Photo by Ally Schmaling.
Get inspired by Caroline Monnet’s Man-made Land! View the Art Wall installation and feel a sample of the materials Monnet uses at our art cart. Use colorful metallic paper, ribbon, decorative tape, and colored pencils to draw and collage a mobile that represents the connections in your life!
Art-making is free and meets at the Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Art Wall in the State Street Corporation Lobby. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis as space allows.
Photo by Andrew Baxter Cook.
College students are taking over the ICA! Head to the Seaport for a night of creative art-making, unbeatable music, and stunning harbor views. Explore cutting-edge exhibitions—including the brand-new An Indigenous Present and the 2025 James and Audrey Foster Prize, celebrating Boston artists—and make the museum yours for the night.
State Street Corporation Lobby, First Floor
Your Biggest Hater | 6–6:45 PM
An ever-evolving experimental jazz project by trumpeter Lemuel Marc, Your Biggest Hater features Eazy Freeman-Fanfan on percussion, Jillian Upshaw on drum set, and Aidan Devine on bass.
Command+E | 6:45–7:10 PM
Command+E blends improvised sound and visual performance using sculpture, saxophone, broken electronics, sampling, and effects.
Teatea | 7:10–7:35 PM
Boston area performer and producer Teatea fuses R&B, hip-hop, synthpop, and other eclectic styles into her music.
Pleasure Coffin | 7:35–7:45 PM
Multimedia performance artist/producer Pleasure Coffin’s sculptures of sound accompany her noise-pop music.
Lilith | 7:45–9 PM
Eclectic electronic musician Lilith performs with an array of gadgets ranging from the SP404, Monome, and DJ Decks, to create footwork-R&B melodies.
Art-making: Land Shapers | 6–8 PM
Bank of America Art Lab, First Floor
Make art inspired by local artist Robert Peters’ Art Lab installation, Big Baby: A Story of Maushop. Be a land shaper like Maushop, a legendary giant from Wampanoag tradition who shaped and protected the land. Use clay and other sculptural materials to create your own meaningful place or bring something from your imagination to life. Free / Drop-in, first-come-first-served, and space is limited.
An Indigenous Present Gallery Discussions | 7:15 + 8:15 PM
Bridgitt and Bruce Evans and Karen and Brian Conway Galleries, Fourth Floor
Deepen your understanding of the exhibition themes found in An Indigenous Present through a spotlight discussion of Teresa Baker’s Knife River. Each session is approximately 20 minutes long.
Win an ICA Labubu!
State Street Corporation Lobby, First Floor
Enter to win one of three Labubus complete with custom ICA gear! Sign up for the raffle when you check in. Winners will be notified via email following the event.
Levain Bakery Cookies
State Street Corporation Lobby, First Floor
Sample a fresh, delicious cookie bite from Levain Bakery, handmade with love and the best ingredients for ICA College Night. First-come-first-served while supplies last
Show valid student ID when checking in!
Boston College: Art Department
Brandeis: School of Creative Arts
Framingham State University: Arts & Ideas
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northeastern University & NU College of Arts, Media and Design
School of the Museum of Fine Arts
Suffolk University Art & Design and First Year Seminar
UMass Dartmouth: College of Visual and Performing Arts & Honors College
Photo by Lauren Miller
Photo by Lauren Miller
Step into the world of Big Baby by artist Robert Peters —a reimagination of the Wampanoag legend of Maushop, a giant who is said to have shaped the areas now known as Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. In Peters’ art and story, Maushop is born as a giant baby raised by the community he grows to protect.
Make art in the Bank of America Art Lab inspired by the way Maushop shapes and protects the land. Use clay and other sculptural materials to be a landshaper, and create a personally meaningful place or bring something from your imagination to life. How would you protect and care for this place? How does it provide for you, and how will you give back to it?
Robert Peters is a Mashpee Wampanoag artist, poet, and author. His expansive work — from children’s literature and poetic essays to paintings and community murals — promotes understanding and healing among Indigenous people.
His first published book, Da Goodie Monsta (2009), was inspired by a dream his son had as a young child and tells the story of a monster who chases away nightmares. Peters released Thirteen Moons Calendar: A Meditation on Indigenous Life (2015 and 2020) featuring poetry, essays, and thoughts written over 20 years. His most recent self-published work, Big Baby (2024), tells a reimagined story of Wampanoag legendary giant Maushop as a baby.
Peters’ public art can be found in community spaces on Sachem Street in Revere, MA; in dormitories at the University of Massachusetts Boston; and in a mobile collaboration with three other Native artists honoring Native Boston Marathon runners. Peters continues to write, paint, and work with youth. He is a fire keeper and a keeper of oral tradition.
Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18.
Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.
Photo by Lauren Miller
Get creative on select Free Thursday nights with art-making activities designed by local artists. Plus, visit the galleries, grab a drink from the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar,* and connect over creativity. No experience necessary.
Art-making is free and meets in the State Street Corporation Lobby. While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adult audiences. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-serve basis as space allows. *Refreshments available for purchase.
Join the Boston Figurative Art Center for a night of figure drawing and portraiture! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artist, get ready for a night of creativity, experimentation, and fun! Learn or practice the foundational tools of drawing in two exciting workshops! You’ll start to see figure drawing in a whole new way.
Live Model Drawing: Roll up your sleeves for instructor-led drawing sessions of clothed models.
Portrait Party: Grab a pencil, meet new friends, and draw some zany portraits based on laugh-out-loud prompts in the Art Lab!
About the Boston Figurative Art Center:
The Boston Figurative Art Center is a creative community space and figure drawing studio in Union Square, Somerville. They regularly host social events, open figure drawing sessions, art workshops, multi-week classes, and creative meet-ups! They also hosted artisan markets, book readings, music events, and much more. Basically a catch-all for all things creative and communal, fit for any skill level and medium.
“We believe so strongly that creativity and community are vital to our overall health, just like going to the gym or eating vegetables. We are not just a space for practiced artists, but a home for anyone looking to weave more creativity into their life.”—Boston Figurative Art Center
This program is inspired by Portia Zvavahera: Hidden Battles / Hondo dzakavanzika.
Warm up and dance it out at a drop-in dance workshop led by Carolina Florez, founder of Shuffle Therapy. In this beginner-friendly session, learn the history and fundamentals of shuffle dance, a high-energy footwork-based dance style usually found in electronic music dance spaces.
Extend your evening of dance with a site-responsive performance by Mar Parrilla.
Dance sessions will pause for a 30-minute intermission at 7 PM. While all experience and ability levels are welcome, this dance class is designed for adults. Comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended.
About Carolina Florez:
Carolina Florez is a shuffle dance educator, community leader, and the founder of Shuffle Therapy, a movement program rooted in liberation through expression. She is currently getting her master’s in Dance Movement Therapy at Lesley University. With 10 years of experience in shuffle dance and as the organizer behind the Boston Shuffle Community, Carolina creates empowering spaces where dancers can explore identity, groove freely, and connect through rhythm.
Explore fiber arts and textiles with exhibiting artist Susan Thompson. Visit the galleries to be inspired by her work in Say It Loud: AAMARP, 1977 to Now.
Learn about the Indigenous history and fundamentals of beading with a contemporary twist with artist and designer Sebastian Ebarb. Get ready to explore, experiment, and express yourself through art!
About Sebastian Ebarb:
Sebastian Ellington Flying Eagle Ebarb is a designer, artist, writer, educator, and enrolled member of the Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb. Based in Boston, he is the former Design Director for the City of Boston; a Teaching Professor of Design at Northeastern University; and the founder of Nahi, a design studio focused on accessible, community-rooted work. His creative practice is grounded in Native identity, care, and cultural connection—especially for those living in urban settings.
This program is inspired by Caroline Monnet: Man-made Land.
Photo by Lauren Miller
Make a postcard that celebrates motherhood! Using colored pencils, creative drawing tools, and decorative materials, create artwork and write a message that honors either yourself, a mother, or an important person in your life.
This is a drop-in, self-guided activity, as space permits. This activity is on the first floor in the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar.
Want to make more art? Create and collaborate in Playing Together, an interactive installation by Boston-based artist ponnapa prakkamakul. Make your own artwork that reflects on the role of play in your life. Using wooden square tiles and a variety of sculptural, textured, and colorful materials, make a “Joy Connector” to take home or add to a mosaic of visitor creations.
Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18.
Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.
Photo by Lauren Miller
Visit the ICA during school vacation week for hands-on artmaking in the Bank of America Art Lab! Inspired by the exhibition Stanley Whitney: How High the Moon, create a colorful painted keepsake using bold colors, abstraction, and musical inspiration found in Whitney’s artwork. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis. Last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18.
Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.
Your support helps keep programs like this free and accessible! If you are able, please consider becoming a member or making a one-time gift to support the ICA.
Calling all teens! Join us at the Bank of America Art Lab for an exclusive after-hours look into Boston-artist ponnapa prakkamakul’s new mural and interactive art making experience, Playing Together. Explore play through creating your own art and engage with other visitors through playing with the new interactive mural!
This is a free event for teens. RSVP is required to participate.
But wait… there’s more!!! Do you hope to stay connected to the art industry? You will have the amazing and limited chance to be interviewed and featured in a documentary on themes of joy and play! Volunteers are being taken now!
Photo by Lauren Miller
Create and collaborate in Playing Together, an interactive installation by Boston-based artist ponnapa prakkamakul in the Bank of America Art Lab. Join others in a life-size game of Snakes and Ladders and explore ponnapa’s reimagination of this ancient pastime. Make your own artwork that reflects on the role of play in your life—create a game, share a joyful memory, or build from your imagination. Using wooden square tiles and a variety of sculptural, textured, and colorful materials, participants can create a “Joy Connector” to take home or add to a mosaic of visitor creations.
ponnapa prakkamakul (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and landscape architect based in Massachusetts. Her place-specific installation explores the relationship between humans and their environments, aiming to create a sense of place and belonging. Inspired by landscape and people at the sites of her projects, ponnapa’s works tell stories of place and amplify voices from people in those locations. Her projects often take the form of bright, colorful sculptures and murals that respond to human scale, inviting passersby to engage with, touch, sit, or even hop on them. ponnapa holds a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design.
Youth 18 and under always receive FREE museum admission. The ICA is committed to providing access to the art and artists of our time—and we do this with the incredible support of our community. Explore the +1 Membership: a free ICA membership program for youth 0-18.
Questions? Reach out to us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.
Photo by Lauren Miller
Find your muse with an evening of experimental printmaking and collage. With the guidance of Boston-based printmaker Louis Meola, play with collage and printmaking using found objects to make one-of-a-kind abstract portraits. No experience necessary, just come ready to get creative and try something new. Grab a drink from the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar* and get creative together!
While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adults. Supplies are limited; first come, first served. This program is inspired by the exhibition Sara Cwynar.
Artmaking is free and meets in the State Street Corporation Lobby. While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adult audiences. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-serve basis as space allows. *Refreshments available for purchase.
Louis Meola is a Boston local who received a BFA in printmaking from Emmanuel College and an MFA from SMFA at Tufts University. An avid printmaker who will “literally print anything”, Louis has made prints with a multitude of nonrational matrices. Materials like discarded metal or flattened tomato cans all have a story that connects Louis’ practice with family, tradition, and everyday life.
Photo by Lauren Miller
As we near the spring equinox, join us for an evening of celestial-themed printmaking. With the guidance of Boston-based printmaker Louis Meola, learn the art of trace monotype to create prints inspired by the night sky. No experience necessary, just come ready to play, experiment, and leave with your own one-of-a-kind artwork. Join us as we explore the stars together through the magic of print!
Grab a special themed drink from the ICA Wine + Coffee Bar* and get creative together!
While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adults. Supplies are limited; first come, first served. This program is inspired by the exhibition Charles Atlas: About Time.
Art-making is free and meets in the State Street Corporation Lobby. While all experience levels are welcome, this workshop is designed for adult audiences. Participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-serve basis as space allows. *Refreshments available for purchase
Louis Meola is a Boston local who received a BFA in printmaking from Emmanuel College and an MFA from SMFA at Tufts University. An avid printmaker who will “literally print anything”, Louis has made prints with a multitude of nonrational matrices. Materials like discarded metal or flattened tomato cans all have a story that connects Louis’ practice with family, tradition, and everyday life.