BTCA NAMES "THE MINUTES" CRITICS' PICK!

The Boston Theater Critics Association -- a non-profit organization of print, online, and broadcast theater critics who present the Elliot Norton Awards for outstanding achievements in greater Boston theater -- announced this week that it has designated The Minutes as an official Critics' Pick for this season.

With only 4 performances left, The Minutes has been called "sheer perfection" (Theater Mirror) and "one of the best shows this season" (METRMag), and been featured in The Boston Globe, WBUR and WGBH.

Only four performances left…

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ALSO CLOSING THIS WEEKEND

Portraits in Red, artist Nayana LaFond's moving series of portraits commemorating missing and murdered indigenous people (MMIPs) and survivors of violence, is on view in our second-floor gallery through March 24. The portraits are a selection from the series of more than 100 works which grew out of a one-off pandemic exercise that went viral. Works in the series have been exhibited all across North America and were featured on the cover of the January/February Art New England. Select prints (with permission of the subjects' families) are available for purchase this week during gallery hours, with profits going to support the work of National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC.org).

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The Umbrella & the Pucker Gallery collaborate to bring internationally renowned ceramic artist to new audiences in Greater Boston.

I first encountered Li Hongwei’s work at a New York art fair fifteen or twenty years ago. The yellow-glazed vase embellished with royal blue, ginkgo-leaf shaped designs featured in that display immediately captured my attention. Wholly apart from its beauty, the vase opened my eyes to the world of contemporary Chinese ceramics, sparking an interest that continues to this day.

Before I saw that yellow vase with blue designs some years ago, I was convinced that most contemporary Chinese ceramics were lodged in the past, so to speak, recreating Song monochromes and replicating Ming blue-and-white wares or Qing enameled porcelains but not technically advancing the potter’s art. The moment I saw Li Hongwei’s yellow-glazed vase, however, I knew that my previous belief was wrong: Li Hongwei can compete in the same arena as the finest, most innovative traditional Chinese potters.

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Gala 2024 Stewardship of the Arts Awardee

At each year’s Gala, The Umbrella names its annual Elizabeth Cochary Gross Stewardship of the Arts honoree, a champion of the arts whose leadership and advocacy have had a profound impact on our community and beyond.

We are thrilled to announce that the 2024 Umbrella Stewardship of the Arts recipient is Roger Brown. A champion of artists, students, children, and families, Roger’s broad and inspiring career spans his role as former president of Berklee College of Music, co-founder of Bright Horizons Family Solutions and Horizons for Homeless Children, and most recently, founder and chairman of The Umbrella’s newest partner, the Salt Lick Incubator. In every facet of his career, Roger has been a steadfast advocate for the transformative power of music and education. Through his vision, leadership, and dedication, Roger has been a catalyst for change time and again and has inspired countless individuals to embrace their creativity, explore new horizons, and find their voice through artistic expression. As this year’s recipient of the Stewardship for the Arts Award, Roger embodies the spirit of generosity, compassion, and innovation that lies at the heart of the arts.

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Blog contribution by Umbrella Dance Instructor Becky Bearse

When I was three years old, my mother placed me in my first dance class in my hometown of Concord. Surrounded by music, leotards and tights, and the ability to move about the room with so much emotion, and yet no words, dance became everything to me. From ballet to tap to jazz to hip-hop to contemporary to house to Latin to West African to breakdancing, I was completely enamored with every aspect of this art form.

As I moved across the country, I continued to study, teach and perform, taking in every new experience like a sponge filling up with water....

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