Legacy Foundation Supports High School Art Show

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PITTSFIELD – The Legacy Banks Foundation recently approved its continued sponsorship of the Norman Rockwell Museum’s Annual Berkshire County High School Art Show. A longtime sponsor of the Art Show, The Foundation Board of Directors approved the grant totaling $15,000 to sponsor the Show through 2010. 

Held every winter, the month-long art show is free to all students in grades 9-12 from every high school in Berkshire County. Students are invited to submit works in a variety of media, including painting, drawing and sculpture. Throughout the process, the young artists learn how to prepare their work for a gallery show, acquire a personal understanding of the exhibition process and exhibit their work in a professional Museum setting. This year’s program runs through March 3 with over 100 students from 14 high schools participating. The grant from The Legacy Banks Foundation will support planning and coordination of exhibition, installation and construction; development of publicity materials; and sponsorship of opening guests speakers.

According to Richard Sullivan, president of The Legacy Banks Foundation, the art show program is wonderful component to the creative education of area high school students. “This is one of the best local examples of a program offering students a genuine hands-on experience that provides them with the opportunity to fully understand the details involved in exhibiting their artistic work. It certainly prepares these young artists to further their education and begin careers in the field of visual arts.”

The Legacy Banks Foundation provides support to many non-profit organizations working to enhance the lives of those who work and live in the communities of its branch offices. The Foundation prioritizes six major areas - affordable housing, economic development, education, health and human services, civic and community, and arts & culture.
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Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said. 

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