Entertainment

Lit Squad Invites Writers, Poets to Join Them at Watertown Arts Market

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The following announcement was provided by the Lit Squad:

Please join the Lit Squad as part of the Watertown Arts Market on August 21, 12:00-5:00 PM, at Arsenal Park. We are a newly gathered group of published and amateur writers, young and forever-young, who want to encourage and foster poetry and all literary arts here in this diverse community. Join us to market your work, perform your work, enjoy the work of others … and meet other writers during the course of the day. We will have a commission-free sales table for your books and related wares. We will have featured 10-minute readings by established Watertown poets, followed by 3-5-minute open-mike readings by all comers, with a PA system and chairs, at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.

Entertainment

Watertown Art Show Raising Money for Children’s Cancer Research, Veterans with PTSD

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A new gallery in a Watertown apartment complex will feature art from nearly a dozen artists, and proceeds from the show will benefit children’s cancer research and veterans with PTSD. Art Saint Hope is the brainchild of Shamere Ross, the lead technician at Elan Union Market apartments, who wanted to give artists an opportunity to showcase their work and raise money for charity. Money raised will go to St. Jude’s Hospital, which does children’s cancer research, and Camp Hope for soldiers returning from war who are going through PTSD. “It is special because it not only raises money for these two great initiatives, but it also helps struggling artist who are not able to show and sell works at many other popular galleries.

Entertainment

Volunteers Wanted for First Watertown Arts Market

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The Town of Watertown is happy to support this year’s inaugural Arts Market, hosted by a coalition of arts and business organizations in Town, taking place at Arsenal Park on August 21 from 12-5 PM (rain date August 28th). 

The Watertown Arts Market is an outdoor event that will follow a similar format to a farmers’ market: Watertown-based artists, authors, creatives, musicians and music teachers, arts and culture organizations, and beyond will each host a table at the event. Attendees can wander through the Market, learning about the artistic and cultural offerings in Watertown. Artists and cultural organizations can share information about their work and sell visual art, music, services, and more.The Arts Market will need volunteers to help out between 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM on the day of the event  to assist with set up at Arsenal Park in the morning, to help throughout the day with various tasks, and clean up in the evening. Volunteers may work one 4 hour shift or two consecutive four hour shifts with with a one hour break. 

Visit watertownartsmarket.com for more information and to sign up to volunteer.

Around Town

Deadline Coming Up for Participants to Apply for First Watertown Arts Market

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The first Watertown Arts Market will be held on Aug. 21, and the deadline for participants to join is coming up soon. The Arts Market will be held at Arsenal Park on Saturday, Aug. 21, 12-5 p.m., and the deadline for participants to apply is Saturday, July 31. The Watertown Arts Market Team sent out the following announcement:

Enjoy the artistic and cultural offerings of over 60 local artists and organizations.

Entertainment

New Rep Theatre Suspending Operations Citing Pandemic, Uncertainty About Performance Space

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Watertown-based New Repertory Theatre announced it will be suspending operations beginning July 21. The company based at the Mosesian Center for the Arts had to cancel the end of its 2019-2020 season and its entire 2020-21 season. It has put on a pair of moving plays in outdoor locations around Watertown. 

“As with many cultural institutions, the COVID-19 pandemic led to fiscal challenges for the New Repertory Theatre,” said the statement from New Rep, which was published by the Newton Needham Regional Chamber. Along with the pandemic, New Rep faces uncertainty about its stage space. 

“Additionally, our performance venue, the Mosesian Center for the Arts, is undergoing renovations, which adds to the COVID-related uncertainty we are already experiencing regarding mounting in-person performances in the near future. With these challenges in mind, the Board of Directors of the New Repertory Theatre has made the decision to suspend operations until we determine next steps for the organization,” the announcement said. 

New Rep will be making more announcements in the near future, the announcement said. “We have informed the staff of this decision and the reasons for the suspension.

Around Town

Applicants Wanted for Watertown’s New Public Arts & Culture Committee

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Watertown Town Hall

The Town of Watertown provided the following announcement:

Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll is seeking eight (8) Watertown citizens interested in servingon the Public Arts and Culture Committee. The Town of Watertown has established a Public Arts Master Plan that was created through the efforts of a steering committee that included a number of representatives of stakeholder organizations in the community that deal with arts and culture, as well as Town departments and the Town’s consultant, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The Honorable Town Council adopted the Watertown Public Arts Master Plan at its meeting on February 23, 2021. The Watertown Public Arts Master Plan includes a number of implementation strategies, including Implementation Item 1A, a recommendation for the creation of an appointed Public Arts and Culture Committee (PACC) that acts as a permanent, standing advisory body to the Town of Watertown, to make recommendations over two core program areas:

1) Art in Public Places: Permanent, semi-permanent, temporary, and ephemeral artworks and activations that create a vibrant, welcoming, inclusive, and connected public realm. This may include semi-permanent projects as well as temporary artworks and installations funded through a variety of funding sources.

Entertainment

Watertown’s First Arts Market Planned This Summer; Artists, Sponsors & Volunteers Wanted

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Anaïs MarkwoodThe first Watertown Arts Market will take place in August. Organizers hope it will be similar to the Watertown Farmers Market, shown above. Watertown’s first Arts Market will take place in August, and organizers are looking for artists, sponsors and volunteers. The Watertown Arts Market will take place at Arsenal Park on Saturday, Aug. 21 from noon to 5 p.m. The free event will bring together “the abundance of artists, arts and cultural organizations, and arts- and culture-related businesses based in and/or serving the Watertown area,” according to the announcement by the Watertown Arts Market Committee.

Arts

Watertown Cultural Council Welcomes Eight New Council Members

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Cultural Council:

Beginning in June 2021, the Watertown Cultural Council will add eight new members, doubling its present size. The new Council members will enrich the scope and capability of the WCC as it expands its programs and outreach in the greater Watertown community in 2021-22. Roberta Rosenberg, new Chair of the WCC, notes that: “The WCC is very fortunate to have the artistic, cultural and administrative abilities of this new group. We look forward to having a successful year. These new members will add to the already excellent work of our returning WCC officers who include: Gretchen Neeley, Secretary, and Sheri Kennedy, Treasurer, as well as Aramais Andonian, Elizabeth Kent, Emma Clement, and Stephanie Hackett.”

During 2021-22, the 15 members of the WCC will be evaluating and funding new grants projects funded by the Mass Cultural Council.