Singer, harpist and author Calvin Arsenia will perform a free public concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at the Lee Dam Center for Fine Art, 201 S. 9th St., in Marysville.
Arsenia is a Kansas City, Missouri-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for soulful vocals paired with classical harp. He has been voted Kansas City’s Best Musician from 2018 to 2023 by The Pitch and has been featured on Billboard.com, NPR.org, NEWNOWNEXT, Pride.com and GRAMMY.com.
In addition to his solo work, Arsenia has collaborated with artists across different media, including film and television, and has performed at festivals and venues in the United States and abroad. His songwriting often focuses on themes of love, loss and personal growth, with a sound that blends folk, pop and R&B. Arsenia’s musical background includes traditional gospel and classical influences.
Since 2023, Arsenia has served as director of Greenwood Social Hall, an intimate concert venue and community space in the heart of Kansas City. The venue was also the filming location for his award-winning music video featuring his cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.”
Arsenia became fascinated with recording as a teenager, when he would layer harmonies by singing into the built-in microphone on his older brother’s computer. It was the same period when MP3s and file sharing were changing how people found music, and Arsenia has said it shaped his belief that a song’s impact is not only in a recording but in the live performance. Since 2016, he has produced and released numerous projects.
Arsenia will lead a free songwriting workshop, “From Story to Song: A practical guide on the mythical and mystical art of traditional American and popular-music songcraft,” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Lee Dam Center for Fine Art. The workshop is free and open to the public.
A workbook is included. The workshop also includes an optional virtual follow-up for attendees. The follow-up date is to be announced.
Registration is requested by Thursday, Jan. 8. To register or ask questions, call or text 785-859-4260.
Arsenia’s appearance is part of a January lineup that also features visual artist Alex Laughlin.
Alex Laughlin exhibition reception, workshops also scheduled
Laughlin’s exhibition, “Cosmos and Soul,” will be on display throughout January at the Lee Dam Center for Fine Art.
A public artist reception is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9. The public is invited. Refreshments will be served.
Laughlin will lead a workshop titled “Soul Artmaking: Creating Beyond the Mind” at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10. Materials will be provided. The fee is $10. Registration is required by Thursday, Jan. 8, by calling or texting 785-859-4260.
Laughlin will also offer 15-minute channeled readings from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10.
The sessions are structured as a conversation that may include personal gifts, past experiences and current influences, followed by a small piece of artwork created during the session. Each reading costs $10 and includes the artwork. To reserve a time, call or text 785-859-4260 and include a preferred appointment time.
The entire residency is sponsored by the Marshall County Arts Cooperative. More information is available at marshallcountyarts.org.
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