More Black History Month Events, Scholarship, Grants, Donor Spotlight & More.

Arts & Culture * Beautification * Service

Celebrate

Black History Month

Mark your calendars! Two more Black History Month programs remain in our February schedule and are not to be missed. See below for more details.

TONIGHT - Friday, February 17

An Evening of Blacknificence

First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1326 Washington Street, Newton

7:30 PM, Doors open at 7:00 PM

Free to Attend, Register HERE

Join your neighbors and friends as we explore the impact of music, movement, and the spoken word from Black churches to broader society for an Evening of Blacknificence. Performances include CitySound Gospel Group, hip-hop artist Caleb McCoy, BlackOut Step Team of Tufts University, and more! The event is in partnership with the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (FUUSN) and NewCity Church Newton. Reverend Devlin Scott of the NewCity Church is the evening’s host and moderator of a panel discussion featuring Reverend Alicia Johnson of Myrtle Baptist Church and other voices from the night.

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Saturday, February 25

Slam Theatre & Reception for This is America

Nearby Gallery, 101 Union Street, Newton Centre

6:30 PM

Free to Attend, Register HERE

Slam Theatre produced by artist Jamaal Eversley will consist of slam poetry performances, 4 ten-minute plays performed and read by various actors, and dance performances. Themes of the night will touch upon American history, values, education, Afrocentricity, and other topics.

Slam Theatre is an NCP Fall 2022 Community Micro Grant recipient.

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We hope you have had a chance to attend these wonderful events we presented and partnered on at the beginning of the month. Check out the photos below from the screening of TILL at ShowcaseSuperlux, Newtonville Books author visit and reading with Jabari Asim, and Black Art celebration & art-making with the New Art Center.

Nancy Quint Schön Arts Scholarship

Parents, do you have a child who intends on pursuing the arts in higher education? If yes, please let them know that the Nancy Quint Schön Arts Scholarship application is open. Now in its second year, $1,000 will be awarded in May 2023 to 3 high school seniors attending Newton North, Newton South, and to a METCO student attending either NNHS or NSHS. High School applicants are encouraged to submit an essay, application, and example of their creative work to their high school guidance department by March 10, 2023. More information and scholarship details here.

Spring 2023 Micro Grant

Coming Soon

Newton Community Pride is excited to announce our Spring 2023 Community Micro Grant application will open on March 1st. This program is for artists, arts organizations, area councils & neighborhood groups whose events, beautification, or service projects are consistent with our mission and take place in the city of Newton. Events, projects, and programs must occur on or before August 31, 2023. Learn more here.

News from our Sponsored Organizations

Newton Open Studios

Attention Artists! Newton Open Studios will be held April 29-30, 2023. Don't miss the deadline for Early Bird Registration, February 28. Regular Registration is open from March 1 - 29.

Newton Open Studios’ mission is to bring together artists, residents of Newton, and visitors through the arts. This annual spring time 2-day event for artists and makers is an opportunity to feature and sell their work and increase their

visibility as professional and/or emerging practicing artists. Newton Open Studios also promotes calls for art and exhibitions in Boston and Newton’s selected galleries and exhibition spaces.

Click here for more details.

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Newton PorchFest

Share in the joy of building community by listening to music with your friends and neighbors at Newton PorchFest 2023! Porch and Performer signups are now open!

Newton PorchFest is an afternoon of free music performed outside on people's front lawns, driveways, and front porches. Join this beloved community event on June 3rd from 12pm - 6pm in Auburndale, Newton Lower Falls, and Waban Center! For more information, click here.

Arts Advocacy

Attention artists, nonprofit leaders, small business owners, and supporters of the arts - Newton Community Pride (NCP) is partnering with students from the Boston College Winston Center for Leadership & Ethics class entitled, "Leading for Social Change." NCP has been chosen for a senior project to promote why investing in the arts in Newton is important. NCP is organizing this project, but it is for the wider arts community to amplify the importance of all our organizations, local artists, and the many contributions the arts make to the vibrancy of the city of Newton.

If you are an artist, nonprofit leader, small business owner, or donor and interested in participating in a brief interview or video recording please email gloriagavris@newtoncommunitypride.org. The Boston College student team would like you to introduce yourself and if applicable, your mission or art form and why investing in the arts, in your organization and the wider arts community is essential for our community. We hope you will join us in this project.

Donor & Volunteer Spotlight

John De Vito

Hi, my name is John De Vito and I've been a proud and active volunteer and board member of Newton Community Pride (NCP) for over a year now. I grew up in Nonantum, and spent more than two decades in San Diego before moving back to Newton in 2021 to be closer to family. I've been known to dabble in woodworking and have great appreciation for the work of the many artists we're so lucky to have here in Newton.

As an NCP board member, I have the joy of seeing just how much vibrancy our free arts and culture programs and public art bring to our villages across the city. In my own neighborhood of Nonantum, my wife Liz and I spearheaded development of the "Welcome to the Lake'' mural on Adams Street last year, which was a recipient of NCP's Community Micro Grant program. We love

interacting with people who regularly pose for photos next to the mural as they engage in Nonantum's local restaurants and events. We are also thrilled to have one of NCP's “Sit and Let Your Spirit Soar” public art benches permanently housed in the courtyard at the Writer’s Block on Adams Street for all to enjoy. My wife and I are community people and very involved in our neighborhood. We recently led a Halloween event at Coletti-Magni Park last October, where hundreds of people of all ages were able to enjoy painting, carving pumpkins, participating in crafts, and listening to some great bluegrass music. My involvement in building community in Nonantum and supporting the city-wide programming of Newton Community Pride is very important to me.

For me, volunteering with NCP and donating at the Friend of the Arts level is a reflection of my values and dedication to making arts and culture more accessible and more grounded in the local community.

Pictured are John DeVito and his wife Liz Metraux in front of the

Welcome to the Lake Mural on Adams Street.

Support Our Impactful Programming Today

We hope you will consider Newton Community Pride and all we do in your charitable giving this year. We are a small but mighty nonprofit and rely solely on support from our business partners, individual gifts, and small grants. From city-wide public art, music concerts, and festivals to caring for our award-winning gardens, and supporting great ideas & events with micro grants and operational support, our small nonprofit couldn't do any of it without your help. Please consider showing your Newton community pride by making a tax-deductible donation online or by mail today and help us continue bringing art, culture, beautification, and service to Newton. Our mailing address is 1294 Centre Street, Newton Centre, MA 02459

Fun with Olaf at WinterFEST!