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Spotlight Series

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series

The Center for Arts at the Armory curates and produces the Spotlight Series to celebrate the diversity and culture of our community by bringing world-renowned performers, always paired with a local opening act, into our historic and intimate setting. We put the spotlight on local, national and international artists from diverse communities, and provide platforms that amplify these voices.

The series focuses on music but also includes theater and dance, as well as keynote speakers, to create immersive experiences sparking joy, inspiration, reflection, and intercultural learning. Past Spotlight Series artists have included Sweet Honey in the Rock, Rufus Wainwright, Meshell Ndegeocello, 10,000 Maniacs, Shawn Colvin, Blind Boys of Alabama, Ravi Coltrane, The Soul Rebels, John Scofield, iLe, Bill Frisell, Leyla McCalla, Lady Lamb, Lakou Mizik, Tracy Kidder & Jim O’Connell, Rodney Crowell, Bitch, Ryan Montbleau Band, BALA BILA w/Balla Kouyate and Matchume Zango, From Baghdad to Brooklyn by Michelle Azar, Wesli, Chris Pureka, David Wax Museum, Riders in the Sky, Fabiola Mรฉndez, and Acoustic Nomads.

If you are interested in sponsoring a performance or the entire series, please click here for more information.

Upcoming Spotlight Series Events


Grace Kelly

May 9, 2026

Saxophonist-singer-songwriter Grace Kelly takes the stage in May 2026 at Arts at the Armory!


Tourmaline

May 28, 2026

Artist, filmmaker, and national bestselling author Tourmaline will discuss her new book!


Tito Puente Jr. with MetaMovements

December 11, 2026

Tito Puente, Jr. and his ensemble brings exhilarating Latin rhythms that will get your feet moving.

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Mon. Sep. 27, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join queer folk and their allies for Monday night tango classes with Boston Tango teachers! Learn the social dance connecting queers around the world! No [...]
Tue. Sep. 28, 2021ย ย ย ย 
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join us in the Cafe on Tuesday, September 28th from 5pm-7pm for a concert of music for a single unaccompanied Singer, Quinn Gutman! This is [...]
Sat. Oct. 02, 2021ย ย ย ย 
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
HOLA, We are Fun Spanish ( English) on meetup open to all with a variety of social activities. We have different opportunities to learn Spanish [...]
Mon. Oct. 04, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join queer folk and their allies for Monday night tango classes with Boston Tango teachers! Learn the social dance connecting queers around the world! No [...]
Tue. Oct. 05, 2021ย ย ย ย 
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Free groceries for older people and younger people with disabilities living in senior housing, provided by Somerville-Cambridge Elder services and the Greater Boston Food Bank
Tue. Oct. 05, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
What's a SMUT SLAM? I'm so glad you asked! It's a fast-paced storytelling open mic based on REAL life, REAL lust, REAL sex. Consenting Slammers [...]
Wed. Oct. 06, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Open Armory is your chance to tap into beauty. Bring your talent, be it music, comedy, storytelling, or hula hooping. All are welcome at the [...]
Mon. Oct. 11, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join queer folk and their allies for Monday night tango classes with Boston Tango teachers! Learn the social dance connecting queers around the world! No [...]
Wed. Oct. 13, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:00 pm - 9:30 pm
The Been Out Here Teen Open Mic is holding it down at the Armory every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Bring your poems, your verses, [...]
Fri. Oct. 15, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:00 pm
A podcast, but outside. Hosted by Andrew Michaan & Cole Hersch. Objectively Best Duo Casting The Universe. Located at the Armory Hall. Friday, October 15th, [...]
Sat. Oct. 16, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Ok, Pilocase performs with Shep and Kitchen in the Cafe! Doors are at 6:30 PM, Show 7:00 - 10:00 PM. This show is FREE. Please [...]
Mon. Oct. 18, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join queer folk and their allies for Monday night tango classes with Boston Tango teachers! Learn the social dance connecting queers around the world! No [...]
Thu. Oct. 21, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Please note: this show will not take place in person at the Armory on 10/21, it will be live streamed here: https://youtu.be/S5st0pyDKTo This month's performers [...]
Fri. Oct. 22, 2021 - Sat. Oct. 23, 2021ย ย ย ย 
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Peter DiMuro/Public Displays of Motion (PDM) will be presenting the first of its QUEER CABARET, a part of PDMโ€™s Stones to Rainbows/Gay to Queer Lives [...]
Mon. Oct. 25, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join queer folk and their allies for Monday night tango classes with Boston Tango teachers! Learn the social dance connecting queers around the world! No [...]
Fri. Oct. 29, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join us in the Cafe from 7:30pm-9:30pm for Portrait In Jazz, a free jazz concert open to the public! This show is sponsored by the [...]
Sat. Oct. 30, 2021ย ย ย ย 
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Come join us for a reception of our latest exhibit in the Cafe: An Initiative of R.O.O.T. (Recognizing Our Oldest Trees)! Reception is FREE, Sat. [...]
Mon. Nov. 01, 2021ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join queer folk and their allies for Monday night tango classes with Boston Tango teachers! Learn the social dance connecting queers around the world! No [...]
Tue. Nov. 02, 2021ย ย ย ย 
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Free groceries for older people and younger people with disabilities living in senior housing, provided by Somerville-Cambridge Elder services and the Greater Boston Food Bank
Tue. Nov. 02, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
What's a SMUT SLAM? I'm so glad you asked! It's a fast-paced storytelling open mic based on REAL life, REAL lust, REAL sex. Consenting Slammers [...]
Tue. Nov. 02, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
What else is there to say besides: WE'RE BAAAAAAAACK! SMUT SLAM Boston returns November 2nd! Can you handle it?? What's a SMUT SLAM? I'm so [...]
Wed. Nov. 03, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Open Armory is your chance to tap into beauty. Bring your talent, be it music, comedy, storytelling, or hula hooping. All are welcome at the [...]
Fri. Nov. 05, 2021ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Palaver Strings joins forces with the genre-defying chamber ensemble Warp Trio to present Affirmation. This program centers music and stories that have been suppressed or [...]
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The Center for the Arts at the Armory