Material Matters – Public Gallery Hours

Public gallery hours for Material Matters: A Members Exhibition in partnership with the Fitchburg Art Museum

Free

About this exhibition:

For the last decade, ArtsWorcester and the Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM) have partnered on an annual “Call and Response” exhibition, an idea drawn from democratic and musical traditions in African and African Diaspora cultures. FAM begins with the call: a loan of ten artworks from their permanent collection, all on a single theme. The first "Call and Response" loan featured ten pieces from FAM’s extensive African collection, which was, at the time, primarily traditional crafts and ritual objects. Ten years later, FAM now holds a rich array of contemporary African and Diasporic artists. The 2022 loan features a range of subject matter and media, reflecting the capacity and diversity of different materials within African art.

ArtsWorcester artist members were invited to respond to one or more of these pieces for Material Matters, and examine the role materiality plays in their creations. The resulting exhibition features work by seventy-six artists, whose works encompass new media, traditional forms, and fine craft. FAM's curatorial staff will select ten works from Material Matters to be exhibited at the Museum alongside the 2022 loan. Selections will be announced in person at the reception and electronically, and will go on view at the Fitchburg Art Museum later this year. To date, seventy-seven individual artists have received this honor.

Ten percent of art sales from Material Matters will be donated to African Community Education (ACE). These funds and any direct donations made to ACE as part of this exhibition will be directed to the ACE Post-Secondary Success Fund. The Post-Secondary Success Fund provides direct financial support to ACE students graduating high school each year. Funds will be evenly and directly distributed to each graduate who will work with ACE’s Post-Secondary Success Liaison to use the funds in a way that best helps them achieve success upon graduation.

Beginning Saturday, March 19, 2022: For those with proof of vaccination, masks are encouraged and appreciated. For those without proof of vaccination, masks remain mandatory. These policies are subject to change, based on current public health data and metrics.

Parking is available at the Worcester Public Library (McGrath) Lot, Federal Plaza Garage, Worcester Common Garage, and Pearl-Elm Garage. Metered street parking is also available.