Messina Art Grants Awarded Tonight

Ten Messina Grants totaling $10,000 will be issued to local groups planning arts events in the city this year, during an award ceremony at Memorial Hall tonight. 

The grant, named for longtime Fine Arts Chair of Melrose Public Schools Joseph Messina, is administered by members of the town's artistic community. 

Here are a list of events sponsored by the group this year: 

Raleigh Ringers at MMVMS Auditorium: "The Raleigh Ringers, an internationally acclaimed handbell choir, will come to the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School Auditorium on June 24 for a concert that will draw music lovers from around the region. While handbell choirs are popular in Melrose, the Jubilate Ringers bring the performance to a new level, with a repertoire that stretches from "Flight of the Bumblebee" to "Bohemian Rhaphsody." (Jubilate Ringers: First Congregational Church)

A Tree Grows in Melrose, 'CommuniTree': "The purpose of this activity is to create a piece of community-made art that endorses stewardship of the environment and protection of our parks. In the first part of the project, a group of volunteers fanned out throughout the parks of Melrose and picked up litter, which was collected and brought to a central location. The collected items were then transformed into a tree, which was displayed at the Melrose Arts Festival on April 27-28." (Follow Your Art: Kristina Rodolico)

Feile Ceoil Boston: "Melrose will get its own festival of Irish music on June 22, when musicians and teachers from Ireland and the U.S. will gather for a day of competitions and music workshops, culminating in a concert that evening." (Boston School of Traditional Irish Music)

Support for Monthly Concerts: "The Beethoven Society presents a free concert once a month." (Beethoven Society of Melrose)

Monthly Demonstrations at the Milano Center: "This grant funded a series of open demonstrations by artists working in different media. The presentations are held on the first Wednesday of the month in the Milano Senior Center, and they are free to the public." (Melrose Arts)

Bruce Springsteen Tribute Concert: "A concert by the Bruce Springsteen tribute band the B Street Band, which was held in Memorial Hall. In addition to helping Polymnia support its community efforts, this concert was a rare opportunity to bring rock music, and those who listen to it, to Memorial Hall." (Polymnia Choral Society)

New Tree for the Nutcracker: "The Melrose Youth Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker is a well established tradition in Melrose and provides an opportunity for many local children to perform onstage in the holiday classic...The Christmas tree is an essential part of the setting of this ballet and a professionally designed tree will greatly enhance the production." (Melrose Youth Ballet)

Plein Air Sketching in the Fells: "Painting and sketching outdoors (en plein air, as the French call it) is a grand artistic tradition, and the Middlesex Fells provides a variety of interesting and beautiful landscape subjects. The Friends of the Fells plan to bring in local artist Adrian Johnston to organize a group of residents who are new to plein air sketching as well as a support group for more experienced artists." (Friends of the Middlesex Fells)

Music for the Melrose Summer Stroll: "On Thursday, June 20, Main Street will be closed to traffic but open for business, as stores stay open late for a "Summer Stroll." The event will allow Melrose residents and visitors to explore Main Street at a leisurely pace while enjoying music from local muicians, including a jazz band, a strolling classical guitar player, and a violinist." (Melrose Chamber of Commerce)

Augmented Sound System: Funds were used to rent a special sound system for the soloists at the Melrose Symphony Orchestra's Spring Pops concert, providing enhanced acoustics for one of the most popular musical events in Melrose. (Melrose Symphony Orchestra)