Summerville Orchestra launches new free “arts-mersive” experience in partnership with Public Works Arts Center S

Some things just play well together – like wine and cheese, baseball and hotdogs, and music and art. By popular demand, that last combination – music and art – is coming together in a new series featuring the Summerville Orchestra (S.O.) String Quartet at the Public Works Arts Center (PWAC).

Titled “A Musical SPARK,” the first of four free Saturday concert/art experiences, or PWAC Strolls, will be held on Sept. 24 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the PWAC at 135 W. Richardson Ave. This performance will include selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Children’s Album,” the music of PIXAR and more – music inspired by and about our youth – to highlight the featured SPARK exhibition concurrently on display at PWAC.

Registration for the launch event is required and is open here on a first-come, first-served basis. S.O.’s PWAC Stroll events will also be held in December, February and May.

“Following the overwhelming community support for our Encore Series, we have sought ways to expand the reach of our free performances,” says Andrew Price, S.O.’s executive director. “This collaboration with the Public Works Arts Center allows us to not only increase the number of free concerts, but to expand our offerings to include an interactive, multi-sensory arts experience for attendees.”

Reservations will be available on the S.O.’s website beginning approximately two weeks before each PWAC Stroll event. To maximize the number of participants who can participate in this immersive arts experience, there will be three 30-minute attendance slots for this first PWAC Stroll, and registrants will be invited to select one 30-minute window for participation.

There will be a cash- or check-only bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase for $5 – state-issued ID required.

Additional PWAC Series dates and programs for the 2022-23 season include the following:

• Sat., Dec. 17: Strings for the Season. A selection of holiday works by American composers will be paired with the work of artist Kent Ambler, the featured PWAC artist on exhibition.
• Sat., Feb. 25: Water in Color. This performance will feature works by composers from around the world exploring themes of water, color palettes and the portrayal of daily life, to be paired with the work of featured PWAC artist Andrea Hazel.
• Sat., May 6: Abstract Chaos. Ensemble members will perform works by minimalist and Impressionist composers, exploring themes of layer, chaos, order, collage and color palettes to highlight the work of featured studio artists Anna Dean and Kate Ritchie.

All performances will run from 6:30-8 p.m.

Registration for PWAC Stroll #1: A Musical SPARK is now open at https://summervilleorchestra.org/pwac-announcement/.

To learn about the current gallery exhibits, visit the https://www.publicworksartcenter.org/.

The Summerville Orchestra seeks to share its love of music by engaging and enriching the community through the orchestral art form. The 75-member orchestra performs an annual subscription series of five concerts at the Summers Corner Performing Arts Center, along with many free concerts and events throughout the greater Summerville area including an Encore Series of four concerts (held at Coastal Coffee Roasters) and Music Chats with Wojciech (at the Dorchester County Library).

Since opening in Feb. 2020 as a cultural hub and creative incubator in the Summerville area, the nonprofit community art space of the Public Works Arts Center (formerly the town’s U.S. Post Office and then occupied by the Commissioners of Public Works) has held dozens of exhibitions, events and classes and has welcomed studio artists into annually rented spaces. Admission is always free, and all are welcome.

For information about the PWAC, contact [email protected] or call (843) 900-3225.

For more information about the S.O. or the PWAC Stroll series, contact [email protected] or call (843) 873-5339.