MFA Boston and Citizens Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy with Annual Open House
Free admission for Massachusetts residents on January 16
BOSTON (January 9, 2023)—On Monday, January 16, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), and Citizens invite the community to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a free open house for Massachusetts residents. Citizens has sponsored the annual celebration for 21 consecutive years—allowing the Museum to welcome more than 120,000 visitors to enjoy free performances, tours, art-making activities and more. The open house will run from 10 am to 5 pm, and free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
"The annual MLK celebration at the MFA is always an inspiring day and Citizens is thrilled to continue this tradition," said Lisa Murray, President of Citizens Massachusetts. "This is an opportunity that brings folks from neighborhoods across the state together to share in a day filled with reflection, artistic empowerment and community service. I share a quote by Martin Luther King Jr.: Our goal is to create a beloved community—and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as quantitative change in our lives. I look forward to seeing our community come together to honor Dr. King again this year."
Events and Activities
Drop-In Art Making: Monoprints
10 am–4 pm, Druker Studios, Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art
Create one-of-a-kind works of art inspired by the exhibition Frank Bowling’s Americas using a Gelli printing plate and ink.
Music from DJ WhySham
11 am–3:30 pm, Shapiro Family Courtyard
Enjoy music from Dorchester native DJ WhySham, a visionary, activist, traveler, sister, godparent and Boston’s “community DJ.” She is a three-time nominee for DJ of the Year at the Boston Music Awards and was the only woman nominated for Producer of the Year at the the 2021 New England Music Awards. In 2021, she was named to WBUR’s Artery 25 list of artists of color transforming Greater Boston’s cultural landscape.
An Embrace Conversation: Legacy and Community in Public Art
Noon–1 pm, Remis Auditorium
Join artist Hank Willis Thomas and public art project manager Sam Giarratani as they discuss the making of The Embrace, Boston’s newest public art project celebrating the work and lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
Free ticket required. Available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Remis Auditorium box office beginning 60 minutes before the program. Please note this event has limited availability.
Touching Roots
1–1:20 and 2:30–2:50 pm, Gallery 332
Enjoy a short talk and performance by artist Stephen Hamilton and poet Amanda Shea in the exhibition Touching Roots: Black Ancestral Legacies in the Americas.
Interactive Painting with Artists For Humanity
1–4 pm, Shapiro Family Courtyard
Join teens from Artists For Humanity (AFH) by adding your creative touch to a painting celebrating themes of social justice, equality, and unity. AFH is a local organization working to bridge economic, racial, and social divisions by providing under-resourced urban youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in art and design.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $224.7 billion in assets as of September 30, 2022. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,300 ATMs and approximately 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
About the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The MFA brings many worlds together through art. Showcasing masterpieces from ancient to modern, our renowned collection of nearly 500,000 works tells a multifaceted story of the human experience—a story that holds unique meaning for everyone. From Boston locals to international travelers, visitors from across the globe come to experience the MFA. Through both art and audience, the Museum brings together diverse perspectives—revealing connections, exploring differences, creating a community where all belong. Plan your visit at mfa.org.