FREEPORT — Two outdoor, socially-distanced concerts on Saturday, Oct. 10, will raise funds for the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Freeport’s Meetinghouse Arts project. Each 90-minute concert will present three bands/musicians. The 2 p.m. concert will open with Not2Sharp, followed by Wes Covey and the Diana Hansen Quartet. The 4:30 p.m. concert will feature Jud Caswell, Karen Gray and John Sayles.

Attendees can bring their own chairs and blankets. They will be assigned specific seating locations in the parking lot behind the First Parish Congregational Church, 40 Main St.

All proceeds from the concerts will be used to help fund the construction of a new arts and cultural center, Meetinghouse Arts, in downtown Freeport. Meetinghouse Arts will be home to a 200-seat performance and presentation space that will provide a venue for theatrical productions, concerts and other artistic and cultural presentations. It will also include a gallery for the visual arts and will be available to local organizations and touring shows. It will provide a new creative focal point for the greater Freeport area and help to strengthen its creative economy. The necessary renovations to the church’s sanctuary and adjacent spaces are expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

“This has been a difficult year for everyone,” said Nancy Salmon, president of ACAF’s board of directors. “We hope that these concerts will allow people to come out safely, reconnect at a distance with friends and neighbors, and hear some amazing music. This is the first of many performances to come at Meetinghouse Arts.”

The opening of Meetinghouse Arts will achieve one of the important goals identified in ACAF’s Cultural Plan for the Greater Freeport area. Plans for the renovations have been developed to provide a high-quality venue that is flexible enough in its design to accommodate a variety of creative needs. At the same time, Meetinghouse Arts will continue to be used by the church for Sunday services and other needs.

ACAF is working to raise the visibility of the artistic and cultural activities that the Greater Freeport Area has to offer. It is dedicated to fostering arts and culture by enhancing artistic and cultural opportunities for all members of the community, including youth, and promoting the local arts and culture. Its goal is to build the resources necessary to meet the collective needs of Greater Freeport’s performing and visual artists and cultural groups. For more about ACAF, visit FreeportArtsAndCulture.org.