Author: ArmoryWeb

We’re excited to share that Shannon O’Malley is our Blue Ribbon Recipient of the Month! The Blue Ribbon recognizes a staff member, volunteer or intern who has demonstrated great dedication and outstanding performance at Arts at the Armory.

Shannon has demonstrated notable dedication and work ethic leading up to the launch of ROOTED and during our first weeks of being open. She has exhibited strong leadership as she continues to take on increased responsibility for managing staff, the kitchen, ordering and inventory. It is clear that she wants ROOTED to be the best it can possibly be while supporting our staff and our community.

Shannon grew up in a small farm town in Massachusetts, called Dunstable. After high school, she moved to Bridgewater, MA, to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in English at Bridgewater State University. She graduated from BSU in 2018 with a Bachelor’s in English and a minor in Psychology. Shortly after graduation, she relocated to Somerville, where she began working part-time at The Center for Arts at the Armory.

We had a chance to catch up with Shannon and ask her a few questions…

1. What do you do at Arts at the Armory?

I am the ROOTED Cafe Manager at Arts at the Armory.

2. How long have you worked at Arts at the Armory?

I am nearing the end of my fourth year working for Arts at the Armory. I started off as Cafe and Bar staff, and was promoted to Manager in November of 2020.

3. What’s your favorite thing about working here?

I love many aspects about working at Arts at the Armory; it’s hard to choose a favorite. The most rewarding aspect of working for a community arts center is the team driven effort that goes into each and every aspect of the Armory, whether it be a performance, circus act, or small scale comedy show. The people who work to achieve these goals range from volunteers, to board members, to upper management, to Cafe staff, to the very community we are working for and with. Each person, whether they have a large impact or small, all work together towards a common goal, and without every one of them the goal would not be met in the same stride.

4. What is something you would like our community to know about you?

One thing I would like our community to know about me is how much I have learned from working alongside them at the Armory. I feel so lucky to be able to learn about conspiracy theories from a live podcast as I am bartending, to learning to play the ukulele after working “Strummerville” every Tuesday night.

The Center for Arts at the Armory has crossed a significant milestone in the organization’s history. On July 30th, we will be hosting our first major fundraising event and virtual gala as we celebrate the organization’s ten-year anniversary as a home for the arts in Somerville.

We are so grateful for our community’s ongoing support. With a $50,000 goal, this gala is another important piece of our COVID-19 recovery plan. We are relying on your continued assistance to help us “make it to the other side,” and get up and running again. Our virtual gala platform is a powerful grassroots fundraising tool that allows you to start your own fundraiser for Arts at the Armory (with the simplicity of walkathon-style fundraising). Thank you for helping us flex this muscle by reaching out to your own network and letting your contacts know why Arts at the Armory is important to you and your community.  

Program will include performances by Puerto Rican cuatro player Fabiola Mendez, Haitian contemporary dance company Jean Appolon Expressions, and Esh Circus Arts; a culinary immersion with Fork on a Road Founder Suman Shah, and a short film by Karen Aqua. Event will honor U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley MA-07 and State Representative Denise Provost.

Click here to learn more, purchase a ticket or a sponsorship, make a donation, or start your own peer-to-peer fundraiser to benefit Arts at the Armory. We invite local businesses and institutions to play an important role in this momentous occasion by becoming an event sponsor or donating an auction item, granting your business direct access to Arts at the Armory’s audience through various partnership levels detailed in the Sponsorship and Advertising Opportunities packet that can be downloaded here. Please contact Stephanie at director@artsatthearmory for more info about sponsorship and advertising opportunities.