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Summer in New England, blending art and nature
Editor's note: This story is an excerpt from WBUR's weekly arts and culture newsletter, The ARTery. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
We have settled into the lazy, hazy days of summer, and in Southborough, the season brings the annual Art on the Trails. A yearly tradition since 2017, the juried exhibition brings outdoor art installations and poetry to the trails of the Elaine and Philip Beals Preserve.
Each year has a theme. For 2025, the ninth year of the program, the quite literal theme is “Number 9.” From wooden “fantasy” creatures to suspended antique lace and cement structures, the art brings a sense of wonder and whimsy to a shared environment.
The magic of an installation like this can be found across New England this time of year — from Tanglewood in the Berkshires to Shakespeare on the Common in Boston. The blend of the outdoors and art is one of the reasons why New England is so wonderful in the summer. If you need suggestions of ways to get outside and experience all that local arts organizations have to offer, our summer arts guides are a great place to start.
- Classical music: From the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Tanglewood to a collection of concerts at Newport mansions, the summer is brimming with opportunities to experience classical music. WBUR arts critic Lloyd Schwartz shares the events he's most looking forward to, whether you want to sit inside with the AC or soak up the sun and breeze while you enjoy the sounds.
- Dance performances: Many dancers head out of the city in the summer, so if you’re looking for a creative escape, WBUR contributor Shira Laucharoen recommends following suit. Head to the Berkshires to take in the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, a tradition almost a century old. Trips to Maine will land you at the Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston or The Dance Hall in Kittery, where Boston Dance Theater will present contemporary choreography. Or head to Rhode Island for the Newport Dance Festival to catch performances from visiting companies.
- Art exhibits: Many of this summer’s visual art exhibitions highlight memory and resilience. An immersive installation at the ICA Watershed examines home, and at Fuller Craft Museum a display of Ukrainian folk art showcases carrying cultural traditions through art. WBUR contributor Maddie Browning shares these and 13 other must-see exhibits.
- New local albums: With the future of international students at American universities under intense debate, WBUR music writer Noah Schaffer wrote “it’s hard not to notice the enormous impact that foreign-born students and faculty members have had on Boston’s musical culture.” This summer's upcoming album releases are proof of that, with releases from artists from China, Italy and Brazil who have made Boston their home.
- Film festivals: From Boston to Provincetown, WBUR film critic Erin Trahan highlights the many places to enjoy documentaries, indie films, and local shorts this season. On the Cape and islands, the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival celebrates 23 years of amplifying stories from Black filmmakers. In Boston, the Mayor’s Summer Movie Nights series brings all-ages film screenings to parks across the city.
- New books: Supernatural murder mysteries. Evocative poetry disguised as Wikipedia entries. A reimagining of “The Little Mermaid.” WBUR literature writer Katherine Ouellette rounds up 12 light, moody, haunting and powerful books to read on your summer travels, whether at the beach or in the woods.
- Theater productions: Companies are bringing new and classic works to stages across the state this season, tackling powerful and playful topics that include everything from food insecurity to unlikely friendships and familial bonds. WBUR theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair shared 16 productions she’s looking forward to, including buddy-comedy “The Garbologists” at Gloucester Stage Company to Wheelock Family Theatre’s “Kufre n’ Quay,” the latest installment of Mfoniso Udofia’s Ufot Family Cycle.
