a human heart, charting the atlas of grief and loss, celebration and regeneration. Through prose and poetry, visual narrative, and song, Dandelions in the Stardust is a soft place to land. 

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Art Making, Family Stories and Immigration Workshop
Apr
13
10:00 AM10:00
Classes, Events

Art Making, Family Stories and Immigration Workshop

What is your family's story of immigration to Boston? Inspired by artist Yu-Wen Wu’s Lantern Stories, Lining Zhang, from Harvard Education School, hosts an interactive workshop with storytelling, art making, and conversation to explore what immigration and cultural identity means for family. Adults and children above age 10 accompanied by caregivers are welcome to join.

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