Celebrating openness

As we celebrate the abundance of the season and reflect on the origins of Thanksgiving, we thank the countless individuals and partners whose imagination, care, and collaborative spirit are helping realize a more equitable public art city with bold public art.

With every connection, event, partnership, or shared laugh we experienced together this year to date, Boston has grown stronger and more vibrant. We take this time and space to extend immense gratitude for the countless artists, partners, community members, generous contributors, and, most importantly, YOU, N+T visitors, who complete the work with your participation.

From everyday art enthusiasts to group tours — we had so much fun with ‘Quin members, Cube Art attendees, and school field trips (we love you art students!), your feedback improves our mission of opening minds, conversations, and spaces. So, pull up a warm mug of something or uncork your favorite spirited beverage, and get comfy because we have many thank you’s to cover here!

Guided by the Charlestown community, Lot Lab sprang to life in June with your invaluable support. What was once an empty parking lot became a thriving 24/7 "laboratory" for art and community engagement… And this is just the beginning of our Lot Lab journey!

We thank Lot Lab artists for their contribution to this historic inaugural year. Ghada Amer's "Women’s Qualities," with support from Marianne Boesky Gallery, Samantha Fields' "Stay," and Massiel Grullon’s "Knotical Waves" injected vibrant and thought-provoking art into a space previously overlooked by residents and visitors alike. In Kyle Browne’s “Signaling” project, Charlestown youth shared their messages for the community and beyond, showcasing their creativity through flags that proudly waved through the space all summer. We extend our heartfelt thanks to these artists and the students for elevating Lot Lab with their talent and vision.

A big thanks to the National Park Service, Boston Parks Service, and Boston Harbor Now for their patient support and partnership on this large-scale project — especially the amazing Liza Stearns, Steve Carlson and Megan Woods of NPS, and Kathy Abbot, Alice Brown, and Rebecca Smerling of BHN.

Public art doesn’t just magically appear; it takes hard work in crafting, producing, and yes, even tending to the “Women’s Qualities” blueberries and purple love-grass. Huge thanks to the amazing team Ground Inc. (shoutout Shauna Gillies-Smith!) for assisting Amer with native plant selection and BrightView for keeping the magic alive all summer and fall long.

We extend a big thank you to BRM Production Management (specifically Bianca Mauro and Jane Long), our longstanding partner whose unwavering production support has been essential to our endeavors throughout the years. Another round of applause goes to the talented Karen Stein of goodgood for infusing Lot Lab with a bold and vibrant brand identity that we will cherish for years.

Over five months, we hosted 11 free and accessible programs in multiple languages and for all ages at Lot Lab.

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To our friends and partners at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club, especially Katie McGoff and Krishna, thank you for your generous and nimble collaboration! We also thank Turn it Around Youth from the Charlestown Coalition and our dear friend and facilitator, Mswati Hanks, for their inspiring work with Charlestown youth.
Amanda Shea and Chrystian Dennis brought the opening event to life with their captivating performance - a big round of applause to both of you for generously sharing your vibrant talents with us. A special shout-out goes to Sean Webster for his invaluable contributions in curating the remarkable performance! Our appreciation also extends to The Anchor for hosting us post-celebration and Wild Pops for treating our attendees to yummy popsicles!
We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Friends of the Boston Harborwalk, Boston Harbor Now, Navy Yard Garden & Art, Inc., and artist Michael Alfano for their support with all of our programming needs throughout the summer.
A warm thank you also goes out to the talented and dedicated Charlestown-based artist and educator, Sophia Moon, Chief JoyMaker at Essem Art Studio, and member of the Charlestown Mother’s Association. We are grateful for Sophia's guidance in leading children through a creative crafts project in July at Lot Lab.
Also in July, we hosted events with Landry’s Bicycles, yoga practitioner Gabriele Preston, and a mindfulness session with Dr. Agne Kazakeviciute de Velazquez. Thank you’s are also extended to JPP Stroller Bootcamp, a mommy pilates group from the historical side of Charlestown across the Tobin bridge, who used Lot Lab as a meet-up space for their fall classes.
A special thanks to Zumix and Boston Music Project for the musical instrument petting zoo and a guest performance from Company One Theatre’s production of The Boy Who Kissed the Sky. Kudos to A Trike Called Funk for organizing the all-ladies freestyle dance session, and a big shout-out to the incredible breakdancers and organizers: Colleen Sayers, Yolanda Roberson, Christine Ho, Kelley Korf-Uzan, Grace Njogu, Laura Cabrera, Alecia Brown, Makeda Wallace, Alanna Logan, Jinyi Duan, Eliza Lin, Bao Pham, Milena Campos, Aaron Myers, and Ed Word Galán.
Thank you to ILLUMINUS (shoutout Jeff Grantz and Diane Dwyer!) for the vibrant and bold light projections at the opening of Samantha Fields’ “Stay” and to Julissa Emile for leading us in an open-mic poetry session. And in September after a few tiffs with Mother Nature, we shared a captivating afternoon of site-specific performance art featuring the incredible talents of Lani Asunción and Joanna Tam. Our gratitude goes out to both artists for their inspiring and vulnerable contributions to the Lot Lab space.
And to Rebecca Lipsitch, our wickedly talented Partnership and Engagement Fellow - THANK YOU for your hard work this summer. Our visitors, PAA’s, and TikTok were better off with your work! Special shout-out to the amazing Now + There Public Art Ambassadors - Alex Leondedis, Daja Carter-Taylor, Gabriele Preston, Grace Qian, Isola Murray, and Poppy Livingstone - your energetic wealth of knowledge brought so much joy to the space. We eagerly anticipate welcoming you - along with the bubbles - back again soon!

Lot Lab was conceived with support from Public Sphere Projects, a national placemaking consultancy with Boston roots. We admire the ineffable combination of expertise and enthusiasm of Philip Barash and Anita Morson-Matra. Thank you for helping us realize a place for art + community.

The implementation of Lot Lab 2023 couldn’t have happened without MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places, The ‘Quin Impact Fund, and over 55 people who contributed $50,000 in crowdfunding to inaugurate Lot Lab. Thank you!

And thank YOU - everyone who visited Lot Lab this year - as you joined us in dance, song, bubbles, and poetry, engaged with the art, and left your uplifting chalk messages on the pavement. Your participation embodied the essence of a community that truly shows up.

Public art is possible only with the public - and we thank all visitors for their enthusiastic engagement this summer.

Lot Lab was a fertile ground for testing strategies of partnership, engagement, evaluation, and contemporary public art production. We’re bringing these learns into the New Year as we plan for an upcoming citywide public art festival.

More immediately, we’re sharing them with the Public Art Accelerator program. We were honored in 2023 to guide Cohort Five — Krystle Brown, Eben Haines, Tanya Nixon-Silberg, and Ponnapa Prakkamakul in navigating the complexities of public art. All four of their projects — “Slán Abhaile/Safe Home,” “They Did Not Know We Were Seeds,” “Tide House,” and “Joyful Stitch” — expanded public art’s reach in the City of Boston, and we continue to be amazed by their talent.

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This year, we observed our jury sift through a record number of applications to choose the sixth Accelerator Cohort. Those chosen — Sarah Brophy, Jeremy ‘Sobek’ Harrison, Michael Berthaud, and Nelly Kate — are ready to shake up Boston with bold public art experiences. They’ve already had an incredible line-up of guest speakers — thank you to Yng-Ru Chen, Chenoa Baker, Tess Lukey, Dell M. Hamilton, Paul Ramirez Jonas, and Amber Torres for sharing your diverse experiences with us and the artists. We look forward to seeing the inspired projects they develop in 2024!

And, of course, none of this would be possible without the generosity of individuals who believe in the power of art + community, including long-time Accelerator supporters Joyce Linde, James and Audrey Foster, and new this year, the National Endowment for the Arts.

In September, the totemic "Graft" by Edra Soto enlivened Central Wharf Park, playfully casting shadows on the pavement, providing a seat for reflection, and thoughtfully revealing the rich narratives of Puerto Rican architectural histories.

Deftly guest-curated by Pedro H. Alonzo with impeccable craftsmanship by Navillus Woodworks and production support from BRM Production Management, “Graft” epitomized the collaboration and thoughtfulness needed to bring world-class art to a gem of a downtown park. We thank everyone who was a part of bringing it to fruition and respecting the majestic oaks of the space.

We opened “Graft” on an uncharacteristically warm October afternoon with performances by Mar Parilla of Danza Orgánica and beats by DJ Bryan Armas – we thank both of them for sharing their talents and Mar for bringing a touch of Puerto Rican storytelling to a reflective afternoon of celebration.

Edra, the joy and honor of having your work grace Boston is truly a gift to us all. Thank you for bringing a piece of the island to Boston!

The team at the opening of Graft. L to R: Jackie McLaughlin, Marguerite Wynter, Jamison Cloud, Kate Herlihy, Guest-Curator Pedro Alonzo, Kate Gilbert, Leo Crowley, Jasper Sanchez. (Not pictured: Hillary Lacombe and Gisela Levy)

We are indebted to the Now + There Team who make our projects come to life: Operations Manager Jamison Cloud, Project Director Leo Crowley, Special Projects Assistant Hillary Lacombe, and Assistant Curator Jasper Sanchez, with new additions to the team: Managing Director Kate Herlihy, Development Coordinator Gisela Levy, Communications Manager Jackie McLaughlin, and Director of Partnerships & Engagement Marguerite Wynter. Rounding out the team from outside the organization, V.A. Matt Barredo and Prialto keeps our schedules running, Technical Development Corporation helps us evaluate the change we wish to see, while consultants Sharon McDonald and Jodi Wolin help us find the funds to realize our vision.

In a year of transitions, we said goodbye to a fabulous writer and contributor, Communications Associate blu prinston. After five years with the N+T family, we celebrated Curator Leah Triplett Harrington’s move to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts to become their Director of Exhibitions & Contemporary Curatorial Initiatives. Leah began her journey with us as the 2018 Critic in Residence. She rose to Assistant Curator with projects like Provecho and Shape of Play and, as Curator, supported ambitious projects like Summer Sets. Leah’s commitment to artists and expanding the definition of public art are now part of the curatorial DNA of Now + There.

Acknowledging that public art would not exist without the support of our friends in the City of Boston, the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, and the Boston Art Commission is not an overstatement.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Kara Elliot-Ortega, Karin Goodfellow, Sarah Rodrigo, Julia Ryan, Amber Torres, and former N+T team member Kenny Mascary for their partnership in building a public art city.

A big shout-out to our rockstar communicators Diana McCloy, Taylor Halkabuk, and Hayley McManus from Teak Media. Special thanks to Casey Preston of Whitebirch Media, James Barham of Heartline Media, and Olivia Weiyinh Huang for skillfully capturing beautiful video footage of this year’s projects. Photographers Annielly Camargo, Charles Mayer, Faith Ninivaggi, James Barham, and Sylvia Stagg-Giuliano immortalized enchanting public art moments. Leveraging their expertise, we enhance the influence of public art, conveying the profound sense of connection and wonder that characterizes our projects.

We extend much respect and gratitude to the foundations that continue to fuel and underwrite our growth with unrestricted funds. We express our profound appreciation to the Barr Foundation, Boston Cultural Council, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Wagner Foundation for trusting us to use funds where they’re needed most.

We are grateful for similar financial support and cohort building with peers across the Commonwealth as part of the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative.

These foundations, a few anonymous angels, the many generous individual donors, and partners LIKE YOU make building an open public art city a genuinely collaborative and invigorating process. Next year, we can’t wait to introduce you to leaders who are boldly saying yes to Boston’s first Public Art Triennial.

This season, we have so much to be thankful for. Join us in transforming Boston by contributing any amount today as we launch our Annual Fund Campaign. Your support is greatly appreciated!

If you’re like us and up to your elbows in stuffing, make a note to visit www.nowandthere.org/support on November 28, Giving Triple Tuesday. Your contribution will be matched by N+T Board members 3 to 1.

Wishing you an abundant Thanksgiving!

With gratitude,

Kate Gilbert, Executive Director

With the Now + There Board of Directors: Jesse Baerkahn, Silvia Lopez Chavez, Michele Davis, Sabrina Dorsainvil, Audrey Foster, Lee Ann Gilligan, Charla Jones, Natalie Lemle, Kathy Sharpless, Lisa Tung, and Laura Camila Rivera.