Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents We Black Folk Showcase

Friday, March 20, 2026

Celebrate the Boston-based movement to highlight and expand the Black folk genre.

Arts at the Armory is proud to welcome We Black Folk for a special showcase as part of our Spotlight Series. Celebrating the depth, diversity, and brilliance of Black artistry in the folk and roots music world, this curated evening brings together distinct voices including Cliff Notez, Grace Givertz, Tim Hall, Gabriella Simpkins, Dzidzor, and one more soon-to-be announced artist, each offering a unique perspective melding acoustic roots with soul, poetry, and contemporary storytelling.

Rather than presenting folk as a fixed form, We Black Folk treats it as a practice–something shaped by memory, place, and the act of gathering. Across individual sets and shared moments, the artists explore how songs carry history, how stories travel, and how community is built through sound.

Set within Arts at the Armory’s resonant hall, the evening unfolds as an invitation—to listen closely, to feel the interplay between tradition and innovation, and to experience music as a space for belonging. Intimate, expressive, and alive, this We Black Folk Showcase offers an evening of discovery and dialogue through song.

Tickets purchased for We Black Folk’s showcase are non-refundable. All sales are final.

Join Us For GLOWBALL – Somerville’s Most Illuminating Party of the Year Friday, April 10, 2026

Friday, April 10th at 7:00PM

Join Us For Somerville’s Most Illuminating Party of the Year

On Friday, April 10, 2026, GLOWBALL will transform the Armory Performance Hall into an immersive Glow-in-the-Dark Rave created by DJ WhySham with hypnotic visuals by Jay Medina, all in support of The Center for Arts at the Armory. VIP Hour starts at 7pm and General Admission starts at 8pm.

GLOWBALL is an anti-gala–there will be no speeches, formal presentations or auction. There will be pop-up performances by The House of Nahdra, AfroFuture Fashion Portal, Sean Bjerke and RHOUSE Dancers, and Circus 617. We’re thrilled to announce this year’s honorees: Ellen Waylonis, Lifetime Achievement Award; Willie Burnley Jr., Community Arts Advocate; and Wendy Jehlen, Outstanding Artist.

GLOWBALL tickets include complimentary international bites, and glow in the dark accessories and face painting by The House of Nahdra. This will surely be Somerville’s most illuminating party of 2026.

Can’t make it to GLOWBALL but still want to support Arts at the Armory and have us gift a ticket to a local artist or cultural worker? This is the ticket for you! As with all GLOWBALL tickets, we will send you a thank you note and receipt stating that 80% of your ticket purchase is a donation to The Center for Arts at the Armory.

We are counting on our community to come out for what promises to be Somerville’s most illuminating party of the year in support of advancing our mission to provide an inclusive and accessible venue that creates opportunities for artists and cultural workers, brings diverse audiences together, enriches and transforms lives, and promotes the creative economy.

Advisory: Strobe lighting and other strong lighting will be used during this event. It will not be safe for those with epilepsy and other conditions with sensitivity to light. 

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents Rufus Wainwright

Friday, April 17th at 7:00PM

Rufus Wainwright returns to Arts at the Armory for his 2026 East Coast Solo Shows!

The Center for Arts at the Armory is proud to welcome Rufus Wainwright on Friday, April 17th at 7pm as part of Arts at the Armory’s Spotlight Series.  

Praised by the New York Times for his “genuine originality,” Rufus Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation. Wainwright’s work spans 11 studio albums, landmark live recordings, collaborations across pop and classical worlds, and recent orchestral projects that confront our political and environmental moment. His songs, often exploring unrequited love and self-reflection, have made him one of the most distinctive voices of his generation.

Wainwright has received Juno Awards for Best Alternative Album in 1999 and 2002 for Rufus Wainwrightand Poses, and nominations for his albums Want Two (2005) and Release the Stars (2008). He was nominated for Songwriter of the Year in 2008 for his Release the Stars album. He also composed the original music for choreographer Stephen Petronio’s work BLOOM which has toured across the country.

Musically Rufus has collaborated with artists including Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Miley Cyrus, David Byrne, Boy George, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Joni Mitchell. 

In 2024 Wainwright completed Dream Requiem which premiered with the Orchestre Philharmonique de la Radio France. Dream Requiem started as an idea in Wainwright’s mind, and came to fruition during the Covid pandemic. The project draws inspiration from Lord Byron’s poem “Darkness” and examines the critical moment we are in environmentally and politically.

Join us on April 17, 2026 for an intimate concert with Rufus Wainwright on the Performance Hall stage at Arts at the Armory. Doors open at 7:00 PM, the concert will start at 8:00 PM.

Tickets: $65 for General Admission seating

Tickets purchased for Rufus Wainwright 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.