Introducing a new venue opening in Fort Point arts neighborhood: the newly renovated Boston Lyric Opera + Community Studios announces the pairing of theatrical and culinary arts in it’s collaboration with The Catered Affair, joining a collection of cultural institution partnerships throughout Greater Boston.
Two of Boston’s Longest-Standing Cultural Institutions Join Forces with Fort Point’s New Venue
The Catered Affair Named Exclusive Catering Partner for Boston Lyric Opera’s Newly Renovated Opera + Community Studios
The Catered Affair and Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) have announced an exclusive catering and food and beverage partnership at BLO’s newly renovated Opera + Community Studios, opening March 2026 at 15 Channel Center Street in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood.
The partnership brings together two organizations with nearly a century of combined cultural stewardship in Boston. BLO is celebrating its 50th anniversary as the region’s oldest producer of opera experiences. The Catered Affair is in its 49th year of catering events at some of the city’s most significant institutions.
Opera + Community Studios occupies 16,000 square feet inside a restored historic mill building. The renovation, designed by Boston-based Flansburgh Architects, preserved the building’s original character — exposed brick, wood beams, elevated ceilings — while opening the space to new uses. It is not a conventional event venue. It is the working home of Boston Lyric Opera — a place where productions are rehearsed, collaborations take shape, and community programming happens year-round. The space was designed to be open to the city, and the private event program reflects that intention. The venue accommodates 300 guests for seated dinners and up to 500 for receptions, with capacity for 650 guests across the full space.
“BLO invested significantly to transform this building into something the city hadn’t seen before,” said Bradley Vernatter, CEO and General Director of Boston Lyric Opera. “This partnership with The Catered Affair brings the right energy and the right people into the space. Fort Point has always been a place where creative work happens. That’s exactly what we want this venue to continue.”
Fort Point’s has long been home to artists, makers, and cultural organizations.
“We’ve always believed that where you hold an event shapes what the event becomes,” said Ken Barrett-Sweet, Vice President of Catering at The Catered Affair. “Opera + Community Studios offers something we haven’t been able to offer before: a space that is genuinely alive. The building has a history, the organization has a mission, and the neighborhood has a character. We intend to honor all of that in every event we produce here.”
The Catered Affair’s portfolio of exclusive cultural venues in Boston includes Harvard Art Museums, Boston Public Library, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, and Boston Athenaeum. Opera + Community Studios adds a space with a distinct character: a working creative institution in one of the city’s most historically significant neighborhoods, now available for private events that belong in that company.
Boston Lyric Opera is the region’s oldest and most enduring producer of opera experiences. Learn more at blo.org.
Learn more about The Catered Affair at thecateredaffair.com and on social @thecateredaffair.