ASSEMBLED Crafts Market in Somerville to Launch May 18

The following is an announcement from Assembly Row about the upcoming ASSEMBLED market in Assembly Square:

ASSEMBLED: The Handmade Arts Market at Assembly Row kicks off on Saturday May 18^th featuring Boston Etsy artists. This weekly market will showcase handmade arts and crafts on display and for sale by New England’s many creative talents including numerous Etsy artisans. There will be live musical performances and food and refreshments sold by popular New England area Food Trucks Compliments, Bon Me, Frozen Hoagies, and Grilled Cheese Nation.

ASSEMBLED promises to complement an already booming arts scene that has helped transform the city of Somerville into an “arts Mecca”.  Somerville ranks second in the United States behind New York City in the number of per capita resident artists*. With local artists making the city of Somerville one of the most vibrant and exciting arts centers in the country, ASSEMBLED: The Handmade Arts Market at Assembly Row, joins the ranks in showcasing the city as one of New England’s leading arts destinations.

The ASSEMBLED launch event on May 18^th will feature Boston Etsy artists under the direction of Etsy Boston Area Artists team leader, Dara Cheeks of Brighton, a community of over 400 area artists. Dozens of these local artisans of various media, including photography, jewelry, recycled and repurposed crafts, clay, fiber, glass, paper and more, will be on display and for sale. Cheeks will also be holding sessions on breaking into the Etsy and local handmade communities over the course of the May 18^th event, for any and all interested artists. Other markets will feature artisans from Pixiedust Crafts, White Barn Heirlooms, Wicked Etsy, Steampunk, and the Common Good Market.

The market will take place weekly on Saturdays on Grand Union Boulevard along the Mystic River from May 18^th through September 21^st with the exclusion of holiday weekends, running from 11:00am – 4:00pm. More information and a complete calendar of events can be found online at www.assemblyrow.com. Admission is free.

Assembly Row is easily accessible by car with easy on-and-off from major highways, including I-93 and Route 28, and via public transportation with both Sullivan Square and Wellington Circle stations under one mile away. Free parking is also available.

Artists interested in participating in this series can contact Leslie Cipolla of Aigner/Prensky Marketing Group at lcipolla@aignerprenskymarketing.com or (617) 254-9500.

*Statistic from the Somerville Arts Council