Roxbury Cultural District

The Roxbury Cultural District promotes the arts and heritage of Roxbury, known as the center of African American culture in Boston and New England. The neighborhood, the geographic center of the city, has strong ties to jazz and to early leaders of the civil rights movement. The district covers Nubian Square and John Eliot Square, and its mission is to identify and amplify Roxbury’s cultural assets and present the community as a living repository of arts and culture.

Its goals include activating cultural assets and marketing community programming, promoting economic development, and building an effective governance structure for the district. Cultural facilities within its boundaries include Hibernian Hall, Dudley Café, the First Church of Roxbury, Roxbury Heritage State Park and the Eliot Burying Ground. The organization supports local artists, creatives and entrepreneurs through programs and events that connect people, places and ideas.

What to Know

• Olawumi “Ola” Akinwumi serves as president of the district.
• Akinwumi previously served as artistic director of Hibernian Hall for more than five years.
• Akinwumi also founded AfroDesiaCity Productions, an event production and live entertainment company.
• It is listed with Meet Boston, the city’s convention and visitors bureau.