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Date: 4/5/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Trinity United Methodist Church will be hosting a secular Arm in Arm: Artists United Against Gun Violence concert on April 9 at 361 Sumner Ave.
The 7 p.m. concert will be preceded by a silent auction event at 6 p.m. The auction will include artwork from local artists including Mariela Chavez, Jonny Tingle, Ryan Murray, Robert Markey, students from Springfield Public Schools, Springfield Conservatory for the Arts and Springfield’s Trust Transfer Project, according to the Arm in Arm press release.
Janet Dixon-Metcalf, a member of the Arm in Arm planning committee, shared that the annual concert event initially began in 2018. She said that the event was organized in the aftermath of the Parkland, FL, school shooting, with the tragedy inspiring the organization to unite against gun violence’s local and nationwide prevalence.
“In the aftermath of Parkland, a group of us got together both to talk about all of our emotions around gun violence, as well as what we could do locally to make a difference,” said Dixon-Metcalf. This year marks a return for the event after it endured a temporary pause the last two years due to the pandemic.
The event raises funds for various organizations advocating against gun violence, including EveryTown for Gun Safety, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and the Carol Rivest Memorial Foundation for this year’s event. The latter organization represents a personal impact to Trinity. Carol Rivest, the sibling of a Trinity member, passed away from gun violence, according to Dixon-Metcalf.
“It’s an epidemic. Rather than feeling totally horrified and helpless, we are doing what we can to make a difference and keep the issue front and center,” said Dixon-Metcalf.
Dixon-Metcalf shared that the concert encompasses a wide array of perspectives and artforms. “It’s a wide variety of people … we have instrumentalists, singers, a dance movement choir, a professional mime and accomplished poets,” said Dixon-Metcalf. The concert will also feature a screening of Doris Madsen’s short film “Wear Orange: Art Looks at Gun Violence.”
For Dixon-Metcalf, the electric array of performers and artistic mediums represents the message art can articulate. “We feel like the arts heal, they help to educate, and they provide, especially young people, with opportunities for expression and personal growth,” said Dixon-Metcalf. The Arm in Arm event also includes flags raised to honor those who have died as a result of local gun violence.
The Arm in Arm event represents one of Trinity’s different social justice initiatives. The organization is also spotlighting Ukraine relief efforts and combating food insecurity through their Parkside Pantry, according to Dixon-Metcalf.
Readers can learn more about Arm in Arm and the Trinity United Methodist Church at https://www.trinityspringfield.org/ministries/mission-justice/.