We've come a long way in 85 years, and we can't help but keep growing! Community support is what makes it possible to keep our programs accessible so that those who've been historically excluded can be seen, heard, and affirmed. Community Art Center's arts programs have always provided nurturing and open space for children and youth to explore ideas and build community.
If you are able, please consider a donation to our Annual Fund so that we can continue to provide safe creative outlets and outstanding enrichment experiences for children and teens in the Port neighborhood.
“Michelle Obama inspired me a lot—she always said follow your dreams.”
As #TheObamaPortraitsTour comes to a close this weekend, we were honored to welcome a very special visitor: eight-year-old Grace Jean from Cambridge, a young artist with the Community Art Center (@caccambridge ), an 85-year-old arts nonprofit that serves Port-neighborhood youth in Cambridge. Grace recently painted her own portrait of the former first lady for the Center’s exhibition, “Iconic Black Figures.” The team surprised her with a visit to the MFA this week to see the official @smithsoniannpg portraits before they return to DC ❤️
Have you visited the exhibition yet? Today is your last chance! We’re offering free admission from 10 am to 5 pm. Timed-entry tickets are available in person a first-come, first-served basis.
Meet Trevis #justakidfromcambridge 😍
Community Animation Studio, a course in Lesley Art + Design’s Animation + VFX program, pairs students with non-profit organizations to collaborate and produce original animated content. Mirroring the processes of a professional animation studio, the course exposes students to animation development, client relations, and managing animated productions. In the fall of 2023, students were paired with the Cambridge non-profit Community Art Center, whose mission is to cultivate an engaged community of youth whose powerful artistic voices transform their lives, their neighborhoods, and their worlds. Together, Lesley University students and the Community Art Center created a short film with the goal of capturing the organization’s mission.
Thabk you to Professor Michael Annear & the incredible @lesleyanimation students that animated our organization’s mission so beautifully 💕 And a special shout out to Jennifer, Avery, & Aliyah who worked hard over their summer break to finish up this project 🎨✨
#animation #cambridgema #artcenterarchives #lesleyuniversity #lesleyanimation #afterschool #teenprograms #youtharts #theport #aloafofbreadacontainerofmilkandastickofbutter
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Production Crew
Avery Cheeks
Aliyah Ferreira
Jennifer Figueroa
Abbie Ashegh
Francis Coughlin
Madison Gassel
Luna James
Pari Kim
Molly Kirman
Tsion Mulat
Narration
Adrian Mechelle
Score
BenSound.com
Faculty
Michael Annear
The countdown continues... 📢ANNOUNCING💥 our 2nd of 4 selected Mural Master lead artists!!!
Narvicto DeJesus is a Boston-based multimedia artist who creates vibrant, action-packed paintings. He collaborates closely with his community to fill public spaces with colorful stories and quirky, accessible characters. Utilizing a blend of illustrative and painterly techniques, his work uses personality and attitude as narrative tools to bring complex emotions and ideas to life. Narvicto seeks to bridge the gap between our inner and outer worlds through creative expression and fun!
🎨 GET READY for one of Massachusetts’s first live public art mural painting competitions! Mural Masters, held at Community Art Center’s Port Arts Festival, began in 2019, to celebrate the public art community & to recognize the rich culture of the Port neighborhood. You don’t want to miss this head-to-head, day-long competition. Featuring 4️⃣ teams, each led by talented lead artists, and youth from Community Art Center’s Teen Public Art Program. We will NEED your participation + vote! Mark your calendar for SATURDAY, MAY 30th!
#publicart #muralmasters #muralart #portartsfest #cambridgema
Let the countdown begin! Today we’re 📢ANNOUNCING💥 our 1st of 4 selected Mural Master lead artists!!!
Jah’Nyah Spencer is an international artist bridging the gaps of community through illustration, muralism, & youth mentorship. While Spencer’s artstyle ranges from “eccentric realism” to Japanese inspired cartoons, her work is deeply expressive, commanding, and confrontational. To Spencer, her artwork is her way of articulating her perspective, as well as navigating trauma, life lessons, and self acceptance. Spencer’s murals are located across the Greater Boston Area, along with her work being shown in solo & group exhibitions in MA and Japan. In her most recent show “Twin”, alongside Michael Aghahowa, showcased at Galleries Of Lynn Arts, Spencer displayed her two art styles, and showcased pieces that explored themes of identity, immigration, racism, and childhood trauma.
🎨 GET READY for one of Massachusetts’s first live public art mural painting competitions! Mural Masters, held at Community Art Center’s Port Arts Festival, began in 2019, to celebrate the public art community & to recognize the rich culture of the Port neighborhood. You don’t want to miss this head-to-head, day-long competition. Featuring 4️⃣ teams, each led by talented lead artists, and youth from Community Art Center’s Teen Public Art Program. We will NEED your participation + vote! Mark your calendar for SATURDAY, MAY 30th!
#publicart #muralmasters #muralart #portartsfest #cambridgema
Fresh off a flight from LA ✈️ ☀️ 🌴 We’re still riding high, celebrating our Teen Media Program’s four (‼️)… you read that right, FOUR…. films selected for screening at the @bhercdotorg Youth Diversity Film Festival! 🎥🎞️
Congratulations to our young filmmakers… look where your creativity can take you! 🤩
#californialove #goingbacktocali #teenfilmmakers
It’s that time of year again! 🍿🤩
Make sure you visit 🎬 to reserve your FREE tickets 🎟️ for the nation’s longest-running youth film festival, Cambridge’s own, Do It Your Damn Self!! National Youth Film Festival 🎞️🎥
Join us! ✨💫
𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟱:
𝟲-𝟴𝗽𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲
𝟴-𝟭𝟬𝗽𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼
𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟲:
𝟰-𝟲𝗽𝗺 / 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗹/𝗠𝗜𝗧 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲
𝟲-𝟴𝗽𝗺/ 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗹/𝗠𝗜𝗧 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲
Big thanks to @mitopenspace@mitogcr@harvardartmuseums@masscultural@brattletheatre@bostonmarriottcambridge for their support of this year’s film festival #cambridgema #diyds #teenfilmmakers #filmfestivals #youngcreatives
Community Art Center families were dancing on air after 50 of us enjoyed a Friday night fête with @alvinailey 💃🏾 Special thanks to our friends at @vivoperformingarts for a beautiful night out.
And enjoy this #throwback image of the incomparable Judith Jameson as painted by Art Center student Storm from our 2022 exhibit, Iconic Black Figures 💗
Laughter, style, and time spent together.
Do you recognize these three friends?
We’ve been working on something special... More from the archive coming very soon 👀
#cambridgema #blackarchives #communityartcenter #filmphotography #historycambridge
Join the Port Arts Festival celebration on Saturday, May 30th 🎉‼️☀️ Shop local with artists and vendors in the Port Market, vote for your favorite mural as local artists and the @cac_teen Public Art crew goes head-to-head in a live mural painting competition 🎨✨ enjoy food from @roxysgrilledcheese & Frosty’s ice cream🍦🥤🥪 move your body in @jaebostonhaiti outdoor Haitian Folkloric Dance Class 🇭🇹 and enjoy activities for the whole family! We can’t wait to see you there! 💃🏽🪘🎨🍦🏆🎶💛 #portartsfest #muralmasters #outdoorfestival #cambridgema #freeeventscambridge
