'Tricks of the Trade' Series Looks at Arts & Community

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A Program of the MCLA's Berkshire Cultural Resource Center
 Co-presented by Ferrin Gallery and IS183 Art School 

Tricks of the Trade 2011-2012
February: Integration of Art and Community   
MCLA GALLERY 51 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 @7PM (time changed)

Integration of Art and Community:
Round-Table Discussion Part I
MCLA Gallery 51

51 Main Street, North Adams, MA

Speakers/Panelists:

- Hosted by Jonathan Secor, Director of Special Programs at MCLA
-Richard J. Alcombright, Mayor of North Adams
-Nancy Bullet, North Adams City Councilor
-Alan Marden, North Adams City Councilor
-Keith Bona, North Adams City Councilor
-David Bond, North Adams City Councilor
-Veronica Bosley, Director of North Adams Office of Tourism
-Christine Dobbert, Florida Town Administrator

How can you effectively reach out and collaborate with the community through art? Panelists will discuss realized projects as well as possible future ones, sharing obstacles, community reluctance as well as benefits and tangible improvement of public engagement and participation. If you would like to seat right on front, make sure to come in early, this session seems to be very popular and registrants are many!

FERRIN GALLERY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 @6:30PM

Integration of Art and Community:
Round-Table Discussion Part II
Ferrin Gallery 
437 North Street, Pittsfield, MA

Speakers/Panelists:

-Hosted by Helena Fruscio, Massachusetts Creative Economy Industry Director
-Dan Bianchi, Mayor of Pittsfield
-Ben Dowing, State Senator


-Tricia Farley-Bouvier, State Representative
-John Krol, Pittsfield City Councilor 

How can you effectively reach out and collaborate with the community through art? Panelists will discuss realized projects as well as possible future ones, sharing obstacles, community reluctance as well as benefits and tangible improvement of public engagement and participation. All are encouraged to bring their own questions, thoughts and ideas.

IS183 ART SCHOOL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9 @6:30 PM

Integration of Art and Community:
Round-Table Discussion Part III

IS183 Art School 
13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA

Speaker/Panelist:

- Hosted by Megan Whilden, Director of Cultural Development for Pittsfield
-Susan Cross, Curator Mass MoCA
-Kate Merrigan, UNITY Program Coordinator of NBCC
-Sandra Newman, Founder and Executive Director of Community Access to the Arts

Can or should we separate the arts from community? We believe in communities where the arts or the arts community is not seen as separate. Each of the panelists will be asked to talk about how arts and community intersect in their work. As always, audience is invited to participate with questions, suggestions, examples.


All events are FREE, ADVANCE REGISTERATION IS REQUIRED 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Construction is underway to transform the former Harry's Supermarket into a restaurant

Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building. 

"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu. 

A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building. 

White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.  

He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns. 

Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot. 

A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use. 

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