Entertainment

Mosesian Center for the Arts Reimagining Itself in 2021

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The following announcement was provided by the Mosesian Center for the Arts:

Closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mosesian Center for the Arts has had to reimagine its programming. In the past year, the nonprofit has kept its virtual doors open, however, for programs like Watertown Children’s Theatre, providing exceptional online production opportunities and classes, and for free online content, including an Annual Meeting, on its website and social media. The MCA has even reimagined itself with a new Executive Director, Darren Farrington, who joined the arts center last August. “In this year of upending change for the arts and all of our community,” Farrington said in an announcement to the center’s membership, “the MCA is embracing the opportunity for more change. We’ve been reimagining the look and functionality of our building itself.”

Since last summer, the MCA has quietly been conducting a feasibility study with architects from Sasaki Associates for a renovation of lobby and gallery spaces, classrooms, and administrative offices.

Around Town

Get Ready for YardArt Watertown, See How to Participate

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The following information was provided by the YardArt organizers:

Push back against this dreary winter by creating something in your yard, porch or doorway – a structure, an art project, a contraption, or anything that pops to mind. Delight, surprise, inspire, and amuse yourself and your neighbors! Anyone can participate–no fees and no age requirement. Your creationshould be family friendly and viewable from the street or sidewalk. Yourproject will be listed on the YardArt map and you’ll receive a yard signto mark your location.

Entertainment

Make Your Own Creation and Join in YardArt Watertown

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Everyone from artists to people who have never created anything before are invited to make something and display it in their front yard as part of a Town-wide art exhibition. Organizers of the event, dubbed YardArt Watertown, wanted to bring some cheer to Watertown during the gloom of winter, said one of the organizers, Roberta Miller. “We need something this winter that is fun and gets people outside — kind of like porch fest, only it’s art,” Miller said. “Some people have done projects similar to this, decorate your door. So, after a lot of discussion with this small group, the idea emerged that we would do YardArt and we would encourage people to make something fun.

Entertainment

Mosesian Center for the Arts Announces New Executive Director

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Darren Farrington was hired in August 2020 as Executive Director of Mosesian Center for the Arts. The following announcement was provided by the Mosesian Center for the Arts:

The Board of Directors of the Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts (MCA) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Darren Farrington as Executive Director effective August 17, 2020. Darren is a highly experienced and passionate arts administrator, educator, theatre maker, and arts advocate. During these challenging times, Darren’s grounded, creative, and thoughtful leadership brings an unwavering confidence that MCA will continue to deliver on its mission to enrich the lives of diverse audiences and participants by providing exceptional experiences in theatre, visual, and literary arts. For the past ten years, Darren has been the Executive Director of No Boundaries Youth Theater in New Britain, Conn., which he co-founded in 2010 for underserved children and teens. Darren has also worked for the past three years as Administrator for the Connecticut Arts Alliance, a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization for arts and culture.

Entertainment

Mosesian Center for the Arts Cancels Summer Programs

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The following announcement was provided by the Mosesian Center for the Arts:

Dearest MCA Community,

We hope you and your families are safe and well. Our staff has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 updates from Governor Baker and the CDC, and the safety of our community has continued to be our utmost priority. After reviewing the most recent state plans for reopening, we have determined that it would be difficult to implement the early phases of distancing protocols for our Summer Youth Arts Education Programs as scheduled. To ensure the safety of our participants, families, teachers, and staff we have sadly made the decision to cancel all Summer Stages and Studios programming for 2020. Summer Stages and Studios is such an exciting highlight of our year, this was not an easy decision for us to make.

Entertainment

Mosesian Center Offering Online Art & Drama Classes, Activities During COVID-19

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Watertown’s Mosesian Center for the Arts may be closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but there are still plenty of arts classes and activities to enjoy, some are even free! The Mosesian Center put out the following information:

We hope this message finds you well, in both good spirits and health! All of us here at the MCA miss seeing your faces in and around the building and hope to reunite again soon – when we can safely do so. In the meantime, we are doing our best to make lemonade out of lemons, so here’s a quick update of all the exciting ways we can stay connected… Mosesian Arts Live in Your Living Room

The MCA has been fortunate enough to invite many incredibly talented artists and performers into our house for a wide range of engaging events and performances.

Arts

Mosesian Center Closing due to Coronavirus, NewRep Performances Impacted

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The Mosesian Center for the Arts will close for two weeks due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and several events have been postponed or canceled. The closing impacts the performances by the New Repertory Theatre, the Art By Design Mosesian Benefit 2020, the Watertown Children’s Theatre, and classes for adults and children. NewRep Artistic Director Michael Bobbitt said performances of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill will be moved to April 25 to May 17, and Thurgood, The Scarlet Letter, and Romeo & Juliet will be rescheduled to a date to be determined. The run of August Wilson’s Fences has been cancelled. Bobbitt said the cancellations and postponements could threaten the theater company’s financial well being.

Around Town

Mosesian Center Hosting Benefit, Spring Class Registration Open

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The Mosesian Center for the Arts will honor a local design firm and a man who helped found the center at its Annual Benefit. Also, you can now register for spring classes. The Mosesian Center for the Arts sent out the following information:

Art By Design: Mosesian Center Annual Benefit

Join us April 7, 2020 for Art by Design: Mosesian Center for the Arts Annual Benefit 2020 – a thought provoking evening exploring the intersection of culture and collaboration featuring exceptional entertainment, great food, wonderful friends, and a celebration of those who have made our community – and our world – more beautiful. This year, we are proud to honor two Mosesian Awardees whose incomparable achievements have resonated in Watertown and around the world:

Sasaki – 2020 Mosesian Award for the Arts

Sasaki, a global interdisciplinary design firm based in Watertown, infuses all of their projects with an innovative approach, boundless curiosity, and passion for what they do. Sasaki has received over 800 national and international design awards recognizing their indelible impact.