Local musician Ali McGuirk and multimedia artist Pamela Maguire teamed up earlier this month to use art and music to support the Massachusetts families hardest hit by the COVID pandemic. On May 8 the pair released, via Bandcamp, a set of their works in tandem.
McGuirk debuted a previously vaulted, extended take of her song, “What Have We Done?” while Maguire presented a new 8×10 illustrated interpretation of a family together in the wilderness.
In partnership with Zumix, the proceeds from these dual releases will be redistributed directly to families in East Boston, Chelsea and surrounding towns, which have the highest per capita rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts.
“Pamela Maguire and I teamed up to raise some dough for families in Chelsea, Eastie and beyond,” said McGuirk. “The track is exclusively available on Bandcamp and all of the profits go directly to families in Eastie, Chelsea and the surrounding towns, which have the highest rates of COVID in the state, in partnership with Zumix’s mutual aid efforts.”
McGuirrk works as a Teaching Artist at Zumix and has been moved by the organization’s ability to adapt with care towards the needs of their community. Since the onset of the pandemic, Zumix has been providing creative, financial and food support to about 200 families, including $30,000 in direct payments to families who have lost work.
“On behalf of the entire Zumix community, I’d like to thank Ali McGuirk and Pamela Maguire for their generous and creative support of ZUMIX’s COVID-19 family assistance initiative,” said Zumix Executive Director and Co-Founder Madeleine Steczynski. “Their joint release via Bandcamp offers an extended version of Ali’s hit “What Have We Done,” along with Pamela’s visual depiction of a family together in the wilderness. We are blessed to have the support of such gifted artists. Their generosity will enable us to continue to provide critical support to local families in need.”
The proceeds from these releases will be used towards these direct relief mutual aid efforts as the pandemic continues to present unforeseen and unprecedented challenges to the community.
Maguire, a frequent collaborator of McGuirk’s and the hand behind her EP and debut album art, was inspired to create this new image while traveling recently through the American South and Mexico, as a tribute to migrants and their families.
McGuirk’s new 10-minute version of “What Have We Done?” was recorded in 2017 at Chillhouse Studio with Jeffrey Lockhart, Cilla Bonnie, Brandon Mayes and Deshawn D’vibes Alexander—the band that helped win the 2018 Boston Music Award for Best Live Residency at Bull McCabe’s.
A link to the song can be found at https://www.dropbox.com/s/e4lmhyclqqewro0.