Economic Development Archive

Call for Letters of Support from the Massachsuetts Broadband Institute

Published: March 5, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, STATE NEWSTags: , , , , , , , ,
Call for Letters of Support from the Massachsuetts Broadband Institute

As you well know, areas in our community and throughout western Massachusetts are unserved by basic broadband services.  In 2008, the state legislature and Governor Patrick established the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) to take on this challenge and bring broadband access to all unserved citizens, starting in western Massachusetts.  To help achieve this goal, the MBI is in the process of applying for federal infrastructure funding to build an advanced fiber-optic network in the region.  This “middle mile” network will be open to all service providers who want to provide broadband services to unserved citizens.  To be successful, the MBI needs your assistance!

The MBI has asked WesternMA Connect to lead the effort to collect local letters and collaborate with existing broadband committees to assist in the effort.  In order to meet the submission deadline,  WesternMA Connect asks that supporters complete and return letters to them by Wednesday, March 10 in one of three ways:

1) email a word or pdf document with an electronic signature;
2) email a scanned version of a signed letter; or
3) mail the letter by regular mail to:
Sharon Ferry
WesternMA Connect, Inc.
75 South Church Street
Pittsfield, MA  01201
Click here for a sample letter.
PLEASE DO NOT MAIL LETTERS DIRECTLY TO ASSISTANT SECRETARY STRICKLING.


“Assets for Artists” Partners with Pittsfield Office of Community Development

Published: March 1, 2010Posted in: BERKSHIRE CREATIVE, FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, UPDATESTags: , , , , ,
“Assets for Artists” Partners with Pittsfield Office of Community Development

Mayor Ruberto and the Pittsfield Department of Community Development are pleased to announce a new partnership with Berkshire Creative’s “Assets for Artists” program.  This partnership will help two artists buy homes in Pittsfield and an additional eight artists start new or expand existing art businesses in the City.  “Assets for Artist is a valuable program with a proven track record of success. The City of Pittsfield is pleased to partner with this program to strengthen homeownership and business opportunities for Pittsfield artists.” said Mayor Ruberto.

Assets for Artists program provides business and financial training, technical assistance, homebuyer education and grant support through an innovative “matched savings account” model serving low- to moderate-income artists, designers, craftspeople and performers in the Berkshires, helping them grow their creative enterprises and achieve more financial security.  The City contribution of $26,600 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will provide match funds specifically for existing Pittsfield-based artists who enroll in the program, or artists who choose to move to Pittsfield from outside the City.

The Assets for Artist Program, a collaboration between Berkshire Creative, the City of Pittsfield, MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, and MASS MoCA, is directed by Blair Benjamin, MASS MoCA’s Director of Real Estate & Community Development and a board member of Berkshire Creative.  “With CDBG funds from the City of Pittsfield, we are able to give Pittsfield artists a greater likelihood of attaining their homeownership and small business investment goals and further enhance the solid reputation of Pittsfield as a community that provides exceptional opportunities for artists to thrive and contribute to the local economy” Benjamin said.

Once enrolled, participating artists save $2,000 of their own funds, which are deposited over a 6 to 30 month period into a restricted savings account.  After a minimum of six months, provided they have saved the required funds and completed the required financial and business education or homeownership classes, participants can draw down a $2,000 match from Assets for Artists for business-related investments, or a $4,000 match toward the purchase of a first home.

Helena Fruscio, the Director of Berkshire Creative, praised the City’s efforts and went on to say “The community as a whole will benefit from this partnership by increasing homeownership and creativity in its urban neighborhoods, and attracting new creative entrepreneurs to the City.”

Homeownership funds may be used for down payment assistance and closing costs.  Small business participants may use the funds to make a direct payment to vendors or service providers following the budget established as part of an approved business plan.

Additional support for the program is provided by the Berkshire Bank Foundation, Citizens Bank Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development.

For further information on the program, please contact the City’s Department of Community Development at 413-499-9368.

State and Future of MASS Film Industry @ The Boston Globe

Published: February 24, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, STATE NEWSTags: , , , , ,
State and Future of MASS Film Industry @ The Boston Globe

Even if it is not always immediately apparent in the Berkshires, the recent debate over the Massachusetts Film Tax Credit affects a growing sector of our economy. Read the below Boston Globe article to learn more about more about the industry, the tax credit debate, and the recently released study from the University of Massachusetts-Boston on this sector’s  economic imapct.

Film projection

With tax credits and facilities, state can build stable movie sector, study says

By Robert Gavin Globe Staff / February 11, 2010

Massachusetts has the potential to develop a small but robust film industry that could establish the state as a leading production center and support thousands of good-paying jobs, according to a study to be released today by the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

oosted by a generous tax credit, Massachusetts has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing locations for film and television production since 2005, with employment in the industry jumping about 30 percent, according to the study. But the state has more than just incentives to offer, it said, Massachusetts has a base of facilities and available skills; a ready labor force from film programs at local universities; a variety of service firms that support production; and a technology sector of software firms and video game developers that is well-positioned to exploit an accelerating shift to digital entertainment.

“There is something here to build on,’’ said David Terkla, a UMass-Boston economics professor and a coauthor of the study. “We’re never going to be the feature film center, but this is a part of the arts sector that can employ a reasonable amount of people at pretty good salaries.’’

The study was released as Governor Deval Patrick has proposed cutting the money available for the state’s film tax credit, a discount offered to companies that bring productions to Massachusetts, to $50 million a year from about $125 million. In an interview with Globe reporters and editors yesterday, Patrick said cutting the credit was among the many steps needed to close a sizable budget gap.

“I support the film tax credit,’’ Patrick said. “I can see what it’s done in rapidly incubating that industry. But we’re at a place today where we have to make those kinds of choices.’’

Film tax credits have been controversial. Critics say they subsidize Hollywood moguls and provide short-lived and minimal benefits for the local economy. A recent study by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue found that each dollar spent on the tax credit generated only 16 cents in taxes for the state.

The UMass-Boston study did not address the impact of the tax credit but provided a profile of the industry and the economic activity it generates. Its authors praised the revenue department study but said tax collections are only one measure of an industry’s economic activity.

The state’s film industry is still small, employing about 6,000 in 2008, compared with nearly 150,000 in California. But it has added jobs quickly as overall state employment fell.

Nearly 30 films and television shows were filmed in Massachusetts in the past two years, including “The Zookeeper,’’ starring Kevin James, Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island,’’ and John Wells’s “The Company Men,’’ starring Ben Affleck.

The study estimated that the film industry in 2008 created about $1 billion in economic activity in Massachusetts, as every dollar spent directly generated nearly another dollar in activity.

It appears that tax credits are not the sole reason, the study said. States with more generous tax credits, such as Michigan, experienced declines in film and television employment.

Massachusetts offers a variety of locations – urban, rural, and coastal – and a world-class city, Boston, which is attractive to movie executives and stars, the study said. Production facilities include public television station WGBH, which produces nonfiction programs, and a ready workforce, including film graduates from schools such as Emerson College and Boston University.

As the digital revolution in filmmaking accelerates, production will become decentralized away from Hollywood and New York, the study said, providing opportunities for Massachusetts.

“This is a rapidly growing industry,’’ said Pacey C. Foster, a study coauthor. “The question for the long term is whether this is all incentive driven. The answer depends on what you think is going to happen to the media industry.’’

Click here to visit the Berkshire Film and Media Commission and learn more about film making in the Berkshires!

Click here to visit the Boston Globe online and learn more about what is happening in the Massachusetts Film Industry!

Pioneer Institute Launches New Resource: MassCityStats.Org

Published: February 15, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, FOR PROFIT RESOURCES, NON PROFIT RESOURCES, RESOURCESTags: , , , , ,
Pioneer Institute Launches New Resource: MassCityStats.Org

MassCityStats.org is a website which gives the public  access to municipal data for 14 Middle Cities across Massachusetts.

How does a city stack up to others in terms of the quality of its core services? Is the city’s economy growing? Is a school district doing a good job at educating your kids? Since 2008, Pioneer Institute has worked with 14 cities from across Massachusetts by asking over 160 community members and municipal leaders those same questions. They also asked them just how they could measure performance in these critical core service areas. They came up with over 600 suggestions!

With the help of practitioners, experts and academic partners, Pioneer identified the benchmarks that most community members suggested, and paired them with benchmarks that were grounded in research.  They then created MassCityStats so members of the public like could access the data most important to them.

What can you do with this data? Become better informed, share it with others, ask your leaders well-formulated questions, and ensure greater accountability in municipal government.

Check out the below video and visit MassCityStats.org to learn more!

MassCityStats from Mike Dean on Vimeo.

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

Three Berkshire Programs Awarded Adams Grants!

Published: February 12, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, STATE NEWSTags: , , , , , , ,
Three Berkshire Programs Awarded Adams Grants!

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) announces release of more than $700,000 in grants to stimulate new economic activity, job creation, and  community revitalization through arts and cultural projects across the state.

The MCC’s Adams Arts Program for the Creative Economy will invest in 27 projects in every region of Massachusetts, including the Berkshires’:

Assets for Artists, North Adams*
The project provides an innovative set of tools to enable artists of all disciplines to advance entrepreneurially and financially through financial education, microenterprise training, home ownership assistance, and access to capital.

Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, North Adams
The Berkshire Cultural Resource Center provides resources, training, and support that: bring a creative class of people to the Berkshires; provide work opportunities in the creative sector for young adults currently living in the region; and support the existing creative class of artists and arts organizations in the county.

Cultural Pittsfield
Cultural Pittsfield is a campaign to support and grow the creative economy in Pittsfield through collaborative marketing and technical assistance, with a focus on seed funding and support for new entrepreneurial initiatives and events; and to provide networking and professional development opportunities for artists and creative workers.

Adams is the oldest and most-far reaching program of its kind in the nation, supporting projects that harness the unique assets of the Commonwealth and the creativity of its residents. Adams grants fuel a creative sector that has a $4.2 billion total impact on the state’s economy and provides more than 109,000 jobs.

“I am delighted to see the results of our ongoing investments,” said Senate President Therese Murray of Plymouth at a State House announcement this morning. She cited Adams-funded projects such as Harbor Your Arts! in Hyannis, which “helped local artists generate $121,000 in sales in one year.”

“The creative sector is a proven engine for economic development and revitalization,” said Anita Walker, the MCC’s executive director. “This year’s Adams grants will generate real dollars for these communities at a time when innovative strategies to produce wealth and create jobs are sorely needed.”

MCC’s Adams grants will:

  • Promote cultural tourism in the Pioneer Valley through Museums 10, a cross-promotional effort by seven college museums and galleries and three independent museums in the region. The partners are collaborating on a joint themed exhibition, Table for 10: The Art, Science and History of Food, which will bring together several sectors of the local economy: artists and artisans, small farmers, restaurants and inns, food writers, and food aficionados.
  • Invest in the Gateway Cities: New Bedford, Pittsfield, Fitchburg, Worcester, and Leominster through a range of strategies to generate new, arts-based commercial activity in downtown districts.
  • Create opportunities for Massachusetts artists to compete in the global arena with Transcultural Exchange, which includes a biennial conference that has resulted in hundreds of local artists finding jobs and residencies worldwide, and draws visitors from as far away as Mongolia and Nigeria.
  • Reinvest in the Cambridge Science Festival, a project of the MIT Museum that attracts 30,000 annually to the Greater Boston area, and estimates annual visitor spending at $652,000.

“These grants will help connect our region’s natural beauty with local businesses and tourist services,” said Senator Stephen Brewer (D-Barre), whose district is home to the North Quabbin Woods Arts and Culture Portal, which uses the work of local artisans to drive ecotourism in the North Quabbin Woods region. “I am proud to support these important cultural grants that will help increase economic sustainability for our district and promote the connection between ecotourism, arts, and culture.”

Click here to see the full list of Adams grants!

*Berkshire Creative Partner Initiative

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

BERKSHIRE CREATIVE KICKS OFF SPARKETTE SERIES @ JAE’S SPICE!!

Published: February 10, 2010Posted in: BERKSHIRE CREATIVE, EVENTS, FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETINTags: , , , , , , , ,
BERKSHIRE CREATIVE KICKS OFF SPARKETTE SERIES @ JAE’S SPICE!!

SPARKettes are mini-SPARK! networking event for industry clusters within the creative economy! The inaugural event was held, Tuesday, Febraury 9 for those working in or interested in the Visual Media field.

Everyone from freelance graphic designers and photographers to design studio owners and online magazine publishers gathered Upstairs at Jae’s Spice for scaled down, concentrated networking! To expedite and maximize connections, two break-out sessions were held and each attendee posted their name, business, what they do and what they were looking for at the event (note wall in of papers in below pictures!)!

Overall, it was an outstanding kick-off to what promises to be an amazing series! Next month’s SPARKetteis for those in the Culture and Heritage Field!







Upcoming SPARKettes…..Click here to RSVP!

MARCH//CULTURE AND HERITAGE
MAR. 23rd, 2010
Museums, Theatres, Theatre Companies, Garden Museums, Historic Homes, Libraries, Heritage Preservation

APRIL//VISUAL ARTS
APR. 13th, 2010
 Artists, Artisans, Galleries, Arts Agents, Collectors, Museums, Art Venues, Crafters, Curators

MAY//COMMUNICATIONS
MAY 11th, 2010
Magazines, Newspapers, Radio, Television, Journalists, Bloggers, Publicists, Marketers

Click here to see the full list of upcoming SPARKettes!

SPARKettes are held once a month, February-November 2010, with a different industry cluster addressed each month!

5:30-7:00pm

Upstairs at Jae’s Spice, North Street, Pittsfield, MA

FREE

Hors D’ouevres and venue generously provided by Jae’s Spice!

Cash Bar

All SPARKettes are made possible with the generous support of SPARK! lead sponsor Greylock Federal Credit Union!

Mark Your Calendars for SPARKettes!

Published: February 10, 2010Posted in: BERKSHIRE CREATIVE, EVENTS, FEATURES 1, FEATURES 2, FOR PROFIT RESOURCES, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, NON PROFIT RESOURCES, RESOURCESTags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Mark Your Calendars for SPARKettes!

SPARKette: (n) mini-SPARK! networking event for industry clusters within the creative economy.

SPARKettes are an opportunity for colleagues in an industry cluster to meet and connect at a scaled down, focused networking event. Whether you are part of one of the clusters, seeking services from them, or are just interested in learning more about a particular group, SPARKettes are here to help you ignite that connection!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

SPARKettes are held once a month, February-November 2010, with a different industry cluster addressed each month!

5:30-7:00pm

Upstairs at Jae’s Spice, North Street, Pittsfield, MA

FREE

Cash Bar

Hors D’ouevres and venue generously provided by Jae’s Spice!

Click here to RSVP to the SPARKettes of your choice!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

MONTH//INDUSTRY

FEBRUARY// VISUAL MEDIA
FEB. 9th, 2010
Publishers, Printers, Writers, Photographers, Graphic Designers, Web Designers, Publicists, Marketers

MARCH//CULTURE AND HERITAGE
MAR. 23rd, 2010
Museums, Theatres, Theatre Companies, Garden Museums, Historic Homes, Libraries, Heritage Preservation

APRIL//VISUAL ARTS
APR. 13th, 2010
 Artists, Artisans, Galleries, Arts Agents, Collectors, Museums, Art Venues, Crafters, Curators

MAY//COMMUNICATIONS
MAY 11th, 2010
Magazines, Newspapers, Radio, Television, Journalists, Bloggers, Publicists, Marketers

JUNE// FILM AND MEDIA ARTS
JUNE 8th, 2010
Film, Animation, New Media, and Supporting Industries

JULY//ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS
JULY 13th, 2010
Small Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Sole Proprietors, Freelance Professionals

AUGUST//YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
AUG. 10th, 2010
Young Professionals working in the creative economy

SEPTEMBER//MUSIC/PERFORMING ARTS
SEPT. 14, 2010
Musicians (beginners, teachers, and professionals), Actors, Theatres, Festivals, Venues, Managers

OCTOBER// EDUCATION
OCT. 12th, 2010
Museum Educators, Public and Private School Teachers, School Administrators

NOVEMBER// HOUSING SUPPORT
NOV. 9th, 2010
Interior Design, Landscape Architects, Architects, Builders, Home Product Designers/Makers, Real Estate Agents

________________________________________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL THANKS TO SPARK! LEAD SPONSOR

GREYLOCK FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

If you live or work in the Berkshires, you are cordially invited to join Greylock Federal Credit Union.

AND

SPARKette SPONSOR


Take Your Small Business Global with the SBA

Published: February 9, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, FOR PROFIT RESOURCES, RESOURCESTags: , , ,
Take Your Small Business Global with the SBA

The mission of SBA’s Office of International Trade is to enhance the ability of small businesses to compete in the global marketplace; facilitate access to capital to support international trade; ensure that the interests of small business are considered and reflected in trade negotiations; and support and contribute to the U.S. Government’s international agenda.

Check out this video which addresses whether your product has potential in an overseas market.

Small businesses can compete with larger companies in the global marketplace, learn what is necessary to tap into new overseas markets!

Click here to learn about resources and funding from the Office of Small Business Administration to help grow your small business!

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

Advocacy Resource: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Soul of the Community (SOTC) Study

Published: January 26, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, FOR PROFIT RESOURCES, NATIONAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, NON PROFIT RESOURCES, RESOURCESTags: , , , ,
Advocacy Resource: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Soul of the Community (SOTC) Study

Soul of the Community (SOTC) is a three-year study conducted by Gallup of the 26 John S. and James L. Knight Foundation communities across the United States employing a fresh approach to determine the factors that attach residents to their communities and the role of community attachment in an area’s economic growth and well-being. The study focuses on the emotional side of the connection between residents and their communities.

In its first year, the study compared residents’ attachment level to the GDP growth in the 26 communities over the past five years. The findings showed a significant correlation between community attachment and economic growth. The second year reinforced these findings, and found that nationwide economic troubles did not have a notable impact on attachment locally. In the final year of the study, researchers will analyze the connection between community attachment and economic growth, exploring whether attachment drives growth or vice-versa.

The results of the SOTC study identify new approaches to help create transformation and new possibilities for continued progress in Knight communities. Community leaders can use the study’s findings to maximize community strengths and address challenge areas to improve community attachment and increase economic growth. The relationship of community attachment to economic development has particular relevance beyond the current economic crisis as the study’s findings can help leaders make long-term and strategic choices about investing in areas that have the greatest impact on engaging the community.

Gallup interviewed a random, representative sample of 400 adults (age 18+) in each of the 26 Knight communities – nearly 14,000 people each year. The surveys were conducted in English and Spanish. Data were weighted to reflect the known adult population by age, gender, race and ethnicity based on U.S. Census data. From the surveys, researchers identified 10 domains that were found to have varying levels of impact in driving community attachment:

  • Basic services – infrastructure supports (highways, housing and healthcare)
  • Economy
  • Safety
  • Leadership and elected officials
  • Aesthetics – physical beauty and green spaces
  • Education
  • Social offerings – opportunities for social interaction and citizen caring
  • Openness/welcomeness – how welcoming the community is to different people
  • Civic involvement – residents’ commitment to their community through voting or voluntarism
  • Social capital – social networks between residents
  • Social offerings is the most important driver of community-citizen attachment overall. Aesthetics and openness/welcomeness to others also have major influence on community-citizen attachment.

Click here to learn more about the Soul of the Community report!

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

Local Creatives Rise to Meet First Berkshire Creative Challenge!

Published: January 6, 2010Posted in: BERKSHIRE CREATIVE, FEATURES 1, FEATURES 2, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, OPPORTUNITIES, PRESS, UPDATESTags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Local Creatives Rise to Meet First Berkshire Creative Challenge!

In 2009, Berkshire Creative launched the Creative Challenge to connect Berkshire manufacturers and businesses with local designers, engineers and creative workers. Last week, Interprint and Berkshire Creative announced that the inaugural Challenge, had done just that.

When Berkshire Creative and Interprint, Inc., released the call for applications for the inaugural challenge, there was no way to know what the response would be to the new intitiative. By the September 28th deadline, the response was clear- 39 local creatives, of various disciplines and backgrounds had applied. From those 39 applicants, 21 were chosen to participate, and 18 those 21 participants submitted solutions to the challenge.







From those eighteen submissions, five were selected. Heather Rose’s popcorn inspired design was selected for development, three designs by Thomas Hoadley was put on retainer, and three other participants, Jennifer Clark, John Stritch, and Cate Hunter received small awards in recognition of their designs. All designers will be paid fair market price for any developed design.

“We are so elated that this, our first Creative Challenge, was such a resounding success,” says Berkshire Creative Director, Helena Fruscio. “The Creative Challenge has helped raise awareness that if you are a manufacturer looking for a top-notch designer or a designer looking for a contract with a world-class company, you can find it here in the Berkshires, where creativity lives!”

Companies interested in hosting a Creative Challenge should contact Helena Fruscio, Director of Berkshire Creative by phone or 413.822.8324 or email at helena.fruscio@berkshirecreative.org.

Click here to read iberkshires coverage of the Creative Challenge or here to listen to Charlie Dietz’s coverage on WAMC!

Click here to read past posts about the Creative Challenge!

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

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