ArtWeek Boston to Expand Regionally, Return as Annual Celebration

Presented by the Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek Boston announced today that due to explosive growth and demand, the award-winning creative festival will expand its offerings in communities North, West and South of Boston.

With a focus on regional growth, ArtWeek will be moving to an annual Spring festival that will offer more than 200 unique creative events. This exciting transition will allow for the further development of regional hubs where ArtWeek has already been gaining traction with an expanding showcase of the state's creative economy.

With continued support from the Highland Street Foundation, the next ArtWeek festival will take place from April 27 - May 6, 2018.

"Season after season, I continue to be blown away by the incredible growth of ArtWeek," said Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr, President & CEO of the Boch Center. "Our initial goal for the festival was to engage members of the Boston community and showcase the work of local artists and creative organizations through unique, interactive events outside of the four walls of our theaters. Not only has ArtWeek reached those goals, but in recent seasons, we have seen such increased demand from communities outside of Boston that the natural next step is to continue to explore regional growth across Massachusetts. Moving to an annual festival format will give us more time throughout the year to make connections and build relationships in new communities. We are so excited for this next chapter and look forward to an even larger ArtWeek festival next Spring!"

Launched in 2013, ArtWeek has experienced explosive growth in recent years. What started as a festival with 26 events in Boston neighborhoods has since expanded to offer more than 260 events in over 70 neighborhoods and towns across Eastern Massachusetts-reaching as far South as Cape Cod and as far West as Worcester.

"It has been exciting to witness the growth and popularity of ArtWeek, and we're thrilled to partner with the Boch Center to bring this innovative initiative to new communities," said Blake Jordan, Executive Director of the Highland Street Foundation.

ArtWeek works to spotlight how the creative economy is thriving in Massachusetts by offering unique, hands-on, and affordable neighborhood-based events that provide increased access to art and culture. Through community and artistic collaborations, this award-winning festival provides experiences in dance, folk and traditional arts, fashion, media arts, spoken-word, poetry, writing, contemporary visual arts, music, opera, theater, design, film, and more. Since 2013, ArtWeek has worked with more than 900 organizations and partners, held more than 1,000 unique events, and expanded into 70+ neighborhoods and towns across Eastern Massachusetts, engaging an estimated 150,000 participants.

More details on the next Spring 2018 ArtWeek festival will be available this fall. To learn more about ArtWeek, visit www.artweekboston.org.

Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek has become an annual award-winning innovative festival featuring more than 200 unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive or offer behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and has since expanded to serve communities across Eastern Massachusetts and beyond. To learn more about the festival and its growth, watch this highlight reel.

Designed to drive neighborhood economic impact and build awareness of the area's creative economy, ArtWeek works with hundreds of community partners throughout Eastern Massachusetts, including Music Drives Us and ArtSpring Cape Cod, and is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. ArtWeek also has a network of generous media partners each year that have contributed $2.2 million in advertising and promotional support since its launch. Spring 2017 media partners included WCVB and Beasley Media Group, with additional support from Outfront, Overdrive, and CMT Group. ArtWeek has received recognitions from The Boston Globe, BostInno, the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, and Americans for the Arts. For more information, visit artweekboston.org.

Since its establishment in 1989, Highland Street Foundation has donated more than $180 million to many worthy non-profit organizations. It is committed to addressing the needs and concerns of children and families primarily in Massachusetts and California specifically in the areas of education, housing, mentoring, health care, environment and the arts. To learn more about Highland Street Foundation, visit www.highlandstreet.org.

The Boch Center is one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England's largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more.

Located in Boston's historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and ArtWeek Boston; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston's arts and cultural community. Learn more at bochcenter.org.

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