Mayor Wu Announced BCYF Creates, An Expansion of Free Art Classes in Community Centers for Boston Youth at State of the City Address

 Last night at her State of the City Address, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the launch of BCYF Creates, an investment in free, high-quality arts programming offered at Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) community centers for youth ages 8-14. Mayor Wu made this announcement as part of her 2025 State of the City annual address, more than doubling the amount of free arts instruction available at BCYF, with classes offered in 14 different community centers. BCYF Creates is part of Mayor Wu’s Connect, Learn, Explore: Commitment to Youth, a commitment to giving Boston youth an opportunity to explore and discover their passions.

“In Boston, we believe that an excellent education must include academics, sports, arts, and enrichment across every sector,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The City of Boston is working to ensure that our young people have access to life-changing arts education through the talented, creative arts instructors right here in the City. I encourage all of our young people to get involved in BCYF Creates to hone in on their passions and discover new ones.”

BCYF Creates is a two-year commitment to increasing the availability of high quality arts in BCYF centers during the school-year, made possible through a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, Boston Centers for Youth & Families, and the Human Services Cabinet. The program began in January 2025 with the recruitment of teaching artists who are experienced in 14 different art disciplines. The teaching artists are paired with BCYF community centers in 10 Boston neighborhoods and will teach between one to three classes per quarter. Classes take place during after-school hours on weekdays or on Saturdays. 

"We are so grateful to have the support of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture to offer enhanced arts programming through BCYF," said José F. Massó, Chief of Human Services. "Arts programming has the potential to expand kids’ horizons, give them an outlet for their emotions and provide an avenue for self-exploration.”

To participate in BCYF Creates, families must sign up directly with Boston Centers for Youth & Families through their program registration site. The enrollment platform will be updated with new classes as they come online. Classes will run through mid-June, when BCYF transitions to full-time summer programming and then will return in September 2025. Anyone needing assistance registering is welcome to call the BCYF center directly.

“With BCYF Creates, we are not just offering art classes; we are opening doors and expanding pathways for young people in Boston,” said Kenny Mascary, Interim Chief of the Mayor’s Arts & Culture. “This commitment ensures that every young person in our City has access to high-quality arts education in their own community. We’re excited to work with our City’s amazing network of community centers to nurture the next generation of creatives, thinkers, and leaders.”

Classes include an array of visual arts, from arts and crafts to printmaking and sewing, as well as performance-based arts such as spoken word, dance, and music arts including music production, modern band, and vocal performance. The goal of the program is to increase the availability of high quality youth arts programming in Boston’s neighborhoods and to bring youth into the community centers who are not currently connected to BCYF. 

“It is so important for children to learn, create and experience the Arts. Beyond self expression, it builds their confidence to imagine and explore new skills,” said Marta E. Rivera, Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families. “And, BCYF Creates is an exciting initiative that has the potential to engage youth who are not typically involved with our community centers.”

The program is administered by Elizabeth Santiago, PhD, the Founder of The Untold Narratives, a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to surfacing the voices of underrepresented communities through storytelling. Dr. Santiago brings decades of experience as a teaching artist herself, who leads workshops in creative writing. In addition to pairing the artists to community centers, Dr. Santiago and her team are also supporting the teaching artists as they develop their skills. The program also has an evaluation component that will track the impact of the arts investment. 

“This is a dream project in every way. I get to coordinate arts programming for youth who live in communities like Dorchester, the one I grew up in and now live,” said Dr. Elizabeth Santiago, Founder of The Untold Narratives and BCYF Creates Program Facilitator. “I also get to meet other artists in the city and collaborate with them and BCYF Centers throughout Boston. As a parent of a student in the Boston Public Schools who has participated in BCYF programming, I am thrilled to help in building a vibrant offering of quality arts classes that so many young people can enjoy!”

“As a Boston resident and parent of two Boston Public School students, I understand firsthand the critical role that before- and after-school enrichment programs play in the lives of families,” said Chris Shroeder, Executive Director of the Boston Music Project which provides classes in band, music production, and vocal performance. “Boston Music Project’s new after-school music programs at Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) provide not only engaging learning and community-building opportunities for Boston’s youth but also essential, reliable, and free care for working families. Music has the power to inspire, connect, and uplift, and we're thrilled to partner with the City of Boston to expand access to high-quality music education across the city.”

More information about BCYF Creates can be found here.