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May
21
Fri
POSTPONED- Virtual Dock-u-mentaries Discussion: A Fish Story @ ZOOM
May 21 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
POSTPONED- Virtual Dock-u-mentaries Discussion: A Fish Story @ ZOOM
Due to circumstances beyond our control, our program that was scheduled for Friday, May 21st has been postponed. We apologize for this last minute change. Please stay tuned for an updated date for this program. Thank you for your understanding!
Please contact Hannah at programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.
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Join us for a virtual discussion with Shareen Davis and Angela Sanfillipo, the women profiled in the film, A Fish Story. Learn about the history of women as fishing industry advocates and what has changed in the 20 years since the film was made. 

We will not be screening the film during the Zoom meeting. You can watch the film ahead of time on Youtube by using this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5K4xMjFWK8

About the film: A Fish Story is the tale of two women who lead their communities in a battle for control of the ocean. Angela Sanfilippo of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and Shareen Davis of Chatham, Massachusetts were born into fishing families and married men who continue to make a living from the sea. Fishing defines who they are and has sustained their communities for generations. But their way of life is threatened when a powerful coalition of national environmental groups file a lawsuit that could put hundreds of fishermen out of business. Three hundred years of fishing tradition and the health of the ocean hangs in the balance.

In the 1970s, enormous international fishing fleets decimated the waters off New England leaving local fishermen struggling to survive in the wake of this environmental disaster. Decades later, New England fishermen and environmentalist remain locked in an intense battle over the current health and future management of the ocean. And with the success of a broad sweeping lawsuit filed in 2000, environmentalists are demanding radical new conservation measures that could spell disaster for New England fishermen and their communities. Angela and Shareen find themselves at the center of this political storm as they struggle to save both fish and fishermen. Delving into the behind-the-scenes world of politicians, environmentalists, journalists, and fishermen, A Fish Story confronts the hard choices faced when human needs and those of the environment collide.

Please contact Hannah at programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.

Dock-u-mentaries are presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. This event is supported by a Bridge Street Scholarship from Mass Humanities. Virtual Dock-u-mentaries Discussion: A Fish Story is part of Women’s Work, the Center’s series about women’s roles in commercial fishing which is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, Mass Cultural Council, and the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Marion, and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils.

Jun
10
Thu
June AHA! Night @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jun 10 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
June AHA! Night @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Stop by in-person to see our new exhibit, More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Community. This exhibit features lots of hands-on and kid-friendly interactive, so bring the whole family! Free and open to the public for AHA! Night.

Jun
17
Thu
“Harvesters of the Deep” Public Art Installation
Jun 17 – Oct 17 all-day
"Harvesters of the Deep" Public Art Installation

The Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to partner with DATMA for Harvesters of the Deep, a public art installation highlighting women in the seafood industry.

From June 17th – October 17th, DATMA will bring works of outstanding photographers from select locations around the world, the exhibit will feature insightful, life-sized portraits celebrating women working in the fishing industry. Featured photographers include: Phil Mello presenting photographs of New Bedford fisherwomen; Hyung S. Kim’s photographs of Korean shellfish divers (aka Haenyeo) and Craig Easton’s photographs of English smokehouse workers (aka “The Herring Lasses”).

Custom designed kiosks, including documentary will be strategically positioned along outdoor public walkways in downtown New Bedford and along the waterfront and participate in the annual New Bedford Seaport Art Walk.

Jun
26
Sat
5th Anniversary Celebration! @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jun 26 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
5th Anniversary Celebration! @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Save the date! This summer, we are celebrating the Center’s five-year anniversary and the official grand opening of More than a Job with an event on June 26th! Watch demonstrations of model boat making and other industry skills. Enjoy live music featuring the Rum Soaked Crooks. Plus make and take activities for the kids. The celebration is free and open to the public. A speaking program at noon will feature remarks by elected officials including Congressman Bill Keating, Representative Antonio Cabral, and a keynote address by Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities. Click here for a full schedule of events.

This event will also feature a free vaccine clinic for the COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with Fishing Partnership and Greater New Bedford Community Health Center. Vaccine offered: Johnson & Johnson for adults; Pfizer for kids 12-17. Free $20 Dunkin Donuts cards to first time vaccinators both for child AND adult!

Funding for More than a Job: Work and Community in New Bedford’s Fishing Industry is provided by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and significant support from Bristol County Savings Bank. Major in-kind support for this exhibit was provided by Fairhaven Shipyard and Blue Fleet Welding.

We Came to Fish, We Came to Work: Stories of Immigration is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, and the Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and New Bedford Cultural Councils.

Jul
7
Wed
Chanteys and Maritime Songs – Bring Your Voices and Bring Your Friends @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jul 7 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Chanteys and Maritime Songs - Bring Your Voices and Bring Your Friends @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Join us Wednesday, July 7th from 6:00pm-8:00pm for “Chanteys and Maritime Songs – Bring Your Voices and Bring Your Friends,” a chantey workshop and singalong lead by The Johnson Girls at the Fishing Heritage Center. Open to the public with a “pass-the-hat” voluntary contribution.

Formed in 1997, The Johnson Girls are the leading all-woman maritime song group in the world. Sea chanteys and songs, as the first real “world music”, captured their imagination. Just as sailors who were heavily influenced by the songs they heard while traveling the world over, each of the Johnson Girls brings a special style to the ensemble. Their extensive repertoire of both traditional and contemporary material includes sea chanteys and work songs of other traditions, African-American, Canadian, Caribbean, Irish, French, Italian as well as songs from the inland waterways and fisheries. Widely acclaimed for their powerhouse performances of rousing work songs, sensitive renderings of haunting ballads and laments, and hair-raising harmonies, The Johnson Girls dazzle audiences wherever they perform. Learn more at thejohnsongirls.com

This program is part of “Women’s Work” programming which is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, Mass Cultural Council, and the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Marion, and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils.

Jul
8
Thu
The Johnson Girls in Concert @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
Jul 8 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
The Johnson Girls in Concert @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

Join us for a performance by the Johnson Girls. The performance will take place outside at the garden of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, 33 William Street in downtown New Bedford. Free and open to the public. Bring your own chair!

Unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask and social distance on federal property.

RAIN LOCATION: In the event of rain, the concert will be held inside at the Fishing Heritage Center, 38 Bethel Street.

Formed in 1997, The Johnson Girls are the leading all-woman maritime song group in the world. Sea chanteys and songs, as the first real “world music”, captured their imagination. Just as sailors who were heavily influenced by the songs they heard while traveling the world over, each of the Johnson Girls brings a special style to the ensemble. Their extensive repertoire of both traditional and contemporary material includes sea chanteys and work songs of other traditions, African-American, Canadian, Caribbean, Irish, French, Italian as well as songs from the inland waterways and fisheries. Widely acclaimed for their powerhouse performances of rousing work songs, sensitive renderings of haunting ballads and laments, and hair-raising harmonies, The Johnson Girls dazzle audiences wherever they perform.

This concert is part of “Women’s Work” programming which is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, Mass Cultural Council, and the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Marion, and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils. Thank you to New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park for hosting this event.

Jul
16
Fri
July Dock-u-mentaries: Silent Films, Live Music by Jeff Angeley @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jul 16 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
July Dock-u-mentaries: Silent Films, Live Music by Jeff Angeley @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Join us for an evening of silent, short films accompanied by live music by Jeff Angeley! Films include Shanghied, directed and starring Charlie Chaplin, and The Boat, directed and starring Buster Keaton. This screening will take place at New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center located at 38 Bethel Street in downtown New Bedford. Free and open to the public!

Shanghied (1915)- Intent on scuttling his ship, a financially-pressed shipowner conspires with the vessel’s captain to collect the insurance money, unbeknownst to him that his daughter and her beau, Charlie, are aboard. Will they get away with it so easily?

The Boat (1921)- Buster and his family go on a voyage on his homemade boat that proves to be one disaster after another!

Jeff Angeley is a multi-instrumentalist, music instructor, and event organizer based in New Bedford. He has 20 years of teaching experience and an even longer track record of putting together high quality acoustic music performances. Angeley has a particular passion for traditional music and its ability to bring communities together. His fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, & upright bass performances, as well as his singing and dance calling continue to bring greater exposure to traditional American performing art forms. In the last few years he founded “Old Time Fiddle Session & Community Gathering,” a group which hosts large quarterly events, traditional music and dance workshops, and free monthly community jams and gatherings. Using his abilities as an instructor, combined with his passion for social music and deep experience as a performer, he has built and continues to foster a thriving community of traditional musicians in the Greater New Bedford area.

Dock-U-Mentaries is a co-production of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. All programs are open to the public and presented free of charge.

Aug
12
Thu
Women’s Work: Women in Seafood @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Aug 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Find out about a day in the life of two women who work in New Bedford’s seafood industry. Cassie Canastra (left) is Director of Operations for BASE Seafood Auction. Heather Haggerty (right) is the owner/operator of Big G Seafoods, a New Bedford based conch business. This program is part of the Center’s Women’s Work project, a year long exploration of women’s involvement in the fishing community. Women’s work is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, and Westport Cultural Councils, and a donation from the Women’s Fisheries Network.

Aug
19
Thu
August Dock-u-mentaries: Haeneyo – Wisdom of the Sea @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
Aug 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
August Dock-u-mentaries: Haeneyo - Wisdom of the Sea @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center along with DATMA present the film, Haeneyo – Wisdom of the Seaon Thursday, August 19th at 7:00pm. The film is in Portuguese with English subtitles. Free and open to the public.

Please note this month’s film takes place on Thursday, August 19th. The screening will be held outdoors in the National Park Garden (33 William Street). In the event of inclement weather, the screening will be held on the second floor of the National Park’s Corson Maritime Learning Center.  Indoor capacity is limited to 50 people and masks are required indoors.  Seating for this event is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis.  Films about the commercial fishing industry and other aspects of the working waterfront are screened monthly.

 

Sep
9
Thu
Exhibit Opening: “Women’s Work” @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Sep 9 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Exhibit Opening: "Women's Work" @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Join us for the opening of our latest gallery exhibit, Women’s Work:  At Sea, On Shore, At Home, In the Community. Free and open to the public for AHA! Night.

This exhibit and related program series is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Women’s Fisheries Network, Mass Cultural Council, and the New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Westport, Marion, and Mattapoisett Cultural Councils.

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