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Artists petition council for public hearing on Out of the Blue art space, citing eviction concerns at the Armory
Summary
Fifty‑two registered voters submitted a petition requesting a public hearing on issues at the Armory and the Out of the Blue art space; speakers urged the council to refer the matter to the Housing & Community Development committee and to avoid displacing artists during the transition to a new administration.
A petition from 52 registered voters seeking a public hearing about the Out of the Blue community art space and associated eviction issues at the Armory was presented to the Somerville City Council on Nov. 13. Councilor Bradley sponsored the item and invited petition signees to speak.
David Japinski and John Jay Pillmire spoke in support of the petition. Japinski described the eviction as “the tip of the iceberg” and urged the incoming mayor to reverse the eviction and pursue an arts‑friendly solution; Pillmire requested a public hearing to allow the space’s organizers (including Parma Charaparaye and Steve Asaro) to present their case to the council. "This eviction feels like the tip of the iceberg," Japinski said during public comment.
Council leadership said the petition would be referred to the Housing & Community Development committee to schedule a public hearing; staff noted calendar limits and that the committee scheduling may not occur before the beginning of the next year.
What’s next: Petition referred to Housing & Community Development for a public hearing and follow‑up; scheduling depends on committee calendar availability.
