🎨 The Boston Art Beat — Your Local Art Roundup (June 18)
Happy Thursday, Boston artists! Summer is here, the walls are literally getting painted, and this city is bursting with things to see and do. Whether you want to soak up new exhibitions, throw your name in for an open call, or just wander through studios with a coffee in hand, this roundup has you covered. Let's get into it.
🖼 On the walls right now
"Say It Loud: AAMARP, 1977 to Now" at the ICA Boston (through August 2). This is the first major museum survey of the African American Master Artists-in-Residence Program, featuring over 50 works by 39 artists across nearly five decades of Black cultural production in Boston. A living archive of creative resistance and artistic excellence, and one of the most important shows in the city right now. Details at ICA Boston
Guild of Boston Artists Summer Exhibition 2026 (June 12 through August 22). The Guild on Newbury Street is one of this city's treasures, and their annual summer group show is a perfect reason to stroll in. See current shows on Artsy
Rania Matar: "Where Do I Go?" at Robert Klein Gallery (May 9 through September 19). A deeply moving photography exhibition on view through the summer. See it on Artsy
Richard Serra and Fred Sandback at Krakow Witkin Gallery (May 30 through July 17). Two titans of minimalist sculpture and drawing on Newbury Street. Worth the visit. Gallery details at Art Collecting
"Right to the City" at BU's Stone Gallery (June 9 through August 8). Photographer and advocate Dominic Moulden's images of global resistance against displacement, curated by Ky Vassor. Free and open Tuesday through Saturday. Visit BU Art Galleries
🎉 Fresh openings to circle
MFA "America at 250" Gallery Reinstallation (opening tomorrow, June 19!). The MFA's major reimagining of its 18th-century Art of the Americas galleries opens just ahead of the July 4th anniversary, featuring more than 400 objects that broaden the story to include art from across North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean. This is the first reinstallation of these beloved galleries since 2010. Full details at MFA
"Where's Boston? 50 Years Later" at the Boston Athenaeum (opening this summer). This exhibition explores photographs from 1974 and questions what defines the city and its people. Photographers, this one's especially for you. WBUR's summer art roundup
"List Projects 35: Pap Souleye Fall" at MIT List Visual Arts Center (opening this summer). An exhibition exploring what can be found in the void and how technology shapes us. Read more via WBUR
🙋 Get in on it (don't just look, participate)
MFA $5 Third Thursdays, that's TODAY, June 18! Pay what you wish ($5 minimum) after 5 PM and explore the galleries until 10 PM. If you haven't been to the MFA in a while, tonight's your excuse. Details at MFA
We Create the World: A Juneteenth Celebration (June 19, 10 AM to 9 PM). In partnership with the Boston Ujima Project, this day-long celebration includes a zine fair, food vendors, short films, DJ sets, and live music. Perfect for connecting with other creatives. Event listing
Medford Open Studios (June 20). Just two days away! If you're an artist who loves seeing how other people work (and we all do), this is your weekend plan. Full list at Mass Cultural Council
SoWa Artists Guild Open Studios (First Fridays and every Sunday, ongoing). Over 80 professional artists open their doors at 450 Harrison Ave. The next First Friday is July 3. Free, family friendly, and one of the best things to do in Boston any weekend. SoWa events page
Guild of Boston Artists Juried Exhibition: Open Call. The Guild has announced a call to artists for a juried exhibition running August 29 through September 26, 2026. All media welcome. A wonderful goal to work toward this summer. Open call details
💛 Feel-good corner
Rixy's "The Midnight Ride" is now up at Dewey Square! Roxbury-born artist Rixy, working primarily with spray paint and joined by an all-women painting team, spent the month of May on a boom lift in downtown Boston hand-painting the 70-foot-tall Dewey Square mural. Chosen unanimously through the Greenway Conservancy's first-ever national open call, her mural honors the 250th anniversary by reimagining the midnight rides of Paul Revere and Sybil Ludington through a bold, surrealist, Latinx-Caribbean lens. The opening celebration is Saturday, June 27, 3 to 6 PM at Dewey Square Park with music, art activities, and food trucks. Go see a Boston artist who just painted one of the most visible walls in the city. Read Rixy's story on the Greenway site
Boston, your art scene is so alive right now. Go wander, go make, go support each other. And if you see something great out there, tell us about it. We love hearing from you.
Spotted a show you want to turn into a post or need help writing a caption for your latest work? Arty is here to help, just tag along.
🎟 Other Fun Things to Do in Boston This Month
Not everything has to be about art. Here's what else is happening around town, roughly in order:
FIFA World Cup at Boston Stadium (June 19, 23, 26, 29 & July 9). The World Cup is HERE and Gillette is hosting seven matches total, including France, England, and a quarterfinal on July 9. The energy around the city is unreal right now!
Red Sox vs. Yankees at Fenway Park (June 25 & 26). The greatest rivalry in baseball rolls into Boston for two summer night games under the Fenway lights. Grab a Fenway Frank and soak it in.
Boston Harborfest (July 2–4). Boston's beloved Fourth of July festival celebrates the nation's 250th birthday with reenactments, live music, an arts market, and fireworks over the Inner Harbor. Most of it is free!
Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular (July 4). The signature Independence Day tradition on the Esplanade along the Charles River. Pack a blanket, find your spot on the grass, and enjoy the show.
Sail Boston 2026 (July 11–16). Over 60 tall ships from 25+ countries sail into the harbor for the grand Parade of Sail, free ship boarding, a waterfront festival, and two nights of fireworks. This only happens once a generation!
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