Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center

02/08/2024

The Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center is proud to have been part of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭 Black History Month flag-raising ceremony. This year's national BHM theme, "African Americans and the Arts," aligns closely with GRACC's core mission—to honor and elevate the cultural legacy of the African diaspora through the arts. In her keynote, our CEO, Taneshia Nash Laird, paid homage to Boston's rich history of Black artistic brilliance.

The event was further enriched by performances from GRACC's own artistic advisory committee member, Danny Rivera, Jr., who delivered a moving rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and the evocative poetry of Amanda Shea. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the afternoon's honorees, Paul Goodnight, with his award graciously accepted by his daughter, Aziza Robinson-Goodnight, and the endlessly inspiring Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga, founding artistic director of OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center (a GRACC resident company) for their remarkable impact on the arts landscape in Boston.

The ceremony was a reminder of the vital role the arts play in weaving the fabric of our community, bridging generations, and telling the stories that shape our collective identity.

Links to some of the media coverage are in the comments.

09/26/2023

NEWS: The Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center, Inc. ("GRACC"), currently under development in Nubian Square, has named Dean J. Marsh, an esteemed corporate leader and Boston area resident of over two decades, as the Chairman of its Advisory Council. With GRACC's aspiration of becoming a vibrant cultural center where the voices of Black and Latinx artists are centered, and social justice and economic development go hand in hand, Marsh's business expertise will be instrumental in propelling the Council's initiatives forward.

A cornerstone of GRACC's transformative journey, the Advisory Council is tasked with charting the strategic direction, spearheading fundraising initiatives, and cultivating a network of supporters, all in line with the center's mission. The Council will focus on partnering with the organization’s leadership, including GRACC President & CEO Taneshia Nash Laird and its board of directors, to help secure the $35 million capital costs for the center's brick-and-mortar development. When complete, GRACC will be the first contemporary Black-founded and Black-led visual and performing arts center in New England. It will be sited on the Boston Planning and Development-approved Nubian Square Ascends campus project on Washington Street in Roxbury.

[Click the link to read the entire announcement, including details on Dean's impressive career successes.]

The Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center, Inc. ("GRACC"), currently under development in Nubian Square, has named Dean J. Marsh, an esteemed corporate leader and Boston area resi

05/18/2023

Boston Business Journal: Nonprofit leader Taneshia Nash Laird carves out a ‘nexus of Black culture’

Taneshia Nash Laird is new to Boston, but is already making an impact growing access to arts and cultural amenities in Roxbury with a project she believes will leave a legacy.

05/15/2023

NEWS: Roxbury International Film Festival Plans Permanent Home at GRACC

New England's Biggest Festival for Filmmakers of Color Bolsters Art Center's Mission to Boost Black and Latino Arts

The Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center Inc. (GRACC) has announced that once its new arts center is constructed, it will become the permanent home for the Roxbury International Film Festival (ROXFILM), the largest festival in New England dedicated to celebrating the work of filmmakers of color. The partnership with the 25-year-old film festival reflects GRACC’s commitment to fostering and advancing Black and Latino visual and performing arts within the community.

ROXFILM Executive Director Lisa Simmons recently told the Boston Business Journal, “We’ve been saying for the last 25 years that we need a dedicated space for arts, culture, and film, particularly in the Nubian Square area. [With GRACC] it feels like we can come home.”

More at the link.

The Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center Inc. (GRACC) has announced that once its new arts center is constructed, it will become the permanent home for the Roxbury Internatio

05/09/2023

NEWS: "Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center Announces OrigiNation as Resident Dance Company"

We are excited to announce that OrigiNation will be our resident dance company at GRACC when our arts center is completed, making OrigiNation the first professional Black and Latino youth dance company in the United States in residence at an arts center especially designed for the African and Latinx Diasporas.

OrigiNation’s Professional Dance Division (PDD) - which has toured nationally and internationally, including to Johannesburg in South Africa, Accra in Ghana, Dakar in Senegal, Kingston in Jamaica; London in England and Trinidad & Tobago - will present a season of performances annually in GRACC's 310-seat stage main stage theater.

“OrigiNation is excited to sign a memorandum of understanding with GRACC as its first resident performing arts organization,” said Musau Dibinga, Executive Director of OrigiNation. “This partnership with GRACC will provide us with a home where we can showcase the talent of our young dancers while also furthering our mission providing arts education and leadership programs that develop self-esteem, physical fitness, and civic responsibility among youth.”

Our full announcement is at the link.

Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center, Inc., (GRACC) the nonprofit formed in 2022 to develop a Black and Latinx-focused visual and performing arts center in Nubian Square, has ann

12/24/2022

12/20/2022

Taneshia Nash Laird, who recently announced she is leaving her role as the CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, announced on Twitter on Thursday that she will become the inaugural CEO and president of the Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center in Boston. The performing arts center is part of Nubian Square A...