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Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series

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 Méndez, 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

Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents We Black Folk Showcase
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We Black Folk Showcase

March 20, 2026

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

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

April 27, 2026

An intimate concert with one of the most distinctive voices of his generation.

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Grace Kelly
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Grace Kelly

May 9, 2026

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

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Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents Tourmaline
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Tourmaline

May 28, 2026

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

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Tito Puente, Jr. and dancers musicians from MetaMovements
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Tito Puente Jr. with MetMovements

December 11, 2026

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

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Search Events

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SCES Brown Bag Program
Tue. Oct. 03, 2023    
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
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Smut Slam
Tue. Oct. 03, 2023    
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 [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Oct. 04, 2023    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, [...]
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BB Presents: Two Girls One Ghost
Thu. Oct. 05, 2023    
7:30 pm
For six years Corinne and Sabrina of Two Girls One Ghost Podcast have researched and discussed hundreds of haunted places they were too afraid to [...]
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Dana Westover
Fri. Oct. 06, 2023    
7:00 pm
Dana Westover is a composer/performer who currently makes his home in the Boston area. From a childhood in southeastern Kentucky to a long stint as [...]
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BB Presents: Who? Weekly
Fri. Oct. 06, 2023    
7:30 pm
Everything you need to know about the celebrities you don't. A podcast hosted by Bobby Finger & Lindsey Weber. Each week, Bobby and Lindsey delve [...]
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Mike Massé
Sat. Oct. 07, 2023    
6:00 pm
Mike Massé returns to Arts at the Armory in Somerville for an evening of Epic Acoustic Classic Rock. Join Mike Massé for this intimate evening [...]
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Somerville Songwriter Sessions
Sat. Oct. 07, 2023    
7:30 pm
Somerville Songwriter Sessions at the Armory Cafe present a live, in-person concert with Ella McDonald, Dave Dersham, and Sam Bayer. The evening will begin at 7:30 with an open mic, [...]
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Home Buying 101: First Time Home Buying Seminar
Tue. Oct. 10, 2023    
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Set yourself up for success with either of two seminars designed for first time home buyers. Learn how to navigate the local real estate market—whatever [...]
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City of Somerville’s Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) Climate Forward
Wed. Oct. 11, 2023    
6:30 pm
Join us to learn about how and why the City is updating its climate action plan and provide input on areas of everyday life in [...]
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Tunefoolery Coffee House
Wed. Oct. 11, 2023    
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Tunefoolery Music is a non-profit organization for musicians in mental health recovery.
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BB Presents: Hilarie Burton & Alice Hoffman
Thu. Oct. 12, 2023    
6:00 pm
An Evening with Alice Hoffman & Hilarie Burton Presenting The Invisible Hour & Grimoire Girl This event is SOLD OUT. Doors open at 6:00PM, the [...]
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Pub Sing
Thu. Oct. 12, 2023    
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Join in with chorus songs that are easy to learn and fun to sing
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New England Acro Festival
Fri. Oct. 13, 2023    
11:30 am - 6:00 pm
We are excited to welcome you to the first New England AcroFest (NEAF). Founded by Sarah Feinberg & Liticia Avery, NEAF was born out of [...]
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Theatre@First Presents: Arsenic and Old Lace
Fri. Oct. 13, 2023    
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Join us for a screening of Frank Capra's Arsenic and Old Lace to promote Theatre@First's November play, Web of Murder. $10 Suggested Donation Theatre@First is [...]
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New England Acro Festival
Sat. Oct. 14, 2023    
9:00 am - 10:30 pm
We are excited to welcome you to the first New England AcroFest (NEAF). Founded by Sarah Feinberg & Liticia Avery, NEAF was born out of [...]
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Jael Whitney Cafe Exhibit Reception
Sat. Oct. 14, 2023    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Glitch Art by Jael Whitney (@w3rmwood) Join us for a reception with the artist at ROOTED Cafe. Artist's Statement: Jael Whitney is a member of [...]
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Aster's Laboratory: An Experimental Drag Show
Sat. Oct. 14, 2023    
7:00 pm
An intimate evening of spooky, scary, odd, bizarre and/or otherwise "experimental" drag! Aster R*sk - arguably the most adored drag performer in the greater Boston area [...]
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New England Acro Festival
Sun. Oct. 15, 2023    
9:00 am - 5:45 pm
We are excited to welcome you to the first New England AcroFest (NEAF). Founded by Sarah Feinberg & Liticia Avery, NEAF was born out of [...]
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Esther Friedman, Janet Feld and Carrie Buddington, with special guest artist Jackie Damsky
Sun. Oct. 15, 2023    
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Celebrate the Power of Words and Music. Please join us for an extraordinary celebration with a joint book release and concert featuring authors Esther Friedman, [...]
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The Bowery Presents: This Paranormal Life - Flat World Tour
Mon. Oct. 16, 2023    
6:30 pm
The Chart-Topping and Award-Winning Comedy Podcast! All ages are welcome. Tickets: $30 Advance, $35 Day of Doors open at 6:30 PM Event begins at 7:30 [...]
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[CANCELED] Trading Up: Managing a Buy-Sell Seminar
Tue. Oct. 17, 2023    
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
This event is canceled, we apologize for the short notice. Learn how to navigate the special challenges that come with buying a new home while [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Oct. 18, 2023    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Oct. 18, 2023    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Four songwriters, trading songs and swapping stories. And you have a front row seat. Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They [...]
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You Did This: Unscripted Stories of Horror and Dread
Fri. Oct. 20, 2023    
7:00 pm
Immerse yourself in the sinister, the uncanny, and the cosmically terrifying. Start your Halloween season with an evening of unscripted stories of horror and dread. [...]
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Dark Exhalation
Fri. Oct. 20, 2023    
7:30 pm
Dark Exhalation is a new multimedia chamber opera composed by Amber Vistein with visuals by Hogan Seidel and is supported by OPERA America, New Music USA, [...]
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ONCE presents: Halloween Kick Off Cover Extravaganza II
Sat. Oct. 21, 2023    
7:00 pm
Halloween is coming! Gretchen Shae, of Gretchen and the Banshees, has rounded up the most ghoulish of post punk cover bands to kick off the [...]
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Collage and Sip Fundraiser
Sun. Oct. 22, 2023    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
A FUN(d)-raising event for detritus dance Unleash your creativity while enjoying a drink or two at Collage and Sip, a a donation-based event to raise [...]
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B.L.O.W.W. Presents: BLOWWLOWEEN VI
Sun. Oct. 22, 2023    
6:00 pm
BLOWW goes broke! In this smoldering capitalist hellscape, there's nothing scarier than financial insecurity! Come watch the Boston League of Wicked Wrestlers try to hold [...]
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You Did This: Unscripted Stories of Horror and Dread
Sun. Oct. 22, 2023    
7:00 pm
Immerse yourself in the sinister, the uncanny, and the cosmically terrifying. Start your Halloween season with an evening of unscripted stories of horror and dread. [...]
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Jayme Horne Exhibition
Mon. Oct. 23, 2023 - Sun. Nov. 26, 2023    
All Day
"It Came From the Closet" by Jayme Horne at Rooted Armory Café on view October 23 to November 26, 2023. You are invited to view artwork by [...]
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Building Wealth through Real Estate Investing Seminar
Tue. Oct. 24, 2023    
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Learn how to navigate the local real estate market—whatever your goals. Elevate your investment acumen and learn how to use real estate to build equity [...]
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The Moth: Boston StorySLAM
Tue. Oct. 24, 2023    
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Join us the fourth Tuesday of each month for the Boston Moth StorySLAM! This community-focused, open-mic storytelling competition is open to anyone can share a [...]
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Strummerville Ukulele Club
Wed. Oct. 25, 2023    
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Grab your uke and join us as we sing and strum the hits! All levels welcome, from beginners to seasoned hands.
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Nick Shoulders and the Okay Crawdad
Wed. Oct. 25, 2023    
7:00 pm
All Bad, the latest album from Nick Shoulders, ultimately encapsulates everything that makes Shoulders’ inimitable form of country music so vital: a heady balance of [...]
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Jayme Edward Horne Cafe Exhibit Reception
Sat. Oct. 28, 2023    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Join us for a reception with artist Jayme Edward Horne at ROOTED Cafe. Jayme Horne is a Boston based artist and art historian. His work [...]
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Cafe Raqs
Sat. Oct. 28, 2023    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Cafe Raqs is a place for New England's belly dancers of all styles and levels to perform in a fun, professional, and supportive environment! The [...]
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Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents: Fabiola Méndez
Sun. Oct. 29, 2023    
5:00 pm
Arts at the Armory is delighted to welcome back cuatro player, singer, composer, and educator Fabiola Méndez as a headliner to our Spotlight Series. Her [...]
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Adam and Carlos do Half Hours!
Sun. Oct. 29, 2023    
7:30 pm
New York comics Adam Mitrani and Carlos Nolla bring their half hours to Somerville! Opening sets by Claire Siemietkowski and Alan Moreau! Buy your tickets [...]
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ROOTED Armory Cafe Presents: Skele-bration!
Tue. Oct. 31, 2023    
6:00 pm
We’re celebrating the spooky season with a Halloween Skele-bration! Join us on October 31st at 6pm for games, delights, and haunting frights! We’ll be creeping [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Nov. 01, 2023    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM Four songwriters take the stage, seated in a comfortable semi-circle. They take turns playing songs, [...]
More Info
Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Nov. 01, 2023    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
The day after Halloween needs a name. You know how the day after Christmas is Boxing Day? Where everyone dons gloves and steps into the [...]
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BB Presents: Erin French: Big Heart Little Stove [Sold Out]
Thu. Nov. 02, 2023    
7:00 pm
Please note this event is SOLD OUT.   Big Heart Little Stove is your new go-to inspiration for cooking thoughtful and meaningful, yet refreshingly simple [...]
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ROOTED Cafe Music Series Presents: Rachel Sumner
Fri. Nov. 03, 2023    
8:00 pm
Arts at the Armory's Rooted Armory Cafe will present the NEW Rooted Music Series beginning in November 2023! Rachel Sumner will kick off the series [...]
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Amer Zahr Comedy Show: The Uncivilized Truth
Fri. Nov. 03, 2023    
8:00 pm
Amer Zahr is a Palestinian Arab American comedian, speaker, writer, academic, and adjunct professor at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He draws on [...]
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Events on Tue. Oct. 03, 2023
SCES Brown Bag Program
3 Oct 23
Smut Slam
3 Oct 23
Events on Wed. Oct. 04, 2023
Songwriters in the Round
4 Oct 23
Events on Thu. Oct. 05, 2023
BB Presents: Two Girls One Ghost
5 Oct 23
Events on Fri. Oct. 06, 2023
Dana Westover
6 Oct 23
BB Presents: Who? Weekly
6 Oct 23
Events on Sat. Oct. 07, 2023
Mike Massé
7 Oct 23
Somerville Songwriter Sessions
7 Oct 23
Events on Tue. Oct. 10, 2023
Home Buying 101: First Time Home Buying Seminar
10 Oct 23
Events on Wed. Oct. 11, 2023
City of Somerville’s Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) Climate Forward
11 Oct 23
Tunefoolery Coffee House
11 Oct 23
Events on Thu. Oct. 12, 2023
BB Presents: Hilarie Burton & Alice Hoffman
12 Oct 23
Pub Sing
12 Oct 23
Events on Fri. Oct. 13, 2023
New England Acro Festival
13 Oct 23
Theatre@First Presents: Arsenic and Old Lace
13 Oct 23
Events on Sat. Oct. 14, 2023
New England Acro Festival
14 Oct 23
Jael Whitney Cafe Exhibit Reception
14 Oct 23
Aster's Laboratory: An Experimental Drag Show
14 Oct 23
Events on Sun. Oct. 15, 2023
New England Acro Festival
15 Oct 23
Esther Friedman, Janet Feld and Carrie Buddington, with special guest artist Jackie Damsky
15 Oct 23
Events on Mon. Oct. 16, 2023
The Bowery Presents: This Paranormal Life - Flat World Tour
16 Oct 23
Events on Tue. Oct. 17, 2023
[CANCELED] Trading Up: Managing a Buy-Sell Seminar
17 Oct 23
Events on Wed. Oct. 18, 2023
Songwriters in the Round
18 Oct 23
Songwriters in the Round
18 Oct 23
Events on Fri. Oct. 20, 2023
You Did This: Unscripted Stories of Horror and Dread
20 Oct 23
Dark Exhalation
20 Oct 23
Events on Sat. Oct. 21, 2023
ONCE presents: Halloween Kick Off Cover Extravaganza II
21 Oct 23
Events on Sun. Oct. 22, 2023
Collage and Sip Fundraiser
22 Oct 23
B.L.O.W.W. Presents: BLOWWLOWEEN VI
22 Oct 23
You Did This: Unscripted Stories of Horror and Dread
22 Oct 23
Events on Mon. Oct. 23, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Events on Tue. Oct. 24, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Building Wealth through Real Estate Investing Seminar
24 Oct 23
The Moth: Boston StorySLAM
24 Oct 23
Events on Wed. Oct. 25, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Strummerville Ukulele Club
25 Oct 23
Nick Shoulders and the Okay Crawdad
25 Oct 23
Events on Thu. Oct. 26, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Events on Fri. Oct. 27, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Events on Sat. Oct. 28, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Jayme Edward Horne Cafe Exhibit Reception
28 Oct 23
Cafe Raqs
28 Oct 23
Events on Sun. Oct. 29, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Arts at the Armory Spotlight Series Presents: Fabiola Méndez
29 Oct 23
Adam and Carlos do Half Hours!
29 Oct 23
Events on Mon. Oct. 30, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Events on Tue. Oct. 31, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
ROOTED Armory Cafe Presents: Skele-bration!
31 Oct 23
Events on Wed. Nov. 01, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
Songwriters in the Round
1 Nov 23
Songwriters in the Round
1 Nov 23
Events on Thu. Nov. 02, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
BB Presents: Erin French: Big Heart Little Stove [Sold Out]
2 Nov 23
Events on Fri. Nov. 03, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23
ROOTED Cafe Music Series Presents: Rachel Sumner
3 Nov 23
Amer Zahr Comedy Show: The Uncivilized Truth
3 Nov 23
Events on Sat. Nov. 04, 2023
Jayme Horne Exhibition
23 Oct 23

Upcoming Events

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