This year brought exciting events, cultural initiatives, and of course, public art!
From WinterFest’s return to downtown, to the installation of mini galleries on the Riverwalk, 2024 was a year of culture, arts, and festivals in Lowell. Annual favorites such as Greater Lowell Pride & 4th of July saw new locations and programming, and City of Lights boasted the largest parade in five years!
In February, WinterFest returned to downtown Lowell after two successful years at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. On Palmer Street, live ice carving and fire sculptures engaged attendees of all ages. Performances in the Enterprise Bank Music Tent and the Derby Park Tent drew excited crowds, and the Experience Lowell Arts Market showcased the talents of artists across the region.
Building on the success of the 2023 Busker Series, in 2024 CASE programmed 18 different musical acts, 10 visual artists, and 1 poet to perform throughout the spring and fall, adding ambiance to downtown Lowell every week.
Responding to community request, Mosaic Lowell and CASE teamed up to produce the first Volunteer Fair in October. The event was hosted at St. Anne’s Edson Hall, and 20-plus organizations participated, highlighting a variety of opportunities to get involved.
2024 saw the addition of seven public art projects in Lowell, some of which included multiple locations. As a part of the Let’s Dance, Lowell project, artist Kit Collins created a network of eight murals in each of Lowell’s neighborhoods. The murals depict diagrams of culturally significant dances – each of which was choreographed by members of the community. ARPA grant funding contributed to Let’s Dance, Lowell, along with six other projects installed in 2024.
On a smaller scale, in October five mini galleries were built and installed by YouthBuild on the Riverwalk. The galleries displayed small works by 15 Lowell artists through mid-December. The project was funded through a grant from the Lowell Cultural Council.
The Art in City Hall series continued in 2024, with eight different galleries or community members curating shows. Each show included an opening reception, as a chance to celebrate the contributing artists.
Whether you attended your favorite festival, submitted artwork for a call, volunteered at an event, or partnered with the Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events on a program, we’d like to thank you for your participation and support in 2024. We’re excited for all 2025 will bring – stay tuned for everything we have in store.
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