Music Drives Us Awards Grant to Woods Hole Resident for ArtWeek

Woods Hole, MA (April 25, 2018) – Presented by the Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek expanded its partnership with Music Drives Us to provide grants for events during its 2018 festival (April 27 – May 6). A local resident, Marilyn Rowland, received a $500 Performance Grant to support the presentation of the event, Woods Hole Traditional Music Stroll, during ArtWeek. The event will take place on Sunday, May 6 from 2-11PM at Woods Hole Community Hall (68 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA). Celebrate spring with live music throughout Woods Hole as ArtsFalmouth presents its fifth annual Woods Hole Traditional Stroll with music and dance at different venues. There will be Renaissance from the distant past and around the world, lively fiddle tunes, contemporary folk music, an open jam session, and a country dance in the evening. Highlights of the day include the Solstice Singers, who will teach the audience catches & rounds from the 16th to 19th century; a children’s movement song; a musical skit; and information on musical genres & history.

“As ArtWeek expands statewide this season, we are grateful for the continued support of Music Drives Us and for the commitment the foundation has made to supporting art and cultural experiences,” said Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr., President & CEO of the Boch Center. “One of the things I am most proud of is the accessibility of ArtWeek – more than 70 percent of this season’s events are free. By offering grants to free music-based events, Music Drives Us is helping us fulfill our mission to make art and culture available to everyone across the Commonwealth.”

"For a second year in a row my foundation, Music Drives Us, will support ArtWeek along with the team at the Boch Center. Supporting cultural initiatives that emphasize arts in society is the heart of our mission at Music Drives Us. The cultural experiences offered during ArtWeek across the state of Massachusetts are extraordinarily important in keeping the arts alive and viable for all sectors of humanity,” added Ernie Boch Jr, Founder of Music Drives Us.

ArtWeek is an award-winning, 10-day innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, offering new ways to experience art and culture. This grant recipient is one of nine to receive a Music Drives Us Performance Grant to be used towards ArtWeek performances. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013, and recently expanded its footprint across the Commonwealth. This year, ArtWeek will present more than 530 events in 155 neighborhoods and towns with the support of the Mass Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. ArtWeek has also secured a network of more than 70 statewide, regional, and local collaborators and over a dozen media partners to help promote the upcoming festival.

About ArtWeek – Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek has become an annual award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive, or offer behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and has since expanded to serve communities across Massachusetts. Statewide partners include Mass Cultural Council, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, as well as Mass Center for the Book, MassAccess, MASSCreative, MassHumanities, MassPoetry, Music Drives Us Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, New England Museum Association, Young Audiences of Massachusetts and VSA Massachusetts. To learn more about our regional and local collaborators, as well as about the festival and its growth, visit ArtWeekMA.org.

About Music Drives Us – Music Drives Us is a registered 501(c)(3), New England nonprofit organization supplying grants to music programs designed to effect positive change for people of all ages. We seek organizations and individuals interested in using music as a tool to better the lives of people in all segments of society.

About Highland Street Foundation – Since its establishment in 1989, Highland Street Foundation has donated more than $180 million to many worthy non-profit organizations. It is committed to addressing the needs and concerns of children and families primarily in Massachusetts and California, specifically in the areas of education, housing, mentoring, health care, environment, and the arts. To learn more about Highland Street Foundation, please visit HighlandStreet.org.

About the Boch Center – The Boch Center is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit performing arts institutions and a guardian of the historic Wang and Shubert Theatres. As New England’s largest cultural venue, the Boch Center is home to theater, classical and popular music, dance, comedy, opera, Broadway musicals, family entertainment, and more.

Located in Boston’s historic Theater District, the Boch Center also offers a diverse mix of educational and community outreach initiatives, including the City Spotlights Leadership Program and ArtWeek; collaborates with artists and local nonprofit arts organizations; preserves historic venues; and acts as a champion for Greater Boston’s arts and cultural community. Learn more at BochCenter.org.