Boston – Artists For Humanity (AFH) announced the groundbreaking on a 30,000sf addition to its EpiCenter.
(l-r) Kevin Wills, Andrew Nader, and Brian Ronzio, all of Suffolk Construction; Susan Rodgerson, Artists For Humanity; Matt Noblett; Heinrich Lipp; and Deb Avery of Suffolk / photo by Janis Rozkalns
The EpiCenter’s expansion will help Boston meet the city’s dual objectives of providing living-wage jobs for urban youth and meeting business demands for skilled workers.
Rendering of Epicenter, view south
This 30,000sf addition will make possible the expansion of existing initiatives and accommodate new ones:
● Double youth employment of high-school-aged teens to 500 jobs each year.
● Hire more artists and social entrepreneurs to lead programming.
● Develop pre-apprenticeship vocational programming in technology-based arts media and trades.
● Engage the community through a fully equipped Maker Studio.
● Expand its successful event space for corporate and social celebrations.
● Connect youth through partnerships with universities and synergistic industries.
● Be the vibrant center for creativity in the Innovation District.
In short, AFH’s expanded facility will be an urban laboratory where youth and community intersect in experiential and alternative education, creative place-making, enterprise, and in pioneering social and environmental change. It will create a better launch pad for youth to be active contributors to the innovation economy.
The expanded EpiCenter is designed by Behnisch Architekten and will be built by Suffolk Construction. Completion is scheduled for summer 2018.
Chair of the Lewis Family Foundation, Harriet Lewis; president and chairman of The Lynch Foundation, Peter Lynch; and president of the Liberty Mutual Foundation and vice president of Liberty Mutual Insurance, Melissa MacDonnell will be speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony along with Artists For Humanity executive and artistic director, Susan Rodgerson, and Board Chair Patrick Planeta. Also in attendance will be AFH participants, alumni, and other major supporters.
Based in the Fort Point Community of South Boston, Artists For Humanity is a national leader in youth arts enterprise and one of the largest onsite employers of youth in the city of Boston. Now in its 27th year, the nonprofit’s mission is 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. To meet the demand for AFH design services and to accommodate all of the young people seeking work, Artists For Humanity is expanding.
