John Wilson, Model for “Eternal Presence.”

Allan Rohan Crite, “And the Lord Said.”

Abigail C. Onwunali and Valyn Lyric Turner in the Huntington production of “The Grove,” the second play of the Ufot Family Cycle.

Michael B. Jordan as twins Smoke and Stack in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”

Angélique Kidjo brought her West African rhythms to the Somerville Theatre.

King’s Chapel Memorial Sculpture “Unbound” by artist Harmonia Rosales.

Local children enjoy a previous year’s “AILEY Revelations Celebration.”

BIPOC artists had a strong presence in the art scene locally and nationally this year, with a particular emphasis on the themes of identity, community and the current political climate. Heading into 2026, we’re looking back at some of our most notable arts stories from 2025.

Visual Arts

Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson at the MFA

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston staged the largest ever exhibition of Roxbury artist John Wilson, the sculptor behind “Eternal Presence” or as locals know it, The Big Head, at the National Center for Afro-American Artists.

Allan Rohan Crite: Griot of Boston at the Boston Athenaeum

Roxbury artist Allan Rohan Crite was honored in two large-scale tandem exhibitions at the Boston Athenaeum and the Gardner Museum. Both exhibitions featured Crite’s appreciation for and depiction of Boston.

Waters Of The Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom at the Gardner Museum

Haitian artist Fabiola Jean-Louis exhibited in all three of the Gardner Museum’s contemporary exhibition areas in a rare takeover of the historic museum. Her work explored Haitian identity and spirituality through intricate paper sculptures.

Theater

‘Haunted’ from Company One Theatre

This powerful show by Seminole/Mvskoke playwright Tara Moses used humor and heart to explore Indigenous themes of ancestry, legacy and justice through two millennial Indigenous ghosts who haunt their former home while seeking eternal rest.

Ufot Family Cycle from The Huntington

The Huntington has spent more than a year staging Mfoniso Udofia’s epic nine-play Ufot Family Cycle following a Nigerian family that immigrated to the United States through generations of challenge, triumph and love. The cycle continues through the summer 2026.

‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ from Speakeasy Stage

Set in an African braiding shop, this Tony-nominated play by Jocelyn Bioh explored the challenges of immigration, the ups and downs of romance and the crucial power of female friendship.

Film

‘Opus’

Starring Dorchester native Ayo Edebiri, “Opus” explores the cult of celebrity as a group of journalists visit the eerie commune of a reclusive 1990s star.

‘Sinners’

In this action-packed horror film, Michael B. Jordan plays the twin Smokestack brothers who return home to the heart of the Mississippi blues belt only to encounter an unnatural evil.

The Roxbury International Film Festival

For the 27th year, the Roxbury International Film Festival brought films by Black artists, telling Black stories to venues around Boston.

Music

Angélique Kidjo at the Somerville Theater

In January, five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo brought the house down at the Somerville Theater with a soulful performance blending West African traditions with R&B and jazz elements.

Dorchfest 2025

This year the Ashmont-Adams outdoor neighborhood jam, Dorchfest, expanded, hosting more than 60 musicians and performers in conjunction with Greater Ashmont Main Street.

Dear Summer Vol. 3

The City of Boston released its third annual summer mixtape, an album of 17 local artists mixed by six local DJs and featuring a robust crop of Roxbury and Dorchester talent.

Public Art

‘Big Hoops to Fill’ by Ja’Hari Ortega

In May, Roxbury native Ja’Hari Ortega installed “Big Hoops to Fill,” a pair of giant swings in the shape of bamboo hoop earrings, on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

W. E. B. Du Bois monument

A grassroots team of community members, in conjunction with Embrace Boston, successfully installed a monument of W.E.B. Du Bois in his hometown of Great Barrington in western Massachusetts.

‘Unbound’ by Harmonia Rosales

King’s Chapel, in partnership with MASS Design Group, commissioned a powerful sculpture by artist Harmonia Rosales in homage to the enslaved individuals in the church’s history.

Dance

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

This year, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater expanded its community workshops in Boston to give young people more exposure to dances rooted in the African American tradition.

OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center

Local youth dance organization OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center continued its mission of community connection by honoring local philanthropists at its annual fundraiser.

News

Massachusetts Poet Laureate Regie Gibson

In late May, spoken-word poet and activist Regie Gibson was named the first poet laureate of Massachusetts.

New Edition Day

Honoring Boston’s beloved Roxbury-born boyband, Mayor Michelle Wu named August 30 “New Edition Day” and Dearborn Street became “New Edition Way.”