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Our students, faculty, and alumni are out in the world doing great things every day.

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Lyssa Palu-ay poses with Rob "ProBlak" Gibbs and Genaro "GoFive" Ortega.

Overcoming Eurocentrism

Lyssa Palu-ay Dean, Justice, Equity, and Transformation

Acclaimed Filmmaker and Theater Director Frederick Wiseman to be Honored with 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Frederick Wiseman Documentary Filmmaker

Wiseman, an acclaimed filmmaker with 44 documentaries to his name, captures the human experience through the lens of social institutions. His work has received four Emmys and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival, along with an Academy Honorary Award in 2016.

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Frederick Wiseman.

Ceramicist Sam Kim Creates One-of-a-Kind Awards for MassArt’s 2024 Common Good Honorees

Sam Kim ’18 BFA Industrial Design & Ceramics Award Artist

This year's MassArt Common Good Awards Honorees will receive custom, inscribed ceramic awards by Sam Kim, a MassArt alum transforming slipcasting into unique artistry.

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Sam Kim

Future Chefs Founder and Youth Advocate Toni Elka to Receive 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Toni Elka ’86 BFA Painting Award: Distinguished Alumni Award

Elka, founder of Future Chefs, has made a profound impact on youth development through culinary arts in Boston. Her nonprofit provides life skills, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to prepare young people for success. Elka’s leadership has been nationally recognized for empowering youth and fostering social change.

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Toni Elka looking up and to the side.

Public Art Advocate and Placemaking Designer Yinette Guzman to Receive 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Yinette Guzman ’08 BFA Architecture Senior Project Manager, North Shore Community Development Coalition

Guzman is celebrated for her leadership in curating the Punto Urban Art Museum (PUAM) in Salem, MA. Her efforts in transforming underserved communities through public art reflect her commitment to inclusivity, creative placemaking, and cultural preservation.

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Yinette Guzman

Somerville Public Schools Art Teacher May Chau to be Honored with 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

May Chau ’07 BFA Art Education Award: Frances Euphemia Thompson Award for Excellence in Teaching

Chau, Visual Arts Supervisor for Somerville Public Schools, is honored for her commitment to cultivating a collaborative arts education environment. Her teaching encourages creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning in one of the state’s most diverse school systems, continuing MassArt’s legacy of training transformative arts educators.

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May Chau. Photo by Ryan Sullivan.

Lowell Photographer and Social Justice Advocate Thaddeus Miles to be Honored with 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Thaddeus Miles Senior Director of Diversity Initiatives, MassHousing

Miles, founder of the Black Joy Initiative, is recognized for his efforts to promote equity through art and culture. His initiatives, including Black Joy Day and youth-authored publications, highlight his commitment to uplifting marginalized communities and fostering joy and resilience.

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Thaddeus Miles

Pittsfield’s Shirley Ann Session Edgerton to be Honored with 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Shirley Ann Session Edgerton Community Activist and Founder of R.O.P.E.

Edgerton’s work with the Rites of Passage and Empowerment Program (R.O.P.E.) uplifts young women of color by promoting self-sufficiency and global citizenship. Her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion has earned her widespread recognition, including honorary degrees.

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Shirley Ann Session Edgerton.

MassArt graduate and professional artist Nicole Chesney reflects on the power and magic of the MassArt Auction

Nicole Chesney ’97 BFA Glass

Nicole Chesney has been an active participant in the MassArt Auction since 1997– since her first print in the silent auction her senior year, she has donated 20 artworks in support of current and future MassArt students.

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Headshot of Nicole Chesney with her arms crossed in front of a white and yellow painting on the wall.

Emma Levine (’26 BFA Illustration) shares her MassArt story, her experience as a Creative Director, and the importance of civic engagement.

Emma Levine '26 BFA Illustration

MassArt Illustration major Emma Levine ('26 BFA) talks about her MassArt experience and the importance of voting.

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MassArt Alum Alex Small-Butera Wins Emmy for Animation

Alex Small-Butera '08 BFA Animation

Alex Small-Butera sat down for an interview to explain about how he and Lindsay got from here to there, rising in their careers to receive this mark of achievement from Hollywood on their ability as animators, as artists.

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Lindsay and Alex Small-Butera dressed in formal clothing on the red carpet at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
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