Boston Center for the Arts names Shey Rivera Ríos as new artistic director
A new chapter is beginning at one of Boston’s most important creative hubs.
The Boston Center for the Arts has named Shey Rivera Ríos as its new artistic director, marking a leadership change at the South End institution that supports hundreds of artists and organizations each year.
Rivera Ríos is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and cultural leader known for work that connects contemporary art with community-driven programming. She steps into the role at a time when the Boston Center for the Arts continues to expand its impact across the city’s creative scene.
Located in the South End, the Boston Center for the Arts serves as a major platform for visual artists, performers, and emerging creatives. Its campus includes exhibition spaces, performance venues, and artist studios, making it a central gathering point for Boston’s arts community.
In this role, Rivera Ríos will help shape the organization’s artistic vision, oversee programming, and support the development of new work across disciplines.
Leadership appointments like this often signal where an institution is headed next.
For the Boston Center for the Arts, the focus remains on supporting working artists, fostering new voices, and creating accessible cultural experiences in the city.
Rivera Ríos’s background in interdisciplinary work and community engagement aligns closely with that mission.
As she steps into the position, the transition represents both continuity and evolution for one of Boston’s most active arts organizations.
