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cambridge & the news : then & now

May–July 2025

June 2025

Curated by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism (BINJ), this exhibition featured a collection of old newsprints as a tribute to the iconic newsstand that once operated in this space and to the history of independent publishing in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Framed archival newsprint and and an installation of hanging paper planes display at the KiOSK.

about the exhibit

the KiOSK reborn

Along with Anna Fubini’s Paper Trails, this was one of our first exhibitions. Reopened as the Cambridge KiOSK in May 2025, the building was previously home to Out of Town news, a popular newsstand featuring international publications. It only felt fitting to launch a new chapter of the space with a celebration of its past. Today, the KiOSK is a public space with year-round arts and culture programming, but its legacy as a center for information and connection lives on. And you can still buy local newspapers at the front desk!

City officials and project partners stand in front of the KiOSK on opening day, about to cut the ribbon.
Two people speak in front of an audience with their backs to the camera. One holds up a piece of newsprint as he talks.

event series

As part of the exhibition, we hosted a 6-part speaker series, including:

magical moments

A former reporter recognized their own photo in the exhibit and left with a beaming smile.

Colorful front pages from old newspapers hang in a frame as part of the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition
Colorful front pages from old newspapers hang in a frame as part of the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition
Old images of Harvard Square hang on wire grids on the left, while more recent images of what the area looks like today hang in sharp contrast on the right.
Two people speak in front of an audience with their backs to the camera. One stands and gestures as he talks.
Two people speak in front of a crowd with their backs to the camera. One gestures towards a poster resting on the wall behind them.
Two people sit in front of a listening audience, one asking the other a question.
A visitor wearing a leather jacket with the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism's logo on it stands with their back to the camera, looking at the exhibition created by that same organization.
Framed newsprint from various local publications hang on the front doors of the KiOSK as part of the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition.
An old typewriter and old newsprint copy sit on display at the KiOSK alongside a money tree plant
Visitors at the KiOSK sit on red chairs while listening to a speaker talk.
Visitors at the KiOSK sit on red chairs and talk, surrounded by white wire grids with posters.
A visitor in a pink dress looks at framed newspaper front pages on display as part of the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition
Someone drills shut a thick wooden frame displaying iconic newspaper front pages while setting up for the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition.
Colorful front pages from old newspapers hang in floating frames as part of the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition. Other framed images sit on the shelf below.
Chris Faraone and David Bieber cover a table wioth colorful front pages from old newspapers as part of the Cambridge: Then and Now exhibition
Visitors at the KiOSK sit on red chairs and talk, surrounded by white wire grids with posters. There is a table with snacks and refreshments at the back.

about the artist

The Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism supports the development and production of independent news—here at BINJ.News, our weekly magazine covering Boston and environs, and by syndicating our award-winning reporting to news outlets around Massachusetts and the nation.

BINJ achieves its mission by: providing organizational support to community publications; running reporting collaborations and civic engagement initiatives; training promising journalists; and producing bold independent journalism

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