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Advance tickets are now available for visits through May 22. Book now

Delve into the living culture of the Taíno Peoples with members of the Higuayagua Taíno community of the Caribbean. Explore the rich history of the Taíno, which has been present since time immemorial and continues to resonate in the Caribbean and beyond. This interactive session is presented in collaboration with the Community Healing Center and is open to both English and Spanish speakers. 

This event has been organized to accompany the ICA Watershed exhibition—Hew Locke: The Procession. Poetic and powerful, the installation draws on the metaphor of the voyage to, in the artist’s words, “reflect on the cycles of history, and the ebb and flow of cultures, people, finance, and power.” 

Find directions on how to get to the Watershed here.

Hew Locke: The Procession was originally commissioned by Tate Britain for its 2022 Tate Britain Commission. The ICA Watershed presentation is organized by Ruth Erickson, Barbara Lee Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Anni A. Pullagura, Consulting Assistant Curator, in collaboration with Tate.

Support for Hew Locke: The Procession is provided by David Feinberg and Marina Kalb, and an anonymous donor.

ICA Watershed programs are supported by Eastern Bank.

community healing center logo

Teen Exhibitions Program presents Pop-Up Thrift Shop & Clothing Swap, a free event for teens. Select from thrifted clothing, patches, fabric markers, sewing supplies, and other materials. Feel free to bring your own clothes to swap as well. Get creative with thrift flips and redesigning!

TEP was inspired to organize this event by the environmental impacts of fast fashion on the climate crisis. They created it in connection with the exhibition From the Ground Up: Nature and the Man-Made which they curated and organized.

Join us for this event at:

Seaport Studio,
100 Pier 4 Blvd, Second Floor (Entrance on Seaport Blvd)
Boston, MA 02110

Learn about Caporales, a traditional Andean dance. As described by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, this high-energy dance, “acknowledges the African slave experience of Bolivia, and honors Afro-Bolivian identity and cultural expressions.” This interactive workshop at the Watershed will be co-hosted with Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VROCC), an East Boston arts organization that seeks to foster, share, and celebrate Latino cultures. Performers from East Boston and Caporales San Simon New England will join Robles to share the history, cultural influences (Bolivian indigenous, African, European), and traditions of Caporales followed by a demonstration of this folkloric dance. 

This workshop has been organized to accompany the ICA Watershed exhibition—Hew Locke: The Procession. Poetic and powerful, the installation draws on the metaphor of the voyage to, in the artist’s words, “reflect on the cycles of history, and the ebb and flow of cultures, people, finance, and power.” 

Tickets are not required for the dance workshop. 

Find directions on how to get to the Watershed here.

In 2009, the ICA debuted Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand, the first museum survey of street artist Shepard Fairey organized by guest curator Pedro Alonzo. Now, 15 years later, Alonzo returns to the galleries for a discussion on Fairey, whose work is currently on view in the exhibition Wordplay.

Alonzo will be joined by ICA Curator of Collections and co-curator of Wordplay, Erika Umali for a conversation about Fairey, and the use of text and language in contemporary art.

About Pedro Alonzo

Pedro Alonzo is an independent curator who specializes in producing exhibitions that transcend the boundaries of museum walls. He has worked extensively with a variety of organizations to develop complex public art projects and helped build several notable collections of contemporary art. Pedro is formerly an adjunct curator at Dallas Contemporary and the ICA/Boston.

Join us for a day of family fun as we explore different ways to create new worlds! Journey to the galleries to experience the Mediatheque’s newest interactive installation, Building Worlds, or immerse yourself in a new story with Books and Looks. Working together with other community members and families, build a collective “map” in our theater. Using inspiration from Firelei Báez‘s paintings on maps and historical documents, create artwork that transforms a place you might know into an entirely new world. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited. Reserve free admission tickets online in advance (tickets will be available the second week of the month prior).*

*On Saturday, May 25th, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Tickets must be reserved online in advance. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed.

Make + Map: Painting New Worlds | 10 AM–3 PM

1st Floor, Bank of America Art Lab 

Inspired by Firelei Báez’s paintings atop maps and historical documents, come draw, paint, and build your own worlds on pre-printed maps. Work outside the traditional lines of streets, borders, and landforms to create new maps of a world you want to see. Artmaking is drop-in, first come first served, and space is limited.

Collective Cartography | 11 AM–2 PM

2nd Floor, Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater 

Creating a new place takes community and collaboration! Build a map of a collectively-imagine world with other families. Add or move around the roads, landscapes, buildings, and other terrain using soft materials, and see how the map changes throughout the day. See how your world fits with other people’s ideas and experience the fun of artwork made together.

Books + Looks | 11:30 AM + 12:30 PM

4th Floor, Galleries

Join us for a staff-led reading of family-friendly storybooks and see different ways authors use illustrations and writing to create totally new literary worlds!

Building Worlds | 10 AM–5 PM

4th Floor, Poss Family Mediatheque

Explore the newest Mediatheque installation, Building Worlds! Using magnets of various terrains, foliage, and creatures, build a microcosm of a world inspired by Wu Tsang: Of Whales and Firelei Báez. Contribute to another guest’s world or create your own and leave it for someone else to enjoy!

Free Admission for Youth

Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18.

Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.

Calling all high school students! Join teen photographers from April Break Intensive: Special Focus for ICA Picture Day at our Seaport Studio. Work with a Special Focus photographer to make portrait of yourself! Use your portraits for professional headshots, senior pictures, or just a cute lil pic!

Each session will last 20 minutes and be completed by our teen photographers in our Special Focus program. RSVP is required ahead of time. Once you sign up, we will reach out to you to confirm your timeslot.

Questions? Email teens@icaboston.org or text or call 339-236-3039

ICA Teens presents Spring Showcase. Join us for a night of amplifying teen voices, musical performances, a photography exhibition, and film screenings. This event is free and open to all ages. Light food & drinks provided.  

This event will showcase work by members of the Photography Collective, Fast Forward, AMP: Music Production February Break Intensive, and April Break Intensive: Special Focus Photography programs. This event will be hosted in collaboration with members of the Teen Arts Council and Teen Exhibitions Program.  

Teen Arts Council presents Teen Night. Enjoy a night where teens take over the museum! Happenings include:

  • Art Making 

Join us for a fun night full of immersive art and creative spaces inspired by the exhibitions Firelei Báez and Wu Tsang: Of Whales. Feel welcomed into our wave of comfort and explorative activities!  

Questions or requests for accessibility assistance? Email teens@icaboston.org or text or call (339) 236-3039

Art by Adonis T. Text by Sara H.

*Offered in collaboration with Mass Poetry. Open to all ages. For teens, included in ticket to teen night.
If you are not a teen, get details and a free ticket on
The Write Here | Write Now | Speak Loud! Festival website, as well as more information about this 3-day festival.

Experience a brand-new exhibition and take a closer look at our works on view during April School Vacation Week. Create art inspired by Wordplay, join a +1 Youth Tour to learn more about Firelei Báez, and enjoy gorgeous views of the harbor in spring! 

What’s your story? Zinemaking with Non Issue Studio | Tuesday–Thursday,12–4 PM

1st Floor, Bank of America Art Lab

Experiment with stamping, drawing, and collaging to craft a visual narrative that’s all about you. What’s your story? Celebrate your individuality as you playfully explore storytelling with words and pictures. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.   

+1 Youth Tours | Tuesday + Thursday, 12:30 PM + 2:30 PM

Discover our feature exhibition Firelei Báez in an interactive tour led by one of the ICA’s expert guides. +1 member exclusive tours invite youth members aged 12 and under along with 1 accompanying guest to discover the art and artists of our time during a visit to the ICA. +1 youth members can always bring 1 adult guest for free to the museum! Note: The content of these tours is geared to the age groups listed above but are not limited to those age groups. 

Tours at 12:30 PM are targeted towards youth members 6 years old and under.    

Tours at 2:30 PM are targeted towards youth members 7–12 years old.     

For questions, please email plus1@icaboston.org. Find out more

+1 Art Club: Making a Photo | Saturday, 2 PM–5 PM

+1 Teen Members join Boston-based photographer Tiffany Binger for an afternoon of photography and exploration at the ICA Seaport Studio. Learn the basics of photography in this FREE workshop for +1 Teen Members 13-18 years old, inspired by ICA exhibition Firelei Báez. Note: The content of these tours is geared to the age groups listed above. 

For questions, please email plus1@icaboston.org. Find out more

Current Exhibitions | 10 AM–5 PM

Head up to the 4th floor to view our current exhibits: Firelei Báez, Wu Tsang: Of Whales, Wordplay. Stop by the 1st floor Lobby to view our Art Wall installation, Igshaan Adams. The Galleries are open from 10 AM–5 PM. 

About Non Issue Studio 

a man in white hat, a green apron, and underneath it, an abstract green shirt stands behind a table with art supplies. beside him, a woman with red hair in a black polka dot top and black apron smiles

Non Issue Studio is a collaboration between Brooke Scibelli and Dyllan Nguyen where they create handmade goods and develop creative workshops. Their furry studio assistant Patina stamps a paw of approval on each project. Learn more at www.nonissue.info and follow along on Instagram @nonissuestudio.

Free Admission for Youth

Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18. 

Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.  

+1 Membership is generously supported by Vertex.

Vertex logo

Join Curatorial Assistant Tessa Bachi Haas for a deep dive into the work of Firelei Báez. Learn more about the breadth of Báez’s practice and the expansive stories she tells through the medium of painting. This program will highlight three artworks.