Acknowledging that art and culture can serve as a powerful force for community transformation, MPDC has worked with local artists and institutions over the years to promote awareness of Roxbury's social and cultural capital.
In 1998, MPDC founded ACT Roxbury Consortium. Now known as ACT Roxbury (http://www.actroxbury.org/), it is the cultural economic development program of Madison Park Development Corporation.
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ACT (Arts, Culture & Trade) Roxbury celebrates culture and the arts and uses these assets to foster the physical, economic and social revitalization of Roxbury. We do this by hosting the events of the Roxbury Arts Series; promoting individual artists and cultural businesses on our website; hosting professional development workshops for artists; and co-sponsoring art shopping tours with Discover Roxbury. We manage the Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall, a grand multipurpose two-story ballroom. It is the site of many ACT events, including an annual performance season. It is also a place for theater, music, comedy, dance and social gatherings and special events. Our activities reflect, preserve, and nurture arts, culture and trade for the benefit of current, former and future residents, residents of Greater Boston, and visitors to the city. The name ACT Roxbury is purposely chosen to convey that we take decisive action to revitalize this beloved community.
ACT Roxbury has put the cultural assets of Roxbury on the map. In 2006, we collaborated with six organizations to form the Roxbury Cultural Network (www.roxburyculturalnetwork.org)
ACT Roxbury Programs (2006-present)
The Roxbury Arts Series:
Roxbury Film Festival: Films Celebrating People of Color (This is the largest of the events sponsored by ACT Roxbury and has its own website - www.roxburyfilmfestival.org)
Roxbury Literary Annual - Youth: Four annual youth editions have been published beginning in 2004. Copies are available for purchase via the ACT Roxbury website. A 5th edition will be published in winter 2008.
Roxbury Open Studios : Visual artists open up their individual studios, homes and participate in group exhibits.
Roxbury Discussion Series : This series featured nationally-known writers and local historians and scholars and consisted of presentations with discussion. Topics in the inaugural series (2006-07) were:
- (10/18/06) Closing the Racial Wealth Gap: Assets for Change - Thomas Shapiro, Professor of Law and Social Policy at Brandeis University and author of the book, The Hidden Cost of Being African American
- (3/15/07) African American Troops in the Revolutionary War - Thomas Plant, historian.
- (4/10/07) Red River Discussion - Lalita Tademy, author of Cane River and Red River
- (4/24/07) Spirituality and Work - David Hall, Esq., Professor, Northeastern University Law School
- (5/10/07) Roxbury Dance and Dancers Over The Years - Kay Bourne, Arts & Culture reporter and historian
Arts Shopping Tours co-sponsored with Discover Roxbury during Roxbury Open Studios and the holiday shopping season.
Youth Programs:
- Roxbury Literary Annual - publication
- Roxbury Literary Annual Creative Writing Camp
- RCAHH Performance Season - school time performances
- Roxbury Film Festival - screenings of films produced by youth
- Design/Tech Education Program for teenagers
- Hip-Hop Summit co-sponsored with Berklee College of Music
Performance Season at Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall - features plays, dance recitals, music, and comedy from artists and performance groups from Roxbury and Greater Boston.
ACT Membership Prgram - begins at the student level and has artist and patron-level memberships.
ACT Roxbury
Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall
184 Dudley Street, Suite 100
Roxbury, MA. 02119
617-849-6321
Additonal information about current, past and future programs and membership is available on the ACT Roxbury websites:
www.actroxbury.org
www.roxburyfilmfestival.org
www.rcahh.org (for info about Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall)
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Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall (182-186 Dudley Street)
The Roxbury Center for Arts at Hibernian Hall (www.rcahh.org) opened in April 2005. It was purchased and renovated by Madison Park Development Corporation (MPDC) and its cultural economic development program, ACT Roxbury. The building has been restored to its original purpose as a center for artistic and cultural activity in Roxbury. Located in the Dudley Square Business District, it serves as corporate offices for MPDC and a permanent home for ACT Roxbury's cultural and arts programs. It also houses a number of local businesses including a Merchant's bank, a photography studio, a counseling office, a public relations firm and a catering company.
Hibernian Hall was built in 1913 by the Ancient Order of Hibernians and was the site of social activity for the Irish community for nearly 50 years. It later became the headquarters for the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), an international training program founded by the late Rev. Leon Sullivan. Madison Park Development Corporation has completely renovated the building into the Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall (RCAHH), which features a two-story performance space and ballroom, with an adjacent caterer's kitchen and small conference room accessible via a newly-installed elevator.
Among the many events that have been held since the building's opening in 2005 are plays, film screenings, lectures, jazz concerts, dance recitals, graduations, weddings, comedy shows, Sweet 16 and Quinceanera parties, and numerous meetings.
To rent the ballroom/perfomance space for cultural events or functions, contact: Jonathan Bonner, via e-mail: or call 617-849-6324. Information is also available at the website: www.rcahh.org.
