After 40 years on Newbury Street, the Society of Arts and Crafts has decided to swap Back Bay for Boston Harbor. America's oldest craft nonprofit won a competition by the former Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) for waterfront space at the 100 Pier 4 tower just down the street from Seaport. The new gallery will debut tonight with "Radius," a show featuring sculptures, furniture, and other works from artists all working within one mile of the organization's new home.
Fabio J. Fernandez, the executive director of the society, told the Boston Herald, "As the director of a small nonprofit, I found the pace of the development of the area was really rapid and the city was realizing that the area had enough high-end condos and apartments and we thought, ‘How about arts and culture?'"
The organization will join the nearby ICA in bringing an added touch of arts to the streets of the Seaport. Its new space will include a multipurpose room for lectures, an artist-in-residence program where visitors can watch a craft artist at work, and a retail gallery for guests to buy wares for home. After tonight's event hosted by Mayor Marty Walsh, the space will be open to the public Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10AM-6PM, with hours extending until 10PM on Thursday, and by appointment only on Sundays and Mondays.
What: The Society of Arts and Crafts
Where: 100 Pier 4 Blvd., Suite 200, Boston, MA 02210