Northampton Arts Council

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 25, 2023

    Bands on Brewster 2023 Schedule

    Assets designed by James Hindle


    A new summer outdoor live music destination in downtown Northampton. Enjoy free live performances in the Brewster Court walkway in downtown Northampton (google map link) this summer. The City of Northampton and Northampton Brewery will present local artists on stage at Brewster Court, between the E.J. Gare Parking Garage and the back entrance of the Northampton Brewery. The concert series starts this week with Topsy and Mal Devisa on Thursday, June 1, 2023.


    There are free live shows every Thursday night in June, July, and August.


    Bands on Brewster Dates:

    Thursday, June 1 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Topsy, Mal Devisa

    Thursday, June 8 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Ruby Lou

    Thursday, June 15 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Stella Kola, Karlo Rueby

    Thursday, June 22 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Vimana

    Thursday, June 29 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Thrasher Wheat

    Thursday, July 6 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Simple Friend, King Radio (acoustic)

    Thursday, July 13 - 6 PM - 8 PM: The Fawns

    Thursday, July 20 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Lonesome Brothers

    Thursday, July 27 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Jose Ayerve & friends

    Thursday, August 3 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Sandy Bailey

    Thursday, August 10 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Gentle Hen

    Thursday, August 17 - 6 PM - 8 PM: The Greys

    Thursday, August 24 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Wallace Field, Hoonah

    Thursday, August 31 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Zikina


    The performances are weather dependent. If the weather is questionable, we will inform the public at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the show through @nohoarts on instagram.


    Bands on Brewster is part of a host of efforts by the City of Northampton’s Economic Development Department to make downtown the destination of choice for the 2023 warmer season. We invite you to come and enjoy all the amenities of downtown Northampton and catch a free show!


    Bands on Brewster is made possible by The City of Northampton and The Northampton Brewery with organizational support provided by The City of Northampton, Northampton Arts Inc., and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.


    Masonic Street Live! 2023 Schedule

    Poster design by James K. Hindle



    This summer’s Masonic Street Live! Schedule. Enjoy free live performances in the Masonic Street parking lot in downtown Northampton (google map link) this summer from the beginning of June through the end of August. The City of Northampton will present local artists on stage in the Masonic Street Parking Lot annex next to Iconica Social Club on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Sunday afternoon, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. will be Salsa lessons for beginners in the exact location featuring McCoy Jamison.


    Masonic Street Live Dates:

    Friday, June 2 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Peter Weitzman

    Friday, June 9 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Ray Mason

    Sunday, June 11 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, June 16 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Henning Ohlenbusch

    Sunday, June 18 - 4 PM - 6 PM:Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, June 23 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Eleanor Levine

    Sunday, June 25 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison



    Friday, June 30 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Deep Seize

    Sunday, July 2 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, July 7 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Ruby Lou

    Sunday, July 9 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, July 14 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Heartman & Russell

    Sunday, July 16 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, July 21 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Helen Hummell

    Sunday, July 23 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, July 28 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Wooly Bully: All Vinyl Soul Party

    Sunday, July 30 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Sunday, August 6 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Sunday, August 13 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, August 18 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Tobey Sol LaRoche

    Sunday, August 20 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    Friday, August 25 - 6 PM - 8 PM: Hedgewitch

    Sunday, August 27 - 4 PM - 6 PM: Salsa Instruction with McCoy Jamison


    The performances are weather dependent. If the weather is questionable, we will inform the public at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the show through @nohoarts on instagram.


    Masonic Street Live is part of a host of efforts by the City of Northampton’s Economic Development Department to make downtown the destination of choice for the 2023 warmer season. We invite you to come and enjoy all the amenities of downtown Northampton and catch a free show!
    Masonic Street Live! is made possible by The City of Northampton with organizational support provided by The City of Northampton, Northampton Arts Inc., and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

    Northampton Summer Concert Series 2023

     

    Bear created by Caitlin Hurd, Poster by James Hindle




    Enjoy live music and Salsa at Pulaski Park in Downtown Northampton (google map link) this summer! You can look forward to Thus Love with Lord Russ Solo, Peter Mulvey, Salsa in the Park with Dj Bongohead and McCoy Jamison, and Salsa in the Park Live with Banda Criolla.


    All shows start at 6:00 PM and go until 8:00 PM.


    Pulaski Park Dates:

    Friday, August 4 - Thus Love with Lord Russ Solo

    Friday, August 11 - Peter Mulvey with TBA

    Tuesday, August 15 - Salsa in the Park with McCoy Jamison

    Tuesday, August 29 - Salsa in the Park with Dj Bongohead

    Tuesday, September 5 - Salsa in the Park with Dj Bongohead

    Friday, September 8 - Salsa in the Park Live with Banda Criolla


    The performances are weather dependent. If the weather is questionable, we will inform the public at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the show through @nohoarts on instagram.


    Northampton Summer Concert Series is made possible by The City of Northampton withmedia support from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, The Republican, NEPM, Northampton Open Media, 93.9 the River, and WHMP. Organizational support is provided by The City of Northampton, Northampton Arts Inc., and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

    Monday, May 22, 2023

    Four Hands for Healthy Habitats



    Connecticut River Conservancy to Host Piano Benefit Concert in Northampton

    Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) invites you to attend Four Hands for Healthy Habitats, a

    piano benefit concert featuring performances by Estela Olevsky & Deborah Gilwood.




    Join us for an afternoon of delightful piano music presented by Estela Olevsky and

    Deborah Gilwood. These Amherst, MA-based artists are donating their time and talent to put

    on a 4-hand piano music concert to benefit Connecticut River Conservancy. Works by Schubert,

    Poulenc, Lili Boulanger and Rachmaninoff will be some of the featured pieces. Estela and

    Deborah will perform several pieces together as well as a few solos; they choose to play

    together because of their love for this form of chamber music and their long-standing

    friendship.

    It will be classical music at its best - in an intimate space with beautiful acoustics and for a great

    cause! Proceeds from the concert will benefit conservation and restoration efforts in support of

    a cleaner, healthier Connecticut River.

    Doors open at 4:30pm with light refreshments; concert begins promptly at 5pm and will run

    approximately one hour. There will be additional time for Q&A and mingling after the show.




    Details and RSVP:

    This event is available for RSVP at https://crc-benefit-concert.eventbrite.com.

    Tickets are $25 advance, $30 at the door.

    Date: Sunday, June 4 th

    Time: 4:30pm

    Location: Click Workspace, 9 1/2 Market St, Northampton, MA




    About CRC:

    Since 1952, Connecticut River Conservancy has been a voice for the Connecticut River

    watershed, from source to sea. They collaborate with partners across four states to protect and

    advocate for your rivers and educate and engage communities. They bring people together to

    prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of the rivers and streams. Healthy

    rivers support healthy economies. To learn more about CRC, or to make a contribution to help

    protect your rivers, visit www.ctriver.org.

    Performer Bios:

    Argentinian born pianist Estela Kersenbaum Olevsky has a highly diversified career as a soloist

    and collaborative pianist. She has an enthusiastic following in the U.S., Latin America, Europe

    and Asia as a result of her performances in musical centers throughout the world, including New

    York City's Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, the 92nd Street "Y" and Weill Hall at

    Carnegie Hall. She has performed at Boston's Jordan Hall, Vienna's Konzertverein, Amsterdam's

    Concertgebouw, Beijing Central Conservatory and Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China.

    She has collaborated in recitals with soloists such as Aaron Rosand, Julian Olevsky, Phyllis Curtin,

    Maurice André, Alberto Lysy, Sung Ju Lee, Joel Krosnick, Astrid Schween, Matt Haimovitz,

    Carol Wincenc , Lucy Shelton. On many occasions she performed duo piano recitals with her

    sister, Sylvia Kersenbaum. A resident of Western Massachusetts, she regularly performs with her

    colleagues in the Five College Area and at the Mohawk Trail Concerts, in Charlemont, MA. An

    avid chamber music player, Ms. Olevsky has partnered with distinguished ensembles such as the

    Berlin Philharmonic Festival Soloists and the Lark String Quartet. As a member of

    the Olewsky Trio with violinist Julian Olevsky and cellist Paul Olefsky, she recorded the Complete

    Brahms Piano Trios and the Tchaikovsky and Arensky Piano Trios.

    She is Professor Emerita of Piano at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.




    Deborah Gilwood has appeared as a soloist as well as a collaborator with numerous orchestras

    and ensembles, including the Long Island Philharmonic, Brooklyn Philharmonia, and Solisti New




    York. As an active chamber musician, Ms. Gilwood has performed with chamber groups such as

    Musical Elements, Infusion, the Alliance for American Song, the Eckert/Gilwood Piano Duo, and

    Blue Door with cellist Arthur Cook. She has participated in summer festivals at Tanglewood,

    Sarasota, Aspen, Siena, and Rutgers, and was a co-founder of the Blue Door Chamber

    Music series on Cape Cod. Her recording with Mr. Cook, Censored by Hitler, the Rediscovered

    Masterpieces, can be heard on the Centaur label. Ms. Gilwood attended Mannes College of

    Music, and received a B.F.A. in piano from SUNY Purchase and a M.M. from SUNY Stony Brook.

    Her principal teachers included Richard Goode, Gilbert Kalish and Lucy Greene. She has

    taught piano at Smith College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Westfield State

    University, Seton Hall University in NJ, and is currently on the piano faculty of Mt.

    Holyoke College. Since 2007 Deborah has been on the faculty of Pianophoria! in NYC. She lives

    in Amherst, MA.

    Contact:

    Brett Morrison: bmorrison@ctriver.org

    Stacey Lennard: slennard@ctriver.org

    The Hatchery pre-professional dance company in: BIG TIME/EXCHANGE

    THE SCHOOL FOR CONTEMPORARY DANCE & THOUGHT PRESENTS:
    The Hatchery pre-professional dance company in:
    BIG TIME/EXCHANGE
    FEATURING TWO PERFORMANCE EVENTS at the ACADEMY OF MUSIC!
    "teens who think on their feet" hampshire gazette

    CELEBRATING and SPOTLIGHTING the inspiring and essential voices of
    our TEENS
    DANCE- MUSIC- THEATER- VIDEO
    LIVE ART LIVE ART LIVE ART LIVE ART
    Together- we create something greater than ourselves


    BIG TIME TICKETS HERE

    EXCHANGE TICKETS HERE


    SPECIAL RATE for BOTH SHOWS:
    Purchase a ticket for both SCDT shows and save $10.00!*



    BIG TIME
    Thursday May 25, 7:30 PM
    At THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC
    New works by HATCHERY , SCDT's PRE PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY
    Featuring works by BILL T JONES/ARNIE ZANE, Kati Payne, Chloe London, Maya LaLiberté, Jen Polins and the Hatchery Dancer: Aurelius Millspaugh-Robbins, Arin Andrews, Rhiannon Campbell, Tovah Boucher, Yelena Caldanaro, Maisie Tuck, Ana Forrest, Alaya Smith and Edy Savage.

    EXCHANGE TEEN PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL
    Friday May 26, 7:30 PM
    At THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC
    Featuring works created by an amazing array of teen artists from around the Pioneer Valley:
    WOFA WEST AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE
    The Performance Project's FIRST GENERATION
    SCDT's HATCHERY
    The Maps Project

    and more!
    MORE INFO ON EXCHANGE HERE


    Join SCDT in celebrating innovation in the performing arts through performance and creation, inspiring generations through compelling arts education, and using performance art as a salve for current social issues, thus elevating the vibrancy, diversity and health of our communities!

    EXCHANGE makes spaces for young artists to share their stories, and develop their creative voices and collaborative skills. Organized by The School for Contemporary Dance & Thought, EXCHANGE will engage western Ma teens over an 18 month project that will develop lasting creative collaborative relationships, offer workshops on skill building around all aspects of performance art, foster diversity, and most importantly; platform the teen creative voice.

    Self-guided tour of gardens in the Northampton/Florence area

    Forbes Library sponsors an annual self-guided tour of gardens in the Northampton/Florence area. Saturday, June 10, 10am-4pm, rain or shine. Tickets are $20 in advance at Forbes Library, Bay State Perennial Farm, Cooper's Corner, Gardener’s Supply (formerly Hadley Garden Center), State Street Fruit and Wanczyk Nursery. $25 day of the tour at Forbes Library.

    More info, call: 413-587-1012 or go to www.forbeslibrary.org

     Reserve tickets in advance at forbeslibrary.org/friends/

    Available Potential Enterprises, Ltd. presents LET GO by No Theater

    Available Potential Enterprises, Ltd.
    presents
    LET GO

    by No Theater

    July 6-22, 2023, 8:00pm

    A.P.E., 126 Main Street, Northampton, MA 01060


    No Theater celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer with performances of its most recent production LET GO. Based in Northampton MA, No Theater performs its original works around the world, and locally alongside productions of plays by such diverse writers as Shakespeare, Chekhov, Čapek, Gogol, Williams, Kroetz, Albee, and Martin McDonagh.

    “The best-kept secret in experimental theater” (National Public Radio)

    LET GO, a short, adult comedy about love, death and a pile of papers, is performed by No Theater veterans Roy Faudree and Jane Karakula with video by Nick Verdi. No Theater presented 6 workshop showings of LET GO last summer.

    No Theater gets its name from the fact that for its first few years it had no theater, no permanent performance space, but converted empty storefronts, pine groves, lofts, movie houses and galleries into theaters.

    In the 1970s Gordon Thorne and Anne Woodhull created AVAILABLE POTENTIAL ENTERPRISES, LTD. (A.P.E.), an organization dedicated to the development and presentation of contemporary art, providing space and assistance to artists of all disciplines, and converting the top floor of Thornes Market (then known by the locals as McCallum’s Department Store) into galleries, performance spaces, and after-school programs for children. No Theater became the resident theater of A.P.E. with its local production of THE ELEPHANT MAN, before its extended run in New York.

    Although Northampton remains home base, where new work is created, No Theater tours regularly to New York, San Francisco and Europe: THE ELEPHANT MAN (New York), DFS (New York, San Francisco, Oklahoma City), LAST RESORT (New York, San Francisco), DUST BOWL (San Francisco), ROAD TO HELL (Amsterdam), DUPE (New York and cities throughout Europe and Britain, 1990 - 2006). A German-language production of DFS performed in Munich at the Spiel.arts Festival. DUPE was performed in French at festivals in Créteil and Maubeuge.

    No Theater’s 1991 LOUIS LOU I: A REVOLTING MUSICAL at Northampton’s Academy of Music featured in its cast and crew of 100, the Young@Heart Chorus. In 1983 No Theater had staged Young@Heart’s first show STOMPIN’ AT THE SALVO. THE ROAD TRILOGY https://youngatheartchorus.com/shows staged and designed by No Theater toured throughout Europe, Singapore, Australia, New York and Hawaii from 1997 to 2013.

    No Theater has hosted several residencies of other theaters, and company members have worked alongside and collaborated with other performance groups, the Wooster Group of New York, https://thewoostergroup.org/blog/; Time & Space Limited, Hudson, https://timeandspace.org; Drawing Legion, https://www.facebook.com/the.drawing.legion; Builders Association https://thebuildersassociation.org; Big Dance Theater, New York, https://www.bigdancetheater.org; New York City Players, https://www.nycplayers.org; Victoria Theater of Ghent, https://visit.gent.be/en/see-do/campo-nieuwpoort; Spiel.Art of Munich, https://www.spielart.org/en/; Victoria College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia, https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/about-us/vca; and designed and directed new works for the Triple X Festival of Amsterdam; R Festiva l of Rotterdam, the Cube at M.I.T., Cambridge; The Bunkamura in Tokyo; and factories converted to theaters in the Ruhr, Germany.

    Recently No Theater has been presenting small works in the A.P.E. gallery space on Main Street in Northampton. No Theater’s production of Martin McDonagh’s A SKULL IN CONNEMARA ran for a month just before the outbreak of COVID in 2020. During the first two years of Trump’s presidency, google gogol was created by members of the community reading several translations and adaptations of Nikolai Gogol's Ревизор (THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR). No Theater presented three separate local productions of Richard Maxwell’s CAVEMAN over a period of three years before its New York run in 2013.

    On-Line Ticket Reservations for No Theater’s LET GO are available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/let-go-by-no-theater-tickets-638862062627

    Attached photo: Jane Karakula (center) in No Theater's January 2020 production of Martin McDonagh's A SKULL IN CONNEMARA (just before the COVID pandemic) with Charles Holt (L) and Tom Mahken (R), directed by Roy Faudree. (photo credit: Mathew Cavanaugh)

    Available Potential Enterprises, Ltd. (A.P.E.) exists to support contemporary artists working in all disciplines, by preserving and supporting the spaces in which they create, perform and exhibit their work. http://www.apearts.org 413.586.5553

    This series is made possible in part through support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

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