Rochester Arts
During the past quarter century, Rochester has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in the arts. The innovative Rochester Museum of Fine Arts opened its doors in 2012. The latter features a varied collection of works by local and regional artists, not mention some from afar. The museum’s concerted efforts to engage the community have extended the accessibility of its collections to the corridors of the James W. Foley Community Center and the public library.
The Rochester Opera House re-opened in the 1990’s after a period of decline and dormancy. In 2017, its affiliate, the Rochester Performance & Arts Center, was established on North Main Street.
Rochester enjoys a lively music scene as well. Many local restaurants feature live music on weekends. The Porchfest, an annual event sponsored by the Opera House, is quite popular in the summer.
Rochester’s revived art scene is characterized by a distinctly populist approach, and reflects the community’s commitment to make art accessible to anyone who wishes to explore and participate. In that regard Rochester distinguishes itself from other NH cities.
(The painting to the right is the work of Holly McKay.)
Rochester Museum of Fine Arts
The RMFA was founded in 2011 by local volunteers, and is kept going on an extremely modest budget through the perseverance and hard work of volunteers Matt Wyatt and Amy Regan. The RFMA enjoys broad support in the community. The centerpiece of the museum’s 200+ piece collection is the Bernier Room, located in Suite 135 of the James W. Foley Community Center. The collection is diverse and eclectic. Every piece was donated, in many instances by the artist. Download the RMFA app to get a sense of the scope and diversity of the museum’s permanent collection, along with narratives on current exhibits and upcoming events.
Art in the Corridor
Unlike many conventional museums that house their collections in fortress-like structures, the RMFA’s mission is to bring art to the local population and to make the collections as accessible as possible. Toward that end, a sizable part of the RMFA’s collection is on display along the corridors of the James W. Foley Community Center. From the city’s motor vehicle registration department to its indoor recreational facilities, it is hard for community center visitors to overlook the RFMA’s Art in the Corridor initiative. On any given day, many Community Center visitors stop and contemplate the artwork that lines these corridors.
The Carnegie Gallery
Anther part of the RMFA’s collection is on display at the Rochester Public Library. The 2nd floor Carnegie Gallery is named after the 19th century industrialist who provided funding to construct public libraries in cities and towns across the US, including the Rochester library, built in 1903. The historic interior is well suited to house a library and a gallery simultaneously. Art works are also found along the walls of the building’s more recent addition. A banner in the 2nd floor gallery proclaims “Art for Everyone” in keeping with RMFA’s mission to make quality art accessible to all.
The Opera House
As is the case with the RMFA, the Opera House strives to make theatrical performances, music, and dance readily accessible to a wide audience, as reflected in the organization’s logo “Arts for All Since 1908.” Following several decades of slow decline during the mid-20th century (when the theater doubled as a gymnasium), a non-profit brought the venue back to life during the late 1990’s. Their efforts met with spectacular success, and the theater has been restored to its 1908 grandeur. The Opera House is a significant component of the cultural life of the community, as the venue draws large audiences from throughout the region, it has been a strategic asset in efforts to revitalize the downtown.
Rochester Performance & Arts Center
The Rochester Performance & Arts Center (RPAC) is a affiliate of the non-profit Rochester Opera House. The RPAC opened in 2017 in the heart of downtown. The center includes a 150-seat recital hall, practice studios, a recording studio, and an art gallery. RPAC offers folks of all ages a range of classes and lessons in art, dance, music, and theater. These educational offerings are well patronized by community members. The basement of the facility serves as a de facto annex to the Opera House, as it is the location where costumes are stored and theatrical backdrops and props are fabricated. As is the case with the Opera House, RPAC draws a significant number of patrons to the downtown, and for that reason it is an asset in efforts to revitalize the city center.