Live Music Events At Bellforge Begin April 9

Live Music Events at Bellforge Begin April 9 Featuring Musicians Olivia Wendel, Ghost Grl

The Cultural Alliance invites the public to kick off a season of live music outdoors at Bellforge, the newly named arts center planned at the former Medfield State Hospital. The inaugural free family-friendly event on Saturday, April 9 from 10 am – 3 pm.

Visitors are invited to walk the grounds of the campus and the Chapel will be open for tours starting at 10 am. More than two dozen community groups have created fairy houses on display for the day, complete with photo opportunities and crafts for kids. Students from Pointe Premiere School of Dance take the stage at noon, and artists will be on site to sell their handcrafted pottery, jewelry and photography all day. Musicians Olivia Wendel and Ghost Grl perform live on the outdoor stage starting at 12:45 pm. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and enjoy treats from ThankQue Catering or Clarke’s Cakes and Cookies food trucks.

Additional live music events are planned most Saturdays through October. The schedule will be updated on Bellforge.org.

Olivia Wendel is a songwriter from small-town Massachusetts. Her debut album Windthrow paints a picture of suburban ennui, sorrow, and a longing for elsewhere. Wendel says, "I hope that people can hear something of their own experience in the album, be it in a melodic line, a lyric, or in the meaning behind the album….Especially in this time where it can feel lonely, I want people to know that I’m there with them and that we don’t actually experience anything in isolation. It’s all part of a cycle."

Gianna Botticelli, better known by her stage name GHOST GRL, is an Indie/Ambient artist from Boston, MA. Combining her expressive vocals with soft and haunting melodies, GHOST GRL creates songs that are both somber and uplifting. A self-taught guitarist, she began writing music at the age of 14 and has since released three studio albums; Settle, Home and Rewired. Recently, GHOST GRL was nominated for two Boston Music Awards (2019); Vocalist of the year and New Artist of the Year.

The Cultural Alliance is a 501(c)3 organization established in 2015 to support artists, expand cultural opportunities and nurture the creative community. CAM holds a lease on two buildings at the former Medfield State Hospital to create a performing arts and education center. Rooted in nature and a legacy of healing, Bellforge nurtures community, creativity and self-expression through the arts.

About the former Medfield State Hospital

Listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, the landmark 87-acre former Medfield State Hospital (MSH) offers an inspiring legacy of innovation and healing. Opened in 1896, the hospital was the first of its kind built using the cottage-style plan designed to maximize daylight, fresh air, exercise and socialization for residents. Creative thinkers at the time influenced the design of this campus to support health and wellness, achieving significant impact for more than a century. The Commonwealth closed MSH in 2003 and the Town of Medfield purchased the site in 2014. After four years and extensive public input, a master plan was completed in 2018, and in 2020 the Cultural Alliance secured a 99-year lease with the town on two signature buildings at the core of the campus.

Now a groundbreaking legacy of healing and wellness inspires a new era of inclusion, interaction and innovation at the Bellforge Arts Center, with an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine this novel setting as an experiential place to make and enjoy art and to engage with each other and the land. Today, this historic campus is ready to be transformed for the next generation to experience the arts, outdoor activity, reflection, and learning.