Revitalizing the Arts at Salem’s Old Town Hall
The City of Salem has announced three new exciting partnership and opportunities for community members, artists, and visitors alike to engage with arts and cultural programing in Old Town Hall, a City-owned historic property in the heart of downtown, located at 32 Derby Square in Salem. There is even an opportunity to help shape the future of this remarkable public building.
In partnership with CultureHouse, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving livability in local communities by transforming unused spaces into vibrant social infrastructure, the City announced today the development of CultureHouse Salem—a pop-up arts and culture space at Salem’s Old Town Hall.
This project is part of a larger initiative to reimagine and revitalize Old Town Hall with even more arts and culture programming, creating jobs and providing more opportunities for engagement with and among the community in this historical building.
CultureHouse Salem will test and study operational models, ideologies, programming options, and community interest to discover a long-term and sustainable arts and culture plan for Old Town Hall and allow the City to better understand how to continue to bring accessible programming to the space. The partnership builds upon Salem’s preexisting and robust arts and culture community while expanding the reach and inspiring new forms of expression from untapped art communities.
CultureHouse Salem will open in April 2022 as a multi-month pop-up space within Old Town Hall, and host a variety of arts and culture activities and events that reimagine the space and welcome in all populations from the community. The project is currently in the process of collecting feedback from the community through a public survey and community conversations on the desired uses and aspirations for Old Town Hall. After the pop-up completes, the lessons and findings will be presented in an Impact Report that will guide the future use of the building.
“Salem has an extraordinary arts and culture community that is yearning for more space to share their creative work. At the same time, we have Old Town Hall—a beautiful building with so much potential that is currently underutilized,” said Julie Barry, Senior Planner of Arts & Culture for the City of Salem. “With CultureHouse Salem, we will reimagine Old Town Hall as a vibrant center for arts and culture, setting the stage for a comprehensive long-term plan for the space. Whether it’s the shops on Artists’ Row, the annual Arts Festival, our nationally acclaimed Halloween festivities, or El Punto Urban Art Museum, just to name a few; Salem has a hearty history of artistic expression that we hope CultureHouse Salem can capture and build-upon to ensure more community members are welcomed and their work amplified through this new dynamic and inviting space.”
“I am very excited to welcome CultureHouse to Salem and to see them enter into this important work to further enliven historic Old Town Hall,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “As a hub for our community’s public art scene, Old Town Hall has the potential to be truly transformative for our downtown and enrich the cultural life of our city. I invite all Salem residents and community members to be part of the community conversations process that will help shape the future of this treasured space.”
While CultureHouse Salem will not open until early spring 2022, the City is dedicated to filling Old Town Hall with art opportunities in the months leading up to this larger happening. To do so, it has partnered with Nancy Bowen, a sculpture artist based in New York with ancestral roots in Salem, and Infuse Dance, a dance project newly arrived in Salem, to activate the space in the upcoming months.
“Spectral Evidence” by Nancy Bowen
Nancy Bowen will be showcasing her installation “Spectral Evidence” on the first floor of Old Town Hall from February 10, 2022, to March 19, 2022. This exhibition is inspired by the true story of Colonial American judgement and repentance. Bowen creates a visual interpretation of guilt and remorse through her installation and seeks inspiration through her ancestor, Samuel Sewall, a judge in the Salem Witch Trials who later publicly recanted and confessed his sins in church about the role he played. Inspecting the famous trial in a new way, Bowen visually interprets Sewall’s penitence and gives space for the people tried and killed as witches. Twenty gravestones face off their accuser while he bears the burden of their deaths.
Described as “humorously odd and gravely unsettling,” experience “Spectral Evidence” FREE of charge between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Bowen will offer artist talks at 3:00 p.m. on February 12th, March 5th, and March 19th, where she will discuss her inspiration in more detail and answer questions.
Infuse Dance
From February to June, Infuse Dance will take place on the fourth Saturday every month from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., offering anyone the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of FREE dance classes. With classes on the hour, every hour, there will be something for everyone, with offerings for dancers at every level of skill, including classes in contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip hop, afro-based styles, and more. A detailed schedule will be released once all instructors are confirmed, stay tuned for more https://www.salem.com/old-town-hall/pages/calendar-events
Infuse Dance is seeking dance instructors in all genres to teach, for pay, a one-hour class at Old Town Hall on the fourth Saturday of every month from February through June. See below for more details. Instructor applications are due by Tuesday, February 22, 2022, at 11:59 p.m.
“It is so hard to find classes that are both created for adults and feel welcoming” says April MacLean, Founder of Infuse Dance. “It’s so refreshing to work with a city that not only sees the value of, but intentionally seeks out to create more opportunities to experience the joy of dance.”
“We are excited to be embarking on this new endeavor with Infuse Dance to help bring dance opportunities to adults in Salem and throughout the North Shore,” Barry adds, “This unique program will help us better understand the dance community of Salem, gage interest in future dance opportunities, build connections with instructors in the area, and create community and belonging for all those who long for the joy of dance in their lives. We hope dancers from all genres, forms, cultures, and communities will join us in bringing that joy to Salem!”
Calls for Engagement
In addition to the free public programing that these events will provide at Old Town Hall, the City is also seeking volunteer gallery sitters, dance teachers, and detailed community feedback for these events.
Community Feedback for CultureHouse Salem
Let your voice be heard in the reimaging and reshaping of this historic community icon. Visit culturehouse.cc/salem to:
- Provide your thoughts through our the community survey
- Register for the upcoming virtual community meeting on Thursday, February 17th 6:30-8pm
- Get information about hosting a program at the pop-up
For full Press Release on CultureHouse Salem visit:
https://www.salem.com/old-town-hall/pages/culture-house-salem-press
¿Qué te gusta de Salem? ¿Cuáles son áreas para mejorar? La Ciudad de Salem y CultureHouse (CasaCultura) se están asociando para un pop-up de arte y cultura comunitaria emergente de dos a tres meses de duración organizada en el Old Town Hall (Antiguo Ayuntamiento) en el centro de Salem.¡Toma nuestra encuesta comunitaria para que podamos crear un pop-up de arte y cultural con tu visión! culturehouse.cc/salem
Gallery Sitters for “Spectral Evidence” by Nancy Bowen
The City is seeking volunteers to open and close the gallery at Old Town Hall and help provide general information about the exhibition while it is open to the public. Interested volunteers should email ctitchenell@salem.com for more information.
For the full press release on “Spectral Evidence,” visit:
www.salem.com/old-town-hall/pages/spectral-evidence-nancy-bowen-press
Infuse Dance Teaching Opportunities
Infuse Dance, in partnership with the City of Salem, is seeking dance teachers of all genres, with at least two years’ experience teaching adults, to serve as instructors for this exciting new series. Teachers will be compensated for their time. Instructor Applications and more details can be found at https://infusesalem.com. Applications are due by Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.
For the full press release on Infuse Dance, visit:
www.salem.com/old-town-hall/pages/infuse-dance-press
About the City of Salem’s Arts & Culture Program
The City of Salem is committed to enriching and enlivening the urban environment through showcasing innovative and transformative works of art in all media and modalities. With a focus on working with local artists, especially those historically underrepresented, we seek to foster greater community awareness of and interaction with the arts and celebrate diversity in all its forms. Our goal is to nurture diversity and creativity; foster a sense of community pride and belonging; and enhance the quality of life for all. Learn more at www.salem.com/arts-culture.
Masks are required for all events and activities inside Old Town Hall, please check the City’s Health Department website for current vaccination requirements.