Over the past 3 years Somerville Arts Council has been building a network of affordable, accessible rehearsal and performance space for dance and theater in Somerville. Currently, these spaces include 3 spaces in the Somerville Armory, and 1 space in Boyton Yards at the “Hive”.

SomArt has over 215 lead artists who utilize these spaces for their rehearsals, workshops, classes, and performances. Many more artists inhabit the spaces as part of lead artist creation and production teams. The availability of the spaces has lead to great impact in the local, regional, and international dance and theater ecosystems.

“The SomArts program has been instrumental in my development as an early-career dance artist and choreographer– access to affordable rehearsal space and performance space is a gamechanger in a city with rising costs of living. The SomArts spaces have supported my dance collective, detritus dance, through the development of two evening-length performances, and has given me space to teach, train, and collaborate with a breadth of international artists from Brazil to Georgia to the UK.”

Claire Lane
Co-Director
detritus dance

Each space in the program has amenities such as sprung or wood on wood subfloor, sound systems with Bluetooth and aux connections, open/clear space, natural light, ability to darken the space, no-outside shoe policies, and other features which are sought by performing artists.

Current artists have held rehearsals, classes, workshops, informal performances, performances, and photo/video shoots. SomArt @ the Hive is the dedicated performance space in the network. Coming up on its 1 year anniversary there has been many productions and informal showings held in the space such as Paul Kafka’s Good Thang and Thang, WiP curated by MELLE, Exchanging Notes with artists from Georgia and Somerville by Davis Center at Harvard University and Somerville Arts Council, Malefica presented by Detritus Dance, MEET versions 3, 4 and 5, Lu Epp Turu presented by Pasy Naay Leer Dance Co., and visiting artist CillaVee and Tom Law in Renaissance Noise Restoration.

The Armory spaces are dedicated rehearsal and creative lab spaces with artists and artist groups such as Liars and Believers, Bjorn Ansalem, Brandy White, All’italiana – Boston Italian Theater Company, Mali Sastri, Samba Viva, Zouk on the Docks , Backpocket Dancers and Tuesday Night Dances with Andy Taylor, Detritus Dance, OnStage Dance Company, Alive Dance Collective, and many others.

Take a look at all SomArt Artists in our Directory.

If you are a dance or theater artist and are looking for space for your rehearsal, class, or performance and would like to join the SomArt network, check out our website to find out more about what each space offers.

www.somartspace.org