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Dec
20
Fri
Dock-u-mentaries: Dories to Draggers: The Evolution of New Bedford’s Fishing Fleet, An Illustrated Talk by Paul Doucette @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Theater
Dec 20 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Dock-u-mentaries: Dories to Draggers: The Evolution of New Bedford’s Fishing Fleet, An Illustrated Talk by Paul Doucette @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Theater

Author Paul Doucette was born and raised in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, the youngest son of Captain Louis Doucette, Jr., a New Bedford fisherman whose career spanned fifty years. His grandfather, Captain Louis Doucette, Sr., was one of the earliest proponents of the movement from dory fishing to trawling, a change which catapulted New Bedford to fishing prominence. Doucette will present an illustrated talk and share stories about the evolution of fishing vessels.

Films about the commercial fishing industry and other aspects of the working waterfront are screened on the third Friday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the theater of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s Corson Maritime Learning Center, located at 33 William Street. Presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. The program is free and open to the public.

Jan
6
Mon
“Coastin’ Through Decorative Knots” Class @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jan 6 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
"Coastin’ Through Decorative Knots" Class @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

This class is sold out! Email programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.

Learn about the history of decorative knots and how to make them yourself with artist Alex Buchanan. Students will practice making basic knots and work their way to more complicated forms before making their own coasters to take home! Start the new year with a new skill!

Alex Buchanan is an artist and merchant marine who studied fine art at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Alex also served four years active duty and began his journeys at sea in the U.S. Coast Guard. He focuses on his maritime influences and conveys them as a visual language by layering literal and conceptual translations using related symbology. Click here to see his website and more of his work. 

$25/members, $30/ general public. All supplies are provided. The class is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Reserve your spot using the Brown Paper Tickets link, emailing programs@fishingheritagecenter.org, or calling the Center at 508-993-8894.

Jan
7
Tue
“Coastin’ Through Decorative Knots” Class @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jan 7 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
"Coastin' Through Decorative Knots" Class @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

This class is sold out! Email programs@fishingheritagecenter.org with any questions.

Learn about the history of decorative knots and how to make them yourself with artist Alex Buchanan. Students will practice making basic knots and work their way to more complicated forms before making their own coasters to take home! Start the new year with a new skill!

Alex Buchanan is an artist and merchant marine who studied fine art at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Alex also served four years active duty and began his journeys at sea in the U.S. Coast Guard. He focuses on his maritime influences and conveys them as a visual language by layering literal and conceptual translations using related symbology. Click here to see his website and more of his work. 

$25/members, $30/ general public. All supplies are provided. The class is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Reserve your spot using the Brown Paper Tickets link, emailing programs@fishingheritagecenter.org, or calling the Center at 508-993-8894.

Jan
11
Sat
Stories of Immigration Scanning Day @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jan 11 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Our upcoming gallery exhibits will tell stories of immigration and cultural heritage in New Bedford and the fishing industry. We are interested in photographs, objects, or documents that tell stories of what life and work was like in your country of origin, what brought you to New Bedford, and what it was like to immigrate to this area. Bring any photographs, documents, or objects related to these topics to be scanned and documented by Fishing Heritage Center staff and volunteers. They will help us tell a more complete story of immigration and cultural heritage in New Bedford’s working waterfront.

These upcoming exhibits will be will be supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Commonwealth Initiative.

On the second Saturday of every month, the Center invites the public to bring their fishing industry related photographs, both historic and contemporary, as well as documents such as settlement sheets, union books, or news clippings to be scanned. Staff will scan the materials and record any information the owner shares about each piece. The owner will leave with their originals along with a digital copy of the scans on a flash drive. The Center is working to create a digital archive of these materials which will be made available to researchers and the public. These documents will help us to tell the story of the fishing industry.

Model Boat Building Demonstration @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Jan 11 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Model Boat Building Demonstration @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Model boat builder Bruce Gifford will be the Fishing Heritage Center to talk about the process of model making and to display a selection of his models. Learn about this intricate and detailed art form from an experienced maker! This program is included with admission to the Center.

Jan
17
Fri
Dock-u-mentaries: Tugboat Annie Sails Again @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
Jan 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Dock-u-mentaries: Tugboat Annie Sails Again @ New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

Join us for the first Dock-u-mentary of 2020, Tugboat Annie Sails AgainTugboat Annie Sails Again is the story of “Tugboat” Annie Brennan, skipper on the Narcissus, and her ongoing feud with arch-rival, Captain Bullwinkle.

Films about the commercial fishing industry and other aspects of the working waterfront are screened on the third Friday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the theater of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park’s Corson Maritime Learning Center, located at 33 William Street. Presented by New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center and New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. The program is free and open to the public.

Feb
8
Sat
Stories of Immigration Scanning Day @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Feb 8 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Community members are encouraged to bring in any photographs, documents, or objects related to their own stories of immigration or enduring cultural heritage traditions. Such items will help inform and may be used in the Center’s upcoming exhibits on immigration and cultural heritage in New Bedford’s working waterfront. Fishing Heritage Center staff and volunteers will scan the materials and record any information the owner shares about each piece. The owner will leave with their originals along with a digital copy of the scans on a flash drive.

If you cannot attend “Stories of Immigration Scanning Day” but would like to have your collection scanned, please call (508) 993-8894 to make an appointment.

The Center’s 2020 exhibits and programs are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, and Dartmouth, Mattapoisett, and New Bedford Cultural Council grants.

Golden Lane in Concert @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Feb 8 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Known for lively, interactive performances, Golden Lane plays traditional Irish dance music. The Southeastern Massachusetts ensemble includes John MacDonald (guitar and banjo), Pat Black (bodhrán Irish drum, whistle, and vocals), Bill Black (guitar, banjo, bouzouki, and vocals), Colin Everett (uilleann pipes and whistle) and Mark Oien (fiddle).

Buy your tickets at the ticketing link on our online calendar or by calling the Center at 508-993-8894.
Tickets are $10/Members, $12/General Public.

Feb
13
Thu
Working on the Waterfront: An Illustrated Talk by Phil Mello @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Feb 13 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Working on the Waterfront: An Illustrated Talk by Phil Mello @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Photographer Phil Mello will present, “Working on the Waterfront: Stories Behind the Images,” an illustrated talk about shore side industries in New Bedford. The images and stories that will be featured are part of a project conducted by the Fishing Heritage Center through an Archie Green Fellowship from the Library of Congress. Phil Mello acted as the project photographer.

This program takes place on AHA! Night and is free and open to the public.

Feb
18
Tue
“Coastin’ Through Decorative Knots” Class @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
Feb 18 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
"Coastin' Through Decorative Knots" Class @ New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center

Learn about the history of decorative knots and how to make them yourself with artist Alex Buchanan. Students will practice making basic knots and work their way to more complicated forms before making their own coasters to take home! This is a challenging class, so come prepared to learn this new skill!

Alex Buchanan is an artist and merchant marine who studied fine art at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Alex also served four years active duty and began his journeys at sea in the U.S. Coast Guard. He focuses on his maritime influences and conveys them as a visual language by layering literal and conceptual translations using related symbology.

$25/members, $30/general public. All materials are provided.
Class is for students ages 12+.

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