Harvard Ed Portal provides venue for Allston arts community
The all-glass facade reflecting a busy block catches the eye at 224 Western Ave. in North Allston-Brighton. But the truly striking feature of the Harvard Ed Portal is the world of creativity, inspiration, and imagination generated by a special partnership between Harvard University and the Allston-Brighton community. The Ed Portal was created in 2008 as a collaborative effort among Harvard University, the city of Boston, the Harvard Allston Task Force, and the Allston-Brighton community. The goal was to provide opportunities for creative paths to learning for people of all ages, backgrounds, and capabilities. The Ed Portal works to open doors of opportunity in science, technology, wellness, recreation, professional development, and, most recently, arts and media. With a move to new space at Western Avenue in 2015, it greatly expanded its resources with the street-level Crossings Gallery, a 120-seat theater, classes, and resource rooms. The gallery has become a dynamic destination where emerging artists...