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First Fridays are back! Tune in from your couch or get up and boogie. Boston dance duo The Davis Sisters are hosting and leading tutorials. Plus, don’t miss a lesson and performance by multi-hyphenate artist and performer Devlin G, cocktail-making, and community dance videos. Take a dancing break and make your own DIY Disco Ball. Plus, join us for an after party featuring  2019 Boston music awards DJ of the year, DJ Real P. Just dance!

Art Making: DIY Disco Dabbing

Add some 70’s bling to your living room dance party with found household sparkle for a DIY Disco Ball. We suggest aluminum foil or upcycling your old, unused CD’s to create a reflective surface.  

Cut your aluminum foil or CDs into small pieces (pro tip – soaking CD’s in a bucket of hot water makes them easier to cut!). Glue your reflective pieces onto a found spherical surface.  

Try: Styrofoam ball, hard childhood rubber ball or an item of ANY shape or size to transform it into a dazzling dance party prop!  

Feel like sharing? Upload your groovy creations and tag #ICAFirstFridays and #ICAfromHome 

Signature Cocktail: Whiskey Twist + Shout

  • Time: 3 minutes . Yield 1 cocktail.
  • 3 to 4 sprigs of spearmint 
  • ¼ lemon (cut up into 2 or 3 pieces) 
  • 1 ounce simple syrup 
  • 2 ounces bourbon whiskey 
  • Ice (to fill) 

Gather the ingredients. Add the mint and lemon together in a mixing glass. Muddle thoroughly to reduce the juices and oils. Add the simple syrup, whiskey, and fill the glass with ice. Shake for 30 seconds. Pour into a glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig or a lemon twist, if you’re feeling fancy! Serve and enjoy!  

First Friday: Digital Dance is free for all. If you are able, please consider supporting the future of visionary art and the artists behind it by making a one-time donation today.

 

Each year, the ICA welcomes a dynamic and inspiring group of philanthropists—a new community of patrons and advocates, alongside long-term friends of the museum—to celebrate our shared commitment to amplify the work and voices of women artists, leaders, philanthropists, and educators on a local, national, and international level. This year, the ICA Annual Women’s Luncheon is going virtual, with a live conversation between Mannion Family Curator Ruth Erickson and critically acclaimed artist Tschabalala Self.

Enjoy a beautiful lunch menu prepared by The Catered Affair, available for home delivery or pickup at the ICA. Place your order

Self is at the forefront of a generation of young artists who are advancing new modes of figurative painting that center African American selfhood and intersectional identities. The ICA is honored to support this artist and public access to her work, and to provide the very special experience of hearing directly from her live at this year’s event. 

Host Committee

Less Arnold, Nancy Benchoff, Annie Schneidman Coleman, Jennifer Epstein, Georgia Feldman, Ilana Finley, Abigail Goodman, Hilary Grove, Robin Hauck, Charla Jones, Kristina Lazos, Lisa Lebovitz, Georgia Lee, Natalie Lemle, Dell Mitchell, Michelle Morphew, Kate Murtagh, Monique Nerrow, Jessica Marks Rubenstein, Holly Safford, Charlotte Wagner, Nicole Zatlyn
 

Sponsorship levels

Lead Sponsor  $5,000

  • Twelve invitations to the Virtual 2020 Women’s Luncheon
  • Recognition (including logo) in all digital communications

Event Sponsor  $2,500

  • Ten invitations to the Virtual 2020 Women’s Luncheon  
  • Recognition (including logo) in all digital communications

Individual Ticket  $250

  • One invitation to the Virtual 2020 Women’s Luncheon

 

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization (tax ID: 04-2104327). No goods or services will be provided in consideration of voluntary contributions toward the Virtual Women’s Luncheon.

Presenting sponsor of women artists at the ICA

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First Republic Bank supports virtual programs at the ICA

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Official Hotel Partner

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Tschabalala Self: Out of Body is presented by Max Mara. 

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This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Additional support is generously provided by Fotene Demoulas and Tom Coté, Ted Pappendick and Erica Gervais Pappendick, The Coby Foundation, Ltd, and the Jennifer Epstein Fund for Women Artists.
 

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Be inspired by ICA art and exhibitions right in your own home. For April School Vacation Week, ICA Kids presents an virtual art-making workshop for families via Zoom. Meet other families and dive into an interactive family art-making activity led by ICA educators – an opportunity to connect and create, even when we are all apart. 

Families will create hanging mobiles inspired by Carolina Caycedo’s Cosmotarrayas. Mobiles often can be thought of as monuments or representations of home and experiences. Especially during these uncertain times, how are you coming together as a group or family? What materials are you using, recycling, collecting, and finding? What objects are special to you and that represent “home”? 

There will be three sessions, all 11 to noon: 

  • Wednesday, April 22: 6-9 year olds and their grownups 
  • Thursday, April 23: 9-12 year olds and their grownups  
  • Friday, April 24: Teens and their siblings  

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Yarn, string, or rope 
  • Scissors 
  • 2 medium to large sized sticks, or 1 clothes hanger to use as a frame for the mobile 
  • Found objects collected from around the home or outside: cardboard, recyclables, scrap fabric, small twigs, dried flowers, pinecones, feathers, etc.
  • Other materials welcome but not required

Registration required. Once registered, you will receive additional details, including a materials list and the access link. Space is limited to 5–10 families per workshop.

Register now

Questions? Contact us at familyprograms@icaboston.org.

Listen:

Spice up your Sunday brunch at home with our new Instagram live series featuring DJ Guru Sanaal. Cook special weekly recipes while getting down to live music from local DJs. We are kicking off Sunday Brunch Jams with…jam!

Simple jam recipe

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Fruit of choice
  • About ¾ cup sugar per pound fruit
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Coarse salt
  • Seasonings to taste

Directions:

Stir together fruit, sugar, and pinch of salt in a large pot. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mashing the fruit. Add lemon juice; continue to boil, stirring frequently, until bubbles slow, chunks of fruit show at top, and mixture clings to a spoon but falls off in clumps. Once jam reaches desired texture, and continues to simmer, skim the foam from the top.

Ladle jam into clean containers, leaving ¾ inch of headroom. Let cool completely. Cover, label, and refrigerate up to 1 month, or freeze up to 1 year.

Share your kitchen creations with #ICAbrunchjams

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ICA/Boston (@icaboston)

 

Spice up your Sunday brunch at home with an out of this world DJ set by Saucy Lady. Cook special weekly recipes while getting down to live music from local DJs. 

Saucy chickpeas on toast

Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 3 small shallots or 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely diced
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp cinnamon or cumin
  • ½ tsp salt
  •  sugar to taste
  • black pepper  to taste
  • 1 can of peeled plum tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes (skinned), squashed or roughly chopped
  • 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
  • 4-6 slices of toasted bread
  • fresh parsley and / or dill, to garnish (optional)
  • a few pitted Kalamata olives, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pan. Gently fry shallots, stirring frequently, until almost translucent. Add garlic and fry until softened.

  2. Mix paprika, cinnamon/cumin into the shallot and garlic mixture and fry off gently for 1-2 minutes stirring the whole time.

  3.  Add tomatoes with a couple of tablespoons of water. Simmer on low-medium heat until the sauce has thickened.
  4. Mix in cooked chickpeas and let them warm through in the sauce. Season with salt, sugar and black pepper.
  5. Serve on toast with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and a few olives.

Share your kitchen creations with #ICAbrunchjams

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ICA/Boston (@icaboston)

Spice up your Sunday brunch at home with our new Instagram live series featuring DJ Slick Vick. Cook special weekly recipes while getting down to live music from local DJs. 

Mushroom, Leek, and Fontina Frittata

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium leeks, whites and pale green parts only
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 12 large eggs
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
  • ¾ cup shredded Fontina cheese
  • Salt + pepper

Method

  • Preheat to 350°.  Place a rack in upper third of oven.
  • On stove, heeat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; cook  until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir often.
  • Add mushrooms and cook,  until softened and all liquid has evaporated, 8-10 minutes.
  • Whisk eggs, sour cream, and parsley in a large bowl; mix in ½ cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Increase the stove heat to medium-high and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms, shaking the pan to evenly distribute mixture. Cook the frittata, without stirring, until its edges begin to set, about 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup cheese over eggs and transfer skillet to oven. Bake frittata until golden brown and center is set, 25-30 minutes.

Share your kitchen creations with #ICAbrunchjams

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ICA/Boston (@icaboston)

Spice up your Mothers Day Sunday brunch with a live DJ set with Claude Money of Soulelujah on Instagram Live. You bring the eggs, we’ll bring the beats. 

Red Lentils Topped with an Egg

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup split red lentils , uncooked (or use any lentils you like)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (add some smoked paprika if you don’t have fire-roasted tomatoes)
  • ¼ cup parsley leaves , finely diced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • eggs

Method

Heat the olive oil and onion. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the dry lentils, water, and diced tomatoes and stir. Cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes on low. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, and parsley leaves. Top with your favorite type of egg. We recommend poached. 

Share your kitchen creations with #ICAbrunchjams

DJ Yung Towfu of All You Can Eat serves up some delicious tunes on Instagram live while you cook your all you can eat Sunday Brunch. Try a tofu scramble. 

Tofu Scramble

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • black pepper to taste
  • any vegetables you like

Method

  • Stir together cumin, thyme, turmeric, and water together. 
  • Saute garlic in olive oil for about a minute on medium high heat. 
  • Add vegetables and break apart the drained tofu apart into bite sized pieces and saute for about 10 minutes, using a metal spatula to stir often.  
  • Add spice blend, nutritional yeast, and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Share your kitchen creations with #ICAbrunchjams


Virtual First Fridays are back, louder and prouder than ever. This special event marks 50 years since the first Pride March, a movement indebted to the often sidelined activism and leadership of trans and queer people of color. While we celebrate the achievements made towards visibility, equality, and justice, we also acknowledge the protests and work that lie ahead. Together we can fight for a better future for us all.

Presented in collaboration Boston’s queer underground house and techno party Boudoir, don’t miss an evening of live drag performances by Kurt Fowl, Mt. Hart, Severity Stone and Civilization, hosted by Pristine Christine. Plus, learn how to mix the perfect cocktail with Ryan Lotz. Don’t miss a dance party featuring Chicago based DJ/Producer Hijo Pròdigo, and Boudoir resident DJs Math3ca and James Cerne on Zoom. Check back for the details.

Gather your cocktail ingredients

Christopher Park

Since so much of this year’s Pride is going to be spent finding ways to be together while being alone, this drink is a dressed up version of a drink nearly every one of us has ordered at a club: the Vodka Soda with a Splash of Cranberry. This is a pretty easy way to make this drink a little more celebratory than your everyday beverage using sparkling wine and a bright tart cranberry syrup.

  • 1 oz Vodka
  • 0.5 oz cranberry syrup
  • 0.5 oz lime juice
  • Sparkling wine
  • Briefly shake vodka, cranberry syrup and lime.
  • Pour over ice in a highball glass.
  • Top with sparkling wine.
  • Cranberry Syrup
  • 0.25 cup cranberry juice
  • 0.25 cup white sugar
  • Stir together ingredients till sugar is dissolved.
  • For cranberry juice do your best to try and use an unsweetened juice that is not from concentrate. The recipe easily can be doubled or more for making larger batches of drinks. This batch will make 4-6 cocktails.

Show your support

Tip your drag queens and kings! Drag performers are freelance artists and often rely on tips to financially get by. Tips can be made before, during or after the livestream via the performer’s Venmo or Paypal.

 

HOSTED BY

Pristine Christine

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Pristine Christine (@viva_pristinechristine) on

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Join us for our first-ever virtual Play Date: Go with the Flow! During these trying times, we’re thinking about self-care, flexibility and taking care of each other. Join us for live programs on Fri, May 29 and explore our menu of self-guided activities on your own time! Explore on- and off-the-screen as you engage and create together. All activities are designed for adults and children to participate in together. 

We are excited to partner and co-host this Play Date with our neighbor Boston Children’s Museum!

Live program schedule

Virtual workshops will be held on Zoom.

Yoga with Marlene
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM EST

Join Boston-based yoga teacher Marlene Boyette for a live family-friendly yoga session on Zoom. Stretch your body and your mind with these easy fun poses and meditative flow. Children and adults are invited to attend together. 

Art-Making with Brooke: Woven Moments 
1:30 – 2:30 PM EST

Participate in an interactive art-making activity and weave your family narrative of life during quarantine. Reflect individually and work together on a sculptural artwork for your home as we explore ideas of time, sharing, and self-care. Children and adults invited to attend together, ages 5 and up recommended. You’ll want to collect and bring these recommended materials: 

  • 1 piece of cardboard, at least 8.5” x 11” to create a makeshift loom (1 loom per family/ household)
  • Ruler
  • Writing utensils: grab some pencils, pens, and markers
  • Scissors
  • Plenty of yarn, string, twine, or thin rope
  • Paper for writing on, at least 1 piece per person
  • Found objects that are long, thin and easy to weave. Use what’s around your house or outside! For example: paper with a variety of textures, scrap pieces of fabric, yarn, or thin cardboard. Try to collect materials that are representative of your family’s experience during quarantine. For example on nature walks you may find sticks, flowers, and feathers. In your recycling bin you may find cereal boxes and paper bags. In your kitchen cabinet you may find dried spaghetti or bendy straws! 

Play with The Gottabees
3 – 3:30 PM EST

Join Boston-based theater group and play experts The Gottabees as they lead interactive movement-based activities. Shake it up and get ready to laugh! Children and adults are invited to attend together. 

Registration for live workshops is now closed. Join us at our next Virtual Play Date. Sign-up for e-News to get the latest updates!
 

Explore self-guided activities

 

Partner bios

Boston Children’s Museum 

Boston Children’s Museum engages children and families in joyful discovery experiences that instill an appreciation of our world, develop foundational skills, and spark a lifelong love of learning. Throughout the Museum’s closure, we have been providing online resources for children and their caregivers to continue playing and learning from home on a daily basis. During these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to care for and support one another. We are thrilled to co-host the ICA’s Virtual Playdate and provide families with activities that encourage care for oneself and for the community. We hope the weekend’s activities and resources will inspire fun, creativity, and connection at home.  

“When you take care of your own well-being, it is important that you pay attention to various aspects that make you fulfilled as a person. Boston Children’s Museum encourages activities and ideas for self-care and wellness that focus on five areas of wellness — Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Environmental, and Social. Move your body, express your ideas, make space for rejuvenation, and work with what you have!” –Saki Iwamoto, our Health & Wellness Educator 

bostonchildrensmuseum.org 

Yoga with Marlene Boyette 

Marlene Boyette is The Advent School‘s full time Yoga and Mindfulness teacher. She began her personal journey of practicing yoga in 2003, became certified to teach children’s yoga in 2013 and obtained her Trauma Informed 200 E-RYT after training with 4 Corners Yoga + Wellness in Dorchester, in 2016.  

As community member and activist at heart, Marlene has founded Leela Yoga & Wellness and co-found of Peace In Boston and Black + Blonde, two initiatives focused on bringing yoga to underserved communities and prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion within Boston area wellness spaces.  

Marlene has collaborated with various agencies, organizations and programs such as The Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Public Library, The ICA, The Boston Children’s Museum, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, The Teachers Lounge, Breathe for Change, The Teacher’s Lounge  and is dedicated to using yoga, meditation and overall wellness as catalysts for supporting, building and healing community.  

leelayogawellness.com

The Gottabees 

The Gottabees are a Boston-based ensemble dedicated to creating inspirational, engaging and empowering theater for family audiences. The company is known internationally for uniting simple-but-elegant visual theater with astonishing technique.  They aim to inspire community, connection, and autonomy by providing an outlet for families to giggle, gasp, sigh, and cheer in forty-five minutes or less. The Gottabees’ stories reflect children’s everyday aspirations, concerns and emotional experiences.  Their wordless approach to storytelling removes language barriers and activates different aspects of the audience’s imagination. 

Since their founding in 2013, The Gottabees have performed for over 35,000 people, in venues such as the Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta, GA), La MaMa E.T.C. (New York City), Detroit Institute of the Arts (Michigan), Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland), Izmir International Puppet Days (Turkey), and Casteliers (Montréal). Their work earned a 2017 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence. 

www.bonnie-duncan.com

 

Your support helps keeps programs like this – both virtual and in-person – free and accessible in this time of uncertainty. If you are able, please consider becoming a member or making a one-time gift to the ICA Fund.

 

ICA Kids and Family programs are supported, in part, by Vivien and Alan Hassenfeld, the Hassenfeld Family Foundation, the Willow Tree Fund, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Raymond T. & Ann T. Mancini Family Foundation.

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