Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the Somerville Arts Council present:

During the heat of summer (held on the third weekend in July), artists and festival goers converge on Davis Square, transforming it into one of the area's largest and most innovative arts festivals. ArtBeat includes music, performance art, craft vendors, dance, theater, food, and a whole more. Each year we develop a theme that serves as a launching point for artists and the community to express themselves. Take a look at our previous festivals.

ArtBeat: July 17&18 2009

2009 theme: Somerville...Of the Future

What will Somerville look like in ten years? One hundred years? A million years? Will the Green Line whiz through the ‘ville? Will Spanish be more widely spoken than English? Will a martian be mayor? We will we evolve or devolve? Will our city sit submerged under the Atlantic -- thanks to global warming? Visual artists might exlore what art will look like in 100 years, when digital art has become passé. Architects and alternative energy enthusiasts might create futuristic windmills or give geo-thermal demos. A documentary filmmaker might explore how corporations and chains will shape our future—in Somerville and beyond. A dance troupe may choose to explore post-apocalyptic Somerville. The only limit is your imagination. Your proposals boldly should go where no one has gone before!

Current Calls/Applications issued

Call to Talent (musicans, dancers, theater and performance art) (deadline: April 15, 2009) PDF

Craft Vendor application (deadline: March 30, 2009) PDF

Community Vendor application (deadline: June 5, 2009) PDF