Comments on: Berkshire Fringe: New Creatives

By: admin

admin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:06:10 +0000

Part of the ongoing discussion within Berkshire Creative touches on exactly this, that the Berkshires is so much a part of our neighbours. It has not been ignored and we welcome participation from all comers!

By: Dan Shaw

Dan Shaw — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:55:14 +0000

I think it is important to remember that those of us who live across the border (in Litchfield, Dutchess and Columbia counties) feel that we are part of the Berkshires, too. I live in NW Connecticut but I live much closer to Great Barrington than someone who lives in, say, Williamstown or North Adams; indeed, I live as close to the Mahaiwe as someone who lives in Pittsfield. I know Guido’s is not an arts organization, but the parking lot in GB has lots of cars with NY and CT plates (and that is during the week so those are not weekenders.) It is the accessibility to the Berkshires cultural institutions that draws many people to live in nearby NY and CT, and we should be counted as part of the Berkshires, too. We’re all on the same team, all part of the same community as defined by the wonderful Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.

By: nf

nf — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:43:05 +0000

Yes, the more non-profits the better. I love the small quirky, visionary and youthful ones like Berkshire Fringe, Inkberry, Storefront Artists and IS183. I love the visions of seasoned artists like Yehunda Hanani’s Close Encounters With Music, or Julianne Boyd’s Barrington Stage. I adore and support the wonderful venues that are springing up in grand old spaces: the Mahawie, the Colonial, and before long, the Mohawk. I’m awed by the commitment and leadership that has given us the Stone Hill Center, the Bernstein Theater at Shakespeare and Company, Ventford Hall, and the Daniel Art Center at Simons Rock. The enthusiasm and imagination of Kelly Vickery (Berkshire International Film Festival), Kate Maguire (Berkshire Theater Festival) and Alan Nidle and Karen Boutet (the brand new Zeitgeist-Pittsfield gallery) is inspiring. And let’s not leave out MASS MoCA, so improbable and inspiring that it stands alone. And, like you, I want even more.
This very situation motivates me to jump on the economic development bandwagon I’m most inspired by: the Creative Economy. I want an increased number of successful, for-profit businesses and individual enterprises in the Berkshires, so there will be more and more local support for our creative non-profits. I’m not ready for Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, the Berkshire Theater Festival and Shakespeare and Company etc to turn their backs on the Berkshires when it comes to fundraising.
I’m intrigued by the Guggenheim-esque vision you express. Moreover, I’m extremely appreciative of Berkshire-lovers from New York, Florida and beyond who make such important contributions to all the things we year-rounders love and benefit from. However I’m not ready to secede the small amount of influence and involvement we now have to people who are not permanently connected to the growth and well-being of our Berkshire economy.
We need our existing business to grow and thrive, and we need new, for profit businesses to find creative workers and supportive collaborators in the Berkshires. It goes without saying that our future is intertwined with the imaginations and resources of people from all over the globe, but I hope we can continue to produce, in the Berkshires, an increasing amount of capital that can be invested in the area’s not-for-profit enterprises.

By: Creative Assets

Creative Assets — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:51:24 +0000

[...] to open up the conversation and get more people involved and I like the way it is going. I made a post there which has got me thinking about the changing landscape of culture, institutions and [...]