BOSTON (August 27, 2025)—The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), has announced the lineup for its 2025–2026 Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lectures, a longstanding series that showcases innovative voices in the arts, entertainment, and literature. The upcoming season kicks off on October 9 with actor, writer, producer, and musician Daveed Diggs, followed by food expert, television producer, and bestselling author Padma Lakshmi on November 14; acclaimed actress comedian, and writer Jenny Slate on November 21; celebrated photographer Sally Mann on February 13; and Percival Everett, author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel James, on May 14.

Tickets for all programs go on sale September 9, with discounts available for MFA members.

Daveed Diggs: Storytelling Across Stage and Screen

Thursday, October 9, 2025, 7–8 pm
$48 for members, $60 for nonmembers

Actor, writer, producer, and musician Daveed Diggs is widely known for originating the dual roles of Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette in the Broadway sensation Hamilton, for which he won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Drawing on his work on stage and screen, Diggs explores the evolving craft of storytelling across mediums. Reflecting on his experiences as an actor, writer, and producer, he considers how stories shift and resonate across audiences. This engaging conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative decisions that bring powerful narratives to life.

Padma Lakshmi: Padma’s All American

Friday, November 14, 2025, 7–8 pm
$48 for members, $60 for nonmembers

Food expert, television producer, and bestselling author Padma Lakshmi discusses her upcoming book Padma’s All American. Five years in the making, this kaleidoscopic work compiles dozens of recipes from immigrant and Indigenous communities, as well as many from Lakshmi’s own family, and shows us what really comprises American cuisine.

Jenny Slate: Lifeform

Friday, November 21, 2025, 7–8 pm
$48 for members, $60 for nonmembers

Acclaimed actress, comedian, and writer Jenny Slate is known for her roles in Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Dying for Sex. In Lifeform, Slate brings her singular voice and sharp wit to a candid exploration of what it means to exist in a complicated, tender, and often ridiculous world. In a moderated conversation that blends humor with vulnerability, Slate invites audiences into her creative process and personal journey, offering fresh insight into identity, storytelling, and the human experience.

Sally Mann: Art Work

Friday, February 13, 2026, 7–8 pm
$40 for members, $50 for nonmembers

Drawing from her new book Art Work, as well as decades of acclaimed photography, Sally Mann shares personal insights into the themes that have shaped her career—memory, place, family, mortality, and landscape. Known for her bold and poetic vision, Mann explores not only what it means to make art, but how art shapes the artist in return. She considers the artistic process in all its complexity: the doubts, the revelations, the discipline, and the moments of grace that sustain a creative life.

Percival Everett: The Art of Contemporary Fiction

Thursday, May 14, 2026, 7–8 pm
$40 for members, $50 for nonmembers

Having authored everything from revisionist westerns to crime novels and retellings of Greek mythology, Percival Everett is a master at taking well-known literary styles and tropes and flipping them on their heads to help readers view the world through creative new lenses. Audiences are invited to explore the historical events, societal issues, and literary influences that shape Everett’s wide-ranging body of work—including his Pulitzer Prize–winning novel James, which reimagines The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through the eyes of the enslaved Jim. As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, Everett’s work prompts a powerful reconsideration of the nation’s foundational narratives, inviting readers to confront the complexities of American history and identity through bold acts of literary revision and re-vision.

About the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

The MFA brings many worlds together through art. Showcasing masterpieces from ancient to contemporary, our renowned collection of more than half a million works tells a multifaceted story of the human experience—a story that holds unique meaning for everyone. From Boston locals to international travelers, visitors from across the globe come to experience the MFA. Through both art and audience, the Museum brings together diverse perspectives—revealing connections, exploring differences, creating a community where all belong. Plan your visit at mfa.org.