by Molly M. Schoemann

Members of the Somerville Arts Council and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone hosted a Town Meeting on the Arts April 6 at the Visiting Nurses Association building at 259 Lowell St.

“We’re here to serve the city, the arts constituency, the residents,” said Gregory Jenkins, the council’s executive director.

“We also advise the mayor and aldermen on issues important to the city,” he said.

The Somerville Arts Council received a $50,000 grant from the state, and matched by the city, to revitalize Union Square, he said.

The city plans to use the grant money to start a weekly Farmers Market from June to October and cultural tours, centered on cultural and historical aspects of Union Square, he said.

“I’m really excited about what we are doing in Union Square,” the mayor said.

“We want to make it the art center district of Somerville,” he said.
Curtatone said he working to make sure that a certain percentage of the financial commitment for each construction project in Union Square is dedicated to the arts.

“It’s happening now,” the mayor said.

“Our commitment is strong. We want there to be a lot of opportunity for local artists here,” he said.

“We have approached the city to see if local artists can fabricate some of the necessities that the city spends money on anyway,” Jenkins said.

The Somerville Arts Council is planning to work with engineers and see if they can have artists work on benches, news kiosks and perhaps a stage for public performances, he said.

The Somerville Arts Council is also looking at issues of zoning and ordinances, to see if they can make it easier for artists performing in the city, he said.

Another topic of discussion was Art Beat. Art Beat is an annual arts hootenanny in Davis Square, said Rachel Strutt.

“It’s a multimedia arts festival with a different inclusive theme each year. This year’s theme is Mix & Mash,” Strutt said.

“Ultimately, we want to explore and celebrate how blending disparate types of art, ideas and cultures can lead to the creation of something novel, exciting and inclusive,” according to the Art Beat’s call for talent flyer.

Strutt said that the organizers of Art Beat are looking for bands, dance troupes and other kinds of artists to perform and participate in the
festival.

“The theme includes all that relates to fun, interesting, hybrid art,” she said.
Art Beat is scheduled to be held on the weekend of July 15-16 in Davis Square. 

The Somerville Arts Council is looking for 40-50 volunteers to work at festival, she said.

A local songwriter, Simon Ritt, said he was concerned with the politicization of Art Beat the previous year.

“I have had the privilege of performing at Art Beat several times,” he said.

But, he said he was concerned that one to the tables at last year’s Art Beat was dedicated to protesting Israeli treatment of the Palestinians.

There should not be tables of a political bent at Art Beat, Ritt said.
Several of those present said they wanted to the city to do more to provide artists with affordable housing.

The mayor said that affordable housing for artists is something he is pushing for. There is a particular need for it because it brings a critical mass of artists to an area.

Curtatone said he was grateful to the arts council for continuing to bring an art exhibits to City Hall.

The current show is called “Color” and features over 40 works in different mediums, and is scheduled to run through June 1, he said.

“My office looks a lot better,” he said.

Local artist Karen Molloy said the town meeting helps everyone get a pulse on what’s going on in the artistic community.

“I hope the businesses and residential community is pleased with what we are doing,” Jenkins said.

“We depend a lot on them for support, especially for events like Art Beat,” he said.