Archive for March, 2009

Crane Partners with Marth Stewart Living

craneco

Last Wednesday, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia,
Inc. and Crane & Company announced a partnership to produce a full line of co-branded social stationery
products. The first fruits of this partnership, Martha Stewart Stationery
Weddings™, will first be seen in Crane Stores, website and other select online retailers in the Spring of 2009.

From the Berkshire Eagle: “Megan Kuntze, Crane’s brand director, said last
week’s layoffs and wage cuts were done to keep the company profitable
through 2009. Although the new line of wedding stationery will be
released this spring, Crane isn’t expected to experience the benefits
of the partnership until the first quarter of 2010.

“A particular launch like this is going to be a
very slow build to a successful business…It’s not going
to be overnight. There’s a lot of moving parts and pieces to make this
successful. It will only really begin to see the light of day in the
first quarter of next year. In order to save 2009, it was imperative to
make the difficult decision that we made.”

Click here to read the full Berkshire Eagle Article!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Keepin’ It Local-BERKSHIREMADE

small_logoBerkshireMade’s goal is to promote a shift in the shopping paradigm, so consumers  purchase local Berkshire goods created by local Berkshire artisans, whether shopping here in the Berkshires or on the internet.

BerkshireMade members are a select group of artisans who produce handmade, high quality goods; including jewelry, woodworking, ceramics, glass, fabric, paper, metal and fine arts. Members work cooperatively to promote the purchase of  locally produced goods as well as the members individual businesses.

Visit BerkshireMade online at  www.BerkshireMade.com to learn about individual members and becoming a member!

Click here to see the BerkshireMade’s Etsy Shops!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Collaboration for Berkshire County Non-Profits on Idealist.org

Collaboration for Berkshire County Non-Profits on Idealist.org

Berkshire Creative has established a group for Berkshire County Creative economy non-profits to network, collaborate and communicate on Idealist.org.

Connect with colleagues, constituents, and possible employees/interns with this interactive site where people and organizations exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters. Click here to visit Idealist.org and sign up or log in to join the Berkshire County Creative Economy Non-Profit Network!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

NEW! NEFA’S ONLINE GRANTING

NEW! NEFA’S ONLINE GRANTING

“More streamlined,” “efficient,” quick and easy…” These are only some of the words that the most recent round of Expeditions applicants used to describe NEFA’s online granting system,  powered by CultureCount.

NEFA is phasing in a system of accepting grant applications and related forms online through CultureCount, NEFA’s online resource for engaging New England’s cultural nonprofits, businesses, and professionals.

Click here to visit NEFA online and  find out which programs are now accepting applications online!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Upcoming Seminars in Non-Profit Management: Managing Nonprofits Through Difficult Times

strategicplangovernance0520

Adapting Your Strategic Plan to the Economic Crisis

Instructor: Craig Dreeszen, PhD, Dreeszen & Associates

Wednesday, April 1
9 a.m.-noon, MCLA Gallery 51, North Adams, MA
2-5 p.m., White Hart Inn, Salisbury, CT

Thursday, April 2
9 a.m.-noon, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, NY
2-5 p.m., Hudson Opera House, Hudson, NY

Friday, April 3
9 a.m.-noon, Cranwell Resort, Lenox, MA

Managing Non-Profits through Difficult Times seminar series is presented by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Dyson Foundation and the Community Foundation of Dutchess County/Ulster County Community Foundation with the mission to provide nonprofit leaders with the tools they need to pilot their organizations through current economic challenges.

Participants must pre-register; a reduced fee of $20 per participant has been made possible by a grant from the Dyson Foundation. Click here for more information on the seminars and registration.

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Reminder: Pittsfield Art Submission Deadlines Fast Approaching!

call-for-artists-1Art of the Game

Deadline: Monday, March 30th, 2009

Call for creative out-of-the-box poster designs commemorating the 150th anniversary of the first ever baseball game played between two colleges (Williams and Amherst) iin Pittsfield. The winner receives a $1,000 honorarium and season tickets to Wahconah Park. Click here for more information!

Pittsfield Art Show

Deadline: April 1, 2009

The Pittsfield Art Show is a high quality, juried and AFFORDABLE outdoor art show held Saturday & Sunday, July 18 & 19, 2009,  in the culturally rich Berkshires every summer during the height of the visitor season. Don’t miss this opportunity to exhibit your work, whether it is fine art or fine craft, in a very well marketed (over $10,000 in advertising and promotion) and well attended (5,000-10,000 art lovers and buyers) show.  The application fee is just $10, and if accepted the booth fee is only $75 for the whole weekend!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

New York Times:Problems Persist, but Arts Advocates See Progress Under Obama

368576567_esbvt-s“Washington continues to be consumed by economic turmoil, but cultural professionals say they are cautiously optimistic about the future of the arts under President Obama. Among the positive signs: The $50 million in stimulus money going to the National Endowment for the Arts, the additional $10 million for the Endowment in the recent omnibus spending bill and the decision to give a White House official responsibility for arts and culture, though this has yet to be announced.”

Over the past week, there has been a buzz about Kareem Dale, Obama’s staff member supposedly newly charged with the management of the White House arts portfolio. Robin Pegrebin examines what this possible appointment means as well as Washington arts advocacy and leadership and funding at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in her recent New York Times article: Problems Persist, but Arts Advocates See Progress Under Obama.

Click here to read the full article!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Berkshire Art Start!

Berkshire Art Start!

Berkshire Art Start Re-Launched!

With the help of Matthew Belanger, MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) has worked hard to re-imagine Berkshire ArtStart. Building on the past work of others, the BCRC has created a comprehensive and user-friendly directory of artists and cultural organizations in the Berkshires. This site also provides professional development, funding and employment opportunities as well as event listings.

Previous users are invited to update their profile using the new streamlined interface which includes new features such as RSS, Flickr Slideshows, Google Calendars and Yahoo Maps.

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Mining for Gold: Getting the Most Out of Your Website

miner

Berkshire Enterprises Free Business Breakfast Forum

Mining for Gold: Getting the Most Out of Your Website

Thursday April 2nd from 7:30-9:00 AM

Third floor Board Room, One Fenn Street, Pittsfield, MA

Bob O’Haver, owner of Graymatter Technologies will lead a discussion of small businesses can do to manage their websites so that they attract the right viewers and lead them to the information that they need to make decisions. To register, please call Steve Fogel at 413-236-2141. Space is limited and reservations are required.

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!

Berkshires to Recieve Stimulus Funds for Workforce Training

mep_montage“Berkshire County next month is expected to receive more than $873,000 in economic stimulus funds that will be used for job training programs for youths and adults, and the resources will assist about 100 people, according to Heather P. Boulger, executive director of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board.”

The majority of the county’s stimulus money — $379,476 — is slated for dislocated workers, Boulger said.

Of the remaining funds, $320,456 is for programs for eligible youth, $127,980 goes to adults through the Workforce Investment Act, and $45,720 is for job-training resources for job seekers and employers who have no eligibility requirements.

Most of the economic stimulus funding will be managed by BerkshireWorks career centers, with offices in Pittsfield and North Adams. The Berkshire County Regional Employment Board is BerkshireWorks’ policy-setting board.

Click here to read the full Berkshire Eagle article!

Do you have an item you would like to share about the creative economy? Suggest a Post to Berkshire Creative!