As a longtime Chelsea resident, Devra Zabot has felt the need for a regular space elevating arts and culture.
“We are sort of missing that consistent cultural happenings where we can come together as a community in celebration,” Zabot said.
She hopes to achieve that through Verb Flow & Vision, a monthly spoken word open mic and art show open to all creators throughout Greater Boston but designed specifically for those in Chelsea. Zabot — who is the creative director of Clark Ave Productions, named for the street in Chelsea her father grew up on — has been organizing the event since January with Kushala Sip co-owner Dalia Valencia. The coffee shop, which opened its Chelsea location in 2022 and has quickly become a social hub, hosts the event.
Essmaa Litim, who goes by the stage name Yessmaa, performed and emceed the event in June.
As an East Boston native, she said she’s used to going into the city for most of her gigs. But seeing a budding cultural scene in her backyard has been beautiful.
“To have people come to this part feels so special because we don’t have intimate experiences like this as much,” she said. “I’m really blessed that people are coming here and really enjoying themselves and experiencing art, loving on it and supporting it.”
Chelsea is mostly known for its industrial legacy and its significant Latino population. But it has also been heralded for its innovative community and government efforts.
Last month, the city was named an All-America City by the Denver-based National Civic League, which celebrates leading edge local governments.
But Chelsea still doesn’t have a reputation as a vibrant arts and culture scene. Zabot hopes her monthly open mic will help change that.
“I’m not coming in and saying, ‘Let’s do something that people here don’t want,’” Zabot said. “I feel like I’m completely lockstep with everybody in this community, which is fantastic.”
M’shairi McKenzie, who performs as M’shairi the God, said that she’s been coming to Chelsea for more than 15 years. And during that time, she hadn’t seen “anything juicy in the city.”
“So it’s really refreshing that we have now probably the only open mic in Chelsea,” McKenzie said. “I hope there’s more because I will be here.”
Having the resources to maintain Verb Flow & Vision is a challenge, Zabot said. The events are partially supported by the Chelsea Cultural Council, but it’s not enough. Zabot often covers the artist’s fees from her own pocket. It’s “not a sustainable business model,” she said. “In order to make this sustainable, we need partnership and support.”
Lourdes Alvarez is the arts, culture and creative economy manager for the City of Chelsea and serves as a liaison to the Chelsea Cultural Council. Alvarez said the city has recognized arts and culture as an economic development strategy since 2017, when it prioritized revitalizing the downtown area.
In 2019, the cultural council surveyed community members and found strong support for building a thriving arts scene. Chelsea then issued a five-year strategic plan calling for more arts spaces and more support for public participation.
Alvarez said a thriving arts and cultural scene creates a healthier and more positive environment for residents.
“Now I know that on a Saturday, I can go to Kushala and I can actually express who I am in a space that is safe, that I won’t be judged,” she said.
For Zabot, it’s not about competing with other neighborhoods in the arts and culture scene. It’s more about recognizing that something was missing in Chelsea and creating a space for it.
“It’s exciting to be part of a city that is looking to the future, hopeful about the future, especially with everything that’s going on around us,” Zabot said. “That’s amazing. Sometimes I think about going someplace else. I don’t want to. That is what’s special about the city.”
Produced with assistance from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
