2025 MassArt Common Good Awards Honor Artists, Educators, and Innovators Who Creatively Impact Local Communities

BOSTON – Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) President Mary K. Grant, PhD, today announced the recipients of the 2025 MassArt Common Good Awards, honoring artists, educators, and visionaries whose work demonstrates the transformative power of the arts in civic life in and around the Commonwealth. This year’s honorees exemplify how the arts can spark advocacy, strengthen education, bring joy, tell stories, and build community in ways that advance positive social change. 

“This year’s Common Good Award recipients embody the many ways that art inspires connection, builds understanding, and strengthens our communities,” said President Grant. “Each honoree reminds us of the essential role creativity plays in shaping a more vibrant and equitable future. We are proud to celebrate their impact and contributions to the common good.” 

Now in its third year, the Common Good Awards celebrate the individuals and organizations who expand the public influence of art and design through education, community engagement, and creative practice. This year’s honorees reflect the many ways artists and educators strengthen our social fabric, from transforming public spaces and advancing cultural equity to inspiring the next generation of creative thinkers and changemakers. 

The honorees will be celebrated at a ceremony on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at noon in MassArt’s Design and Media Center (621 Huntington Avenue, Boston). The event is free and open to the public, with advanced registration required. 

All honorees will receive custom-made artwork by Alison Layton, a MassArt graduate creating objects and immersive sculptural environments inspired by the natural world (BFA ‘06 Metals). 

For more information on the MassArt Common Good Awards, visit 

www.massart.edu/massart-common-good-awards.

2025 Common Good Awards Honorees: 

KRIS moran
Distinguished Alumni Award 

Kris Moran (BFA, 1989, Painting) is an acclaimed artist, designer, and set decorator whose career spans film, art, and immersive design. Aside from her notable prop work in The Cider House Rules and Good Will Hunting, Moran is known as the creative mind bringing the “Wes Anderson” look to life in films like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Trained as a painter, Moran’s drawings, prints, and videos are magical in their play with medium and sophisticated in their simplicity. Her studio work serves as inspiration for art direction and event design. She lives in New York.

SARAH richards
Frances Euphemia Thompson Award for Excellence in Teaching 

Sarah Richards (BFA, 1996, Art Education and Photography) is Director of Art K–12 for Brockton Public Schools, supporting more than 15,000 students and 29 educators across 22 schools. With 28 years in education, she champions arts integration and community partnerships, especially with Fuller Craft Museum. Richards holds degrees from MassArt, Lesley University, and Fitchburg State University, and currently serves as Chair of the Board at Fuller Craft Museum. She lives in West Roxbury. 

tracy silva barbosa
Common Good Award 

Tracy Silva Barbosa (BFA, 1999, Glass) is a multimedia artist, designer, and founder of Duende Studio, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Drawing on her background in glass and architectural design, she creates layered works and large-scale public art that explore the connections between nature, memory, and urban life. Barbosa has contributed to major architectural glass projects worldwide and continues to shape New England’s public art landscape through community-based installations and civic design. She lives in New Bedford, and is the Executive Director of Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition. 

KATE gilbert
Common Good Award 

Kate Gilbert is Founder and Executive Director of the Boston Public Art Triennial, formerly Now + There. An artist and cultural leader, she has spent two decades transforming public spaces through bold contemporary art. Under her leadership, Triennial 2025: The Exchange brought 21 large-scale works and more than 100 interdisciplinary public programs to eight Boston neighborhoods, drawing more than 200,000 visitors from across the globe between May and October 2025. Gilbert holds an MFA from School of Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University and is a recognized leader in public art and civic engagement. She lives in Boston’s Leather District. 

Lisa SIMMONs and alison simmons
Common Good Award 

Lisa Simmons and Alison Simmons are the Artistic & Executive Director and Co-Director, respectively, of the Roxbury International Film Festival, New England’s largest festival celebrating people of color. Together, Lisa and Alison have expanded the festival’s reach, cultivating community, dialogue, and representation through film. In addition to her work with RoxFilm, Lisa serves as a Program Manager at Mass Cultural Council, where she leads the Communities Initiative, advancing creativity and equity through community-driven grantmaking. A filmmaker and cultural advocate, Simmons has produced theater and researched Boston’s WPA Negro Theater Project, highlighting untold stories in Black cultural history. Lisa lives in Boston and Alison lives in Roslindale.

MaRQUIS VICTOR
Common Good Award 

Marquis Victor is the founder and executive director of Elevated Thought, a creative youth development organization rooted in art and social justice. A multidisciplinary artist and educator, Victor created ET’s foundational curriculum focused on critical consciousness, collaboration, and creativity. He holds a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University and is committed to expanding access and opportunity for young artists of color. He lives in the Merrimack Valley. 

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About MassACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESING (MASSART)

Founded in 1873, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is the nation’s first public, independent college of art and design. The College is dedicated to fostering the creativity of artists, designers, and educators who will shape communities and culture for the common good.

About MassART Common Good AWards

The MassArt Common Good Awards celebrate individuals and organizations who use art and design to make a positive impact on society. Honorees demonstrate the essential role of the arts in advocacy, education, and community development, contributing to the quality of life and problem-solving efforts in today’s world.

Press Contact

Kara Westhoven
Senior Communications Manager, MassArt
kwesthoven@massart.edu