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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 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


We Black Folk Showcase

March 20, 2026

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


Rufus Wainwright

April 27, 2026

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


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 MetMovements

December 11, 2026

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

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Sun. May. 26, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH!
Sun. May. 26, 2024    
7:00 pm
Doors open at 7:00 PM Show begins at 8:00 PM
Mon. May. 27, 2024    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The Orchestra Book Club returns to the Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville for a thrilling concert exploring themes and variations in classical [...]
Thu. May. 30, 2024    
7:00 pm
Get To The Gig Boston & MassConcerts presents: The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die with special guests [...]
Fri. May. 31, 2024    
3:00 pm - 8:30 pm
CENTER FOR ARABIC CULTURE PRESENTS: CAC 11th Annual Festival & Bookfair Learn More
Fri. May. 31, 2024    
8:00 pm
The Nova Comedy Collective is a brand new theater group committed to creating new spaces and shows for the Boston comedy community to flourish. Rising from [...]
Sun. Jun. 02, 2024    
9:00 am - 5:30 pm
Herbstalk brings together local herbalists, farmers, medicine makers, teachers, healers and artists who come to share their knowledge, products and passion with one another. Join [...]
Tue. Jun. 04, 2024    
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. Jun. 04, 2024    
7:00 pm
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT! Join us for an evening with Ramit Sethi! Presented by Live Nation. Host of Netflix’s “How To Get Rich,” NYT [...]
Tue. Jun. 04, 2024    
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. Jun. 05, 2024    
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, [...]
Fri. Jun. 07, 2024    
7:30 pm
Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 5th at 10:00 AM Get tickets now! Kristina Kuzmic is a cheerleader for her fellow humans. It’s not [...]
Fri. Jun. 07, 2024    
8:00 pm
RSVP now! Stacie Cassarino's most recent collection, Each Luminous Thing (Persea Books, 2023) won the Lexi Rudnitsky Editor's Choice Award, and was recommended by the [...]
Sat. Jun. 08, 2024    
11:30 am - 9:00 pm
School of Rock Watertown presents their Spring Season Show featuring bands from all different age groups through adults. Admission is free and open to the [...]
Sat. Jun. 08, 2024    
7:30 pm
Get tickets now! Title: WYRD (Taylor's Version) Unfortunately WYRD: Queer Comedy Inspired by the occult is cancelled this month because the rights to the show [...]
Sun. Jun. 09, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH!
Sun. Jun. 09, 2024    
11:30 am - 9:00 pm
School of Rock Watertown presents their Spring Season Show featuring bands from all different age groups through adults. Admission is free and open to the [...]
Sun. Jun. 09, 2024    
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Details TBA
Wed. Jun. 12, 2024    
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Tunefoolery Music is a non-profit organization for musicians in mental health recovery.
Thu. Jun. 13, 2024    
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Join in with chorus songs that are easy to learn and fun to sing
Fri. Jun. 14, 2024    
7:30 pm
Saint Boneface, a collective of classical musicians seeking to break down boundaries between the general public and "high art," present David Lang's Death Speaks. Saint [...]
Sun. Jun. 16, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH!
Sun. Jun. 16, 2024    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Join Mark Solomon, a Hollywood animation editor at the Rooted Cafe who will talk about his new book "Over the Shoulder: A Freelancer's Guide to [...]
Sun. Jun. 16, 2024    
7:00 pm
Doors 6:00 pm Show 7:00 pm All Fantasy Everything is a show where funny people and experts come together to fantasy draft pop culture, from [...]
Sun. Jun. 16, 2024    
7:00 pm
The Bean Tones are an acclaimed vocal jazz quartet that fuses the vocal stylings of The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Lo's and The Beach Boys. Consisting [...]
Wed. Jun. 19, 2024    
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, [...]
Thu. Jun. 20, 2024    
6:30 pm
Boston Poly Speed Dating event for non-monogamous people. Poly Speed Dating's mission is to make inclusive and safe speed dating events that work for all [...]
Fri. Jun. 21, 2024    
7:00 pm
Kick off the summer with us as we bring the family celebration to Somerville! Experience the ultimate underground party at the Armory! Doors 7:00 pm [...]
Fri. Jun. 21, 2024    
8:00 pm
Jonathan Anderson brings his hottest and funniest friends in Boston comedy to do their best standup bits and he’s got follow up questions! Comedian Jonathan [...]
Sat. Jun. 22, 2024    
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Join us for the Closing Reception for i'll disappear for a while now (can you find me), the art exhibition by Kierra LoRayne on view [...]
Sat. Jun. 22, 2024    
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 [...]
Sat. Jun. 22, 2024    
7:00 pm
Join us at Arts at the Armory’s Spotlight Series on June 22nd for an exquisite evening featuring the critically acclaimed Grammy nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and [...]
Sun. Jun. 23, 2024    
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sun. Jun. 23, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH!
Sun. Jun. 23, 2024    
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Voice Studio: www.celiaslatterystudio.com Booking Info: www.celiaslatterymusic.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/celiaslattery
Sun. Jun. 23, 2024    
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Monthly DJ’d dance event! We are a diverse and inclusive community of dancers united by our love of Swing dance. Balboa originated in Southern California [...]
Mon. Jun. 24, 2024    
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Fill out this form to join us for a free dance workshop with Dobet Gnahoré in the Arts at the Armory Performance Hall on Monday, [...]
Tue. Jun. 25, 2024    
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Tonight's theme… BAGGAGE: Prepare a five-minute story about the things we carry.  Personal belongings, long-held ideas, that ex who lingers years later. Suitcases, trunks, purses and [...]
Wed. Jun. 26, 2024    
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.
Wed. Jun. 26, 2024    
6:30 pm
Somerville for Palestine and IfNotNow Boston are excited to co-host a screening and panel discussion of the nationally acclaimed documentary film Israelism at the Armory on [...]
Thu. Jun. 27, 2024    
6:00 pm
Somerville queer, non-binary, and neurodivergent poet Joey Phoenix (they/them) is releasing their debut chapbook of poetry, Unearthing, this June! Join Joey and their friends on June 27th [...]
Thu. Jun. 27, 2024    
7:00 pm
Arts at the Armory is delighted to welcome Afropop sensation, Dobet Gnahoré, to the Spotlight Series stage! Get tickets now! With her majestic voice, fierce [...]
Sat. Jun. 29, 2024    
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Sat. Jun. 29, 2024    
6:00 pm
BLOWWlympics: The Bradlees Backlot Games Get tickets now! In the heart of every athlete beats a cadence of drive—the flame of aspiration. Now, they gather [...]
Sun. Jun. 30, 2024    
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
ROOTED Armory Café is the place to be for SUNDAY BRUNCH!
Tue. Jul. 02, 2024    
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. Jul. 02, 2024    
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. Jul. 03, 2024    
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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Upcoming Events

The Center for the Arts at the Armory