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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

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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Queer Tango Boston
Mon. Aug. 01, 2022    
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 [...]
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SCES Brown Bag Program
Tue. Aug. 02, 2022    
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. Aug. 02, 2022    
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. Aug. 03, 2022    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM We have a very special Songwriters in the Round planned for August 3. Thea Hopkins is a nationally recognized songwriter [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Aug. 03, 2022    
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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Boar's Tooth Fencing Tournament 2022
Fri. Aug. 05, 2022 - Sun. Aug. 07, 2022    
All Day
Boston Armizare is bringing back their annual competitive historical fencing event. This time it will be bigger and better than ever with classes, games, and [...]
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Queer Tango Boston
Mon. Aug. 08, 2022    
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 [...]
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Sara Caswell with Eric Byers, David Thorne Scott, and Mark Shilansky
Fri. Aug. 12, 2022    
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sara Caswell, a 2018 Grammy nominee for “Best Jazz Improvised Solo,” is a rising jazz star with multiple recordings as a leader, as a member [...]
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Audrey Diallo Exhibition Opening
Sat. Aug. 13, 2022    
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Exhibition Opening by Audrey Diallo Born in the nineteen-seventies in Berlin, Germany to an American mother and German father, Audrey  Diallo spent her entire life [...]
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Hey Siri's Summer Party
Sat. Aug. 13, 2022    
6:00 pm - 10:30 pm
The Meetup Group “Hey Siri, How Do I Make Friends After College” is throwing a HUGE SUMMER PARTY at “Arts At The Armory” in Somerville. [...]
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Queer Tango Boston
Mon. Aug. 15, 2022    
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 [...]
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First and Last Word Poetry
Tue. Aug. 16, 2022    
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Doors 6:30 pm. Third Tuesday of every month, with different featured poets each time, and a chance to read your own work during the open-mic section [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Aug. 17, 2022    
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
1st & 3rd Wednesdays at ROOTED Cafe at 7 PM For Songwriters in the Round on August 17 we have some performers just dripping in honorifics. Susan Cattaneo’s most recent [...]
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Songwriters in the Round
Wed. Aug. 17, 2022    
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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Boston Security Meetup
Thu. Aug. 18, 2022    
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
The Boston area has one of the most diverse information security ecosystems in the world. Over the past several years our local community has been [...]
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Red Cross Blood Drive
Fri. Aug. 19, 2022    
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The Red Cross’s regular blood drive returns to the Armory. Please consider donating!
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Floor Lords Breakdancing Anniversary Show
Sun. Aug. 21, 2022    
3:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Floor Lords returns with a 3 vs 3 breakdancing competition! After two years Floor Lords Anniversary is back! Come celebrate 41 years with Boston’s original [...]
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Queer Tango Boston
Mon. Aug. 22, 2022    
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 [...]
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The Moth: Boston StorySLAM
Tue. Aug. 23, 2022    
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. Aug. 24, 2022    
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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Queer Theatre Project
Fri. Aug. 26, 2022    
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Doors open 7:30PM.
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Out Loud - A Very Queer Open Mic
Fri. Aug. 26, 2022    
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Cathartic Care invites everyone to come and share your talents with the community at the Armory Café! Get dressed up and come show off. Dance, [...]
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Queer Theatre Project
Sat. Aug. 27, 2022    
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Doors open 12:00 PM.
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BIDA: Spark in the Dark
Sat. Aug. 27, 2022    
7:00 pm - 10:30 pm
BIDA is back with another Spark in the Dark! Come join us for a special contra dance with live electronic-acoustic music and club lighting (glowy [...]
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CANCELED - Old Time Good Time with The Lowdown Hoedowners
Sat. Aug. 27, 2022    
7:30 pm
Unfortunately, this event has been cancelled.
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Queer Tango Boston
Mon. Aug. 29, 2022    
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 [...]
More Info
Events on Mon. Aug. 01, 2022
Queer Tango Boston
1 Aug 22
Events on Tue. Aug. 02, 2022
SCES Brown Bag Program
2 Aug 22
Smut Slam
2 Aug 22
Events on Wed. Aug. 03, 2022
Songwriters in the Round
3 Aug 22
Songwriters in the Round
3 Aug 22
Events on Fri. Aug. 05, 2022
Boar's Tooth Fencing Tournament 2022
5 Aug 22
Events on Sat. Aug. 06, 2022
Boar's Tooth Fencing Tournament 2022
5 Aug 22
Events on Sun. Aug. 07, 2022
Boar's Tooth Fencing Tournament 2022
5 Aug 22
Events on Mon. Aug. 08, 2022
Queer Tango Boston
8 Aug 22
Events on Fri. Aug. 12, 2022
Sara Caswell with Eric Byers, David Thorne Scott, and Mark Shilansky
12 Aug 22
Events on Sat. Aug. 13, 2022
Audrey Diallo Exhibition Opening
13 Aug 22
Hey Siri's Summer Party
13 Aug 22
Events on Mon. Aug. 15, 2022
Queer Tango Boston
15 Aug 22
Events on Tue. Aug. 16, 2022
First and Last Word Poetry
16 Aug 22
Events on Wed. Aug. 17, 2022
Songwriters in the Round
17 Aug 22
Songwriters in the Round
17 Aug 22
Events on Thu. Aug. 18, 2022
Boston Security Meetup
18 Aug 22
Events on Fri. Aug. 19, 2022
Red Cross Blood Drive
19 Aug 22
Events on Sun. Aug. 21, 2022
Floor Lords Breakdancing Anniversary Show
21 Aug 22
Events on Mon. Aug. 22, 2022
Queer Tango Boston
22 Aug 22
Events on Tue. Aug. 23, 2022
The Moth: Boston StorySLAM
23 Aug 22
Events on Wed. Aug. 24, 2022
Strummerville Ukulele Club
24 Aug 22
Events on Fri. Aug. 26, 2022
Queer Theatre Project
26 Aug 22
Out Loud - A Very Queer Open Mic
26 Aug 22
Events on Sat. Aug. 27, 2022
Queer Theatre Project
27 Aug 22
BIDA: Spark in the Dark
27 Aug 22
CANCELED - Old Time Good Time with The Lowdown Hoedowners
27 Aug 22
Events on Mon. Aug. 29, 2022
Queer Tango Boston
29 Aug 22

Upcoming Events

The Center for the Arts at the Armory