Newton Cultural Alliance

New Art Center presents Teen Build Your Art Portfolio class
2026-05-11 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-05-18 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-05-25 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-06-01 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-06-08 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-06-15 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | New Art Center, 61 Washington Park, Newton, MA, 02460, United States
Teen Build Your Art Portfolio class // All Levels // GR 8-12 // Mondays with Mattea Weinberg
This all-levels class is perfect for teens looking to build strong skills and prepare a competitive portfolio for college art programs. Students will draw from life, experiment with materials, and create meaningful, finished pieces—all with the support and guidance of an experienced instructor. Whether applying to art school or simply wanting to grow as an artist, this class offers the structure and feedback teens need to succeed.

The Allen Center presents Kathryn Gearon Artist Reception
2026-05-12 18:30 - 20:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
You’re invited to an evening celebrating Standing Still, a new body of work by painter Kathryn Gearon. Spend time with the paintings, meet the artist, and enjoy drinks and light bites. Admission is free; registration is required. Click here to register.
About Standing Still:
“My practice is rooted in drawing and painting, yet it is the process that drives the work. Moving between abstract painting, sculpture, and installation, I explore landscapes in all their forms — urban, geographical, imagined, and emotional — as well as the environmental forces that shape them. These layered terrains become metaphors for the equally complex architectures within us: neural pathways, networks of memory, and the lingering imprints of generational influence. Urban spaces, with their weathered walls and shifting surfaces, are a constant reference point. They are palimpsests — marked by grime, graffiti, and rust — where each layer obscures the last while laying the foundation for what is to come. This continual cycle of erasure and renewal parallels the way memory, experience, and history accumulate in the human mind. I see remembered mark-making as a form of storytelling — each gesture a fragment of narrative that connects the past to the present. In this way, my work weaves together personal and collective histories, exploring how generational legacies shape identity while also carving out space for autonomy and self-definition. Through processes of layering, obscuring, and revealing, I consider which marks are allowed to remain visible and which become invisible yet essential, forming the substrate for future gestures. My work invites reflection on how the landscapes we inhabit — both external and internal — are in a constant state of transformation, shaped by time, environment, and the unseen forces of the past.” -Kathryn Gearon
Providence native Kathryn Gearon is a painter, teacher and an advocate for the arts. She has been painting for over 20 years, and received her BFA from Rhode Island College in 2001, and a MFA from The Museum School of Fine Arts at Tufts, in 2018. She has exhibited her work extensively in galleries and public venues throughout Southern New England.
Kathryn Gearon online: https://www.kathryn-gearon.com/

Newton Art Association presents 2026 New Members Show
2026-05-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Scandinavian Cultural Center, 206 Waltham St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
The Newton Art Association presents its New Members Show at the Scandinavian Cultural Center on view May 1 – June 29, 2026. Featuring first-time exhibiting artists and seasoned pros alike who have joined the Newton Art Association within the past 12 months, this exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to view new work and connect with Newton’s artist community. Participating artists are also invited to join for the Awards Ceremony and Reception on Thursday, May 14, from 6–8 PM.

The Allen Center Presents Brush & Lens: Artist Talk with Peter Vanderwarker and Sam Belisle
2026-05-14 18:30 - 20:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
Join us for a compelling lecture demonstration on the dynamic interplay between painting and photography— and go behind the scenes with two of Newton’s most celebrated artists, Peter Vanderwarker and Sam Belisle, for a rare glimpse into their creative processes. All attendees will be entered to win one of two signed Peter Vanderwarker prints. Admission is free, but registration is required.
Click here to register.

South Stage Presents Pippin
2026-05-14 19:30 - 22:00, 2026-05-15 19:30 - 22:00, 2026-05-16 19:30 - 22:00 | Newton South High School, 140 Brandeis Rd, Newton, MA, 02459
South Stage presents Pippin on May 14-16 at 7:30PM in Newton South’s Seasholes Auditorium. Set against the backdrop of a PT Barnum era circus, South Stage’s production will use elements of both unsettling freak-show and awe-inspiring spectacle to tell the story of Pippin, the young prince in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment.

Suzuki School of Newton Presents ¡Cantemos Juntos! - Student Workshop
2026-05-15 17:00 - 19:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
This workshop is designed for children ages 8-12 of any instrument and any level of musical training. In this workshop Lydia will teach a variety of singing games in Spanish, as well as folk songs from the Andean region of South America. The children will learn the basic dance steps and accompaniment to the songs from the Andes, adding percussion and flutes traditional to the highlands. The songs and some of the singing games will be performed the following day at the Multicultural Festival!

Suzuki School of Newton Presents The Singing Voice: the Heart where Music Begins - Teacher Workshop
2026-05-15 17:00 - 21:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
With Lydia Mills, Kodály Teacher Trainer and Director of Instituto Kodály at Fundación Ibáñez Atkinson.
This workshop is designed for instrumental and vocal music teachers. Teachers will participate in the first workshop with the children and stay for a session dedicated specifically to teachers. Lydia will share her insight on teaching with the Kodály approach. Together we will explore how the folk-art tradition of singing games develops self-esteem, connection with peers, and a keen musical intuition, leading ultimately to successful musical literacy training.

Scandinavian Cultural Center & Library Presents A Book Talk with Pernille Ipsen
2026-05-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Scandinavian Cultural Center, 206 Waltham St, Newton, MA, 02465, United States
Book Talk with Pernille Ipsen
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Pernille Ipsen, acclaimed author and historian, on her powerful memoir My Seven Mothers: Making a Family in the Danish Women’s Movement. Ipsen, a longtime professor of gender and women’s studies and now full-time writer, tells the remarkable story of the seven women who raised her, weaving together themes of family, feminism, community, and radical social change.
Through intimate storytelling and historical insight, My Seven Mothers asks timeless questions about identity, belonging, and possibility — and reminds us that new worlds are always possible.
🗣️ Don’t miss this chance to hear Ipsen discuss her work and the lives that shaped it, followed by audience Q&A.
Friday, May 15th at 7pm | Free with registration
*Books will be available for purchase. Sales will support the programming at the SCC&L*
“This book is a treasure, especially for a second-wave American feminist who was thrilled to learn of the boldness and courage of our Danish sisters at the very start of the 1970s women’s movement. I can’t recommend it highly enough.”
—Vivian Gornick, author of Fierce Attachments
Pernille Ipsen was professor of gender and women’s studies and history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for fifteen years and is now a full-time writer. The Danish-language version of this book, Et åbent øjeblik (An open moment), was published in 2020 and was awarded the Montana Prize for literature, one of Denmark’s top literary prizes. She divides her time between Madison and Copenhagen.
Tiina Nunnally is the award-winning translator of more than seventy books from the Scandinavian languages, including Sigrid Undset’s epic tetralogy Olav Audunssøn, also published by the University of Minnesota Press. She was appointed Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for her contributions to Norwegian literature in the United States.

Suzuki School of Newton Presents Multicultural Festival 2026
2026-05-16 14:00 - 18:00 | Suzuki School of Newton, 1615 Beacon St, Waban, MA, 02468, United States
Celebrate community and creativity at the Suzuki School of Newton’s Multicultural Festival 2026, featuring international music, an intergenerational art show, and a delicious global potluck. Join us on Saturday, May 16 from 2–6 PM in Waban for an afternoon of performances, connection, and cultural celebration for all ages.

Cappella Clausura Presents Worthy of the Highest Praise: Bembo and Vivaldi
2026-05-16 16:00 - 17:30 | Grace Episcopal Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton, MA, 02458, United States
“Worthy of the Highest Praise: Bembo and Vivaldi”
May 16th at 4 PM – Grace Episcopal Church on Newton
Are you familiar with the name “Antonia Bembo”? How about “Antonio Vivaldi”? I’d wager that you’re familiar with the latter but not the former – which is exactly the point.
Antonia Bembo was an Italian composer and singer of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The reason you haven’t heard of her isn’t because her music is underwhelming: Bembo’s talent actually took her from Italy to France, where she was employed by King Louis XIV as a composer and singer. Her music has been unduly neglected because of her gender; she is every bit as good as her male contemporaries, and we’re proving it by putting her music side-by-side with the Vivaldi Gloria – one of the classics of the choral repertoire – and letting you draw your own conclusions.
According to one etymology, the name “Antonia/o means “worthy of praise”. In this little-heard work by Antonia Bembo, you’ll hear that she’s just as praiseworthy as any Antonio.
Featuring music by: Antonia Bembo, Antonio Vivaldi, and others

Commonwealth Chorale presents Spirit, Passion, Defiance – Let’s Tango!
2026-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | MA
Spirit, Passion, Defiance – Let’s Tango!
Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 7 PM
Alberto Ginastera: Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah
Various: Tango works with tango orchestra and dancers
Martín Palmeri: Misa a Buenos Aires (“Misatango”)
with strings, piano, bandoneon, and tango dancers!
Laura Beth Couch, mezzo-soprano
Alex Roitman, bandoneon

Cherry Street Music Presents Ari & Mia
2026-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
Sister duo Ari Friedman (cello & voice) and Mia Friedman (fiddle & voice) bring their chamber-folk magic to the stage in a special CD release celebration! Hailed as “strikingly beautiful, distinctive and exhilarating” (No Depression), Ari & Mia weave original compositions with Southern and Northeastern fiddle traditions and the early American songbook into something entirely their own. Don’t miss this wonderful Cherry Street Music performance at The Allen Center!
Click here for tickets.

Commonwealth Chorale presents Spirit, Passion, Defiance – Let’s Tango!
2026-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Michael Driscoll School Auditorium, 725 Washington Street, Brookline, M, 02446, United States
We end our 50th season with a bold Latin American program: Palmeri’s electrifying Misatango pulses with tango rhythms and passion, while Ginastera’s Lamentations evokes spiritual exile and sorrow. Dancers and a tango ensemble add visual and musical fire, concluding a season rich in reflection, intensity, and jubilant expression. Featuring soloists Laura Beth Couch, mezzo-soprano and Alex Roitman, bandoneonist.
Conducted by Artistic Director Dr. Michael Driscoll
General Admission $40; Students $10; EBT/WIC Cards – Free at Door

Newton Yacht Club Open House
2026-05-17 12:00 - 15:00 | newton yacht club, Nontantum Road, Newton, M, 02458, United States
Join us for Open House at the Newton Yacht Club, where you can explore the club’s facilities, meet members, and learn about our social events, and family-friendly activities. Whether you’re an experienced boater or simply curious, it’s a great opportunity to discover what makes the club such a special place to gather, connect, and enjoy life on the Charles River and beyond.

Historic Newton Presents Newton House Tour
2026-05-17 12:00 - 17:00 | Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Ave,, Newton, MA, 02458
Newton House Tour
Sunday, May 17 12:00 noon – 5:00 PM
Advance Tickets: $40 Historic Newton members, $50 general
All Day-Of Tickets: $55
Booklet and wristband pickup at Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds
Welcome to Historic Newton’s 43rd annual Newton House Tour! Each year, Historic Newton presents the Newton House Tour to showcase historic homes in the city. Each private residence is carefully selected by a committee to exhibit how homeowners have made creative renovations and interesting interior design choices that add to the life of a historic structure. You’ll come away with a greater appreciation for historic homes and inspiration for your own projects!
Purchase tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-newton-house-tour-tickets-1983542471929?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Pro Arte presents A German Requiem
2026-05-17 15:00 - 17:00 | Cary Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
A GERMAN REQUIEM

May 17, 2026

3:00PM

Cary Hall

1605 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA, USA

DIRECTIONS

Musical Program

JONATHAN BAILEY HOLLAND The Nature of Lost Time (world Premiere)
JOHANNES BRAMS Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45

TICKETS

Don’t miss this special event in May with conductor Kevin Leong, the Concord Chorus, and the Masterworks Chorale! Pro Arte joins soprano Carley DeFranco, baritone Dana Whiteside, and 150 voices in Johannes Brahms’s transcendent Ein deutsches Requiem. The concert also features the world premiere of a new work by American composer Jonathan Bailey Holland, a recent Guggenheim Fellow and the current dean of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click the ticket link above or visist Masterworks Choral’s website.

Cherry Street Music presents Allison Eldredge & Pei-Shan Lee
2026-05-17 15:00 - 17:00 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
Honor the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death with an extraordinary evening of classical music! Cellist Allison Eldredge and pianist Pei-Shan Lee perform his celebrated cello sonatas — works renowned for their emotional depth, technical brilliance, and bold, innovative structures that offer a profound window into Beethoven’s humanity and genius. This performance is part of The Allen Center’s Cherry Street Music concert series with artistic director Allison Eldredge.
Click here for tickets.

Commonwealth Chorale Auditions
2026-05-26 17:30 - 21:30, 2026-06-02 17:30 - 21:30 | First Baptist Church in Newton, 848 Beacon St, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
We seek choral singers of all voice types, who have strong vocal and sight-reading skills.
Auditions will be held on May 26 and June 2 from 5:30pm until 9:30.
They are held at our rehearsal location at First Baptist Church, 848 Beacon Street in Newton Centre, a few minutes walk from the Newton Centre station on the MBTA Green Line D branch. There is also free parking in the church parking lot (accessed off Centre Street).
We have scholarships to reduce costs for singers 30 and under! See website for details: https://commonwealthchorale.com
To apply for an audition, click here: https://commonwealthchorale.com/join-us

Strawberry Festival 2026
2026-05-28 18:30 - 21:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL 2026

The Newton Cultural Alliance is happy to announce this year’s 12th annual Strawberry Festival on Thursday, May 28th from 6:30 – 9:30 pm. This year’s Strawberry Festival reveals Newton’s best-kept secrets and the hidden gems of our community. You can expect tasting events with wine and chocolate, signature cocktails, fabulous music, a raise the paddle event, and a silent auction. Mark your calendars for the year’s most anticipated social soiree! Please view our Strawberry Festival website for single tickets and corporate sponsorship opportunities.

Get Your Strawberry Festival Tickets Here

The Carroll Center for the Blind presents 14th Annual Walk for Independence!
2026-05-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst, 100 Carlson Ave, Newton, M, 02459, United States
Join Us for the 14th Annual Walk for Independence!
The 14th Annual Walk for Independence is happening Saturday, May 30, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst (100 Carlson Avenue, Newton, MA)!
This free event invites you to walk to raise funds for vision loss and celebrate our community coming together to improve the lives of people with vision loss. Attendees will complete a 1, 2, or 3-mile walk around the Mount Ida campus, followed by activities for all ages!
Event Timeline:
– Registration: 9:00 a.m.
– Walk Kick-Off: 10:00 a.m.
– Post-Walk BBQ & Activities: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Event Highlights:
– Free BBQ & Popcorn
– Accessible Activities
– Assistive Technology Demonstrations
– Event Emcee: Sam Seavey, founder of The Blind Life
– And more!
Learn More & Register Today: carroll.org/walk

New Phil presents Family Concert: Family Faves
2026-05-31 15:00 - 16:30 | First Baptist Church in Newton, 848 Beacon St, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Family Concert: Family Faves
May 31, 2026

Program to be announced. Concert includes an Instrument Petting Zoo, kids crafts, and more!

Show more
First Baptist Church

Get Tickets
$10 – $20

Cherry Street Music Presents The Black Feathers
2026-06-06 19:30 - 21:30 | The Allen Center, 35 Webster St, WEST NEWTON, MA, 02465, United States
Back by popular demand, Welsh folk duo The Black Feathers return to The Allen Center’s Cherry Street Music concert series. Serenading audiences with original songs that feel both modern and ancient, you won’t want to miss these globe-trotting, talented troubadours. This Linda Plaut Festival of the Arts program is generously supported by Spark Newton in partnership with The City of Newton.
Click here for tickets!
