Excited to announce that our public art initiative, Sit & Let Your Spirit Soar, has been installed this week in several village centers as well as The Street and Chestnut Hill Square. Sit & Let Your Spirit Soar involves the temporary outdoor installation of pews that have been donated by Newtonville’s Boston Chinese Evangelical Church and transformed into three-dimensional functional art to create community, encourage conversation, and inspire feelings of connection. We hope you enjoy the new creative spaces around the city. 

The following selected artists and winners of the Sit & Let Your Spirit Soar design competition will be painting their pews this weekend June 4-5th at the locations noted below:

Auburndale Starbucks - Faith Lyons

Chestnut Hill Square - Sage Wilder

Coletti-Magni Park - Margarita Krylova

Farlow Park - Leah Kolidasv * Nina Bellucci

Newton Centre Green - Harun Zankel

Newton City Hall - Adam Proia * Michael Grimaldi

Newton Free Library - Kate Halloway

Hyde Community Center - Angela Zou

Trio Courtyard in Newtonville - Howie Green

The Street - Sarah Tompkins

Upper Falls Greenway - Lauren Comando * Ngoc-Tran Vu

Waban Library - Amy Norrod

West Newton Square - Tova Speter

Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, The Village Bank, our other community partners, the City of Newton's DPW and PR&C Departments, painter Richard Farina for priming all the pews and grant support from Newton Cultural Council, a local council that is supported by Massachusetts Cultural Council and the City of Newton.

Newton DPW installing a pew at the Upper Falls Greenway 

"You Are Not Alone" Mural

Another public art mural in Newtonville! Newton Community Pride is proud to partner with Mr. Scott Oran and 28 Austin Street to raise awareness for mental health and support Newton resident and artist Harun Zankel's mural “You Are Not Alone”. The mural is one of dozens across the globe and part of May's national campaign that inspires artists to create work in their communities to spark hope, connection, and conversations about mental health.  https://www.youarenotalonemurals.com

All participating artists illustrate the phrase "You Are Not Alone", use the same color palette of yellow, black, white and gray and share their work online. We are grateful to have the opportunity and platform to share this important message. For more information about mental illness and mental health support reach out to https://www.mass.gov/info-details/mental-health-crisis-

Watch the mural come to life in this 25 second video! 

Pictured: Artist Harun Zankel after finishing his mural "You Are Not Alone".

Nancy Quint Schön Arts Scholarship

2022 Recipients

Congratulations to our Nancy Quint Schön Arts Scholarship recipients!  Ms. Nancy Schön recently welcomed the students to her home to learn about her career in public art and receive their scholarships, enjoy refreshments, and share their college plans at Anna Maria College (Dilsa Gomes Monteiro of NNHS), the Art Institute of Chicago (Livia Shyevitch of NNHS) and Rhode Island School of Design (Ryan Lee of NSHS).

Pictured with Nancy Schön left to right are Dilsa Gomes Monterio,

Livia Shyevitch, and Ryan Lee

News From our Micro Grant Recipients

Newton PorchFest

Share in the joy of building community by listening to music with your friends and neighbors at Newton PorchFest 2022. 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 4th from 12pm - 6pm in Auburndale, Newton Lower Falls and Waban Center!  

For more information and a schedule of locations and performances, click here. 

Newton PorchFest is also a Newton Community Pride Sponsored Organization

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"Welcome to The Lake"

Nonantum Mural Dedication

Another fun public art mural is coming to Newton - this time on Adams Street in Nonantum. All week, local artist Anna Dugan has been painting the "Welcome to The Lake" mural. On each letter of L-A-K-E there are iconic images of Nonantum. The dedication of this community mural will take place at 142 Adams Street, Sunday, June 5, 1-3 pm during Nonantum Village Day. Nonantum's "Welcome to The Lake" mural is a NCP Community Micro Grant recipient. 

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Newton Nomadic Theater

The Newton Nomadic Theater is back with another unique, whimsical, and entertaining production on Saturday, June 11 at 1 PM and 3 PM (rain date Sunday, June 12). It's one part scavenger hunt, one part hike, and three parts Juliet. The audience is limited to only 50 people so register now for free tickets.  You won't want to miss this free, fun and family-friendly community event.

More details here about the evening's secret location. Follow the clues, find the theater, and enjoy the show! Newton Nomadic Theater's production of "Romeo, Juliet, Juliet & Juliet" is a NCP Community Micro Grant recipient. 

Last Call!

Today is your last day to give and support our busy season of city-wide public art, free music festivals and our award-winning gardens. Our small nonprofit couldn’t do any of it without YOUR help. Please consider donating to our Spring Annual Appeal today to help us continue to bring arts, culture, beautification, and service to Newton. Here is a highlight video of the past several months of free community programming. With your support, we can do more!

Newton Community Pride is a 501c3 nonprofit. Tax Id # 22-2793743

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Community Events Survey

We are just 25 survey responses away from our goal. Please take a few moments to fill out this short anonymous survey to help NCP offer you the free community programming you want to see more of. Click here to take the survey.  Thank you so much for your participation.

Kazuko & Bill Oliver

Plaut Mahoney Family

Gavris Family