ICA summers are back! Join us on the waterfront every Friday this summer for evenings of art and live music. Grab your friends and enjoy contemporary art, critically acclaimed musicians, and breathtaking views—all in one evening. Explore the galleries, shop at Virgil Abloh’s pop-up “Church & State,” the ICA Store, and kick back on the harbor with cocktails and live musical performance.

OOMPA is a nationally-acclaimed, Boston-born, poet, rapper, and educator, who is forever representing the queer, black, orphaned, hood kids n’ them. She was named one of NPR’s 2020 Slingshot Artists to Watch and her engaging, interactive performing style won her the Boston Music Award for Live Act of the Year in 2019, following her 2018 Unsigned Artist of the Year victory among an unprecedented 12 total nominations. In a 2019 feature, WBUR’s the Artery describes the lyric-focused rapper as having a “natural tenderness with language” and calls her verses “funny…incisive and memorable.” Oompa showed this poetic prowess as the winner of the 2017 Women of the World Poetry Slam and a finalist in the 2016 National Poetry Slam. With the release of her newest album, Cleo, Oompa has sold out the Sinclair and a number of other Boston venues. Since then she has shared the stage with renowned artists like Charli XCX, 24KGoldn, Tinashe, UMI, and Rico Nasty. She has been featured by NPR, the Huffington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Magazine, WGBH, digboston, and NBC 10 and is the recipient of the 2019 Brother Thomas Fellowship, enriching Boston and the world beyond with her work.  

In November 2020, Oompa dropped her latest single entitled “Closer” along with a striking visual component. The song showcases a new sonic direction for her music and the lyrics convey a refusal to falter or be reactionary in the face of multiple global crises; the pandemic and an intense awakening about what it means to be Black in the world. This song isn’t a promise to be a cure to the world’s ills, but something that aims to counter the effects of the poison. Her next project, “Unbothered” is set to release in Summer 2021. 

Access to Summer Sessions is included with regular museum admission and free for ICA members. Timed ticket entry is required. Members are not guaranteed entry if tickets sell out. Advance reservation is strongly recommended.

Face coverings are not currently required for events and programming in the ICA’s outside spaces.

Bars close at 8:30 PM.

Summer Sessions welcome people of all ages. 

In the event of extreme weather, ICA Summer Sessions performances will be canceled. Any canceled performance will be announced online by 2 PM on the day of the event. Performances are free with general museum admission and tickets are not eligible for refund.