Celebrity Series of Boston is now Vivo Performing Arts
New name, same legacy
The venerable arts organization unveils a new name and visual identity to reflect a vibrant, inclusive future for live performance in Greater Boston
(For Immediate Release—January 8, 2026—Boston, MA) — Celebrity Series of Boston, one of New England’s premier arts presenters, announces a historic transformation today, rebranding as Vivo Performing Arts. The new name and visual identity are the culmination of an eighteen-month strategic planning process designed to align the organization’s public identity with its mission and vision to enrich, connect, and inspire our community through exceptional live performances. The organization’s commitment to its artistic standards, programming, and community partnerships remains unwavering in the new era.
“As we look to the future, we recognized that our name needed to fully express our values of joy, equity, integrity, curiosity, and collaboration,” says Gary Dunning, President and Executive Director. “‘Celebrity Series’ served us well for decades. But ‘Vivo Performing Arts’ captures the living heart of what we do now and what we hope to do well into the future. It creates a welcoming environment where everyone from longtime audiences to first-time attendees can feel that this community is for them.”
Joshua Boger, PhD, Chair of the Board of Directors says, "The transformation to Vivo Performing Arts is the culmination of a deliberate and thoughtful eighteen-month strategic process. The Board of Directors are unanimously committed to this new direction, which honors our legacy of artistic excellence while decisively positioning the organization for growth."
The name “Vivo” is derived from the Latin root vivere (to live) and is used in Spanish and Italian to mean “alive” or “I live.” It was chosen to capture the kinetic energy of the organization’s work, shifting focus from the static concept of “celebrity” to the dynamic, shared experience of artists and audiences coming together.
Working in partnership with the Boston-based agency Colossus, named AdAge’s 2024 Small Agency of the Year, the organization sought a brand that would honor its 87-year legacy while removing barriers for new generations of arts lovers.
The rebranding journey into Vivo Performing Arts was an intensive process of research, listening, creation, and consensus-building, conducted in partnership with Colossus. This effort was guided by our Board-adopted strategic goal to broaden, reach and diversify audiences. The team tested ideas with more than 600 survey respondents and conducted a series of in-depth interviews with more than 40 key figures, including artists, supporters, audience members, community partners, and peer arts organizations, all while securing regular endorsement from the Board of Directors.
Elsa Mosquera-Sterenberg, principal of Ágora Cultural Architects and longtime community partner, says, "This rebrand reaffirms a commitment to conveying the strength of life through music to our communities. As longtime partners of this wonderful organization, we are excited about the selection of a vibrant word that holds profound meaning and represents the entire human experience. We can't wait to see how this renewed vision resonates across the audiences we serve and look forward to many more years of creating meaningful artistic moments together."
The new visual identity features a striking hand-painted logo with organic, intentionally imperfect letterforms, and an ink-bleed effect. This design choice emphasizes the humanity, visceral nature, and "work-in-progress" energy of live art. The lowercase typography was selected to feel less formal and more accessible, positioning the brand as a welcoming voice for all audiences.
Allison Doherty, GM of Colossus Design, adds, “There’s something incredible about live performance and the way it can immediately transform how you feel. We wanted to build an identity system that felt as alive as the art itself, capturing that shared energy of being there in that moment, together. Working with an organization with such an incredible legacy of excellence was both inspiring and humbling."
The transition from Celebrity Series of Boston to Vivo Performing Arts begins immediately with the launch of the new website, VivoPerformingArts.org. To ensure a smooth transition and build familiarity, the remainder of the 2025/26 season will utilize both the Celebrity Series and Vivo Performing Arts names, and all previously printed tickets and subscriptions remain valid. The new name and brand will be fully implemented by the April 2026 announcement of the 2026/27 season. The Barr Foundation is generously supporting these efforts through an organizational rebranding grant.
“This rebrand is not about changing who we are, but clarifying it,” Dunning adds. “Whether on a stage or in a neighborhood park, live performance is what we do and the place where creativity comes alive.”
Vivo Performing Arts presents more than 200 performances each year spanning dance, classical music, jazz, global music, workshops, and free public events. Respected for its artistic excellence and innovative curation, the organization presents more than 65 ticketed performances and hosts more than 150 community engagement activities throughout Greater Boston every year. Through its public programs, Vivo Performing Arts builds deep connections with a network of community collaborators, reaching thousands of individuals annually. These programs include hands-on workshops and master classes, free community concerts led by Boston-area artists, free and discounted tickets to performances, and large-scale participatory projects. Together, these efforts advance the organization’s efforts to make the performing arts accessible to all.
ABOUT VIVO PERFORMING ARTS
Vivo Performing Arts (formerly Celebrity Series of Boston) was founded in 1938 by pianist and impresario Aaron Richmond. For more than 87 years, the organization has introduced Boston audiences to extraordinary performers across orchestral and chamber music, vocal and piano artistry, dance, and jazz in the city’s major concert venues. Guided by a belief in the performing arts as a source of curiosity and joy, Vivo Performing Arts collaborates with artists, audiences, and neighborhoods to create experiences that strengthen connection and invite discovery. Through education programs, community partnerships, and public performance initiatives, the organization works toward a Greater Boston where the performing arts are a valued, lifelong, and shared experience—on stages, on streets, and in neighborhoods throughout the region.
Vivo Performing Arts is grateful to 2025/26 Season Sponsors Crescendo Donor Advised Fund and Susan & Michael Thonis, and to the many individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies whose support helps fulfill our mission to enrich and inspire our community through exceptional live performances. Individual and institutional supporters include Jill & David Altshuler, Leslie & Howard Appleby, Arts Consulting Group, the Barr Foundation through its ArtsAmplified initiative, Amy & Joshua Boger, Stephanie L. Brown, Michael & Adrianne Canning, Barbara & Amos Hostetter, Klarman Family Foundation, Lizbeth & George Krupp, Liberty Mutual Foundation, Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation, Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, Eleanor & Frank Pao, Stephen C. Perry & Oliver Radford, Rabb Family Foundations, Reuben Reynolds, Royal Little Family Foundation, Schrafft Charitable Trust, Sally S. Seaver, PhD, Jeremy Silverman & Mary Sutherland, Belinda Termeer, Susan & Michael Thonis, Dorothy Altman Weber, in memory of Stephen Weber, Anonymous (4), and many others.
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