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2008 Schedule Coming Soon!

Celebrating its 12th year, Mayor Thomas M. Menino's multi-faceted ParkARTS program, sponsored by Bank of America, offers visitors and residents the opportunity to enjoy performances, workshops and visual arts in Boston's neighborhood parks.

The ParkARTS Performing Arts program entertains thousands of people during summer performances utilizing the ParkARTS stagemobiles, entertainment spaces designed in parks, and custom built stages. Local and international musicians and actors take the stage including Berklee College of Music professors and their talented alumni and students and The Landmarks Orchestra conducted by Charles Ansbacher. In collaboration with the Franklin Park Coalition, ParkARTS continues to hold performances at the infamous Elma Lewis Theatre in Franklin Park.

The ParkARTS' Participatory Arts program offers children and adults the opportunity to learn how to create their own watercolors and art and crafts in neighborhood parks. The 7th annual Artist in Residence workshops will take place in 12 parks from East Boston to Mattapan. Children ages three to ten years will enjoy keepsake craft workshops conducted by local artists during 72 sessions held throughout the summer. The Landscape Watercolor Painting workshops enables artists ages nine and up of all skill levels to create their own watercolor inspired by Boston's historic green spaces. Artists are welcomed to participate in a series of 17 workshops in The Public Garden, Franklin Park, Jamaica Pond, Christopher Columbus Park on Boston Harbor, and Paul Revere Mall in the North End during the spring and fall to make use of the changing seasons in the colorful masterpieces they create.

Additionally, the department will host Mayor Menino's Monday Night Movies featuring big screen movies in neighborhood parks for everyone to enjoy. Neighbors and families of all ages and sizes gather together to watch Monday night movies including all-time favorite classics and present-day blockbusters. To create excitement for the moviegoers, Costume Mania invites "kids" of all ages to don their favorite movie-themed costumes each night to create Monday night enthusiasm and for chances to win great prizes.

The annual Rose Garden Party fundraiser to benefit ParkARTS, also in its twelfth year, will be held on June 19 in the Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens. Over 200 guests enjoy an evening amidst 2,000 rose bushes, entertainment, and the annual Hats Galore hat contest, while supporting arts programming in Boston's parks.

ParkARTS comprises almost half of the programs offered throughout the park system. In addition to Bank of America's title sponsorship, a wide range of organizations support ParkARTS annually, including Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New England, Comcast, Berklee College of Music, the Mayor's Office of Special Events & Tourism, the Fenway Civic Association, and numerous local businesses and community organizations.

Please visit many of Boston's neighborhood parks to enjoy ParkARTS' varied menu of arts programming. ParkARTS is for everyone!