Upcoming Virtual BU Arts Programming

Arts Initiative Virtual Series

Starting in April 2020, the BU Arts Initiative has been offering virtual programming through our series: Arts Initiative Virtual Series. All programming was live on Zoom or YouTube and was recording for your post-event viewing. Please check out each event below:

Monumental Change: Addressing The Legacies Of Systemic Racism In Public Art
Thursday, July 23 at 7:00-8:00PM
How do we engage with our shared histories and culture through monuments, statues and public art? How does that relationship sustain or perpetuate systemic racism? What needs to be done to make change? Join BU Arts Initiative, WBUR CitySpace and The ARTery for a conversation with 4 panelists addressing the nuances of this issue, and what the future of public art could look like.
Live Recording | Panelist Bios | Facebook Event

Global Music Today
Monday, April 27 at 4:30-5:30PM
Join our three world music experts, Marié Abe, Michael Birenbaum Quintero, and Brian Keigher, as they discuss what is global music and its place in culture. Plus they’ll share what’s new and hot for you to check out and how you can broaden your playlists with some outstanding music. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and share their favorite artists.
RSVP & Panelist Bios
Post Event: Live Recording | Spotify Playlist | Resources & Artists

Virtual Study Break
Friday, May 1 through Monday, May 4
Join us during reading days to let your creative juices flow! Each day at 12PM (noon) EST, we’ll be sharing a fun DIY activity on our Facebook event. Be ready to learn Origami, send a pop-up card to a loved one, make homemade clay, and destress with BU coloring pages.

After you complete the activity, share it on Instagram using #BeCreativeBU, or share as a post in the Facebook event!

Arts, Mental Health & Social Distancing
Wednesday, May 13 at 4-5:30PM
Join the BU Arts Initiative and the BU Wellbeing Project for a thoughtful and timely discussion with three mental health experts, Dr. Girija Kaimal, Dr. Sarah Lipson, and Dr. Jeremy Nobel, to discuss their work, contemporary mental health issues for college students, and the mental health benefits of a variety of arts engagement activities.
RSVP & Panelist Bios
Post Event: Live Recording | Resources & Recommendations

JUSTbeU Art Competition
Deadline: Tuesday, April 7
Prizes: 1st Place – $700 | 2nd Place – $200 | 3rd Place – $100
In collaboration with BU Hillel and the JUSTbeU Collective, all BU students are invited to apply for an art competition to bring positivity to our community and beyond. Submissions can be anything, as long as it sheds a positive light and shows creativity. Submissions will be judged by Rosalie Ripaldi Shane (Boston Professional Artist) & Ty Furman (BU Arts Initiative).
(CLOSED) Application

Past Virtual BU Arts Programming: Spring 2020

Poetry is not a Luxury: a Boston University Student-Faculty Forum
Tuesday, April 21 at 6:30PM
In 1985, writer-activist Audre Lorde wrote an essay titled “Poetry is Not a Luxury” about moving beyond what is, about envisioning, expressing and grasping things without names, dreaming, freeing oneself of the power structures in which we live. With this theme as a guiding principle, we invite students and faculty to explore the necessity of poetry and the arts in our lives. Prior to the forum, participants can submit their favorite poems as part of the Favorite Poem Project’s Restoration initiative.
Join on Zoom

GMS Zoom Colloquium Series
Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30PM
Join the BU Graduate Music Society for part 5 of their Zoom Colloquium Series as they welcome Ian Condry, MIT Professor of Japanese Culture and Media Studies, for his talk tiled “Sound, Learning and Democracy: Ethnography and Spatial Sound in Berlin, Tokyo and Boston”.
Join on Zoom

Virtual Open Mic
Thursday, April 23 at 7PM
Check out the Howard Thurman Center’s Facebook page to see students, faculty, and alumni showcase their talents. The HTC Staff has compiled submissions into one must-see experience.
Live on their website and Facebook

Virtual Visions
Thursday, April 23 at 7PM
Dance Theatre Group is happy to bring their annual performance, Visions, to the web. They’ve gathered pre-existing choreographers, club alumni, and current members to participate in the production. Suggested donation of $10 to support the REACH program and the Boston Dance Alliance’s Dancer Relief Fund.
Livestream on YouTube & Facebook

No-Sew Face Mask Tutorial with Melissa Riesgo
Friday, April 24 at 3PM
Join BU Alumni on Instagram for a non-medical face mask tutorial with Melissa Riesgo (BUTI’06, CAS ’09, MET’16).  Unlike many at-home masks, this one doesn’t require any type of sewing. Your scarf or bandana won’t be damaged and can be used as its original purpose later on.

2nd Annual BU Research Puppet Slam
Friday, April 24 at 7:30PM
Join Cross-College Challenge (XCC) students to watch 8 collaborative screen-based puppet shorts based on current BU doctoral and masters research. These undergraduate students have created a series of short works in collaboration with graduate students that explore cutting-edge research.
RSVP through Eventbrite

Redstones East Meets West Virtual Film Festival
Friday, April 24 at 8:30PM (Award Ceremony)
The 40th anniversary presentation of the Redstones Film Festival, Boston University’s student and alumni film showcase traditionally held in Los Angeles and Boston, will move online this year, beginning April 17 and culminating on April 24 with a live-streamed awards ceremony.
Watch Films & Stream Award Ceremony

Global Fellows Reading
Tuesday, April 28 at 7PM
Please join the BU Creative Writing Program for their virtual Global Fellows Reading! Readers include fiction writer Anitha Ahmed and poets Jason Barry, Sarah Corney, Tyler Dunston, and Laura Schaffer.
Join on Zoom

The Show Must Go On: How Studios Are Adapting for a Quarantine Era
Thursday, April 30 at 1PM
Join BU College of Communication for a lively conversation with Bonnie Hammer, Chairman, NBCUniversal Content Studios, and Jay Roewe, Senior Vice President of West Coast Production at Home Box Office (HBO), about how studios are answering the challenge of producing great shows in a quarantine era.
Join on Zoom

Time’s Arrow performance on Zoom
Thursday, April 30 at 7PM
Time’s Arrow Remote and Connected includes compositions by three ensemble members, Elena Levi (CFA’20), Brad Barker (CFA’21) and Michael Frontz (CFA’21), and Times Arrow’s director Rodney Lister, a CFA School of Music lecturer in music, composition, and music theory.
Enjoy the concert on Zoom

Liquid Fun Presents: Beats by Dr. Fauci
Thursday, April 30 at 8PM
BU’s improv comedy troupe, Liquid Fun, is performing their last show of the semester virtually! Watch their free improv comedy show featuring three of their graduating seniors.
Tune in on Zoom

BU On Broadway’s Off Broadway Virtual Charity Showcase
Now – May 10
From now until May 10th, BU OBOB, BU’s Boston-area Service Choir, will be releasing a series of videos to raise money for the National Domestic Abuse Hotline on their Instagram. Their first song is Adele’s Rolling in the Deep. Be sure to check their Instagram every Thursday and consider a donation to the National Domestic Abuse Hotline.
Follow BU OBOB on Instagram

The Rosenbergs on IOTF: The International Online Theatre Festival
Now – May 15
Presented by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, The Rosenbergs is the story of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg in 1953, who have been accused of atomic espionage and sentenced to death. In this famous spy case, and leading to the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) Senate hearings, the Rosenbergs’ love affair broke all bounds.
Watch it now
Plus, a conversation with Troyanovsky (Director), Holbek (Music), and Leman (Libretto) will be held on Sunday, May 10 at 2PM via Zoom.

Boston Theater Marathon XXII: Special Zoom Edition
Now – May 17 (various dates and times)
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre (BPT) presents Boston Theater Marathon XXII: Special Zoom Edition, featuring ten-minute plays written by New England playwrights and presented by New England theatres via the video conferencing tool Zoom.
Schedule & Zoom links

BFA Thesis Show
Starting Friday, May 8
Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts is proud to present the 2020 BFA Thesis. Featuring the work of 39 graduating seniors, the 2020 BFA candidates in Graphic Design, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture will launch this virtual showcase on Friday, May 8.
Visit 2020bfathesis.show

2020 MFA Thesis
Starting Friday, May 15
Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts is proud to present the 2020 MFA Thesis. Featuring the work of the 40 MFA candidates in Graphic Design, Painting, Printmaking, and Sculpture, this virtual showcase will launch on Friday, May 15.
Visit 2020mfathesis.show

Virtual Annual Faculty Reading
Tuesday, May 19 at 7PM
Join the BU Creative Writing Program for their annual Faculty reading, but virtual, featuring Leslie Epstein, Ha Jin, Karl Kirchwey, Gail Mazur, Sigrid Nunez, Robert Pinsky, & Nicole Sealey
Join on Zoom

From A Distance: BUTV10 Variety Hour
Thursday, May 21 at 8PM
BUTV10 presents a virtual showcase of Boston University student performers, as well as interviews with notable alumni from the entertainment and sports world. Featured acts include: BU on Broadway, BU Pep Band, BU Bhangra, BU Mixx, Liquid Fun, and The Callbacks, plus notable alumni: Andy Cohen (COM ‘90), Ginnifer Goodwin (CFA ‘01), Russell Hornsby (CFA ‘96) and more!
Watch on butv10.com and BUTV10’s Facebook Live

Performing Bach’s St. John Passion: Before the Downbeat
Saturday, May 23 at 11:30am-3pm
This seminar will be led by Joshua Rifkin, featuring contributions from Bach scholars Daniel Melamed (Indiana University) and Ellen Exner (New England Conservatory). The seminar will probe the many issues related to the St. John Passion that arise before one starts to conduct, play, or sing.
Register by 5pm ET on May 22 for schedule & link to Zoom