Directory

Beth Balliro, PhD, is an artist and scholar whose work addresses concerns of race, legacy, material memory and the endurance of landscape.  Her teaching, informed by many years of designing and working in urban public schools, utilizes critical pedagogy with an emphasis on anti-oppressive practices.  She consults regularly with urban school districts seeking ways to utilize the arts to transform public schools.  Her research seeks to uncover what schooling means for artists of color, and how their subjectivities can inform public school policy.  She is a Professor and Chair of Art Education at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design.

Industry Experience

Publications

Balliro, B. (2025). Centering Black Joy in the Art Education Curriculum. Art Education78(6) (forthcoming).

Balliro, B. & Palu-ay, L. (2023). Artist Networks and Black Student Support.  In Liang, T,& McPherson, E., Eds. On Brilliance and Resilience in Education: Black Student Support Networks from G.E.D. to PhD. New York: SUNY Press. (In Press)

Balliro, B. & Palu-ay, L. (2019). Reclaiming the Archives: White Supremacy and Testimonials of Resistance in an Art & Design College. Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education, 36.

Balliro, B. (2015). Access and Failure. Journal of Social Theory in Art Education, 35, 2-9.

Balliro, B. (2015). Re-envisioning the classroom: A studio approach for student empowerment. In Scarlett, W., Ed. The Sage Encyclopedia of Classroom Management. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Balliro, B. & Katzew, A. (2015).  Awakening Presence in Art Teacher Training, Visual Arts Research, 41(1), 84-95.

Balliro, B. (2013). Response to “When is it O.K. to Call Someone Black?”, The Good Men Project, July 9.

Experience and Projects

2024-present- Design Team and Foundation Board Member, CASA, Lynn’s new public STEAM school.

2012-2020- ArtScience Design Collaborative, Founding member, advocacy and consulting group of Boston educational leaders to advance district and community ArtScience initiatives.

Real Talk: Race on Campus (2013-2017)- Designed and co-directed a video forum for members of the community to voice their experiences of racial micro-aggressions on campus

2006-2018 – Make/Made, Project Designer, Regional Youth Media Arts Educator Consortium, Founding Advisory Board Member, Visiting Teacher, ArtLab, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston

2010-2011 – Contemporary Conversations Gallery Educator, Visiting Artist, MFA/BPS Youth Program, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

1998-2009 – Founding Faculty Member, Director of the Senior Institute, Teacher of Studio Arts, Grades 9-12, Teacher-Leader of Senior Writing Team, Boston Arts Academy, Boston, MA

2003-2004 – Teacher-in-Residence, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA

Refereed Professional Presentations

(2023) Artist Networks and Black Male Student Supports.  Panel Presentation, Creating Community: Student Support Networks for Black Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominately White Institutions.  Dr. Ezella McPherson (Chair) and Dr. Tony Laing (Discussant). American Educational Research Association National Convention, Chicago, IL.

(2023) Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) Storytellers; Interview with Beth Balliro. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tabstorytellers/id1621970021?i=1000599456473

(2019) Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives in Art & Design Colleges; a Conversation with Beth Balliro, Lyssa Palu-ay and Sunny Spillane. College Art Association Podcast.

https://soundcloud.com/user-765977562/beth-balliro-lyssa-palu-ay-challenges-and-triumphs-in-diversity-initiatives

(2019) NAEA Super Session: Opportunities and Challenges of an Art College Increasing Diversity. (Presented with Lois Hetland, Chandra Méndez-Ortiz, Lyssa Palu-ay & Chris Wright). The National Art Education Association National Convention, Boston, MA.

 (2018) Catalyzing Change: Anti-Racism Efforts at a Public Art College. (Presented with Camila Insaurralde, Maureen Keefe and Lyssa Palu-ay).  Race and Pedagogy National Conference, Puget Sound, WA.

(2015) Histories of Black Male Artists: Transgression and Possibility. The National Art Education Association National Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Select Exhibitions

2016 – Balliro, B. Cover Art. Barber, J. Works on Paper, Washington, D.C.: Wood Works

2015 – Ink & Stick, Grand Gallery, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA

2012 – Love’s Labors, Trustman Gallery, Simmons College, Boston, MA. Curated by B. Lynch, exhibition catalog

2009 – Her Mark, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago

2008 – Nothing Flourishes Alone (solo exhibition), Gordon Gallery, Boston, MA

2008 – New Art 2008, MPG Contemporary, Boston, MA. Juried by Rachel Rosenfeld Lafo

2007 – Sublime Climate, Thompson Gallery, Cambridge School of Weston, Weston MA. Curated by Todd Bartel

2007 – The Boston Drawing Project, Bernard Toale Gallery, Boston, MA. Selected by Joseph Carroll

2007 – STENCILS: Public Space and Intervention, New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University, Boston, MA. Curated by Hiroko Kikuchi.

Awards

2020               MAICEI Implementation Grant ($92,000)

2019               MAICEI Planning Grant ($45,000)

2019               Foundation Faculty Fellowship

2018               President’s Professional Development Award

2016               Alumni Award for Dissertation Research, UMass, Boston

2015               Community Legacy Fellow, Surdna Foundation

2015               Merit Scholarship, University of Massachusetts, Boston

2015               Graduate Professional Development Grant, UMass, Boston

2014               Mass. Art Project Grant, RealTalk: Race on Campus ($14,000)

2013               Hardrock Grant for Marathon ArtShare ($10,000)

2007               Surdna Sabbatical Fellowship Award

2005               Art Renewal Studio Grant, The Philanthropic Initiative

2004               Fund for Teachers Award

2001               Surdna Fellowship