Senior Ali Boyer leads the Hopkinton Center for the Arts’ Teen Advisory Board (TAB), a group of teens passionate about promoting the arts in the community, as the co-chair.
The TAB’s goal is to increase awareness and appreciation of the arts for a teenage audience.
The group organizes open mic nights, social media campaigns, and fundraising activities.
“Anything that will drum up more interest for teens in the arts and for the HCA,” Ali Boyer said.
Boyer was appointed co-chair of the board this year.
In her role, she leads TAB meetings, and manages scheduling and communication.
The TAB works closely with the HCA’s adult board.
As co-chair, Boyer is responsible for sharing agendas and collaborating on events with the adult board.
Boyer also secures sponsorships from local businesses for the TAB’s most popular event, the teen open mic night.
“A bunch of kids from Hopkinton and the surrounding towns sign up to perform a musical piece, short stories, poetry, or any short performance that they want to do for a group of like-minded teens,” Boyer said.
Along with open mic nights, the board is running a social media campaign for visual art awareness.
According to Boyer, the TAB has done significant work with performing arts in the past, and is now broadening its focus to visual and performing arts.
In addition to the TAB-focused events, the board also works as volunteers for HCA-specific events.
When the HCA needs help in running an event, the TAB is where they look first.
The TAB’s presence at HCA events not only allows the events to run smoothly, but serves as additional promotion for the TAB and their teen-sponsored events.
Community outreach is a cornerstone of the TAB’s mission.
TAB sets up tables promoting the board at major Hopkinton events, such as the Sharon Timlin 5K Run.
Boyer believes that connecting the TAB with all of Hopkinton helps to broaden the appeal of the arts for young children who may feel unsure of their passion.
“It’s really important to foster that sense of community for kids who don’t really feel like they have a place elsewhere,” Boyer said.
