Boch Center Encourages Teens to #LEADNOTFOLLOW at Free Arts for Social Change Conference

The Boch Center (formerly Citi Performing Arts Center) announced today that its City Spotlights Teen Leadership Council will host its second annual Youth Arts for Social Change Conference (YASCC) on November 12. The conference, titled #LeadNotFollow: Power of Perspective, is a free annual gathering of young people inspired to create social change through the arts. YASCC will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at the Dudley Branch of the Boston Public Library from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

"During a time when our country is experiencing significant change, our education and community programs seek to give teens a voice and help them express their opinions and feelings through art," said Josiah A. Spaulding, President & CEO of the Boch Center. "Last year's conference was a huge success, bringing together more than 100 teens committed to making a positive impact on their communities through the arts. We look forward to the same kind of thoughtful dialogue and interaction this Saturday."

The Youth Arts for Social Change Conference is a free program, and all teens, organizations, and programs that work with young people, and those who support youth, students, artists, and activists, are welcome to attend. It is an opportunity for local teens and organizations to come together and learn from each other. The conference seeks to spark a transformation in the way youth think about media, art, their identities, and social change.

The conference will feature interactive workshops presented by The Urbano Project, Theater Offensive, Lawrence CommunityWorks: Movement City, and the Boch Center's YASCC Youth Committee. It will also feature presentations from Museum of African American History, YouthBuild Boston, Zumix, and performances from West End House Boys & Girls Club. Finally, a lunch panel discussion will be held with guest speakers Merissa Magduel-Lauron from MASSCreativs and Meghan Irons from The Boston Globe. The Youth Arts for Social Change Conference is sponsored in part by the Fellowes Athenaeum Fund.

Click here to learn more about the Youth Arts for Social Change Conference and learn more the Boch Center's education and community outreach initiatives here.

About the Boch Center - The Boch Center is one of the nation's leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England's largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more.