Author: Arts at the Armory

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents Tourmaline Thursday, May 28, 2026

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Artist, filmmaker, and national bestselling author Tourmaline will discuss her new book at Arts at the Armory in Spring 2026!

Tourmaline will discuss her new book, Marsha, published in May 2025 and the definitive biography of the revolutionary trans activist Marsha P. Johnson. It was named a National Bestseller and was selected by the New York Times for inclusion in the Nonfiction Spring Book Preview. The Harvard Bookstore will be selling copies of Marsha on the night of the event; a book signing will follow Tourmaline’s presentation.

About Tourmaline:

A Guggenheim Fellow and TIME100 Honoree, Tourmaline is an artist, filmmaker, and national bestselling author whose work spans high art and pop culture.

Tourmaline’s art is in the permanent collections of The Met, MoMA, Tate, and the Whitney, among other museums. Her influence in contemporary art has also been showcased in both the Venice Biennale and the Whitney Biennial.

Tourmaline’s award-winning films — including the critically acclaimed Happy Birthday, Marsha!; Salacia; Atlantic is a Sea of Bones; and Mary of Ill Fame — have been widely recognized for their unique blend of historical narrative and speculative futurism.

Tickets available now; get ready for an engaging book talk with Tourmaline on May 28, 2026 at Arts at the Armory in Somerville, MA.

Doors open at 7:00pm, the show begins at 8:00pm.

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Piano & Voice

Friday, October 9, 2026

Experience the unmistakable voice and songwriting of Alec Ounsworth in an intimate, piano-driven reimagining of his indie rock catalog.

Arts at the Armory welcomes Alec Ounsworth—best known as the founder of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah—to the Spotlight Stage on October 9, 2026.

Long recognized for his guitar-led performances, Ounsworth is now exploring a more pared-down approach at the piano—bringing a new level of intimacy and emotional clarity to songs that helped define the early 2000s indie scene.

As the driving force behind Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Ounsworth built a devoted following through a fiercely independent, direct-to-fan approach in the early days of music blogging and MySpace. That commitment to artistic autonomy earned admiration from artists like David Byrne and David Bowie.

Following a run of intimate European shows, this performance offers a rare opportunity to hear Ounsworth’s work reimagined—up close and in a new light.

“The holistic craftsmanship of Ounsworth’s musicality is impressive.” – Allmusic

“…the sort of live-wire creativity that keeps music careers going longer than early skeptics could have imagined.” – NPR

Tickets available now for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Piano & Voice on Friday, October 9th at Arts at the Armory. Doors open at 7:00pm, the music will start at 8:00pm with a local opener.

Tickets: $35 advance / $40 day of show. General Admission seating.

Tickets purchased for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Piano & Voice are non-refundable. All sales are final.

We strive to be a welcoming, accessible community arts space. We are delighted to announce we will join Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program.

Arts at the Armory will offer 10 free tickets (max of 2 free tickets per person) to EBT, WIC and ConnectCareholders for each Spotlight Series performance. Please contact administrator@artsatthearmory.org for more information.

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents Tito Puente, Jr.

Friday, December 11, 2026

The heir to the “King of Mambo,” continues his passionate mission to nurture his father’s magnificent Latin jazz and salsa legacy.

He has found captive audiences who echo his passion. Crowds lured to a venue by the father are returning to see the son — and to once again participate in the high voltage celebration that takes place on stage and spills onto the dance floor.

Tito Puente, Jr. and his ensemble brings exhilarating Latin rhythms that will get your feet moving. They will be joined by dancers and musicians from MetaMovements who will energize an immersive evening that will begin with complimentary dance lessons when doors open. The evening will continue with an opening set by MetaMovements’ Conjunto Obaye and their unique blend of Cuban music designed for dancing, including Afro-Cuban, Rumba, Salsa and Son. With one foot in Boston and the other in the Caribbean, MetaMovements is an artist collective advancing community engagement and well-being through music, dance and participatory cultural events.
This concert will be proudly co-presented by Ágora Cultural Architects.

Tickets available now for this exciting Spotlight offering! Doors will open for dance lessons at 7:00pm on Dec 11; live music and more dancing will begin at 8:00pm.

Tickets: $40 for General Admission (Standing Room Only). The Mezzanine and main floor will have limited tables and seating available on a first come first serve basis.

Questions? Contact Arts at the Armory at 617-718-2191 or info@artsatthearmory.org

Tickets purchased for Tito Puente Jr. are non-refundable. All sales are final.
We strive to be a welcoming, accessible community arts space. We are delighted to participate in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program.

Arts at the Armory will offer 10 free tickets (max of 2 free tickets per person) to EBT, WIC and ConnectCareholders for each Spotlight Series performance. Please contact administrator@artsatthearmory.org for more information. Ticket requests must be submitted 3 business days before an event occurs.