The Northampton Arts Council works to support and nurture the arts in the city of Northampton. The Council awards grants twice each year to artists and arts groups from both state and locally-raised funds, and seeks to improve public awareness of the arts. Its' goals include maintaining and preserving the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Northampton, programming such annual events of interest to the community as First Night Northampton and Transperformance.

Thursday, May 26, 2016

10 Reasons to Support the Arts


1. Arts promote true prosperity. The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us—fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts help us express our values, build bridges between cultures, and bring us together regardless of ethnicity, religion, or age. When times are tough, art is salve for the ache.
2. Arts improve academic performance. Students with an education rich in the arts have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, and lower drop-out rates—benefits reaped by students regardless of socio-economic status. Students with 4 years of arts or music in high school average 100 points higher on the verbal and math portions of their SATs than students with just one-half year of arts or music.
3. Arts strengthen the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that the arts and culture sector is a $699 billion industry, which represents 4.3 percent of the nation’s GDP—a larger share of the economy than transportation and agriculture. The nonprofit arts industry alone generates $135 billion in economic activity annually (spending by organizations and their audiences) that supports 4.1 million jobs and generates $22.3 billion in government revenue.
4. Arts are good for local merchants. Attendees at nonprofit arts events spend $24.60 per person, per event, beyond the cost of admission on items such as meals, parking, and babysitters. Attendees who live outside the county in which the arts event takes place spend twice as much as their local counterparts ($39.96 vs. $17.42)—valuable revenue for local businesses and the community.
5. Arts drive tourism. Arts travelers are ideal tourists, staying longer and spending more to seek out authentic cultural experiences. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that the percentage of international travelers including museum visits on their trip has grown steadily since 2003 (18 to 28 percent). The share attending concerts and theater performances has grown from 14 to 18 percent since 2003.
6. Arts are an export industry. U.S. exports of arts goods (e.g., movies, paintings, jewelry) grew to $75 billion in 2012, while imports were just $27 billion—a $47 billion arts trade surplus.
7. Arts spark creativity and innovation. The Conference Board reports that creativity is among the top 5 applied skills sought by business leaders—with 72 percent saying creativity is of high importance when hiring. The biggest creativity indicator? A college arts degree. Their Ready to Innovate report concludes, “The arts—music, creative writing, drawing, dance—provide skills sought by employers of the 3rd” Nobel laureates in the sciences are 17 times more likely to be actively engaged in the arts than average scientists.
8. Arts have social impact. University of Pennsylvania researchers have demonstrated that a high concentration of the arts in a city leads to higher civic engagement, more social cohesion, higher child welfare, and lower crime and poverty rates. The arts are used by the U.S. Military to promote troop force and family readiness, resilience, retention and for the successful reintegration of veterans into family and community life.
9. Arts improve healthcare. Nearly one-half of the nation’s healthcare institutions provide arts programming for patients, families, and even staff. 78 percent deliver these programs because of their healing benefits to patients—shorter hospital stays, better pain management, and less medication.
10. Arts mean business. The Creative Industries are arts businesses that range from nonprofit museums, symphonies, and theaters to for-profit film, architecture, and design companies. A 2015 analysis of Dun & Bradstreet data counts 702,771 businesses in the U.S. involved in the creation or distribution of the arts that employ 2.9 million people—representing 3.9 percent of all businesses and 1.9 percent of all employees.

LINK

BJ Goodwin Award Recipient Jake Meginsky in Europe


Northampton-based sound artist and 2016 BJ Goodwin Award recipient Jake Meginsky performed throughout Europe this past month as a featured soloist at the Click Festival in Denmark as well as in a residency at the EMS Elektronmusikstudion in Stockholm, Sweden.

Northampton Jazz Workshop features vibraphonist Jay Hoggerd

Northampton Jazz Workshop features guest vibraphonist Jay Hoggerd on Tuesday, May 31st, 7:30 to 8:30 PM followed by an open jazz jam until 10:30 PM at the The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

A.P.E. Weekly

This Week at A.P.E.
One Night Only!

Hilltown 6: Extraordinary Clay


More info: 

Jan Ruby-Crystal "Toys: Yesterday and Today"




Jan Ruby-Crystal 
Toys:
Yesterday and Today

Jan Ruby Crystal, Iza and Lucy In the Bath, 2016. 
(Handmade paper, fabric and water soluble oil paint  26 x 20.5")
Toys:
Yesterday and Today
Jan Ruby-Crystal
/
Jan Ruby-Crystal has engaged in her childhood memories and her experiences as a teacher, parent and grandparent for this artistic journey interweaving Historic Northampton's collection and her own joyful imagination.
 
Jan Ruby-Crystal responds to toys from the Historic Northampton's ollection through oils, watercolor, charcoal and handmade paper. She has observed and photographed children at play, stepping back in time to her own childhood. "The spirit of play is not necessarily tied to one material, toy or timeframe, but can be experienced in a multitude of ways throughout our lives," she says. "With that in mind, I decided I would make my artwork or this exhibition into an exemplar of play. I opened myself up to working in as many materials and styles as I chose, opening the doors of possibility, just as play does."
 
Jan Ruby-Crystal is a Faculty Emerita of The State System of Higher Education in Pennsylvania, where she was a professor of Art and Design at Shippensburg University. Since moving to the Pioneer Valley in 2013, she has been teaching art classes at the Smith Campus School, at her studio in Northampton, at Arcadia, as well as developing Arcadia's Art House and exhibiting her art throughout the Valley and New York City. She is the 2016 recipient of the Outer Cape Artists Residency in painting.

Architectural blocks, from the collection of
Historic Northampton


Opening Reception:  
Friday, June 10, 5-8:00 pm (Arts Night Out), with a performance by the A2Z Yo-Yo team
 

Panel Discussion on Creative Play:
Sunday, June 12, 2016, 2:00 pm 
Do today's toys develop lasting creative and social skills in our children? 
 
  

____________________

The Contemporary Art at Historic Northampton program is supported by a generous grant from the Art Angels Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.
Opening Reception
Friday, June 10th
Arts Night Out
5 to 8 pm
Exhibition Dates
June 10 - July 2, 2016
Exhibition Hours
Wednesday - Saturday
   10 am to 4 pm
Sundays
   12 noon to 5 pm

_____________________
 
  
 
Infinite Possibilities, (inspired by a photograph by Dan LIttle), 2016.
(Water soluble oil paintArches paper, handmade paper legos,  30 x 23")
 
 
Jan Ruby-Crystal, 2016 (Photo by Ellen Augarten) 

Panel Discussion on Creative Play:
Do today's toys develop lasting creative and social skills in our children? 
 
Sunday, June 12, 2016, 2 pm

 
Free and open to the public  

Contemporary Art at 
Historic Northampton

A partnership of Historic Northampton, Northampton Center for the Arts and A.P.E. Gallery to exhibit the work of local artists who draw on Northampton history for theme or inspiration.

Historic Northampton
46 Bridge Street
Northampton, MA



Monday, May 23, 2016

Swamp Donkey Speakeasy




Swamp Donkey Speakeasy

Doors open at 5PM and the show begins at 7PM on both Thursday, May 26th and Friday, May 27th at the New City Brewery, 180 Pleasant Street in Easthampton. Visit https://millpond.live for more information.

“Young devotees whose balance of spunk and funk keeps the heart of traditional jazz beating.”  ~ The New Yorker

On May 26th, the spirit of New Orleans will blow in from the south and take the Valley by storm. If you’ve ever set foot on Frenchman Street after dark, you know what I’m talking about; that foot-stomping, hip-shaking, musical vitality that seems to emanate from the cobblestone streets of the Crescent City.


Sunday, May 22, 2016

Free Outdoor Movie: Cinema Northampton presents Pee-wee’s Big Adventure


Pee-wee’s Big Adventure | May 25th | 8:00 PM | Smith College Selye Lawn
PG | 1h 31min | Parental Guide
When eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.



Who hosts these screenings?
Cinema Northampton is a collaboration between Northampton Community Television, Northampton Arts Council, Forbes Library, Northampton Parks and Rec, and the Academy of Music.

Where are the screenings?
Screening locations change from month to month and are listed on this site.

How should I plan?
We recommend bringing blankets, bug spray, snacks, cash for food vendors, and a flashlight. If you bring a lawn chair, please set up towards the back as to not block others. We recommend arriving early to claim a good spot.
Are the movies family-friendly?
Most of them are. Please refer to the IMDB parental guide for each film linked to on this site.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Community Media’s Role in Literacy and Accessibility is Critical in VR, Immersive Hyperlocal Journalism & Storytelling

Community Media’s Role in Literacy and Accessibility is Critical in VR, Immersive Hyperlocal Journalism & Storytelling

Two Massachusetts nonprofit innovators, Northampton Community Television (NCTV) and Brookline Interactive Group (BIG), are partnering to forge new models of public media in the United States by adding Virtual Reality, or VR, into their community media toolkits.

Northampton Jazz Workshop features vibraphonist Jay Hoggerd


Northampton Jazz Workshop features guest vibraphonist Jay Hoggerd on Tuesday, May 31st, 7:30 to 8:30 PM followed by an open jazz jam until 10:30 PM at the The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton.

Paradise City Cultural District Convention

Climb Aboard the fast train at Union Station!

Final details before the convening on Monday May 23, 2016: 

Ø  Please plan on arriving by 9:30am to register, meet people, and settle in.

Ø  Have all your people registered? If not, please email Annie Houston right away: annie.houston@art.state.ma.us

Ø  For directions to Union Station, 125A Pleasant Street, Northampton open this link: http://www.unionstationbanquets.com/location.html

Ø  There is plenty of parking at Union Station, and it’s free!

Ø  Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Ø  Bring marketing materials for your district to share.

Ø  Attire is casual.


Tuesday, May 17, 2016

State awards $300,000 to the Northampton Community Arts Trust 33 Hawley Street Project


State awards $300,000 to the Northampton Community Arts Trust 33 Hawley Street Project

Northampton, MA —The Northampton Community Arts Trust (NCAT) has received a $300,000 capital grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund. The award will be directed to the second phase of renovations to the Arts Trust’s property at 33 Hawley Street in Northampton.

Monday, May 16, 2016

House of Life Paintings by Anna Dibble

Image above: Hope is the Thing with Feathers 

House of Life
Paintings by Anna Dibble

June 8 - July 3, 2016 
APE
Arts Night Out Reception: Friday, June 10: 5-8 pm

Eric Carle Book Signing

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Welcomes Co-Founder Eric Carle for Book Signing

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is pleased to announce that their beloved co-founder Eric Carle will return to sign books and meet fans on Saturday, May 28 at 10:00 am. Museum members will receive priority line placement and may enter early at 9:30 am. The signing is free with Museum Admission.

Northampton Jazz Workshop features saxophone and flutist Erik Lawrence

Northampton Jazz Workshop features guest saxophone and flutist Erik Lawrence on Tuesday, May 24th, 7:30 to 8:30 PM followed by an open jazz jam until 10:30 PM at the The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton.

Free Exhibit in June at Arcadia - Mass Audubon

Please stop by Arcadia Wildlife Nature Ctr. at 127 Combs Rd., Easthampton, and enjoy a FREE viewing of various paintings by Pat McDonagh. They will be on display in our exhibit room from June 1st  to June 30th.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Amherst Poetry Festival Call for Proposals

Amherst Poetry Festival Call for Proposals:

Individual and Group Readings, Poetry Slam, and Workshops, and Panels

DEADLINE: May 25, 2016

The fourth annual Amherst Poetry Festival takes place September 15-17, 2016 at the Emily Dickinson Museum and locations throughout downtown Amherst.

Da Camera Singers’ presents “Fill the Earth with Glorious Sounds”

Da Camera Singers ploughs new ground with a world premiere and a Bluegrass Mass

“Fill the Earth with Glorious Sounds”, Da Camera Singers’ May 28 concert at the Helen Hills Hills Chapel at Smith College, will take the Amherst-based ensemble into new, unchartered territory with a world premiere work and a venture into a brave new world where the Latin Mass meets Bluegrass.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Northampton Senior Center Group Sing featuring Ken Maiuri

Free and open to the public, the next Group Sing will be Wednesday, June 1, at 7pm at the Northampton Senior Center.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Double Edge Theatre on Tour and at Home


Double Edge Theatre on Tour and at Home
Double Edge performs The Odyssey in Bar Harbor, ME, followed by A Latin American Spectacle in Jamaica Plain and Once a Blue Moon at the Farm in Ashfield, MA

Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra Celebrates CD at Shea Theater Debut

Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra Celebrates CD at Shea Theater Debut

Turners Falls, MA—The Northampton Center for the Arts is pleased to present composer, performer, and guitar innovator Peter Blanchette directing the critically acclaimed Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra (HVGO) in its debut at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls on Saturday, May 21 at 8:00 pm. The audience is also invited to a 7:00 pm pre-show “meet and mingle” with the orchestra in the Shea’s newly renovated lobby bar area.

Northampton Jazz Workshop features vocalist Cindy Scott and guitarist Brian Seeger from New Orleans

Northampton Jazz Workshop features guest vocalist Cindy Scott and guitarist Brian Seeger from New Orleans on Tuesday, May 17th, 7:30 to 8:30 PM followed by an open jazz jam until 10:30 PM at the The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton.

Creating Connection: Enriching lives through the power of creative expression

Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Arts Midwest, and the Metropolitan Group
with ArtsBoston, ArtsEmerson, City Awake, EpiCenter Community, Massachusetts Creative Economy Network, MASSCreative, New England Foundation for the Arts, Peabody Essex Museum, and The ARTery/WBUR

Present

Creating Connection
Enriching lives through the power of creative expression

Wednesday, June 1st, 2016
9:00a – 11:30a
Emerson College’s Paramount Theater, 599 Washington St., BOSTON
Doors open at 8:30a for coffee and tea.

 Special thanks to our partner Bloomberg Philanthropies for their support in Boston.

Thursday, June 2nd, 2016
9:30a – 12:30p
Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., EASTHAMPTON
Doors open at 9:00a for coffee, tea and light breakfast. Lunch provided.


·       Do you know what your audiences and the public think of arts and culture?
·       How can data-driven strategies increase the power and relevance of your communications, programming, and outreach?
·       How can we help more people experience connection through creative expression?
·       How do we engage broader and more diverse audiences for our work?

Attracting new audiences, retaining existing audiences, and staying connected with communities are some of the most difficult work undertaken by arts and culture organizations. 

Creating Connection in Massachusetts is part of a broader national effort to build public will for arts and culture by helping arts organizations, artists, and allied leaders apply data-driven, pro-arts messages to their work. National research and ongoing pilots across the country are revealing new approaches to respond to changing public expectations and preferences. By strategically and consistently communicating how art programs align powerfully with core public values and leveraging grassroots engagement strategies with stakeholders, Creating Connection and its partners will help make art, culture, and creativity a more recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life.

Please join us for a presentation and discussion about the data behind the social change movement, Creating Connection. Learn about strategies and resources you can take back to your organization and map against your existing programming, marketing, and messaging.

Registration is required as seating is limited:



Sneak peek at some of the research and tools atwww.creatingconnection.org/research

PRESENTERS
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Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. A non-profit regional arts organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest serves audiences, arts organizations, and artists throughout the nine states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and beyond. Formed through the merger of the Affiliated State Arts Agencies of the Upper Midwest and the Great Lakes Arts Alliance, our history spans more than 25 years.
image002.jpg
Metropolitan Group is a full-service social change agency that crafts and integrates strategic and creative services. We help our clients with strategic communication, multicultural engagement, organizational development and resource development to build a just and sustainable world. Since 1989, we’ve worked exclusively with change agents—the nation’s leading nonprofits, foundations, public agencies, and socially responsible businesses.

Friday, May 6, 2016

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Northampton Jazz Workshop features alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo

Northampton Jazz Workshop features guest alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo on Tuesday, May 10th, 7:30 to 8:30 PM followed by an open jazz jam until 10:30 PM at the The City Sports Grille at Spare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton.

Downtown Northampton Association First Executive Director

Downtown Northampton Association (DNA) Announces Amy Cahillane as First Executive Director

Northampton, Mass; May 4th, 2016 -  The Downtown Northampton Association (DNA), an organization composed of community stakeholders invested in the success of Downtown Northampton, has named Amy Cahillane as Executive Director. Cahillane is the first Executive Director of the newly formed organization.

360 XOCHI QUETZAL FREE artist residency

Get our Early Bird Discount: Apply by 7/1/16

WINTER APPLICATION NOW OPEN for Dec/Jan Residency





360 XOCHI QUETZAL is a FREE artist residency located on Lake Chapala, Mexico. International writers, playwrights, visual artists, fiber artists, filmmakers, photographers, new media artists, dancers and musicians are all welcome to apply for a free 1-month residency. We also have a personal residency program for artists who need longer periods of creative time (1 - 4 months). Write: 360xochiquetzal@gmail.com for more info.
Applications for Winter Residency are due August 7, 2016
through CAFÉ www.callforentry.org
For more information: http://www.deborahkruger.com/1/art-residency.html
Early Bird Coupon Code: XQEARLY (for applications received before 7/1/16 only)
Join our group Facebook page: 360 Xochi Quetzal
Follow us on Twitter: @360XochiQuetzal




“Where Does the Magic Go?”



Fill the Earth with Glorious Sounds: Da Camera Singers, Sheila Heffernon, conductor, presents world premiere of “Where Does the Magic Go?” by Clifton F. Noble Jr., settings of poetry by Elizabeth Betty Langlois, featuring Christine Mortensen on French horn and Marianne Lockwood on piano, and The World Beloved: A Blue Grass Mass by Carol Barnett, with Bluegrass band: Michael Nix banjo, Kenny Butler fiddle, Charlie Moser mandolin, and Joseph Ricker guitar, Saturday, May 28 at 7:30 P.M. at Helen Hills Hills Chapel, Smith College, Northampton. Donation at the door.

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