Will set up the Marr Center for the Arts
During the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester’s annual Bright Futures Grand Drawing Gala last month, Cynthia Marr of the Robert and Cynthia Marr Charitable Foundation announced a $6.5 million donation in support of the FieldHouse+, a 75,000-square-foot enrichment and recreation facility now under construction on the Columbia Point peninsula.
Established in 2005, the foundation supports a diverse range of charitable organizations that enhance communities across Greater Boston and throughout Massachusetts. This gift carries forward the Marr family’s commitment to youth education and opportunity, which dates back to 1974 when brothers Daniel F. Marr and Robert L. Marr founded the Colonel Daniel Marr Boys’ Club of Dorchester in honor of their late father.
While the new facility will include ample outdoor space, fitness facilities, and education centers, the $6.5 million donation will create the Marr Center for the Arts inside the facility.
Robert and Cynthia Marr are shown in a 1998 photo by Bill Brett. Image supplied by BGCD
“With art programs being continuously cut, it is important to offer a new place for young people to go and explore their creativity while learning about creative arts and self-expression,” said Cynthia Marr, who serves as the foundation’s executive director. “Access to art programs like music, theater, and design is important to the development of youth and our community. In addition to athletics programming, The FieldHouse+ will be a place where creativity grows, and differences are respected.”
The facility on Mt. Vernon Street, expected to open in spring 2027, will house arts and athletics programming over the years for a countless number of teens and young people living within a three-mile radius of the site. The Marr Center will feature a teaching kitchen highlighting healthy meals and culinary arts, a professional music studio, and a fully equipped theater.
“This transformational gift from the Robert and Cynthia Marr Charitable Foundation is a game-changer for The FieldHouse+, Dorchester, and the countless community members who will enter through its doors for years to come,” said Bob Scannell, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester.
“The FieldHouse+ will be more than a building; it will be a place where youth go to realize dreams, families go to gather, and neighbors go to build community. If you’d like to join us in building Dorchester’s future, visit fieldhouseplus.org to get involved.”
