Wellness and Creativity Come Together at Vermilion Theater’s SenStory: Home as Verb
Photo Credit: Wenbin Huang
“It’s so great to just be here, it feels very safe, and I want to come here more often!”
On March 3, 2025, 100 community members, artists, and staff members came together for a sold-out intergenerational, multilingual event, SenStory: Home as a Verb, to celebrate the end of Pao Arts Center’s Artist-In-Residence (AiR) project with Vermilion Theater. In partnership with the AAPI Empowerment Project led by BCNC staff, Vermilion Theater’s AiR project began in the fall of 2024 and focused on fostering connection and emotional wellness through arts and creativity in immigrant families.
Photo Credit: Wenbin Huang
During the festival, visitors experienced stand-up comedy, interactive theater games, crafts workshops, and storytelling in Mandarin Chinese and English. Most participants were 65 and older and Chinese speakers. Activities aimed to increase a sense of belonging, promote mind-body connection, and instills joy as a way to increase individual wellness. Everyone left the event with a zine of ideas on how to continue practicing mindful activities at home. View the zine here.
Photo Credit: Wenbin Huang
The exhibit showcased the artwork created by AiR participants in 2024. Led by artist Xiran Li, Vermilion Theater engaged weekly Karaoke and Ping Pong community night participants with workshops on social emotional learning. Li created a bilingual (Mandarin/English) curriculum designed in collaboration with Pao Arts Center Arts Engagement Manager Yolanda Yang and BCNC Family Connector Kevin Lin. The result was various activities encouraging physical mindfulness and mind-body connection through soundscapes and music, culturally relevant creative crafting, and movement. Most importantly, participants deepened relationships with each other and the teaching artists through fun activities.
BCNC Family Connector, Kevin Lin shared:
“Community-centered practice thrives on multilayered collaboration, and it was clear how much community members enjoyed having Vermilion Theater become part of their group. Multigenerational engagement is essential in building a strong, connected community.”
The program has had lasting impacts on participants and also provided a learning opportunity for Vermilion Theater as well. Vermilion Theater will continue their work Home as a Verb in 2025 with a grant from the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement Weaving Well-Being Grant.
“It is amazing to experience how the AIR program at Pao Arts Center glues every part of what they wished to do together, the social service, the care for a place, the art practice, the art community, the immersive experience... I think [the AIR program] is a powerful action weaving together artists, different sectors, family service and arts, and community organizers! We all can work together to make the community we care about thrive!”
The Artist-In-Residence program was funded by the Barr Foundation and Klarman Family Foundation. The AAPI Empowerment Project is sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Problem Gambling Services.
Read More
Sampan, ‘SenStory’ Breaks Mental Health Taboos With Performing Arts, Virginia Sun, April 11, 2025
Vermilion Theater Artist-In-Residence
SenStory Home as A Verb: Exhibit
SenStory Home as A Verb: Festival Day