The Belleville Arts Foundation, Inc.
The mission of the Belleville Arts Foundation, Inc. is to preserve, maintain and improve the Belleville Meetinghouse and use it as a civic hub, a venue for the arts, and a community center for the Greater Newburyport area. Building a sense of community through the arts, the Foundation will sponsor concerts, lectures, theater performances, classes, and workshops.
The Belleville Meetinghouse traces its roots back to 1761, when a Congregational Church was first organized in Newburyport, Massachusetts. The current building was dedicated on December 24, 1867, and houses a magnificent organ that still is used. For centuries, the Belleville Meetinghouse has served as a center of religious life and also as a community center for the Belleville neighborhood.
In 2005, a group of musicians approached the church about using The Meetinghouse for concerts and the Belleville Roots Music Series was born. The series draws music lovers and performers from far and wide and has become an important pillar of the Newburyport cultural scene.
In addition, the well-respected Newburyport Choral Society regularly performs in The Meetinghouse and is a long-term renter. Several other performances and concerts are held here every year including church events, organ concerts, theater, and concerts.
Rentals of the Meetinghouse are in demand for its outstanding acoustics and the largest capacity in the greater Newburyport area.
Board Members
Marcia Shoemaker, President
Philip Smith, Vice President
Joseph Carper, Treasurer
Lynn Varney, Clerk
Lisë Reid, Chair, Grant Writing
Ken Irwin
Donna Wilson Irwin
Jim Samuelson