MANCHESTER, NH – The Currier Museum of Art welcomes everyone to its popular Block Party on Saturday, July 15 from 4 to 9 p.m. The entire museum will be open free of charge for the celebration.
The Currier’s Annual Block Party is a free community festival sponsored by M&T Bank, featuring live music and performances, food trucks, a wine and beer tent, art-making activities for the whole family, and two interactive community art projects. This event reinforces the Currier Museum’s commitment to the New Hampshire community through family-friendly activities and programs for visitors of all ages.
The theme of this year’s Block Party focuses on nature and the environment. Art activities will be centered on these important themes which are echoed in the Currier’s current exhibition, The Living Forest: UÝRA (A Floresta Viva: UÝRA), and the work of the museum’s Artist-in-Residence, Calder Kamin. The artist UÝRA will return to the Currier from Brazil for a live performance, and Calder Kamin will lead guests in a project to create Dream Feathers, incorporating community wishes into art. Also on site will be Mark Ragonese, a Vermont sculptor and master woodworker, leading a community art-making project to build a Wishing House from woven saplings.
Starting at 4 p.m., the Concord-area acoustic trio, Joey Clark and the Big Hearts, will perform music inspired by Americana, country, blues, folk, and rock. Get ready to move and dance at 6 p.m. with merengue musicians, Los Galanes Tipico’s fast-paced, upbeat rhythms. The indie rock band Regals will close out the evening. Laura Boyce from iHeart Media’s Rock 101 Greg & the Morning Buzz radio show, will be emceeing the event from 5 to 7 p.m. with fun giveaways and games.
All who attend Block Party will also be able to view the Currier’s newest exhibition, Distant Conversations: Ella Walker and Betty Woodman. This is the first in a new series of exhibitions that includes the work of two artists of different generations whose work similarly resonates despite never having met. The exhibition features a dozen artworks by each artist, including ceramics, installations, canvases, and works on paper.
“It’s summer and time to celebrate with our Annual Block Party. We want to welcome everyone in our community to come by to enjoy art, music, food, and fun,” says Karen Graham, interim executive director & COO of the Currier Museum of Art. “We had over 2,500 people here last year, so our team is especially excited for this year’s Block Party. We are opening a new exhibition that day, with two other special exhibitions on view, and artists leading community art projects both in and outside. You definitely don’t want to miss this!”
This event is supported by the City of Manchester Community Event and Activation Grant (CEAG) made possible through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
About the Currier Museum of Art
The Currier Museum is an internationally renowned art museum located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The museum features paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and photographs, including works by Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, and Andrew Wyeth. It presents exhibitions, tours, art classes, and community programs year-round. Two houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are part of its permanent collection.
