Get ready for ArtBeat 2023! In addition to approximately 100 craft, community, and food vendors on the street, we'll have two stages of music and a dance showcase at the Somerville Theater.
Despite uncertain weather, Saturday looks better than Sunday. We are on for Saturday.
See the full lineup here! And below.
And Festival Map and Brochure here
ArtBeat 2023 graphic design work by Michael Crockett
Volunteers needed
Are you interested in volunteering for ArtBeat? If so, click here to go to our Google Form and fill out our ArtBeat 2023 Volunteer form today.
The Somerville Arts Council's annual multicultural arts festival showcases the City's diverse and vibrant arts communities and attracts ten thousand visitors to Davis Square. Presented by the Somerville Arts Council (SAC) and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, ArtBeat has reached its 37th year and features an eclectic mix of music, dance, theater, food, performance, and interactive activities.
This year's ArtBeat theme: Pulse
At this year‘s festival, we will explore everything that vibrates, pulses and suggests life! We invite artists of all kinds as well as community members to interpret the theme in myriad ways. Let’s delve into all that pulses — things like hearts, cities, lights and drumbeats. Whatever the art form or mode of expression, we seek performances and activities that are brimming, beating, expanding, or keeping a sense of time. Let’s check the pulse of our city: How do we feel? What’s the state of our cultural health? Whether it’s dancers conveying rhythmic contractions or a large, kinetic sculpture that expands and contracts, we look forward to your interpretations of this theme!
Craft Vendors
We’ll have over 70+ craftsters and crafty companies, including: Winter Hill Jewelry, Atomic Earrings, Henna by Heather, Custom Woodworks, Mudflat Pottery Studio, Zooguu, Stella Marie Soap, Foxfire Creative Studio and more! When it comes to “finding the pulse” for quality crafts, our talented artists fit the bill. So, buy local and support our talented artists and maker communities.
Community Outreach Organizations
There will be a bevy of organizations sharing material and offering activities, including: Somerville Public Library, Outside the Lines, Somerville Garden Club, Project Have Hope, CAAS, The Fashion for Empowerment Project, Somerville Homeless Coalition, Somerville Education Foundation, KMW School of Painting, Social Catalysts Charitable Foundation, Mystic River Watershed Association, and more.
Food Vendors
It’s a Nibble takeover at Artbeat! Our Nibble staff and chefs will be at the center of the festival on the main Traffic Island... or should we say Nibble Island! In addition to food—Nagomi Bento, Dos Manos Kitchen, and Taquisimo Taco—there will be an interactive Nibble activity table where you can test your olfactory prowess by sniffing spices!
In addition to Nibble Island, there will be House of Kebab serving Nepali cuisine, Mela serving classic Indian dishes, and Thai Hut serving Pad Thai and grilled chicken. Italian Wizard, a local favorite food truck, will be present with grilled sausages, cheesesteaks, and homemade lemonade. And don’t forget to stop by Dean’s Concessions for fried dough, cotton candy, and lemonade.
Additional Activities & Happenings
Roving Performers
Caricature Drawings
Face Painting
Bubble Making
Knucklebones
Grooversity
