Kamal Begins Tenure as WCC Curator

Yasmina Kamal has officially begun her duties as curator of the Winthrop Cultural Center located on the first floor at E.B. Newton School Building on Pauline Street.

The Cultural Center consists of the Clock Tower Art Gallery, the Winthrop Heritage Room, the Lyceum, a meeting room, a kitchen administrative offices, and a soon-to-be-opened library room.

The Heritage Room will showcase Winthrop’s history. A model of the Old Narrow Gauge Train System is located in the room. The Lyceum has seating for 40-50 people and a sound system. A concert was held in the room last week.

“My duties are to coordinate with local organizations to develop programming for the center,” said Kamal. “We’re hoping to start art classes and workshops, adult educational courses, and language groups – I’m still open to ideas.”

Kamal is an artist, singer and a musician who plays the piano and trombone. Those talents equip her well for her new position.

Kamal talked with residents about her plans for the center at a meet-and-greet reception in her honor Tuesday afternoon.

“I have a lot of ideas and a vision for this space,” said Kamal. “Having a musical background I’m really hoping to incorporate a lot of performances here. I’m hoping for this to be a place where people in Winthrop can come and have access to the arts because I know it can be hard sometimes to find a place where people can experience the arts and develop their own artistic abilities. I’m hoping the center can be a great resource for the community.”

Kamal grew up in a small town in Vermont on the U.S.-Canadian border. She will complete her studies in Arts Administration at Simmons College in January.

Kamal speaks four languages: English, French, Arabic, and Wolof (African dialects). “My mother is from Maine and my father is from Senegal in West Africa. He’s Lebanese but his family migrated to Senegal. I’ve been to Senegal and it’s hot, but it’s really nice, though.”