WORCESTER — Nightlife is getting a creative twist — and it starts with a Lowell-born idea now expanding into Worcester.
ArtCity, the creative collective behind ArtCity Lowell — the one-day micro mural festival that brought 20 murals to life in the Mill City last September — is launching a new late-night arts series called ArtCity After Dark, debuting April 4 at Worcester’s i90 Studios.
The inaugural event will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight on April 4, with an after-party running until 2 a.m. It will also mark the first time i90 Studios, located at 133 Gold St., opens its doors to the public. The Worcester-based recording studio and media education space is serving as ArtCity’s media and music partner for the new series.
The multi-floor warehouse at i90 Studios will be turned into an immersive environment featuring live mural painting, DJs, musicians, dancers, installations, a curated gallery and interactive art experiences. The goal is to create an inclusive artist-forward space that blends nightlife with creative expression, organizers said in a press release about the event.
ArtCity founder Kori Thomas, also known by her artist name Quest Nine, said in the release that the creative collective “has always been about connection between artists, space, and community.”
“ArtCity After Dark is the next evolution of that vision, bringing art into a nightlife setting while staying rooted in collaboration and access,” Thomas said.
ArtCity After Dark is part of a broader slate of programming produced by ArtCity, which includes public art initiatives, workshops and community-centered cultural events aimed at building sustainable creative infrastructure across the region.
According to organizers, though the event takes place in Worcester, ArtCity remains based in Lowell and is actively seeking New England–based artists — including many from Lowell — to participate.
“Even as ArtCity grows across the region, Lowell remains our home base and central to our story,” Thomas said.
Open calls are currently taking place for visual artists, musicians, dancers, performers and vendors interested in participating. Community members are encouraged to apply or share the opportunity with other creative individuals in their networks.
Applications for all creative roles are open until March 1 and can be filled out at artcityhq.org/opencalls.
More information is available at artcityhq.org and on Instagram @artcityafterdark and @artcityhq.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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