Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, 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. ArtWeek was born in Boston in 2013 and expanded its footprint across the Commonwealth in 2018. For the 2018 festival, Mass Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism joined ArtWeek as Lead Champions in this unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on the state’s creative economy. ArtWeek also secured a network of more than 70 statewide, regional, and local collaborators to help promote the festival.
 
ArtWeek and Music Drives Us expanded their partnership to provide grants for events during its 2018 festival (April 27 – May 6). Nine recipients were selected to receive a $500 performance grant to support the presentation of their event during ArtWeek. Events had to be submitted before the February 28 deadline and meet the following criteria in order to be considered for a Music Drives Us award: the event must be accepted by ArtWeek as an official event, it must be free, and it must be music and learning-based. In honor of ArtWeek’s statewide expansion this year, events from across the Commonwealth were eligible. 
Grant recipients were selected and notified in late March. Congratulations to the 2018 Music Drives Us ArtWeek grant recipients, featured below.  

What is ArtWeek?
Celebrated twice a year (fall and spring), ArtWeek Boston is affordable fun for anyone with a creative sense of adventure. It is a ten-day award-winning festival featuring unique and unexpected experiences that are participatory, interactive, or offer behind-the-scenes access to artists or the creative process. Each ArtWeek event is a one-of-a-kind celebration that people won’t want to miss (especially since many are FREE, although some range in price up to $50). Since Fall 2013, ArtWeek has featured nearly 800 events involving more than 750 organizations and partners!
 
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.

​ArtWeek Grant Recipients

​Airmen of Note Air Force Jazz Band

Airmen of Note Air Force Jazz Band
Date: Monday, April 30, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (clinic with students); 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (concert)

The "Airmen of Note" is the internationally-acclaimed United States Air Force Jazz Band from Washington D.C. Specializing in big band music and arrangements, the group is comprised of 18 active duty Airmen musicians, which includes one vocalist. Since its inception in 1950, the Airmen of Note Air Force Jazz Band has collaborated with greats including Dizzie Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan. Band members will conduct an open workshop with Franklin High School music students and present a concert following the workshop.

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​Circle of Songs with Hugh Hanley 

Circle of Songs with Hugh Hanley
Date: Saturday, April 28, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

A singalong/play along concert for young children and their families. Early childhood educator and musician Hugh Hanley will lead us in a program of songs, stories, finger plays and music activities that will keep children (and grownups too!) happily engaged.

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Communities of Song Concert

Communities of Song Concert
Date: Sunday, May 6, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – discussion; 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – concert; reception follows show)

A 90 year-old Methodist church choir, Metro West’s Shir Joy Jewish Chorus, Wesley Children’s Choir, Barre’s Band of Voices Community Chorus, a Ghanaian church choir and a children’s church choir come together for the second annual Communities of Song Concert. Each group will sing music from its own distinct cultures and traditions and then join together with the other choirs for a grand finale which includes a new, original and audience-interactive piece premiered at this concert! Preceding the performance, join us at 3:00 p.m. for a discussion the about inspiration for this performance and more with concert organizer, director and composer Nan AK Gibbons.

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Drumming Around the World

 Drumming Around the World
 Date: Saturday, May 5, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Through this hands-on musical experience, Drumming Around the World will focus on exploring different cultures and their musical styles through the art of drumming. Participants will learn elementary to intermediate rhythms by ear, participate in drum circles, practice improvisation skills, and learn a little of the history of hand drumming.

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A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING – WITH THE APOLLO CLUB

A Grand Night for Singing – with the Apollo Club
Date: Tuesday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.to 8:30 p.m.

This concert encourages you to sing, hum, dance, or sway in celebration of the human voice, with familiar songs from around the world, spirituals, love songs, and a even a medley from "My Fair Lady." Everyone from two to ninety-two is invited to join this concert at the Bandstand at Jamaica Pond to enjoy music – and to join in – as we celebrate the human voice and the pleasure of singing together.

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INTERMISSION CAFE COFFEE HOUSE

Intermission Cafe Coffee House
Date: Saturday, April 28, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Students from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) will present pop, rock, folk and contemporary musical theater songs in a coffee house format for the first time at Intermission Cafe. Don’t miss out on this engaging opportunity to hear from FSPA students as they guide audience members on an interactive journey in celebration of musical composers and works spanning the decades.

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​WOODS HOLE TRADITIONAL MUSIC STROLL​

Woods Hole Traditional Music Stroll
Date: Sunday, May 6, 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Celebrate spring with live music throughout Woods Hole as ArtsFalmouth presents its fifth annual Woods Hole Trad Stroll with traditional music and dance at a dozen 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 or rounds from the 16th to 19th centuries, a children’s movement song, and a musical skit, as well as providing information on musical genres and history.

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YOUNG OR OLD, MUSIC LIFTS YOU, HEART AND SOUL

​Young or Old, Music Lifts You, Heart and Soul
Date: Friday, May 4th, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

​Golden Tones chorus (goldentones.org) and the Natick High School Advanced Choir will once again join forces to create a dynamic, interactive, inter-generational vocal music event, involving everyone in the room - that means YOU.  We firmly subscribe to the African proverb, "If you can walk, you can dance; if you can talk, you can sing," and we're prepared to prove it!

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ELECTRIC YOUTH POWERED BY BULLY: THE ADJECTIVE​

Date: Thursday, May 3, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Franklin School for the Performing Arts

​​The international touring ensemble ELECTRIC YOUTH will debut, host, and facilitate a fun anti-bullying workshop for children.  Partnering with Bully:  The Adjective, ELECTRIC YOUTH will use music and conversation to create dialogue around positivity, inclusion and the importance of valuing relationships.  Bully:  The Adjective inspires children to cherish friendship and to develop kindness and empathy.  Each participant will receive a certificate they can customize by adding their name and self-portrait, and a take-home kit to continue with the Friendship Challenge.

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