CultureHouse and the Union Square Neighborhood Council (USNC) announced today that CultureHouse Union Square, a large-scale pop-up community center created by and for the community, will open on January 10 in what was originally a vacant storefront at 64 Union Square.

The pop-up is a one-stop shop for community resources, diverse programming, events, workshops for all ages, and a gathering space for the community. CultureHouse Union Square will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 1:00 to 8:00 pm and run through June 9. CultureHouse and USNC will host an opening celebration on Friday, January 12, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, with local eats and refreshments, music, and art displays.

The goal of the Union Square community pop-up is to connect new and old residents and create a shared identity for the neighborhood, pilot a community-driven space, and create an operational framework for a long-term community space.

CultureHouse Union Square will host art workshops for children hosted by neighborhood residents, Sunday night jazz performances, and local vendors to community resources and trainings around tenants’ rights and more.  This project has been funded by an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant from the City of Somerville.

“Integrating long-term residents and newcomers into the community fabric of Union Square is critical for a more connected community in a rapidly changing neighborhood,” said Ann Camara, Co-Chair of the Union Square Neighborhood Council. “And CultureHouse Union Square will help uplift and strengthen that integral community fabric for residents of Union Square.

“We’re excited to work with CultureHouse to bring this pop-up to life, grateful for all the community members who have contributed to help shape the vision of the space and what we hope will ultimately help inform a long-term community center in the increasingly inclusive and vibrant neighborhood and commercial center that is Union Square,” said Michele Hansen, Co-Chair of the Union Square Neighborhood Council.

A community input phase to help shape and inform the project launched in the fall of 2024, inviting community members to be part of the process and share their input to help shape the free-to-enter intergenerational pop-up public space pilot. Community engagement also included a ‘build day,’ where community members visited the location to interact with and react to the space and support the hands-on build-out of the pop-up.

“Helping improve local communities by transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant social infrastructure informed by and for the community has always been at the core of our work,” said Rishika Dhawan, Community Manager at CultureHouse. “But this project is extra special for us because we hosted our first pop-up in Bow Market, just a few blocks away from this one! Union Square has been home to CultureHouse’s main office for over three years, because of which we have built long-term relationships with the community and understand firsthand the critical need for this space. We’re thrilled to work with the community in creating this space and help ensure the community continues to build social connections and have a voice in shaping the future of a Union Square that maximizes the benefits of new development and minimizes displacement.”

CultureHouse Union Square will run from January 10 through June 9, Wednesdays through Sundays from 1:00 to 8:00 pm. CultureHouse and USNC will host an opening celebration on Friday, January 12, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm in the space (64 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143). For general information, including operating hours and upcoming programming, and to sign up for updates, please visit www.culturehouse.cc/projects/union-square/

About CultureHouse

CultureHouse is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving livability in local communities by transforming unused spaces into vibrant social infrastructure. They create lasting change through community engagement, building designs, operating experimental pop-up spaces, and impact reports detailing the project’s next steps. Learn more at www.culturehouse.cc/union

About Union Square Neighborhood Council

The Union Square Neighborhood Council was formed with the mission to shape the future of Union Square as an increasingly inclusive and vibrant neighborhood and commercial center built around the aspirations of the people who live and work there. They value interdependence, inclusion, wellness, participation, equity, enjoyment, stewardship, transparency, and civic engagement. Learn more at https://unionsquareneighborhoodcouncil.org/