Council, Grant Support Creative Economy

By Jen Thomas10:59PM / Thursday, August 02, 2007Print Story | Email Story

Rep. Daniel Bosley discusses the impact of the creative economy on the Berkshires at a Thursday press conference.

Stockbridge - As part of the continuing cultural renaissance of the county, members of the Berkshire legislature, the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) and business and community leaders announced Thursday two components to help move the creative economy forward. Held at the Norman Rockwell Museum, the simultaneous announcement of a $100,000 MCC grant and the official formation of the Berkshire Creative Economy Council signals a commitment in the region to expanding and investing in the â€œcreative clusterâ€ - which includes nonprofit institutions, individual artists and commercial businesses that produce and distribute creative products and services. Officials feel this investment in the Berkshiresâ€™ creative efforts will stimulate job creation and economic growth. â€œThe key to our economy is innovation and creativity,â€ said Rep. Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams), the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. â€œWe have a creative economy here and it enriches our lives, makes our lives better because we live out here.And, itâ€™s a great place to be.â€ The announcements come following a March unveiling of the Berkshire Creative Economy Report, which outlined a strategy for developing and maintaining the Berkshiresâ€™ growing creative economy. The co-chairwomen of the Berkshire Creative Economy Project - Ellen Spear, president and CEO of Hancock Shaker Village and Laurie Norton Moffatt, director and CEO of the Norman Rockwell Museum - have created the Council from the projectâ€™s steering committee of entrepreneurs, artists and educators from the both profit and nonprofit sectors. The mission of the Berkshire Creative Economy Council (or Berkshire Creative) is to â€œspark innovative collaborations between artists, designers, cultural institutions and businesses with the goal of stimulating new job growth and economic opportunity in the region.â€ â€œThe creative economy is about financing and capitalizing on Berkshire Countyâ€™s unique strengths,â€ said Norton Moffatt. She said those strengths included the â€œsheer size and scope of the creative cluster,â€ the balance of rural beauty with proximity to cities and links to other key industries, like tourism, technology, education. The $100,000 MCC Adams Art Program grant will be used to support the Berkshire Creativeâ€™s efforts to stimulate economic development through the advancement of the creative cluster. â€œYouâ€™ve worked relentlessly, creating a vision for this region and Iâ€™m hoping this investment will help fuel that vision, make a reality, bring your vision to life,â€ said Anita Walker, the executive director for the MCC to the residents of Berkshire County. â€œYou are a model for the state and your work is incredibly important for Massachusetts and this region.â€ Rep. Christopher Speranzo (D-Pittsfield), Rep. William â€œSmittyâ€ Pignatelli (D-Lenox) and Sen. Benjamin B. Downing (D-Pittsfield) attended the press conference. â€œArt means business in the Berkshires. This was the key finding of the Berkshire Creative Economy Project. Creativity is a core competency and competitive advantage of a vibrant Berkshire economy that is recognized internationally for its creative brand,â€ said Norton Moffatt. Jen Thomas may be reached via email at jthomas@iberkshires.com or at (413) 663-3384, ext. 23

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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