A new performing arts center is opening in Kendall Square—and its first public celebration will take the entertainment outside, onto the building itself.
A new performing arts center is opening in Kendall Square—and its first public celebration will take the entertainment outside, onto the building itself.
The Platform, a 45,000-square-foot cultural destination at 585 Kendall, will host a free opening-day celebration Saturday, November 7, from noon–4 PM. The lineup includes live music, participatory dance, and two performances by BANDALOOP, whose dancers will move across the building’s exterior while suspended from the roof.
Watch dancers turn the side of a building into a stage
BANDALOOP’s outdoor performances are scheduled for 12:30 PM and 3 PM, giving visitors two opportunities to watch the vertical dance company in action.
Inside, regional artists will perform throughout the new venue. The afternoon’s lineup includes Malian master drummer Sidy Maiga, musicians from Kendall Square Orchestra, local artist Ella Faye, and Millennium Gospel Choir.
Visitors can also join a Bhangra dance-along with The Bollywood Dance x Purnima, hear Balinese gamelan music from Gamelan Galak Tika, and catch the mobile entertainment of A Trike Called Funk.
A new home for live performance in Cambridge
Occupying the first three floors of 585 Kendall, The Platform includes the 400-seat Takeda Theater and the 125-seat, cabaret-style Tempo Stage.
Beyond the performance spaces, the venue features a rehearsal studio and a ground-floor commons open to the public, with a café and indoor gardens.
Developed by BioMed Realty in collaboration with Global Arts Live, the center is designed to help address Greater Boston’s shortage of midsize performance venues. Global Arts Live will program approximately one-third of its events, with the remaining availability offered to the broader arts and culture community.
Local arts groups will receive rent-free access
The Platform will offer 25 rent-free nights each year to local community arts and culture groups through an application process based on resource need.
Opening day will also feature a commissioned poem by Jean Dany Joachim, Cambridge’s Poet Populist from 2009–2011. The celebrations continue Saturday evening with Compagnie Hervé Koubi’s first public performance at the venue, separate from the free afternoon festivities.
Plan your visit
- Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Free opening celebration: Noon–4 PM
- BANDALOOP performances: 12:30 PM and 3 PM
- Location: The Platform at 585 Kendall, Cambridge
The free afternoon offers a first look inside the new arts center—with a reason to look up before heading through the doors.
