'Mile in Her Shoes Art Show' Seeks Participating Artists

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development and Elizabeth Freeman Center are teaming up to call out to artists to participate in the inaugural Berkshire County “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Art Show.”

The art show is being held in conjunction with the annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" Men’s March against Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence, which is scheduled for Third Thursday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m.

The Walk a Mile Art Show presents artists and community members with an opportunity to create wearable art for a great cause.  Artists may enter one or more pair of shoes. The shoes must be new and never worn, and they should be wearable. The shoes will be displayed in the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts September 14-18 then auctioned off to support Elizabeth Freeman Center. All of the money raised goes to helping survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Berkshire County.


Elizabeth Freeman Center’s Executive Director Janis Broderick said that the annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes march is generating growing interest in shoe art.

“Each year we see more and more march participants donning very creative, truly dazzling shoes," she said. "Women’s sizes 10 through 15 and men’s sizes 9 through 13 are most popular.  I would bet that we will see shoes from this year’s Walk a Mile Art Show in next year’s march.”

Registration forms are available online or call the Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development at 413-499-9348.


Tags: 3rd Thursdays,   art show,   domestic violence,   elizabeth freeman center,   

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Pittsfield CPA Committee Funds Half of FY24 Requests

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A few projects are not getting funded by the Community Preservation Committee because of a tight budget.

The projects not making the cut were in the historic preservation and open space and recreation categories and though they were seen as interesting and valuable projects, the urgency was not prevalent enough for this cycle.

"It's a tough year," Chair Danielle Steinmann said.

The panel made its recommendations on Monday after several meetings of presentations from applications. They will advance to the City Council for final approval.  

Two cemetery projects were scored low by the committee and not funded: A $9,500 request from the city for fencing at the West Part Cemetery as outlined in a preservation plan created in 2021 and a $39,500 request from the St. Joseph Cemetery Commission for tombstone restorations.

"I feel personally that they could be pushed back a year," Elizabeth Herland said. "And I think they're both good projects but they don't have the urgency."

It was also decided that George B. Crane Memorial Center's $73,465 application for the creation of a recreational space would not be funded. Herland said the main reason she scored the project low was because it didn't appear to benefit the larger community as much as other projects do.

There was conversation about not funding The Christian Center's $34,100 request for heating system repairs but the committee ended up voting to give it $21,341 when monies were left over.

The total funding request was more than $1.6 million for FY24 and with a budget of $808,547, only about half could be funded. The panel allocated all of the available monies, breaking down into $107,206 for open space and recreation, $276,341 for historic preservation, and $425,000 for community housing.

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