Makanda/SPARC Fire Up Dudley Square Library

The Makanda Project, a band dedicated to continuing the legacy of Boston musician and composer Makanda Ken McIntyre, and SPARC, Mass Art's Center for Art and Community Partnerships mobile art van joined forces tonight at Dudley Library for a paint-and-draw-what-you-hear jazz concert. SPARC provided art supplies for those inclined to paint and draw and The Makanda Project provided aural inspiration.

The Makanda Project performs at Dudley Library

Monica Matthews of Mattapan;  Ekua Holmes, artist and Community Coordinator of the MassArt Center for Art and Community Partnerships; Gary Bracy of Mattapan

SPARC art mobile outside the Dudley Library

Ekua Holmes, MassArt student and SPARC volunteer Meghan Robbins, Caroline Cockrill of Holliston

Mehdi Khalfallah, 8, of Newton poses with two of his paintings

MassArt alum Caroline Cockrill's painting

Dudley Municipal Building Groundbreaking

Overcast skies and lashing rain in no way dampened the exuberant spirits of the people gathered this morning for a groundbreaking ceremony on the future site of the Dudley Municipal Building. The crammed inclement-weather tent held a standing-room only crowd and a jubilant atmosphere.

Part of the site of the Dudley Square Municipal Building

The crowd gathers behind Ferdinand's

Shovels at the ready

Jumaada, Stephen Murphy, Byron Rushing, Rev., Charles Yancey, Gloria Fox, Mayor Thomas Menino, Tito Jackson, Felix Arroyo, Sondra Chang-Diaz, Ayanna Pressley, Kairos Shen

Dudley Square Municipal Building cake. 

Julius Johnson designed, baked, constructed, and served the cake.

Dudley Square cake, different perspective

Lashel Sophia Devich and Michael Rilke Obadye

The tradition of beautifying the district will be passed down with this particular shovel.  Lashel Sophia Devich and Michael Rilke Obadye  asked permission to take said shovel which they will use "to dig a pond, a barbeque, and many, many gardens" at their home on Whiting Street.