Get creative with us in Courage to Care, an installation by Boston artist Sabrina Dorsainvil in the Bank of America Art Lab. Explore characters and stories brought to life through a mural designed just for the ICA! Each story reveals an act of care and serves as inspiration for reflecting on the ways you give and receive care in the world. What does care look like for yourself? How do you care for your community?
Join us for an immersive hands-on art-making experience and create physical artifacts that hold memories, manifestations, and movements of and toward collective care. Take your artwork home or add it to a display of visitor reflections and creations!
About the Artist
Photo by Nick Surrette
Sabrina Dorsainvil (she/they) is a Boston-based public artist, civic designer, and illustrator. Sabrina uses creative approaches to navigate issues around public health, civic participation, care infrastructure, and the built environment. They served as the first Director of Civic Design for the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics and continues to work with local community-based organizations, non-profits, large institutions, and startups on issues regarding social, spatial, and environmental justice.
Sabrina is captivated by people and how we interact with one another and our everyday spaces. As a muralist, they play an active role in their local creative community using their art to tell stories, unpack complex ideas, and find simple yet vibrant ways of celebrating people and their humanity. Sabrina holds a BFA in Industrial Design from Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) and an MS in Design and Urban Ecologies from Parsons School of Design.
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.
Join us at the ICA Watershed for a day of family fun featuring activities in connection with the themes of Hew Locke: The Procession. Learn about gardening practices from Eastie Farm and take home your own seeds and a nature-inspired artistic creation! Reflect on how growing food can be another way to sustain and celebrate communal traditions. For our final summer Play Date, we groove and grow together! Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.Tickets will be available for members beginning on July 10 and for the general public on July 17.
Stay tuned for a full schedule of activities!
*On Saturday, August 31st, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance for Watershed shuttle boats. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed. For access to the ICA Watershed from Seaport, visitors should select the General Admission + Water Shuttle ticket. Admission to the Watershed is always free.
The Watershed is located within the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston at 256 Marginal Street. Accessible parking is available at the Watershed. Limited street parking is available nearby. Visitors can also reach the Watershed by public transportation – the building is 0.5 miles from Maverick Station on the Blue Line.
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.
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.
Photo by Mel Taing
Past Events
Play Date: Dress + Dazzle
Sat, Jun 29, 11 AM–3 PM
FREE for families / please consider a $5 donation to support the event
Join us at the ICA Watershed for a day of family fun exploring Hew Locke: The Procession. Consider what it means to be in a procession: What do processions celebrate, commemorate, or challenge? What do you bring, wear, or do during one? Who would you invite to join you? Make a dazzling flag to carry and fly, read stories of journeys and celebrations, and explore the incredible characters and details of The Procession! Reserve free admission tickets online in advance*. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.
*On Saturday, June 29, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance for Watershed shuttle boats. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed. For access to the ICA Watershed from Seaport, visitors should select the General Admission + Water Shuttle ticket.
The Watershed is located within the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston at 256 Marginal Street. Accessible parking is available at the Watershed. Limited street parking is available nearby. Visitors can also reach the Watershed by public transportation – the building is 0.5 miles from Maverick Station on the Blue Line.
Artmaking in the Harbor Room: Fly Your Flag! | 11 AM–3 PM
Harbor Room, Watershed
Create a flag that represents you! People often use flags to tell something about their identities, interests, or communities. Using decorative paper, punches, trim, and stencils, tell a story about yourself through your own flag. You can also find inspiration from Hew Locke’s exhibition and discover the meaning behind the many flags in The Procession.
Summer Reading with the Boston Public Library
Harbor Room, Watershed
Discover new books, characters, and learn more about the Boston Public Library’s free resources! Families will be able to meet BPL staff from the East Boston branch, sign up for library cards, and read specially selected books based on the stories and themes of The Procession.
Books + Looks | 11:30 AM + 12:30 PM
4th Floor Galleries, Seaport
For those visiting the ICA at the Seaport, enjoy staff-led readings of family-friendly books in the galleries! Afterwards, pick up a Summer Family Gallery Guide, and explore the exhibitions on view.
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.
Please note: Play Date in June, July, and August will take place at the ICA Watershed, located in East Boston!Water Shuttle tickets are sold out, but you can still visit the museum with your family for free!
Join us at the ICA Watershed for a day of family fun featuring activities in connection with Hew Locke: The Procession. Enjoy a live musical performance, learn about Caribbean Carnival’s history and significance, and create wearable art inspired by the costumes of Carnival. Get ready to parade and party!
*On Saturday, July 27th, museum admission is FREE for families when accompanied by kids ages 12 and under, with up to 2 adults per family. Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance for Watershed shuttle boats. Use the code PLAYDATE when reserving your ticket(s). Advance tickets are strongly recommended; day-of tickets are not guaranteed. For access to the ICA Watershed from Seaport, visitors should select the General Admission + Water Shuttle ticket. Admission to the Watershed is always free.
The Watershed is located within the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina in East Boston at 256 Marginal Street. Accessible parking is available at the Watershed. Limited street parking is available nearby. Visitors can also reach the Watershed by public transportation – the building is 0.5 miles from Maverick Station on the Blue Line.
Playing Mas with Boston Society of Caribbean Culture and Heritage (BSOCCAH) | 11 AM–3 PM
Harbor Room
Families can learn about thehistory and traditions of “Playing Mas” (participating in Carnival)and create wearable costumesinspired byMas (short for Masquerade) withBSOCCAH!After learningand making, visitors canexplore how symbols and characters of Carnivalare reflected in Hew Locke’s sculptures all around the Watershed.Artmaking isdrop-in on a first come first served basis.
Ideas, Not Theories – Bicycle Beats by Reynaliz Herrera | 12:15, 1:15, + 2:15 PM
15 minute sessions Harbor Room
Ideas, Not Theories- Bicycle Beats is a short musical performance of a solo percussion piece written for bicycle, which incorporates theatrical elements in the form of physical theater. Composed and performed by Reynaliz Herrera, the mini performance features different sections of music, each exploring the different sonorities of the musical bike (frame, wheel, chainwheel, spokes, etc) and each of them inspired by world rhythms such as Afro-Cuban and Brazilian, and some composition techniques such as polyrhythms. The piece is a through-composed work, intertwined with some physical theater elements.
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.
About IDEAS, NOT THEORIES
Founded and directed by Reynaliz Herrera, IDEAS, NOT THEORIES is a theatrical percussion company for unconventional percussion instruments that offers several programs featuring Reynaliz Herrera’s original music and compositions for bicycles and other unconventional instruments.
About Boston Society of Caribbean Culture and Heritage
The Boston Society of Caribbean Culture and Heritage (BSOCCAH) is a collective body composed of community stakeholders working to expand the representation and celebration of Caribbean culture in the Commonwealth of Massachusettsthroughthe curation of thoughtful and engaging public events and activities.
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.
Photo by Lauren Miller
Past Events
Play Date: World Building
Sat, May 25, 10 AM–5 PM
FREE for families / please consider a $5 donation to support the event
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.
Free with admission / please consider a $5 donation to support the event
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.
Discover our feature exhibition Firelei Báezin 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.
+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.
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
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.
FREE for families / please consider a $5 donation to support the event
Join us for a day of family fun exploring the intersection of art and words! Visit our exhibition Wordplayto see how artists use text in their work. Using inspiration from the galleries, create artwork using letters and words in unexpected ways. Watch performers of all ages from Urbanity Dance interpret stories through dance, then participate in a workshop that combines word games and movement. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited. Reserve free admission tickets online in advance. *
*On Saturday, April 27, 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.
Transforming Text in the Art Lab | 10 AM–3 PM
1st Floor, Bank of America Art Lab
Join us in the Art Lab, and make art inspired by Wordplay! Visitors are encouraged to experiment with combining and layering words and letters to create scenes, images, or exciting patterns. All activities are drop-in, first come first served, space is limited.
Dance Showcase with Urbanity Dance | 11 AM–12 PM
3rd Floor, Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater
Come see a performance showcasing Urbanity’s Youth Performance Groups (Mini, Junior, and Senior Hip Hop Crews, as well as Junior and Senior Contemporary Companies) and Urbanity’s Adult Hip Hop Crew! After the show, audience members will be invited to join the dancers onstage for a short workshop and dance party.
Movement Workshop with Urbanity Dance | 1–1:30 PM
2nd Floor, Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater
Join Urbanity faculty and professional company member Haley Day for an on-stage workshop! After a short warm-up, participants will be guided through movement activities themed around word play, journeys, and pathways. Come move, groove, and stretch your creative muscles!
Books + Looks | 10:30 AM + 12:30 PM
4th Floor, Galleries
Enjoy a staff-led reading of family-friendly storybooks that enhance connection with artwork on view. Think about how authors blend imagery and words to help readers engage with their stories in different ways!
About the Artists
Urbanity Dance is a nonprofit arts organization that exists to inspire, engage, and empower individuals and communities through the art of dance and movement. Founded by Director Betsi Graves, Urbanity Dance was created in 2011 in the spirit of three goals: 1) to propel contemporary dance to the forefront of Boston’s cultural landscape; 2) to serve an unmet demand for affordable and accessible dance training; and 3) to leverage dance as a tool to foster bodily autonomy and creativity in local schools and community spaces. Through three interconnected pillars of Company, School, and Community, the organization offers a resilient, powerful community platform that builds synergy, investment, and connection.
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.
Discover our feature exhibition Forecast Form: Art in the Caribbean Diaspora, 1990s–Today in this interactive tour led by one of the ICA’s expert guides. This +1 member exclusive tour invites youth members 12 years old and under and their +1 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!
Tours at 11 AM are aimed towards youth members 6 years old and under.
Tours at 1 PM are aimed towards youth members 7-12 years old.
Discover our feature exhibition Firelei Báezin this interactive tour led by one of the ICA’s expert guides. This +1 member exclusive tour invites 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!
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.
These are Family tours. The content of these tours is geared to the age groups listed above but are not limited to those age groups.
Destiny Doorways: Creating the Doors We Walk Through
Sat, Feb 10, 12–4 PM
Sun, Feb 11, 12–4 PM
Sat, Feb 17, 12–4 PM
Sun, Feb 18, 12–4 PM
Mon, Feb 19, 12–4 PM
Tue, Feb 20, 12–4 PM
Wed, Feb 21, 12–4 PM
Thu, Feb 22, 12–4 PM
Sun, Feb 25, 12–4 PM
Sat, Mar 2, 12–4 PM
Sun, Mar 3, 12–4 PM
Sat, Mar 9, 12–4 PM
Sun, Mar 10, 12–4 PM
Sat, Mar 16, 12–4 PM
Sun, Mar 17, 12–4 PM
Sat, Mar 23, 12–4 PM
Sun, Mar 24, 12–4 PM
Sun, Mar 31, 12–4 PM
Sat, Apr 6, 12–4 PM
Sun, Apr 7, 12–4 PM
Sat, Apr 13, 12–4 PM
Sun, Apr 14, 12–4 PM
Sat, Apr 20, 12–4 PM
Sun, Apr 21, 12–4 PM
Sun, Apr 28, 12–4 PM
Sat, May 4, 12–4 PM
Sun, May 5, 12–4 PM
Sat, May 11, 12–4 PM
Sun, May 12, 12–4 PM
Sat, May 18, 12–4 PM
Sun, May 19, 12–4 PM
Sun, May 26, 12–4 PM
Sat, Jun 1, 12–4 PM
Sun, Jun 2, 12–4 PM
Sat, Jun 8, 12–4 PM
Sun, Jun 9, 12–4 PM
Sat, Jun 15, 12–4 PM
Sun, Jun 16, 12–4 PM
More Dates
Free with admission / Drop-in, first-come-first-served, and space is limited
Get creative with us in Destiny Doorways, an installation by Boston artist Mithsuca Berry in the Bank of America Art Lab. Enter a bright, colorful, nature-inspired space where you can design your own visual or written affirmations using some of the artist’s favorite mediums, including paint, textiles, and poetry.
Destiny Doorways features botanical motifs that evoke the winding pathways you might follow in different parts of your life. Each doorway reveals a message and is an invitation to reflect on a new journey to transformation. What pathways have you taken? Which doorway will you open?
Dive into an immersive hands-on art-making experience and add your artwork to a display of visitor reflections and creations!
Art Lab activities are free with museum admission and are drop-in on a first-come-first-serve basis — space is limited. Last entry 30 minutes before closing.
About the Artist
Mithsuca Berry (they/them) is a Haitian artist, educator, and storyteller from Boston and former member of the ICA Teen Arts Council. Their work spans many mediums, including painting, digital illustration, fiber, and art education. Throughout their practice they have transformed what creating art means to them. Each piece marks an epiphany in their journey as it relates to existing as a black queer/non-binary person of Caribbean descent,fostering new connections to identity and healing.Their hope is that this process brings healing on a collective scale, protecting the future autonomy of people like them.
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.
