The Berkshire Writers Room has received a matching grant of $750 from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. This grant was awarded through the MCC's Pittsfield Cultural Council and will support a new series sponsored by The Berkshire Writers Room, The Creative Experience held the third Thursday of every month from 7-9PM at Wild Sage, 333 North Street in Pittsfield.
The Creative Experience-a TAW Series is especially designed for the new writer, for the writer that wants to get back in the game or needs a jump-start to their inspiration. Guest speakers, which include authors, poets, journalists and all genres of the arts, are featured each month to share their creative experiences. Exercises, prompts, reading, writing and drawing follow each lecture.
State grants are awarded through a competitive process. This grant signifies that The Berkshire Writers Room provides a high level of quality in its programs, community service and administrative ability. Writers sharing their work with the public has always been as much a focus of The Berkshire Writers Room as sharing with each other. The Writers Room sponsors ongoing monthly readings at local bookstores, coffee houses, and libraries.
Often readings by The Berkshire Review authors are featured as well as celebration/book signings for members who have recently published a new book. The Berkshire Writers Room helps writers of all abilities find their voices and explore their literary aspirations. "Our purpose is to grow, artistically and personally, to learn what we need to know to get our work published and read, and to celebrate the beauty of the written word in all its forms."
MCC has a budget of $13 million, including $12 million from the state of Massachusetts and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Wallace Foundation, and other sources. Its funds reach every community in Massachusetts. The mission of the MCC is to promote excellence, education, access and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and to contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The not-for-profit cultural industry has a $4.2 billion economic impact in the state.
For more information about The Berkshire Writers Room please call 413-236-2191 or check our website: www.berkshirewritersroom.com.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for 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.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
For the boys, Ward Bianchi helped lead the way with a win in the shot put and a second place in the javelin as the Mounties finished 16 points ahead of runner-up Pittsfield (pending the results of the pole vault, which were unavailable at 11 p.m. Friday night). click for more
