greylocknews

Fall Foliage Family Fun Day September 27 at Noel Field

North Adams, MA - The Family Fun Day Celebration will be held Sunday, September 27 from 12:30-3:30 pm at the Noel Field Complex near Joe Wolfe Field on State Street. Children and families will enjoy games, giveaways, information and entertainment. The fair begins with the children’s road race. Call 413.664.6180 for information and a list of foliage events.

Community Coalition Sets Kick-off Forum for September 11

North Adams, MA - The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition hosts their Kick – off forum at the First Baptist Church at 131 Main Street at 10 AM on Friday, September 11. The forum will begin with a commemoration of those who have died in the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome. Call 413.663.7588.

Berkshire Creative Launches Creative Challenge

Berkshire County, MA, August 31, 2009—The Berkshire Creative Economy Council (Berkshire Creative) is launching a new program this fall 2009; the Creative Challenge. The Creative Challenge connects Berkshire manufacturers and businesses with local designers, engineers and creative workers with the aim of stimulating innovative research and development for existing and/or new product lines.

The Creative Challenge was born from “Design It Here, Make It Here”; an initiative outlined in the 2007 Berkshire Creative Economy Report, which suggested developing a campaign to explore the interest in and capacity for manufacturers in the county to take on the production of “creative products.” The report identified that, “Likely candidates would be those companies that manufacture plastics, metal, fabrics, and wood products, as well as those involved in printing.”

“We know research and development is important to every company”, says Helena Fruscio, Director of Berkshire Creative, “We want to connect our local manufacturers with the exceptional creative talent here in the Berkshires; to facilitate the kind of innovation that results in advancement in product lines and modes of production.”

Interprint, Inc. of Pittsfield, a leading designer and printer of decor paper used as the design layer in laminate surfaces such as countertops, flooring, furniture, store fixtures and a host of other applications, will host the first Creative Challenge.

Interprint’s Creative Challenge to local creatives is to create and submit one or more repeatable patterns, appropriate for any of the above applications. Patterns may be submitted at any level of completion, from conceptual, to ‘camera-ready’, and in any media, from traditional to electronic.

A Creative Challenge consists of three parts:
o    The Creative Challenge is announced and an application to participate is made available on berkshirecreative.org.
o    Participants are chosen from the applicant pool to participate in a site visit and Creative Challenge briefing at the host company site.
o    Participants propose solutions to the Creative Challenge.

An open application for the Interprint Creative Challenge may be found on berkshirecreative.org. Applicants of all creative disciplines are invited to apply: designers, engineers, artists, etc. Applicants will be reviewed by Interprint and selected participants will be announced Friday, October 9th, 2009. 

Selected participants will convene for a site visit at Interprint on Friday, October 23, 2009 where they will be briefed on all aspects of the Interprint’s products and processes, and then the creativity begins!

After the site visit, participants will submit solutions to the Creative Challenge. Proposals will then be reviewed by Interprint’s design staff for possible development. If Interprint decides to further develop any submissions, it will purchase the creation.

Judy Wolgast, Design Director at Interprint states, “We’re thrilled to host the first Creative Challenge of Berkshire County.  We know how much raw creative talent exists locally and we cannot wait to have new product ideas generated.”

“This program features and connects Berkshire creativity at it finest, designing it here and making it here, with the goal of new revenue streams for each of the parties”, says Helena Fruscio, Director of Berkshire Creative. 

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.

Copyright Law Specialist Paul Rapp Speaks Atop Mt. Greylock August 26

Adams, MA - On August 26 at 7 pm at Bascom Lodge, Paul Rapp, a specialist in copyright laws for the creative sector, will address the ins and outs, the dos and don'ts of copyrights for artists. Dinner to follow. Call Bascom Lodge atop Mt. Greylock at 413.743.1591.

 

Pittsfield Launches PittsfieldContemporary.com Web Site

Pittsfield, MA - Contemporary visual art in Pittsfield just found a stylish new home online with the launch of the pittsfieldcontemporary.com website, the product of a groundbreaking collaboration between for-profit, non-profit, college, museum, volunteer and city-owned galleries & arts initiatives in downtown Pittsfield. Eight of Pittsfield’s local art organizations have collaborated to make Pittsfieldcontemporary.com a dynamic marketing initiative to highlight Pittsfield, the largest city in western Massachusetts’ culturally-rich Berkshire County, as a destination for contemporary art.

They include Artscape, Pittsfield’s public art committee which hosts yearly public art exhibitions in downtown Pittsfield; art.on.no Gallery, a new artist cooperative gallery located on Union Street; the Berkshire Community College Art Gallery, located at the Intermodal Transportation Center (perhaps the first art gallery ever housed in a bus and train station!); Berkshire Museum, which features changing art exhibits of both local and internationally known artists; Ferrin Gallery, a world-renowned ceramics and contemporary art gallery; Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, a city-owned community center for the arts, the Pittsfield Art Show, a juried fine art and craft show which takes place during the 3rd weekend of July, and the Storefront Artist Project, a pioneering artist-led organization that has inspired similar projects around the country.

Megan Whilden, Director of Cultural Development for the City of Pittsfield says, “In these tough economic times, collaboration is essential for the survival and success of local arts organizations. Pittsfield is a city with tremendous cultural capital and pittsfieldcontemporary.com is one of the many ways we are spreading our wealth of creativity.”

PittsfieldContemporary.com features a website with up-to-date information about the happenings on the Pittsfield art scene, complete with a calendar of event and exhibit listings. The marketing initiative also features artist-designed postcard racks set up throughout Pittsfield and the Berkshires that offer free postcards from Pittsfield Contemporary partners.

The new website was designed by graphic designer and contemporary photographer Jay Elling, whose photography was juried into the companion Pittsfield Contemporary show currently on exhibit at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts.

MCLA Invites Employers to Part-time Job Fair

NORTH ADAMS, MA - Area employers are invited to participate in the annual Part-time Job Fair hosted by the Career Services Center at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA).

The fair is Thursday, September 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at MCLA.

As MCLA students return to the Berkshires, many will be seeking part-time employment.

The Part-time Job Fair gives employers the opportunity to share important information about their organizations and employment needs and to accept resumes or completed applications from interested student candidates.

Employers who would like to participate should contact Sharron Zavattaro, Career Services Center director, at (413) 662-5332 to reserve space.

Employers can also fax information to (413) 662-5338 or email szavattaro@mcla.edu.

The Career Services Center at MCLA welcomes job and internship opportunities throughout the year. 

Chamber Hosts Brown Bag Lunchtime Workshop May 13

North Adams, MA - The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce holds a “Brown Bag” lunchtime workshop on Wednesday, May 13 at 12 pm at Hoosac Bank, 4th floor, 93 Main Street. Christina Barrett hosts a presentation on social media sites and their role in business marketing. Call 413-499.4000 x 26 to register.

Learn About the Reality of Your Virtual Business May 6

North Adams, MA - North Adams, MA - As part of the Brown Bag series, the Berkshire  Chamber of Commerce Presents "The Reality of Your Virtual Business"  facilitated by Rob Adams of Boxcar Media  on Wednesday, May 6, 12 - 1 pm at Hoosac Bank, 93 Main Street, 4th floor. Call 413-499.4000 x 26 for more information.

Berkshire Young Professionals' Holiday Networking Social December 3

North Adams, MA - The Berkshire Young Professionals, a program of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, will host their Holiday Networking Social on Wednesday, December 3 from 5-7 PM at Taylor’s Steak and Seafood on 34 Holden Street. BYP addresses the unique challenge that younger individuals, in the 21 - 40 age range, face in forming career and social connections in the Berkshires. Open to all. RSVP to Christine at 413.499.4000 extension 26, or e-mail choyt@berkshirechamber.com

Chamber Seeks Nominations for Hayden Award

Pittsfield, MA - The Berkshire Chamber of Commerce is currently seeking nominations for the Francis H. Hayden Memorial Award, to be presented on December 5. Nominations are due at the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce by Friday, October 31.  For further information, call 413.499.4000, extension 26.