Celebrate Pride, Poetry, Music, and Art at June First Friday, June 5, 6-9pm

Celebrate Pride, Poetry, Music, and Art at the Milton Art Center’s First Friday, June 5, 6–9pm

 

Join us on First Friday, June 5, from 6–9pm as we honor LGBTQ+ voices through the power of poetry, music, and art.

The evening begins with spoken word, highlighting local writers whose voices reflect the richness, vulnerability, humor, and resilience of LGBTQ+ experience through poetry, fiction, and personal storytelling.

Featured writers Riley Adaris, Aqueela C. Britt, Katie Hallahan, and Eve Lyons will read selections from their work exploring identity, memory, resilience, imagination, and belonging.

Riley Adaris is a local LGBTQ+ writer and spoken word performer whose work centers on identity, personal storytelling, and queer visibility. Adaris has been featured in community-centered literary and Pride events that celebrate emerging queer voices and the power of storytelling through live performance.

Aqueela C. Britt is a Boston-based writer, educator, and licensed social worker whose work lives at the intersection of storytelling and care. She writes toward the lives of BIPOC queer youth and other voices often pushed to the margins, exploring queer identity, family, trauma, and the possibility of Radical Joy.

She is the author of London Reign (published under the pseudonym A.C. Britt), and her work has appeared in TONIC Journal, The Bangalore Review, and the 2022 Lambda Literary Emerge Anthology. Aqueela is a 2022 Lambda Literary Fellow and serves as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors for the Cambridge Common Writers alumni organization.

She teaches Creative Writing at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her forthcoming collection, Surfing a Broken Rainbow, reflects a continued shift in her work toward Radical Joy rooted in queer survival, imagination, and care.

Katie Hallahan is a Massachusetts-based queer fantasy author whose novels blend magic, humor, and LGBTQ+ representation. Best known for The Twice-Sold Soul and The Twice-Wanted Witch, Hallahan’s work celebrates inclusive storytelling and imaginative worlds where queer characters are centered naturally and authentically.

Eve Lyons is a poet, fiction writer, playwright, and expressive arts therapist living in the Boston area. Her poetry has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, and her first poetry collection, Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World, was published in 2020. Lyons’ work often reflects themes of healing, family, memory, and emotional resilience, making her an especially fitting voice for an evening centered on community and Pride.

Attendees will also have another opportunity to view the MAC Members Small Works Exhibit featuring participating artists Camille DeMarco, Patty Harrington, Ken Lewandowski, Beth Neville, Christine Schoettle, Tatum Schoettle, Mayali Geyling, Rose Gates, Andrew Beliveau, Jess McDaniel, Kevin McLaughlin, Mary Frances Kane, Nancy Boyle, Nathalie Coughlin Fitzgerald, Laura Kessler, Sue Hoy, Mairead Dambruch, and Bruce Ravelson.

Supporting Pride First Friday is local photographer, Jessica McDaniel of Boston Baby Photos, whose work has long focused on preserving family connection, memory, and identity through photography and personal storytelling.

Jessica’s recent creative initiative, the “Grandparent Legacy Project,” encourages families to intentionally document the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren through photographs, handwritten reflections, and recorded memories. The project combines photography with what McDaniel calls “Words That Last,” meaningful prompts and stories designed to preserve family history, love, wisdom, and connection for future generations.

Live music begins at 7:30pm with song selections honoring LGBTQ+ music icons. Local musicians Jen Myers and Ben Zoll of Owl Haus will perform “The Giver” by Chappell Roan and “The Man Who Sold the World” by David Bowie. Geof Shaw and Kevin Dambruch will perform “Emperor’s New Clothes” by Sinéad O’Connor and “The One I Love” by R.E.M. Saoirse Killion and her band will perform two original songs.  Franc Graham, Ron Fletcher, Stevie Caldwell, Steve Cousineau, and The Relegated will also perform, with additional song selections to be announced.

Also in June, the Milton Art Center is proud to present the Milton Public Schools Student & Alumni Showcase, a special exhibition celebrating the creativity, talent, and artistic growth of students and graduates from across the Milton Public Schools community.

The exhibit will be on view June 9–15, with an opening reception on Thursday, June 11, from 6–9pm, welcoming families, friends, educators, alumni, and community members to gather in support of the arts and the next generation of creative voices.

This inspiring showcase highlights artwork shaped by the dedication and guidance of Milton Public Schools art educators Melanie Chandler-Blood, Sarah Aliberti, Patrick Manning, Laurel Bernini, Clara Correia, Kassandra Aloe, Kathryn McMenamy, Jessica Gillooly, and music educator Rebecca Damiani. Together, these educators foster curiosity, confidence, creative problem-solving, and self-expression in students across all grade levels in our public schools.

Featuring a wide range of media and artistic styles, the exhibition reflects not only technical skill, but also the imagination, individuality, and perspective of young artists whose creative journeys continue to evolve both in and beyond the classroom.

The community is invited to experience the remarkable work being created by Milton students and alumni and to celebrate the important role arts education plays in nurturing creativity, connection, and personal growth.