The Narrows Center for the Arts is a non-profit art and musical performance venue in

Fall River, Massachusetts Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state. Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...

, USA. It was founded in 1995 for the promotion and enjoyment of the visual and performing arts. It comprises two visual art galleries, a performance theater, and visual artist studios.

History and description

Supported by public donations, contributions from the Friends of the Narrows, and staffed solely by volunteers, the Narrows moved from its initial location in "the Narrows" section of

Fall River Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state. Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...

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(hence the venue's name) to its current location on the third floor of the former

American Printing Company The American Printing Company, located in Fall River, Massachusetts grew to become the largest producer of printed cotton cloth in the United States by the early 20th Century. The company grew as an offshoot of the Fall River Iron Works, establish ...

mill building on Anawan Street overlooking the historic

Battleship Cove Battleship Cove is a nonprofit maritime museum and war memorial in Fall River, Massachusetts, United States. Featuring the world's largest collection of World War II naval vessels, it is home to the highly decorated battleship . It is located at ...

complex on

Mount Hope Bay Mount Hope Bay is a tidal estuary located at the mouth of the Taunton River on the Massachusetts and Rhode Island border. It is an arm of Narragansett Bay. The bay is named after Mount Hope, a small hill located on its western shore in what is ...

. The venue began as a side project at a small art gallery and is one of several groups that have made an effort, in cooperation with the Fall River Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council, to increase awareness of the arts in the Fall River area, making use of vacant mill and warehouse spaces for studios and performance centers. A proposal is in place to revitalize the downtown area by the creation of an Arts District, and the venue was among a group of recipients of grants intended to increase awareness of local destinations and cultural events in the southeastern Massachusetts region. A music venue in an open, high-ceiling early 20th century mill with tables and donated church pews surrounds a small stage, providing the setting for everything from folk to blues to rock.

Art

The Narrows brings to the city of Fall River an accessible variety of art created by local, regional, and national artisans.

Galleries

:The venue contains two visual art galleries. Visitors enter through the Narrows’ main Gallery, a space with an impressive 210 linear feet of exhibition walls in an elegant architectural design. Morphing several times throughout the year, the main Gallery presents artwork of every medium. The Narrows Café Gallery occupies a linear wall facing Battleship Cove at the opposite end of the venue. This space is ideal for sequential unfolding of a theme and single artist shows. Having two galleries affords visitors and artists multiple opportunities to view and exhibit fine art. The Narrows presents museum quality nationally touring exhibitions in addition to the artwork of student, local, national and international artists. “The Art of the Brick” by

Nathan Sawaya Nathan Sawaya (born July 10, 1973) is an American artist who builds custom three-dimensional sculptures and large-scale mosaics from popular everyday items and is best known for his work with standard LEGO building bricks. Biography Born in ...

, “Pulp Function,” “Duende: The Art of

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...

,” “Jerry Garcia Art Tour” “Petroleum Paradox: For Better or for Worse?” and “The Artwork of Richie Havens” are examples of extraordinary past touring exhibitions the Narrows has hosted. Brian Fox (photography), in addition to many local artists, is another of many artists to present in this space. The Narrows also often exhibits artwork from local public and private high school students and works created by students from the nearby University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Docent led tours and workshops for children are integral to visual arts programming at the Narrows. Since arts related activities are cost prohibitive to many, the Narrows provides free admission to the gallery during regular gallery hours. In doing so, the Narrows affords everyone a no-cost opportunity to view spectacular artwork. Concert-goers are also welcome to view the artwork on performance nights.

Art Community

:In addition to the art galleries, the Narrows provides studio space to several in-house local artists, ranging from painters and photographers to knitters and guitar-makers. Many of these studios are occupied during musical events. Local artwork is for sale - including jewelry, sculpture, paintings, photography, etc. The Art Community is located on the second floor of the building.

Performing Arts

The Narrows provides access to local, national, and international performing artists across several genres of music.

Music

:The venue has hosted local, national and international musical acts, including

Duke Robillard Michael John "Duke" Robillard (born October 4, 1948) is an American guitarist and singer. He founded the band Roomful of Blues and was a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Although Robillard is known as a rock and blues guitarist, he also pla ...

Eric Lindell Eric Lindell (born 1969, Northern California, United States) is an American singer-songwriter. His recording career began in 1996 as a regional Sonoma County-based artist. Since 2006, when he was picked up by Alligator Records, he has toured nat ...

, David Lindley,

Johnny Winter John Dawson Winter III (February 23, 1944 – July 16, 2014) was an American singer and guitarist. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums and live performances in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also produced three Grammy Award-win ...

, Eilen Jewell, Peter Wolf,

Blue Oyster Cult Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ob ...

Susan Tedeschi Susan Tedeschi (; born November 9, 1970) is an American singer and guitarist. A multiple Grammy Award nominee, she is a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, a conglomeration of her band, her husband Derek Trucks’ and other musicians. Early l ...

, and local performers such as

Roomful of Blues Roomful of Blues is an American blues and swing revival big band based in Rhode Island. With a recording career that spans over 50 years, they have toured worldwide and recorded many albums. Roomful of Blues, according to the ''Chicago Sun-Ti ...

Comedy

:The Narrows occasionally hosts comedy events, with national acts such as

Paula Poundstone Paula Poundstone (born December 29, 1959) is an American stand-up comedian, author, actor, interviewer, and commentator. Beginning in the late 1980s, she performed a series of one-hour HBO comedy specials. She provided backstage commentary durin ...

as well as local comedians.

Education

The Narrows Center offers educational opportunities to the public and to local school students including hands-on workshops and exhibit space.

Awards/Grants

The Narrows Center has been recognized by the following: * Mass Cultural Council - Cultural Investment Funding (2014) * Providence/Boston Phoenix - Best Folk Venue (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013) * Rhode Island Monthly Magazine - Best Destination Concerts (2007)

References

External links

Narrows Center for the Arts , homepage

Taunton Daily Gazette , Illustrations tell a story at Narrows Center for the Arts

Patriot Ledger , Narrows Center a gem of a music venue
{{Coord, 41, 42, 11.0124, N, 71, 9, 46.2492, W, region:US, display=inline,title Arts centers in Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Fall River, Massachusetts Tourist attractions in Fall River, Massachusetts Music venues in Massachusetts