MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL FALL PERFORMANCE SEASON OF BOSTON FAMILY DAYS, EXPANDING FREE CULTURAL ACCESS FOR BOSTON STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL FALL PERFORMANCE SEASON OF BOSTON FAMILY DAYS, EXPANDING FREE CULTURAL ACCESS FOR BOSTON STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BOSTON - Thursday, September 25, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the launch of the inaugural fall performance season of Boston Family Days, which will provide Boston students and their families with free access to live performances at Boston’s premier venues this fall. This new program builds on the success of Boston Family Days museum partnerships, expanding cultural access to performing arts institutions through free tickets, wraparound programming, and family-friendly events. “The addition of free performing arts tickets to Boston Family Days with a spectacular fall lineup builds on a transformative program for our students and their families,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am grateful for the enthusiastic support of our incredible partners, which has enabled the City to expand the range of opportunities to new historic heights. By offering activities to spark wonderful curiosity, and discovery in all our students, we are investing in lifelong learning in our city.” “Boston Public Schools is committed to expanding students’ access to robust and enriching learning opportunities that encourage creativity and meaningful engagement with the world around them,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “This fall, we are again proud to partner with the City of Boston and Boston Family Days to offer our students and families free access to some of the city’s most renowned performing arts institutions to experience the power of live theater. ”  From October 2025 through early January 2026, participating institutions – including the American Repertory Theater, ArtsEmerson, Berklee, Boch Center, Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Huntington Theatre, and Wheelock Family Theatre – will host designated Boston Family Days performances offering over 2,500 free tickets for Boston students and up to two guests. "Boston Ballet is proud to welcome families to our season opener of George Balanchine’s Jewels. Participating in Boston Family Days is an extension of Boston Ballet's ongoing efforts to make ballet accessible to all. We deeply believe in the transformative power of the arts, and we are excited to share the magic of live performance with our city’s youth," said Executive Director Ming Min Hui of the Boston Ballet. “As we celebrate the Wang Theatre's 100th year, we’re proud to join Mayor Wu’s Boston Family Days and welcome families from every neighborhood into the heart of the city for a wide variety of performances this fall. From our free Behind the Curtain Community Celebration to holiday favorites like ‘Twas the Night Before and Urban Nutcracker, we’re here to make the Boch Center a place where every Boston family belongs,” said J. Casey Soward President and CEO, the Boch Center. “At the BSO, access to arts and culture is a fundamental value, and we are proud to stand with the Mayor and our peer organizations in ensuring that kids and their families across our city can enjoy the singular experience of live performance,” said Chad Smith, President and CEO of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The fall lineup will include family favorites such as the Boston Pops, Annie the musical, Cirque du Soleil, and dozens more. Each performance will feature free tickets for Boston students in grades Pre-K through 12, with additional opportunities for families to participate in artist talks, backstage tours, and other educational programming. “The Huntington is thrilled to participate in Mayor Wu's Boston Family Days. This program allows us to both expand access to families whose students are served by our robust Education Department, and to wholeheartedly welcome brand-new families into our theaters. Come to experience stories that spark imagination, amplify important voices, and connect communities. We look forward to inviting families to Fun Home later this fall, a beloved musical centered on love, community, and the transcendent power of looking back in order to move forward,” said Loretta Greco, Artistic Director and Christopher Mannelli, Executive Director of The Huntington Theatre Company.

"At ArtsEmerson, our core belief is that art catalyzes civic transformation. We are over the moon to be part of this impactful initiative that invites Boston's families to experience bold new theater and shape the conversation of what we want Boston to be. We are particularly thrilled to offer tickets to SpaceBridge, which puts young Russian asylum seekers and their American friends centerstage - showing our own young people the power of empathy and friendship," said Ronee Penoi, Interim Executive Director of the Office of the Arts & ArtsEmerson Director of Artistic Programming. “Wheelock Family Theatre is thrilled to join the City of Boston for Boston Family Days. This program is a wonderful opportunity for us to continue our commitment to access and affordability, welcoming families to enjoy high-quality performances like Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster and Annie this fall. With 45 years of experience creating award-winning productions for audiences of all ages and one of the region’s largest theatre education programs, we are proud to collaborate with the City to bring the joy of live theatre to children and families across Boston,” said Nick Vargas, Executive Director of the Wheelock Family Theatre at Boston University.  The fall season will be followed by a spring performing arts season through June 2026, continuing to build new audiences for Boston’s performing arts institutions and expand cultural access and belonging through live arts experiences. “Berklee is thrilled to join the inaugural Boston Family Days performing arts season. We applaud Mayor Wu’s vision and share her commitment to making our stages places where Boston’s young people feel at home and inspired. This November, we’re opening the doors of the Berklee Performance Center for Watching the River Flow: Tribute to Dylan (11/5), A Cappella Showcase (11/10), Singers Night: Tribute to Queen (11/18), Hansel and Gretel (11/20), and Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite (11/25), and welcoming families to the Boston Conservatory Theater for Little Women on 11/22,” said Jim Lucchese, President, Berklee. “The arts have a vital role to play in engaging our hearts and minds, and to building community,” said American Repertory Theater Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus. “We are thrilled to be part of Mayor Wu’s Boston Family Days Program and look forward to welcoming students and their families to A.R.T. in January for Wonder, a world premiere musical adaptation of the beloved novel about the power of choosing kindness.” “At Boston Lyric Opera, we believe opera is for everyone,” said Bradley Vernatter, BLO’s Stanford Calderwood General Director & CEO. “That’s why we’re partnering with the City to bring youth and families opera to schools, libraries, and community centers across the city — and why we’re excited to welcome BPS students and their loved ones into the theater this season, from Macbeth in October through Daughter of the Regiment in May. Boston Family Days is the perfect capstone to BLO's partnership programs throughout the year.” Boston students and their families can register for Boston Family Days through the City’s enrollment platform. Boston Public Schools students are automatically enrolled. Prior to each event, registered families in the Boston Family Days program will receive ticket reservation links and instructions from the City. “Having worked with young people, I’ve seen firsthand how live performance can spark something profound—opening up new ways of seeing, feeling, and imagining the world around them,” said Kenny Mascary, Interim Chief of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. “Boston Family Days is essential to removing barriers and ensuring that students and families across the city have direct access to experience that magic for themselves.” The Boston Family Days Performing Arts program is made possible through a public-private partnership between the City of Boston, participating arts organizations, and generous philanthropic and corporate supporters, including Amazon, Barbara and Amos Hostetter, Barr Foundation, Bob and Michelle Atchinson, and Jim and Cathy Stone. The Fall performing season of Boston Family Days can be found here. Families will be emailed ticket opportunities throughout the fall.  Mayor Michelle Wu launched Boston Family Days; a public-private partnership among the City, corporate and philanthropic partners and cultural and performing arts institutions in Boston. The program provides all students who live in Boston and two guests free access to 14 cultural institutions. On the first and second Sunday of the month, participating cultural institutions include: Museum of Fine Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art, Museum of Science, Boston Children’s Museum, New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo, The Museum of African American History, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Paul Revere House, Old North Illuminated, USS Constitution Museum, Revolutionary Spaces (the Old State House and Old South Meeting House), and MassArt Art Museum. More than 65,000 Boston students and their families have already enjoyed free visits through Boston Family Days, including thousands who are experiencing these institutions for the first time. For more information about Boston Family Days and to view the full performing arts season calendar, visit: boston.gov/bostonfamilydays.