Pao Arts Center

Pao Arts Center Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Pao Arts Center, 99 Albany Street, Boston, MA.

Pao Arts Center was established in 2017 as a visionary program collaboration between Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) as Chinatownโ€™s first arts and cultural center. Pao Arts Centerโ€™s mission is to celebrate and strengthen the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community of Chinatown and Greater Boston through access to culturally relevant art, educatio

n, and creative programs. Pao Arts Center sits on a historically significant piece of land, Parcel 24, where hundreds of Chinatown residents were displaced in the 1960s in order to build a highway on-ramp. The redevelopment of this land as a place to celebrate and explore Asian culture represents a powerful shift towards community-oriented development in the face of gentrification and the belief that investing in arts, culture, and creativity are vital to the health, well-being, and vibrancy of communities.

๐ŸŽจ It was a bittersweet moment as we celebrated Long, Anderson, Darius, Hien, and Elmer completing their BAI program at M...
09/03/2026

๐ŸŽจ It was a bittersweet moment as we celebrated Long, Anderson, Darius, Hien, and Elmer completing their BAI program at MassArt, while also unveiling our mural, "Chinatown Symphony," at Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center - BCNC.

๐Ÿค Alongside our amazing youth volunteers โ€” Alyssa, Wendy, and Ariel โ€” this cohort shared their process, inspirations, and the challenges they navigated in bringing this large-scale public artwork to life in Chinatown. It was a meaningful opportunity to reflect not only on what they created, but on how they grew together along the way.

โœจ These moments capture the bonds they built through art this summer at Pao Arts Center โ€” through collaboration, laughter, and learning side by side. We're deeply grateful to teaching artist Ponnapa for her thoughtful and caring guidance throughout these six weeks.

๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ The mural will be on view throughout the year โ€” we hope you'll come by to experience it!

Photo Credit: Staff

Join us Thursday, 9/10 at 6:00 PM for a walking tour of Boston's Chinatown to see this year's Experience Chinatown mural...
09/03/2026

Join us Thursday, 9/10 at 6:00 PM for a walking tour of Boston's Chinatown to see this year's Experience Chinatown murals and hear directly from the artists! This year's theme, "What makes Chinatown abundant?", comes to life through new window murals created by local AAPI artists in collaboration with neighborhood businesses. ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿฎ

Space is limited, RSVP requiredโ€“https://www.paoartscenter.org/events/2026/tracing
Rain date: Thursday, September 17 | 6:00 - 7:30 PM

๐Ÿฆ "Dance of the Lions" by Emily Kwong โ€” Q Restaurant, 660 Washington Street
๐Ÿชท "Life Cycles in the Lotus" by Katelyn Lipton โ€” Utile, 115 Kingston St
๐Ÿฑ "Red Thread of Kitties" by Nell Valle โ€” Cha Kung Fong, 197 Harrison Ave
๐ŸชŸ "Chinatown: A Window of Abundance" by Popil โ€” Pao Arts Center Back Deck, 99 Albany Street
๐Ÿ”ฅ "The Phoenix Flight" by Regine Rosas โ€” Van's Fabrics, 14 Beach St
โ˜• "Coffee Plant: Our Past, Present, and Future" by Tate Won Chen โ€” APM Coffee, 99 Kneeland St
๐Ÿ‰ "Descended from the Dragon and Phoenix" by Yixuan Zeng โ€” Shลjล, 9A Tyler St
๐Ÿฒ "We Nourish Each Other" by Yuko Okabe โ€” Happy Lamb Hot Pot, 693 Washington St
๐ŸŽถ "Chinatown Symphony" by BAI Summer Youth โ€” BCNC, 38 Ash Street

๐Ÿ“Œ Experience Chinatown is presented by Pao Arts Center

This program is part of the current exhibit, "Tracing Our Footprints/Carving Chinatown's Future," on view at Pao Arts Center through October 17.

Experience Chinatown is where you can discover a new take on Asian American Cultures. See, hear, create, and connect. Together, celebrate the rich cultural fabric of Boston Chinatown through free creative activities for all.

Photo Credit: The Chinatown Project

๐ŸŽจโœจ Experience Chinatown murals are now on view! โœจ๐ŸŽจCome explore Boston Chinatown through vibrant new murals celebrating t...
09/02/2026

๐ŸŽจโœจ Experience Chinatown murals are now on view! โœจ๐ŸŽจ

Come explore Boston Chinatown through vibrant new murals celebrating this year's theme: "What Makes Chinatown Abundant?" ๐Ÿฎ๐ŸฅŸ๐ŸŒ†

This year's murals, artists, and host businesses:

๐Ÿฆ "Dance of the Lions" by Emily Kwong โ€” Q Restaurant, 660 Washington Street
๐Ÿชท "Life Cycles in the Lotus" by Katelyn Lipton โ€” Utile, 115 Kingston St
๐Ÿฑ "Red Thread of Kitties" by Nell Valle โ€” Cha Kung Fong, 197 Harrison Ave
๐ŸชŸ "Chinatown: A Window of Abundance" by Popil โ€” Pao Arts Center Back Deck, 99 Albany Street
๐Ÿ”ฅ "The Phoenix Flight" by Regine Rosas โ€” Van's Fabrics, 14 Beach St
โ˜• "Coffee Plant: Our Past, Present, and Future" by Tate Won Chen โ€” APM Coffee, 99 Kneeland St
๐Ÿ‰ "Descended from the Dragon and Phoenix" by Yixuan Zeng โ€” Shลjล, 9A Tyler St
๐Ÿฒ "We Nourish Each Other" by Yuko Okabe โ€” Happy Lamb Hot Pot, 693 Washington St
๐ŸŽถ "Chinatown Symphony" by BAI Summer Youth โ€” BCNC, 38 Ash Street

๐Ÿ“ On view now through October 18
๐ŸŽ‰ Save the date for our live performance day: Saturday, September 26, 11 AMโ€“3 PM (rain date Sun, 9/27)

Stroll the neighborhood, snap some photos, and celebrate the artists, culture, and community that make Chinatown thrive. ๐Ÿ’›

Learn more about the muralists and their work on our website: https://www.paoartscenter.org/events/ec26/

๐Ÿ“Œ Experience Chinatown is presented by Pao Arts Center

Experience Chinatown is where you can discover a new take on Asian American Cultures. See, hear, create, and connect. Together, celebrate the rich cultural fabric of Boston Chinatown through free creative activities for all.

๐ŸŽ‰ Huge thank-you to the 26 volunteers who came out over the past two weeks to support our muralists during installation!...
08/31/2026

๐ŸŽ‰ Huge thank-you to the 26 volunteers who came out over the past two weeks to support our muralists during installation! The Experience Chinatown murals project wouldn't have been possible without your invaluable behind-the-scenes work. We see you, and we appreciate you!

๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ Murals will be on view at locations throughout the neighborhood as part of our Experience Chinatown festival, starting tomorrow, August 29, through October 18. Check the link in our bio for the full map of mural locations.

โœจ Experience Chinatown to discover a new take on Asian American cultures โ€” see, hear, create, and connect. Together, let's celebrate the rich cultural fabric of Boston Chinatown through free creative activities for all.

Learn more about Experience Chinatown on our website: https://www.paoartscenter.org/events/ec26

๐Ÿ“ธ Photo credit: Pao Arts Center Staff

Join us for a ๐Ÿšถโ€โ™€๏ธ walking tour of Chinatown to see this year's Experience Chinatown murals ๐ŸŽจ and hear from each artist ...
08/27/2026

Join us for a ๐Ÿšถโ€โ™€๏ธ walking tour of Chinatown to see this year's Experience Chinatown murals ๐ŸŽจ and hear from each artist about their unique interpretation of this year's theme: "What makes Chinatown abundant?" ๐ŸŒธ This year, artists have been partnered with local businesses to create one-of-a-kind painted murals that respond to the theme.

Every fall ๐Ÿ‚, the streets of Boston's Chinatown come alive with newly commissioned window murals by local AAPI artists created in collaboration with neighborhood businesses as part of the Experience Chinatown Festival. ๐Ÿฎ

๐Ÿ“Œ RSVP required--https://www.paoartscenter.org/events/2026/ecmuraltour
โ˜” Rain date: Thursday, September 17 | 6:00 - 7:30 PM

This program is part of the current exhibit, "Tracing Our Footprints/Carving Chinatown's Future," on view at Pao Arts Center through October 17.

๐Ÿ“ธ Photo credit: The Chinatown Project

Catching up with our Artist-in-Residence, Amanda ้™ณ Beard Garcia, as she completes her first month ๐ŸŽจ She's been exploring...
08/25/2026

Catching up with our Artist-in-Residence, Amanda ้™ณ Beard Garcia, as she completes her first month ๐ŸŽจ She's been exploring Chinatown's restaurant legacies as neighborhood anchors, family business opportunities, and gateways to immigration and citizenship.

Thank you to ponnapa prakkamakul, and CHSNE for welcoming Amanda into your spaces for this immersive work. Swipe through the photos, and let us know what's resonating from her first month of research and community engagement!

1. Amanda visited the BCNC Summer Youth Mural group, a 6-week program led by ponnapa prakkamakul. In a 2-hour workshop, she shared pieces of her family's and Boston Chinatown's history, walked students through designing a mural from start to finish, and led a reflection activity on sentimental third spaces.

2. Amanda joined Events Associate Ashley Jin at the Chinese Progressive Association's Chinatown Stabilization Block Party, where they ran a creative activity ๐Ÿฎ asking: "What restaurant or food spot (past or present) in Chinatown means the most to you, and why?"

3. Amanda took a Chinatown walking tour with Alice Kane, Managing Director of CHSNE โ€” pictured here at Oxford Place.

4. Amanda has been spending weekly sessions at CHSNE digitizing their Chinese Menu collection ๐Ÿ“• So far she's logged over 130 vintage menus from across Greater Boston, including one from Polynesian Village โ€” the Westbrook, Maine restaurant her grandparents ran from 1975โ€“1980! ๐Ÿ๏ธ

5. Amanda admired a floor-to-ceiling replica of Wen-Ti Tsen and David Fichter's 1986 "Unity and Community" mural, once located at BCNC's current headquarters on Ash St.

6. She checked out progress at 55 Hudson St, where a permanent Chinatown Branch Library and affordable housing are finally underway ๐Ÿข

7. Amanda said hi to Emily Kwong as she painted her joyful lion dancer murals at Q Restaurant for Experience Chinatown!

๐Ÿ“ฃ We're looking for volunteers for Experience Chinatown, happening Saturday, 9/26 (rain date: Sunday, 9/27)! This is a g...
08/20/2026

๐Ÿ“ฃ We're looking for volunteers for Experience Chinatown, happening Saturday, 9/26 (rain date: Sunday, 9/27)! This is a great opportunity to help bring our signature annual event to life. Volunteers will help greet visitors, assist with arts activities, and more.

๐Ÿ“ Register to volunteer by Wednesday, 9/16. All volunteers must attend an online information session on Wednesday, 9/23, from 5:30โ€“6:00 PM.

๐Ÿ”— Sign up online today: https://www.paoartscenter.org/ec26-volunteering

๐ŸŽจ What is Experience Chinatown? It's your chance to discover a new take on Asian American cultures โ€” see, hear, create, and connect. Together, we'll celebrate the rich cultural fabric of Boston Chinatown through free creative activities for all.

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Key dates:

Murals on view: 8/29 โ€“ 10/18
Live performances, activities, and exhibits: Saturday, 9/26 (rain date: Sunday, 9/27)

Photo Credit: Olivia Moon Photography

๐ŸŽจ Join us this Friday! We're excited to invite you to the Experience Chinatown Youth Mural Unveiling and Public Presenta...
08/12/2026

๐ŸŽจ Join us this Friday! We're excited to invite you to the Experience Chinatown Youth Mural Unveiling and Public Presentation, at 2pm at BCNC, 38 Ash Street, Boston!

๐ŸŒฑ Over the past several weeks, eight dedicated youth artists have created a mural inspired by this year's theme, "What Makes Chinatown Abundant?" Through the process, they explored storytelling, community connection, and creative expression.

โ˜€๏ธ Even through last week's extreme heat, our youth stayed committed โ€” writing thoughtful invitations to community members, including BCNC staff, fellow muralists, and guest speakers. Their care and intention shine through every part of this project.

๐Ÿ“ฃ With guidance from teaching artist ponnapa prakkamakul and support from Communications and Development Manager Wes Boudreau, the youth also learned about branding and outreach, gaining hands-on insight into how to share their work with the wider community.

๐Ÿ™Œ We'd love for you to celebrate this meaningful culmination of learning, collaboration, and reflection with us. We hope to see you there!

๐Ÿฎ Experience Chinatown is where you can discover a new take on Asian American cultures โ€” see, hear, create, and connect!...
08/09/2026

๐Ÿฎ Experience Chinatown is where you can discover a new take on Asian American cultures โ€” see, hear, create, and connect! Together, celebrate the rich cultural fabric of Boston's Chinatown through free creative activities for all, presented by Pao Arts Center.

๐ŸŽ‰ Come to Chinatown to support local businesses, experience breathtaking murals, and celebrate together with free performances, activities, and exhibits on Saturday, September 26 (rain date: Sunday, September 27)! ๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ Murals will be up to enjoy from August 29 โ€“ October 18.

๐Ÿ”— Check out the festival website for more about the muralists, performers, activities, and exhibits: https://www.paoartscenter.org/events/ec26

Photo Credit: Olivia Moon Photography

๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ We officially began installing our youth mural last week on the first-floor windows at BCNC at 38 Ash Street!๐ŸŽจ After ...
08/08/2026

๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ We officially began installing our youth mural last week on the first-floor windows at BCNC at 38 Ash Street!

๐ŸŽจ After four weeks of learning, building relationships, and exploring the histories and people of Boston Chinatown, our youth muralists spent the following week refining their design through feedback sessions with community members. With the final mural drafted on paper, they have now begun painting the four window panels.

๐Ÿ–Œ๏ธ From preparing tarps and taping window frames to tracing the design and painting at a large public scale, the youth have experienced every step of creating a community mural. Along the way, they've developed new artistic skills while learning what it takes to bring a public artwork to life through collaboration, creativity, and care.

๐Ÿ“… We invite you to celebrate their hard work at the public mural presentation on Friday, August 14, at 2:00 PM at BCNC's Ash Street location. Join us to hear the stories behind the mural, meet the youth artists, and celebrate this collaborative artwork with our community!

๐Ÿ’› Bloomberg Arts Initiative, ponnapa prakkamakul, Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center - BCNC, Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture Boston

Address

99 Albany Street
Boston, MA
02111

Opening Hours

Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 6pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm
Saturday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+16178639080

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