inPUBLIC Summer Series creates and nurtures atmospheres which allow ALL of US to play, connect, dance and BE in public space.
inPUBLIC Summer Series is a collection of events held in different locations across Boston from May to August, 2022. These events range from open invitations to nap in Boston’s parks, a reunion for chosen family to dance + play games, open mics, to a 3 day arts festival centered around the theme of PLAY. The events are curated by a multi-racial team of local artists with the intentions of centering joy and creative expressions of Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in the heart of Downtown Boston.
Join us in public space in Boston this summer by checking out our full event schedule and upcoming events below!
upcoming Event:
inPUBLIC: Wild Rumpus
A 3-day festival of Joy and public art making
inPUBLIC: Wild Rumpus, A 3-day Festival invites you to experience play in public space through movement, dance, rest, creation, games, and music. Wild Rumpus is curated by a multi-racial team of local artists (Dzidzor Azaglo, Crystal Bi, Letta Neely, Sheila Novak, Stefanie D. Belnavis, Diya Ghosh, Diamond McMillion, and Bedelyn Dabel) with the intentions of centering joy and creative expression across communities of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in the heart of Downtown Boston. In collaboration with over 30 artists, each day will offer a dimension of collective nourishment, imagination building, and play in public.
WHAT: inPUBLIC: Wild Rumpus
WHERE: The Steps at Downtown Crossing (next to old navy)
WHEN:
Thurs. August 11th, 2022; 5-8pm
Fri. August 12th, 2022; 5-8pm
Sat. August 13th, 2022; 12-4pm
*Rain date is Sunday, August 14th; 12-4pm
Thursday, August 11, 5:00-8:00 PM: The People’s Rest - this day highlights rest and rejuvenation.
Featuring…
Excerpt from “Can I Touch It?” from Company One Theatre
Imagining and co-creating a paper city with Althea Bennett
Crochet Mat workshop with Diya Ghosh + Ann Hayek
Yoga with Born Bi-Kim
Immersive therapeutic sound bowl with Marlene Boyette
Friday, August 12, 5:00-8:00 PM: The People’s Prom - explore play through movement and dance!
Featuring…
Community Dance Cipher with The Flavor Continues (5:15-6p)
Salsa Dance workshop and open dance (6-7:40p)
Drag Performance with De-zyre (7:40-8p)
Double Dutch Tournament with Shelisse Stroud
Saturday, August 13, 12:00-4:00 PM: The People’s Playground - this day invites you to go back to your childhood to experience joy + play in public space.
Featuring…
Capoeira with Sinha Capoeira
Finger painting + four square hosted by ICA Teens
Multicultural Story Hour
Drag Performance with De-zyre
Music to move to by DJ LadyLY
Family Portraits Gallery by Stefanie Belnavis
Colorful life-size maze by Ponnapa Prakkamakul
Giant life-size games by Urbano Youth
Past Events:
inPUBLIC: Black Love
A Jam session hosted by Black Cotton Club
inPUBLIC: Black Love, A Jam Session Hosted by Black Cotton Club invites you to share a poem, song, story, love letter, affirmation or more at The Steps at Downtown Crossing. This jam session invites the audience to participate and interact impromptu with a live band. This month the theme is Black love: inviting poems, stories, songs, affirmations and more on the topic of love within black bodies.
WHAT: inPUBLIC: Black Love - A jam session hosted by Black Cotton Club
WHEN: July 14, 2022; 5:00-9:30pm
WHERE: The Steps at Downtown Crossing (next to old navy)
This event is free and open to the public.
More info about the event host:
Black Cotton Club welcomes the audience to amplify their voices, be uplifted, and be empowered. In the act of demystifying the role of a performer, we invite voices to sing songs, recite poetry, share affirmations, and more in partnership with a live band. The audience controls the ambience of the event through their own narrative. The only rule is, Take Off Your Cool! We believe that there is an artist in everyone and you deserve to be heard.
inPUBLIC: All our relations
A Family Reunion Celebrating Juneteenth
Flyer for inPUBLIC: ALL Our Relations 2022
““This event will honor and celebrate the inherent liberation of our past, present and future selves, our inner children and our ancestors. All Our Relations is a public afro-futuristic practice of making something new from our collective expressions of freedom.””
ALL Our Relations: A Family Reunion Celebrating Juneteenth is an invitation for Boston to come together at The Steps at Downtown Crossing – to play, connect, dance and BE together in public again. ALL Our Relations is curated by a multi-racial team of local artists with the intentions of centering joy and creative expressions of Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in the heart of Downtown Boston.
WHAT: ALL Our Relations: A Family Reunion Celebrating Juneteenth
WHEN: June 17, 2022; 5:00-9:30pm
WHERE: The Steps at Downtown Crossing (between TJMaxx and Old Navy)
Free and open to the public.
Curated by a team of local artists (Dzidzor Azaglo, Crystal Bi Wegner, Letta Neely, Sheila Novak and Jenny Oliver), All Our Relations features Boston area artists welcoming the whole family to play summer games together, have a family portrait taken by Stefanie Belnavis of the Diahann Project, dance with DJ Jo Saint-Surin and a Trike Called Funk, and enjoy performances by Vogue X, and Boston Latin Academy Step and Stroll Team. MC’d by Ashton Lites.
FULL Summer Event Schedule:
May 11, 12-2p - inPUBLIC: Rest (see info and locations here)
June 8, 12-2p - inPUBLIC: Rest (see info and locations here)
June 17, 5-9:30p - inPUBLIC: ALL Our Relations, a Family Reunion in Celebration of Juneteenth
July 13, 12-2p - inPUBLIC: Rest (see info and locations here)
July 14, 5-9:30p - inPUBLIC: Black Love
August 10, 12-2p - inPUBLIC: Rest (see info and locations here)
August 11-14 - inPUBLIC: Wild Rumpus
