By Gianna Barberia, news staff
Boat tours and cruises are not the only things you’ll find traveling across the harbor. Scheduled to open in summer 2018, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is expanding and opening a new location in East Boston, just a short water taxi ride away from its existing location.
The project, which will give the ICA an extra 15,000 square feet of space, is expected to cost $10 million. The new location, named the Watershed, will be located in the Boston Harbor Shipyard and Marina inside a renovated structure. Admission to the Watershed will be free for all.
“Our location on Boston Harbor places us in a unique position to activate the waterfront,” ICA Director Jill Medvedow said in a press release. “With this project, the ICA will make a cross-harbor connection that is central to our notion of art, civic life and urban vitality.”
Through this expansion, the ICA aims to connect two Boston neighborhoods – East Boston and South Boston – and to create an immersive environment to share work by artists who engage with relevant social and political issues. They also aim to address issues specifically related to the community and waterfront.
“I think it’s a really good idea because it’s a way for more people to be able to experience art who don’t normally get those opportunities,” said Eliza Downs, a freshman sociology major. “Also, I think having outlets for creativity and experiencing different kinds of art is important for everyone in their lives, so this is really great.”
Josie Britt, a freshman graphic design major at Northeastern, said she likes how the ICA exhibitions are always changing. Now, with the new expansion, she said exhibits can be more available.
“I think the idea for the ICA expansion is a really good idea. That way, more people in more places can enjoy their exhibits,” Britt said. “The free aspect just means it’ll bring in more people, which sounds like a great idea to me, being able to offer art to those who might not be able to visit otherwise.”
The ICA will begin construction on the Watershed pending permit approval and design finalization. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) currently owns the property.
“We are thrilled to be working with the ICA on this ambitious and visionary endeavor that will connect the two neighborhoods we call home through art and across the Harbor,” Tom Glynn, Chief Executive Officer of Massport, said in a press release. “The Watershed will connect communities with Boston’s dynamic working waterfront and shine a light on its vital role in our city’s history and future.”
The new space will be raw and industrial, with remnants of train tracks that once moved materials around the marina. It is slated to house new art exhibitions and installations, as well as educational programs and workshops.
“The Watershed will house an orientation gallery introducing visitors to the historic shipyard complemented by a waterside plaza that will serve as a gathering place,” according to a press release.
Transportation from the ICA to the Watershed will be available by water taxi from docks next to the ICA and on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Blue Line.
“Boston’s waterfront and harbor are one of the most unique aspects of our city, and I’m pleased the ICA is supporting our creative community in this welcoming East Boston space,” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said in a press release. “The Watershed will offer Boston a new, engaging space for art and discovery, and I welcome their investment in Boston’s diverse artists, residents, and visitors.”
