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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


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. Jul. 30, 2023ย ย ย ย 
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Tickets go on sale June 30th on Eventbrite! The Boston Orchestra Book Club is the Greater Boston areaโ€™s newest community orchestra, dedicated to creating community [...]
Sun. Jul. 30, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
โ€‹Come learn about and celebrate launch of Round 3 of Impetus Grants. Zero interest rates went away, but risky science funding is here to stay! [...]
Tue. Aug. 01, 2023ย 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. Aug. 01, 2023ย ย ย ย 
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeet Keep the Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival [...]
Tue. Aug. 01, 2023ย ย ย ย 
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeetย Keepย theย Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival that CAA is [...]
Tue. Aug. 01, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:15 pm - 7:15 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeetย Keepย theย Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival that CAA is [...]
Tue. Aug. 01, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:15 pm - 7:15 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeetย Keepย theย Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival that CAA is [...]
Tue. Aug. 01, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeet Keep the Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival [...]
Tue. Aug. 01, 2023ย 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. Aug. 01, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeetย Keepย theย Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival that CAA is [...]
Wed. Aug. 02, 2023ย ย ย ย 
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeet Keep the Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival [...]
Wed. Aug. 02, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:15 pm - 7:15 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeet Keep the Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival [...]
Wed. Aug. 02, 2023ย ย ย ย 
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, [...]
Wed. Aug. 02, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeet Keep the Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival [...]
Thu. Aug. 03, 2023ย ย ย ย 
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeet Keep the Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival [...]
Fri. Aug. 04, 2023ย ย ย ย 
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeetย Keepย theย Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival that CAA is [...]
Fri. Aug. 04, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm
The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) heats up the stage this summer with โ€œFeetย Keepย theย Beatโ€โ€“a new annual multicultural percussive dance festival that CAA is [...]
Sat. Aug. 05, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
All are invited to join us in a highly uplifting and fun-loving evening of varied musical styled performances from musicians in the Greater Boston region. [...]
Sat. Aug. 05, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm
Dancers, theater-goers, lovers of the art form! Our world-class faculty will be joining forces with local guest artistsย to bringย a jam-packed performance to our beloved city!
Tue. Aug. 08, 2023ย 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. Aug. 09, 2023ย ย ย ย 
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Join ASPIRE & the AAWIL Conference Team for an Open Mic Night by Asian American Womxn Leaders on Shaping the World! Asian Sisters Participating in [...]
Wed. Aug. 09, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Tunefoolery Music is a non-profit organization for musicians in mental health recovery.
Thu. Aug. 10, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Join in with chorus songs that are easy to learn and fun to sing
Fri. Aug. 11, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm
One night only! All the way from New Orleans, Playdoh Puppet Productions presents a very Boston musical...with Puppets! TEASER: A peaceful village is crushed under [...]
Sat. Aug. 12, 2023ย ย ย ย 
2:00 pm
Thoughts on Letterpress Printing The first time I remember seeing type being set was while watching the TV series Gunsmoke in the 1960s.ย  The printer [...]
Sat. Aug. 12, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:00 pm
HUGE SUMMER PARTY at โ€œArts At The Armoryโ€ in Somerville. This is a FREE EVENT! There will be drinks, snacks, lights, music, dancing, socializing, good [...]
Sun. Aug. 13, 2023 - Sun. Sep. 17, 2023ย ย ย ย 
All Day
Exhibition by Laura Scheuerell at Rooted Armory Cafe on view August 13 to September 17, 2023. You are invited to view artwork by Laura Scheuerell [...]
Sun. Aug. 13, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm - 11:00 pm
The City of Somerville, The Somerville Arts Council, and The Brazilian Theater of Boston present: BRASIL: The Land of Samba by Edel Holz Sunday, August [...]
Tue. Aug. 15, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:00 pm
On Tuesday, August 15 from 7-9pm, the Center for Arts at the Armory will be hosting a community meeting during which we will: share our [...]
Wed. Aug. 16, 2023ย ย ย ย 
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, [...]
Wed. Aug. 16, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm
Sound Machine is a new electric jazz fusion group formed by Eric Smith. The band performs original, exploratory compositions with an emphasis on soundscapes and [...]
Thu. Aug. 17, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm
You are invited to join in on a Serenity Circle, an open mic event on suicide prevention, offered on Thursday, August 17th from 6:30PM-8:30PM EST [...]
Fri. Aug. 18, 2023ย ย ย ย 
3:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts Every year Boston Armizare hosts their annual summer fencing tournament, Boarโ€™s Tooth. At this event we bring together fencers from [...]
Fri. Aug. 18, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:00 pm
Brivele is a Seattle-based trio who braid together Yiddish song, anti-fascist and labor balladry, folk-punk, and contemporary rabble-rousing in three part harmony. In Yiddish, Brivele [...]
Sat. Aug. 19, 2023 - Sun. Aug. 20, 2023ย ย ย ย 
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts Every year Boston Armizare hosts their annual summer fencing tournament, Boarโ€™s Tooth. At this event we bring together fencers from [...]
Sat. Aug. 19, 2023ย ย ย ย 
6:30 pm
Enjoy the sultry voice of Raynel Shepard, aka Lady Ray, with her fabulous troupe of instrumentalists, as she lends a unique interpretation to favorite jazz [...]
Sun. Aug. 20, 2023ย ย ย ย 
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Back by popular demand! ALBA returns to the Center for the Arts at the Armory in Boston (Somerville) after an unforgettable album launch concert in [...]
Tue. Aug. 22, 2023ย ย ย ย 
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 [...]
Wed. Aug. 23, 2023ย ย ย ย 
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.
Fri. Aug. 25, 2023ย ย ย ย 
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
The Red Crossโ€™s regular blood drive returns to the Armory. Please consider donating! Schedule your appointment. Power Red: A Power Red donation collects the red [...]
Fri. Aug. 25, 2023ย ย ย ย 
7:30 pm
"The most famous trans comedy duo of all timeโ€ GIRL GOD is a comedy and writing duo featuring April Clark and Grace Freud. Their live [...]
Fri. Aug. 25, 2023ย ย ย ย 
8:00 pm
Come share your talents with the community! Get dressed up and come show off. Dance, sing, read poetry, tell us a story, or share your stand up. Let us adore you, applaud you and have a good time.
Sat. Aug. 26, 2023ย ย ย ย 
3:00 pm - 10:00 pm
The Kinross Community Center and Aht Dept. Presents: The Summer Village Art & Music Festival--a day of local food, music, artists, and more! Join us [...]
Sat. Aug. 26, 2023ย ย ย ย 
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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Upcoming Events

The Center for the Arts at the Armory