5 things to do this weekend, including Cecilia Zabala in concert and Oscar-nominated shorts

Valentine’s Day may be over, but it’s a holiday that always puts me in a good mood and carries me through February. Of course, there’s romantic love, but there’s also love between friends, love between family members and love shown through small kindnesses between strangers. Even without a romantic partner, there's so much to celebrate. The holiday always reminds me of that—that love is all around. If you want to spread some love this weekend, you can help a playwright work through their script at the BCA during an Ink Spot Reading. Or, if you’re feeling more solitary, Coolidge Corner Theatre will begin showing Oscar-nominated shorts. You can find details for these events and the rest of our weekend picks below.

Mezzo-soprano Andrea Baker will visit the New England Conservatory this weekend to host a master class. Afterward, she’ll give a talk on her production "Sing Sistah Sing! Tales of Transatlantic Freedom," a one-woman series that explores the shared stories of the African Diaspora and the link between the music and history of Scottish culture and the heritage of the New World. The show initially premiered in Edinburgh to great acclaim, and now Boston will get to learn more about it.

Artists at Large, a nonprofit that helps to make art more accessible, will present the poetry of Phillis Wheatley in honor of Black History Month. Wheatley was brought to Massachusetts as an enslaved person and was the first Black poet to have a book of poetry published in America. She is now one of the most important poets in the world of American literature. On Thursday, Valerie Anselme will read excerpts of Wheatley's momentous works at the Hyde Park Library.

El Junte is a series created by Ágora Cultural Architects, an arts consulting and production organization focusing on Latinx talent. With the series, Ágora showcases concerts, documentaries, theater and more. On Friday, they will present a concert by Argentinian guitarist, composer and singer Cecilia Zabala. She has recorded 10 records across two decades. For this show, award-winning Pan Latin duo Sol y Canto will join her on the stage at CROMA at Arlington Street Church.

Cinephiles won’t want to miss the longstanding Coolidge Corner Theatre tradition that kicks off this weekend. For the 18th consecutive year, the theater will screen Oscar-nominated short films. Shorts from every category will be screened, including animated, live-action and documentary. Check out “Night Ride (Nattrikken)” from Norway in the live-action category, “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” from Australia in the animated category or “Stranger at the Gate” from the U.S. in the documentary category. (The documentary shorts open on Friday, Feb. 24, at the Coolidge.)

Ink Spot is a reading series and platform for emerging playwrights to showcase their in-progress work. It’s a space for playwrights to experience their scripts in a new way: in front of an audience. A guided conversation about the play follows each reading. This is a unique opportunity to participate in the creative process alongside playwrights, actors and other artists. This weekend's play, “Revolutionary Spirits,” was written by Finley K Foster about a woman named Radika, who works at a bourbon distillery when eerie things, like minnow spirits, begin to appear. The readings take place a the BCA's Plaza Theatres.