SPRINGFIELD — Get ready for some live music and entertainment. On Feb. 17, the Springfield Performing Arts Ventures Inc. will host its first live show at its new venue, 52 Sumner.
Named for its location at 52 Sumner Ave., the performance space is inside the former Faith United Church, a building with more than 110 years of history that sits on the corner of Sumner Avenue and Fort Pleasant Street. The church closed due to dwindling membership with its final service taking place in May 2021.
Founder and board member Angela Park said, “We always wanted to have a space where we could support the arts. We look forward to live entertainment, fundraisers, art classes for all ages, as well as corporate events in the beautiful space.”
She continued, “A lot of people will be in awe of this space. We want to create a good quality sounding venue to host a variety of local and national entertainment acts.”
Springfield Performing Arts Ventures Inc. is a nonprofit with a mission to ignite the artistic spirit within the community, providing a haven for creative expression, cultural enrichment, and personal growth through the performing arts. They’re committed to breaking down barriers, ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to access, participate in, and be inspired by the performing arts through education, performance, and outreach. Through these efforts they strive to foster a more vibrant, connected, and culturally enriched city, promoting unity and understanding among all residents.
The organization’s inaugural live show will feature the rock and roll talents of Moses Sole and the 413s on Feb. 17 from 7-11 p.m.
“Our hopes for the Feb. 17 show is to have people see what we can do and offer in this space,” Park said. “We have two awesome local bands that will take the stage.”
Springfield based Moses Sole returns to the stage to perform for the first time in nearly three years. Rising local rockers, the 413s will join Moses Sole on the stage, providing an opportunity to see two generations of performers.
Park told Reminder Publishing the arts are dying, kids love music and art so they’re hoping to provide access to children who may not be able to take part due to the expense. At the same time they are hoping to provide a practice space for upcoming bands or entertainers.
“The most rewarding part of all this is the support we got from the community and city leadership,” Park said. “I feel very blessed to have a board of directors that support this initiative. The board consists of myself, Daniel Mckellick, John Mayock, Natasha Skorupski and Micheal Grant. Dan McKellick has been the driving force behind me to ensure the success of this venture and I am forever grateful for all he does.”
General admission tickets are $15, available through Eventbrite at http://tinyurl.com/2ceaftxu. VIP tables for 10 are $250 and can be purchased by emailing info@52sumner.com.
