Newton Cultural Alliance

Newton Art Association's High School Senior Art Scholarship
2021-03-30 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
For more than 30 years the Newton Art Association (NAA) has recognized art students through the NAA High School Senior Scholarship Program. NAA strongly believes that talented students deserve to be acknowledged for their artistic accomplishments.
Senior students who go to high school in Newton or are residents of Newton are eligible to apply for the scholarships. Consistently, the submitted artworks reveal an extensive range of creativity across all media, including painting, drawing, collage/mixed media, photography, jewelry, fabric art and 3D works.
Awards are based on an overall assessment of the senior’s creativity, artistic expression, technical skills, and personal statement. The recipients share $3,000 in scholarship money.
Eligible students can apply online from February 8 through March 30, 2021. A virtual award ceremony will be held May 5. Details about the program and online application process can be found on the NAA website. If you know a talented high school senior, encourage them to apply.

Newton Free Library presents: How to Use Critical Thinking Skills
2021-03-31 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
What does it mean to be a critical thinker? Can critical thinking help us better understand the news and make better decisions, including how to navigate a global pandemic? Join Jonathan Haber, educational researcher, consultant and author of, Critical Thinking Essentials, to learn, among other things:

How the concept of critical thinking originated
What critical thinking skills are
How critical thinking skills can be applied to decision making

Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The Zoom login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Newton Art Association presents: Juried Exhibit
2021-04-02 18:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
For the third year, the Newton Art Association is collaborating with Boston’s Piano Craft Gallery to present a juried exhibition. 26 NAA artists will display 40 pieces of artwork – paintings, fabric art, ceramics, and sculpture. The jurors and award judges are Erik Grau and Kamal Ahmad, members of the PCG Board of Directors.

The opening reception is April 2. 6:00–8:00 p.m. in the gallery. A Zoom awards ceremony will be hosted simultaneously by the NAA from 7:00–8:00. Haley Neville, PCG board member, will present the awards and provide a live walking tour of the works on the walls.

Zoom link to join this free event.

See the art work up close via a virtual exhibit and tour created by the gallery: This link will go live on the NAA and PCG websites on April 2.

Newton Free Library presents: Hear Their Voices - A Tribute to Women of Color from Around the Globe
2021-04-05 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Through the years, African music migrated to different continents and enriched many cultures. Join Women in World Jazz, and Women in World Jazz Junior, for a virtual performance that will feature musical styles ranging from blues and jazz, to Latin, Brazilian, Caribbean and Middle Eastern – all with African roots. For this event they will applaud artists such as Mahalia Jackson and Miriam Makeba, who were active in their countries’ Civil Rights Movements.
Women in World Jazz is a multi-generational performing ensemble which celebrates history, equality and hope. Their concerts are rich with information about composers and their music, and include audience Q and A at the end of each session. This event is supported by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council.
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The Zoom login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Newton Free Library presents: Race and Climate Justice with Iván Espinosa-Madrigal
2021-04-06 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
This program is brought to you in partnership with the Burlington Public Library’s Social Justice Series, the collaborative efforts of Libraries Working Towards Social Justice and is cosponsored by Green Newton. Please register here.
The intersection of race and environmental discrimination has become more apparent during the pandemic given that low-income communities of color, and immigrant communities, are disproportionately affected. Climate change is an additional factor that harms these neighborhoods, creating climate refugees. Meanwhile, the ‘green economy’ is providing a means for individuals to address climate disparities as well as to benefit from the economic opportunities presented by this growing industry. Join Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, Esq., Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, for a discussion of these challenges and how organizations are seeking to address them.
Registration for this program will remain open up until the event starts. The Zoom login information is sent automatically once registration is complete, and then again one day, and one hour before the session starts. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Historic Newton presents: Making Change in the Civil Rights Era
2021-04-08 17:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
As the Civil Rights movement heated up in the 1960s, citizens with Newton ties felt called to participate. Clips from the film “Freedom Riders” set the stage for a conversation with Skip Griffin and Judy Frieze Wright, who discuss their activism, including attending the 1963 March on Washington, in a conversation moderated by Boston journalist Carmen Fields. This program is funded in part by Mass Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program takes place Thursday, April 8 at 5:00 p.m.

Suggested donation: $5.00 for members, $10.00 for non-members.
Register here. You will receive the Zoom link in your confirmation email.

Suzuki School of Newton presents: New Horizons Concert
2021-04-10 18:30 - 19:30 | Facebook Live, United States
Our New Horizons Concert, a faculty concert with pieces performed by our teachers, will be occurring on Saturday, April 10th, 2021 via Facebook Live! The music performed will be focusing on women composers and music from other cultures other than Western Classical. Join us on our Facebook page then!

Newton Theatre Company presents: The Monologue Project - Common Threads
2021-04-10 20:00 - 21:30 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Join us this April for the next installment of the Monologue Project! Our next virtual production celebrates the voices of Asian American girls and women in the Newton community. Directed by Edie Pike and Valerie Goldstein, the show brings together a group of Asian American girls and women to share their stories and experiences. The stories, from a population that has been continuously silenced throughout history, explore both hardships and celebrations of how Asian American women have been able to navigate their identity and break through stereotypes.
The show will include original monologues written by cast members as well as performances by local artists.
Click here to reserve your pay-what-you-can ticket
Log on at 7:45 to enjoy live music before the show!

Historic Newton presents: Heartbreak Hill Virtual Running Tour
2021-04-12 17:00 - 18:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Though the Boston Marathon is postponed until October this year, get into the Patriots’ Day spirit by joining Paul Clerici, author of Images of Modern America: The Boston Marathon and 23-time Boston Marathon finisher for a special tour up Heartbreak Hill. Learn about Boston Marathon history along the Newton route and see other local landmarks along the way. Part of the Adventures in History series supported in part by Newton-Wellesley Hospital and a grant from the Newton Cultural Council, part of the Mass Cultural Council. Register in advance for the video presentation followed by Q&A with Clerici. Register in advance for this program on Zoom.

Historic Newton presents: Written by the Victors - Remembering the American Revolution Part II
2021-04-15 17:00 - 18:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
In Part I of our two-part program, we explored the socioeconomic conditions leading up to the American Revolution. Join us for Part II to discuss how political ideals like patriotism and unity impacted the battlefield in the War for Independence. Consider how these ideals continue today through our lasting romanticization of the Minutemen and guerilla warfare, and even in the differing ways in which the Revolution is remembered in different regions of the country. Register in advance for this program on Zoom.

Newton Free Library presents: A Father's Kaddish - Film Discussion
2021-04-15 18:30 - 19:30 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
A Father’s Kaddish tells the story of how Steven Branfman used the art of pottery to help him work through his grief after the death of his 23-year-old son. The film is a potent and moving journey through the universal experience of loss, mourning and rebuilding a life. Join us for a live Q & A with film director, Jen Kaplan, film subject, Steven Branfman and a clinical social worker from Good Shepherd Community Care, the program cosponsor. This program is supported by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council.
In preparation for this event we will release a one-time use link to watch the film in advance of this session. The link will be emailed to all registrants on Tuesday, April 13 after 4pm and will also be posted here. All registrants are encouraged to watch the film in order to fully participate in the discussion and Q and A. The link will expire at 6:30pm on Thursday, April 15.
Learn more about A Father’s Kaddish here.
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The Zoom login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Newton Free Library presents: Save the Planet and Your Health with a Plant-based Diet
2021-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Learn about the environmental impacts of the meat, dairy, egg and fishing industries at a special Earth Day Green Newton series program with Sara Sezun, Chair of the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter Plant-based Planet Team. Find out how eating a plant-based diet can improve your health and help remedy environmental issues such as:

Climate change
Pollution
Deforestation
Habitat loss for endangered species
Zoonotic disease transfer

Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The Zoom login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Scandinavian Cultural Center presents: Nordic Brewing with Jereme Zimmerman
2021-04-24 13:00 | MA
Join Jereme Zimmerman, author of Make Mead Like a Viking and Brew Beer Like a Yeti for a discussion on the history, tradition, and technique of brewing Nordic ales and meads. He will discuss his understanding of modern and ancient Nordic brewing, including his wide-ranging knowledge on history, techniques, and ingredients for brewing like a Viking.
Saturday, April 24th | 1pm EST | $5; FREE for SCC members | register here

Suzuki School of Newton presents: Great Art by Little Artists
2021-05-02 12:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
The Suzuki Preschool of Newton presents our 5th annual: Great Art by Little Artists!
The event will take place on Sunday May 2, 2021 from 12pm-3pm (Rain date May 16th 2021). There will be an open house, children’s art exhibit and silent auction. We hope to see you there!

First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton presents: Annual Musicians Concert
2021-05-02 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Annual FUUSN Musicians Concert Featuring Catie Curtis and Musicians From First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton
Proceeds to Benefit the UU Urban Ministry
Come and hear the wonderful musicians of the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton and our featured artist, the amazing singer-songwriter Catie Curtis. Catie will be joined by renowned pianist Lois Shapiro, professional saxophonist and composer Geoff Wadsworth, guitarist Bob MacWilliams, vocalist Naomi Wolfe, our intrepid FUUSN Band, and others. There will be a fantastic array of musical styles and moods: classical works, traditional songs, original jazz compositions, and more.
The concert is free and open to the public. Donations will be gratefully accepted for the UU Urban Ministry. For more information, email music@fusn.org.
Click here to join via Zoom

Newton Free Library presents: Virtual Author Visit with Jennifer De Leon
2021-05-04 14:30 - 16:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
The library invites everyone in the City of Newton community to join a youth-moderated discussion on Jennifer De Leon’s teen debut, Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From. Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From tells the story of Liliana Cruz, a Boston teen from an immigrant family who is accepted into the METCO program—and the challenges she faces as she is forced to confront racism at her new white suburban school.
Register for the event here.
Books & audiobooks available on Sora, NNHS & NSHS libraries, and the public library! You can also purchase Jennifer’s books at Newtonville Books!

Zamir Chorale presents: Leonard Bernstein - The Jewish Side
2021-05-04 19:30 - 20:30 | Zoom
Join Zamir Chorale’s Artistic Director, Josh Jacobson as he presents “Leonard Bernstein: The Jewish Side.” Leonard Bernstein took the musical world by storm with his spectacular last-minute, a-star-is-born conducting turn with the New York Philharmonic in 1943. Until his passing in 1990, he was astonishingly active as a conductor, composer, pianist, and teacher. Leonard Bernstein: The Jewish Side will explore Bernstein’s Judaism and how it was manifest in his musical output. This virtual event will be co-hosted by Cantor David Tilman, former creative consultant for the Leonard Bernstein Centennial Exhibit. Register here to connect with Leonard Berstein’s Jewish Side.

Theatre Ink presents: The Wolves
2021-05-06 19:30, 2021-05-07 19:30, 2021-05-08 19:30 | MA
Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girls indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. A portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals.
Seating will be extremely limited to no more than 75-100 patrons who will be assigned seats, spread out, in our 600 seat theatre. We will also live stream for people who are unable to attend. Seating: Only families or people living in the same household will be allowed to sit together. All other patrons will be seated individually.
Click here to purchase live or livestream tickets.

New Art Center presents: Mother's Day Bouquet
2021-05-09 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Show the special maternal figure in your life how much you care with a gift of blossoms and art appreciation!
A beautiful spring bouquet from Centre Pieces Design Flower Shop in Newtonville will be delivered to the recipient’s door on Mother’s Day (May 9th), and a pre-recorded talk from art historian and educator Brendan Sullivan will be sent via e-mail. Brendan will explore depictions of motherhood and the maternal experience through a selection of artwork.
Register by May 3 and celebrate the ones you love!
A portion of the cost will help to support the New Art Center and you will receive a tax receipt for your donation.

Newton Free Library presents: Newton by Map
2021-05-10 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Join the Leventhal Map and Education Center and the Newton Free Library for a deep dive into Newton historical geography!
What was Newton like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries? What used to be on the sites of your favorite Newton landmarks? How has the city changed, and how has it stayed the same? Using Atlascope, the Leventhal Map & Education Center’s user-friendly portal for exploring urban atlases, we’ll dive into the historical geography of Newton. Come learn about how the community has changed over time, and discover how to research the history of your own house and neighborhood.
This program is cosponsored by Historic Newton.
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The login information will be sent just after registration closes.

Historic Newton presents: Voting Rights - Where Do We Go From Here?
2021-05-13 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Join Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, author of “The Voting Rights War” for a session presented by Overdue in partnership with Historic Newton. Professor Browne-Marshall will examine laws posing challenges to American voters — especially African-Americans — from enslavement and woman’s suffrage through current controversies of voter suppression. She will also look ahead to challenges that future voters are likely to face, especially after the tumultuous 2020 election. A Q&A will follow. This program is funded in part by Mass Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. To attend this program, please register here.

Newton Free Library: The Asian American Experience - Reflections of an Historian and an Artist
2021-05-18 19:00 - 20:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
The session will deepen our understanding of the Asian American experience through an interactive dialogue Lisong Liu and Wen-ti Tsen. They will cover:

The historical perspective of Asian immigrants
The complexities of the Asian-American experience
Asian cultural heritage, community activism against racism and the cross-racial solidarity through art

Lisong Liu is professor of history at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an associate in research at the Harvard Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. He teaches Asian American history, East Asian history, world history and U.S.-China relations. His current research is about Chinese American history in the Greater Boston Area. He has been active in the local community, and he is also passionate about developing exchange programs for American students to travel and study in China.
Wen-ti Tsen is a painter and public artist. Born in China, he lived in Paris and London before coming to the U.S. to study at Boston Museum School. Since the mid-1970s, he has been engaged in making art that explores cultural connections in the forms of personal paintings, public site sculptures and community art projects.
This program is cosponsored by the Newton Human Rights Commission, CAAN (Chinese American Association of Newton) and NESN (Newton Education Support Network).
Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Scandinavian Cultural Center presents: Swedish Coaster Making with Pat Olski
2021-05-21 19:00 - 19:30 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Join us for a virtual workshop with needlecraft expert Pat Olski.

Learn to make a daisy coaster design made especially for the SCC by Pat. Perfect for your midsummer celebration! Fabric, thread and needle included in the workshop fee.
Friday, May 21st | 7pm | $25; $15 for Members. Register here.
ABOUT PAT: Pat Olski is a professional needlecraft designer, lecturer, and instructor. Her designs and articles, which span an array of topics from traditional needlework techniques to current knitwear trends, have appeared in many books and magazines including Piecework, Vogue Knitting, Knit Simple, and Australia’s Inspirations.

All Newton Music School presents: Music in May
2021-05-22 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Music in May is our annual all-day recital and performance festival. Students perform with their teacher-specific recital or class. Everyone has a chance to buy tickets to win great prizes in our basket raffle.
This year, on Saturday, May 22nd, the ANMS website will transform into our Virtual Music in May featuring recitals, music theater performances, raffles, and our Emerging Artists Ceremony. Click here for more information.

Historic Newton presents: House Tour Enore Presentation & Panel
2021-05-22 09:00 - 17:00, 2021-05-23 09:00 - 17:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
Through talent, fearlessness, and marketing genius Maud Howard Brodrick built hundreds of homes in Newton and Wellesley in the 1920s and 1930s, when few women worked in the field. Due to popular demand, we are once again showing video tours that take you inside homes she designed. Tickets also include access to a Zoom panel discussion, “Groundbreaking Women of Newton,” featuring special guests who do innovative work in Newton, on Sunday, May 23 at 3 p.m. Presenting sponsors are The Village Bank and S+H Construction. Purchase tickets ($20 for member, $25 non-member) by clicking here.

Newton Free Library presents: COVID-19 and Structural Racism
2021-05-25 19:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
The COVID19 pandemic has laid bare the deep racial and economic inequities that persist in U.S. society, providing a crucial opportunity for reflection, reckoning and repair. Structural racism continues to permeate all institutions, including the U.S. healthcare system, which has led to inequitable rates of COVID19 infection and death among low-income people and communities of color, grossly hindering efforts to end the pandemic.
Through a discussion of how racism intersects with housing instability and other structural forces to magnify COVID-related risks both locally and at the national level, Dr. Jen Brody, MD, MPH and Sonja Spears JD, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer for Boston Health Care for the Homeless, will challenge participants to consider how structural racism threatens the health of all.
This program is part of Overdue: Confronting Race and Racism in Newton.
Please register here. Registration for this program will end two hours before the start time. The Zoom login information will be sent just after registration closes. Please be sure to check your spam folder in case it lands there.

Zamir Chorale presents: Kolot Nashim - Jewish Music by Women Composers
2021-05-25 19:30 - 21:00 | ONLINE, United Kingdom, E16 2DQ
For many centuries, the world of professional music making had been an exclusively male bastion in Western civilization. Female composers and public performers were a rarity in Europe and America and it was nearly impossible for them to have their works published or heard on concert stages. Kol ishah – the voice of a woman – was suppressed. Now we are presenting kolot nashim – the voices of many women, restoring them to their deserved position.
“Kolot Nashim,” a year-long program celebrating the many roles of women in Jewish music, is dedicated to the memory of Linda Plaut, the City of Newton’s longtime Director of Cultural Affairs and founder of the Newton Festival of the Arts. The November program, hosted by Josh Jacobson and Lidiya Yankovskaya, commemorated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote and paid tribute to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Part II of “Kolot Nashim” is hosted by Josh Jacobson and Amy Lieberman. Register here.
Kolot Nashim’s May program includes

Interviews with composers Benjie Ellen Schiller, with a performance of her “Harninu” (Psalm 81); Elena Kats- Chernin (Sydney, Australia), with a U.S. premiere performance of her Psalm 23; Kirsten and Ken Lampl (Canberra, Australia), with a performance of their “Dirshu.”
A discussion about Naomi Shemer and performance of her “Shirat Hasavim.”
An interview with Achinoam Nini (aka Noa), with a new performance of her and Mira Awad’s “There Must Be Another Way.”
