Boston Center for the Arts

CONTACT:

539 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116-6338
617-426-5000
www.bcaonline.org

Libbie Shufro, President, CEO

DESCRIPTION:

BCA has been recognized by the Lila Wallace Fund in New York as one of the nation's leading community arts centers. Founded in 1970 by the Boston Redevelopment Authority to create an arts center in the famous Cyclorama, situated on a 4-acre parcel of land in the South End, BCA is today "home to the largest concentration of artists in New England." It is also located in the nation's largest historic district (500 acres), and serves Boston's most ethnically diverse neighborhood -- there is no "majority group." The BCA building complex includes the new Boston Ballet theatre, 3 small performance theatres, 60 artists' studios, and 2 exhibit spaces -- one large (the Cyclorama) and one smaller (the Mills Gallery).

In this culturally rich setting, the BCA is highly productive. In 1997 it presented the work of 150 visual artists, provided studio space to 60 artists, and presented 200 performing artists in 11 productions. Audiences totalled 120,000.

BCA is still very much a growing organization. The Teen Program, serving 100 talented youths with training, mentoring, and arts-related summer employment, is being expanded and enhanced. You can help.

(1997: CULTURE: Arts: Community)