Four non-profit arts organizations to offer Cultural Salon

From The Advocate (http://www.iBerkshires.com/advocate), June 5, 2002
By Mark E. Rondeau

A free North Adams Cultural Salon will be held Saturday, June 8, from noon to 10 p.m. at Heritage State Park in North Adams.

This will be a cultural collaboration and silent auction benefiting the Contemporary Artists Center (CAC), Inkberry, Main Street Stage, and Railway Cafe. This will be a day of free cultural programing, with a silent auction intended as a fund-raiser.

  • At noon the art exhibition will open. Silent auction bidding will begin on items including: meals, lodging, local services, original art, entertainment, and antique and specialty items. The silent auction will be open all day.
  • Between noon and 3 p.m., artistic programs for children will be offered, including face painting, free balloons, and performances.
  • In the evening, around 6:30, a couple of local artists will provide live music, readings from a couple of former Inkberry students, and a visual art exhibit presented by the CAC. The Main Street Stage’s Royal Berkshire Improv Troupe will give performances.
    • Food and beverages will also be featured. Rachel Barenblat, one of the founders of Inkberry, said this is the first such collaboration in North Adams that the organizing groups know of.

    “We all came together because we are all members of what’s now being called The Infinite Capacity Partnership, which was formerly called the North Adams Cultural Economic Development Group,” Barenblat said. “It’s a group of arts organizations and businesses in town working together…because we think businesses and the arts can benefit each other in making North Adams a strong place.”

    This group meets every Tuesday afternoon in Building 1 at MASS MoCA (next to The Advocate’s offices).

    “We have a phenomenal list of prizes,” Barenblat said in regard to the silent auction. “We’re hoping that whatever people would otherwise have been willing to spend on tickets, they’ll spend on auction items.”

    A small fraction of the prizes include: two, one-hour Tarot readings; an item from the Eziba store; an overnight stay at the Porches; 10 free movie passes from Images Cinema; a bread-making lesson donated by Kate Abbott; five pounds of gourmet cheese; 12 bottles of wine from North River Winery; two Williamstown T-shirts; an etching donated by Mr. Cobbler; and season passes to the Main Street Stage, MASS MoCA, and many, many more.

    “A lot of people have donated,” Barenblat said. “We really appreciate the support we’ve gotten from area businesses.”

    “The hope is that people will turn out for the event because it should just be a lot of fun and we’ll have great free entertainment, but also that the folks who come will want to bid on these items, which will help the four organizations keep doing what we’re doing,” she said. “There should be something that day that appeals to almost everybody, we’re trying to reach a wide audience.”

    The organizations involved, as described in a promotional flyer for the event:

  • Contemporary Artists Center (CAC) is a nonprofit artists’ studio facility established by working artists for working artists. It is entering its 12th year of operation. The center offers artists’ residencies, studio space, workshops, a lecture series, and gallery exhibitions.
  • Inkberry is dedicated to fostering the literary arts. Through workshops geared towards every level of writer, and a reading series that both brings established writers into the local community and promotes local talent, they aim to strengthen connections between writing and life, and to create a place where everyone can discover their voice.
  • The Main Street Stage is a year-round performance space committed to developing local talent and new scripts, as well as producing cutting-edge contemporary plays. Its goal is to produce “theater with a conscience” that will help to build community and improve the fabric of contemporary life.
  • The Railway Cafe is a monthly concert series featuring local and national singer-songwriters. Performances take place at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Its goals are to bring more music to North Adams, contribute to local music culture by showcasing local and touring musicians, and build community through live music.

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