Weather Cold But Sales Warm for Open Studios

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
12:02AM / Monday, October 19, 2009Print Story | Email Story

Jean Fink of Otis and some of her wearable Woolart in the NoAMA mill. Left, a crop of glass mushrooms by Jill Balawander. Top, bold paintings by 19-year-old A.J. Schlesinger.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The traffic cooled slightly on Sunday along with the weather, but hundreds of area residents and other art lovers visited dozens of studios and galleries over the three days of North Adams Open Studios.

Committee Chairman Philip Sellers said the sixth year of the annual event went well.

"The crowds were down but sales were up," said Sellers after the studios closed on Sunday night. "Considering the economy and the weather, that was good."

Nearly 200 artists had work on view around the city, including the many downtown galleries on Main Street that have also been part of the summerlong Downstreet Art.

The results were hit and miss with some artists getting plenty of viewers but no sales. Eclipse Mill artists, who started the event as a way to introduce themselves and their work to the community, had a number of buyers among its more than 500 visitors.

Berkshirefinearts' article on the event has more statistics, with an estimate that the crowd was off by about 40 percent.

The Eclipse and NoAMA building (Hoosac Mill) across the street drew more than 800 visitors between them. The tiny Berkshire Arts Colony gallery on Eagle Street had so many people on Saturday, said event marketing director Brian Handspicker, that glass bead artist Isabella Raven gave up counting.

Main Street was busier than normal on Saturday as milder temperatures and blue skies drew people downtown. NoAMA (which stands for North Adams, MA) was filled with more than two dozen booths for artists who didn't have local studios handy.

The event was good for Jean Fink, who was participating in Open Studios for the first time with her "Woolart." In fact, the chilly temperatures inside the old textile mill may have prompted sales of her wearable art, she said.

"It was great working with the people who run the show," said Fink, who recently moved to Otis. "It was just really excited by the energy they had setting up Friday. It was just wonderful."

Fink was one of several artists from BerkshireMade at the mill. Gabrielle Senza said her booth didn't do quite as well, but "it was great for BerkshireMade to be part of this event."

The event brings an estimated 2,000 people out to meet with local artists and view their works. It's grown from a half-dozen studios in the Eclipse Mill to include the entire mill and galleries throughout the city representing dozens of artists, groups including the North Adams Artists Co-operative, and the Beaver Mill with its newly opened studio21south. Musical and other performances have also joined in.

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These numbers are grossly over-exaggerated. This was, by far, the slowest Open Studios event North Adams has had since the event began. I didn't see one person riding the old trolley either day and foot traffic was WAY down. I'm sure the weather & economy played a role, but other factors did too. Peak foliage had already passed (so maybe we should consider doing it a bit earlier next year). The NOAMA space was 'filled' with more crafts than art. If we're going to allow artists from outside the area to participate, then there should be a jury selecting the work to be shown. Art should far outweigh crafts during an "artists" open studios event. People also travel to these events to see "professional" artists (artists who spend most of their time building their art careers). If we dilute the event with amateur/hobby artists fewer and fewer people will come each year. There is certainly a place for artists of all levels, but that place is more of an 'arts and crafts' festival. I think it should be the job of the open studios committee to attend other major open studios events prior to next year--maybe we can learn a thing or two from events that have been going on for 10-20 years. We also need more live/work space here for artists...if we build it they WILL come. Editor: The numbers were provided by the organizers and based on counts made at both mill venues; other numbers are anecdotal. Should people who don't have studios not be allowed to participate? Who decides what's art and what's not?
from: OpenStudiosParticipant	on: 10-20-2009 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

I agree 100% with the last post. This is a complete puff piece which does not accurately represent the enormous, widespread dissapointment amongst everyone I have spoken to. People in the NoAMA space felt it was unbearable (how can you view art with NO LIGHTING? And no heat, either???), traffic and sales were both down in the mills, whatever the official committee is saying. Main Street was dead, dead, dead. Sales at the co-op gallery, which did fantastically all summer were a total bust. People who sold well in past years sold almost nothing this year. Please, iBerkshires. It's bad enough that the Transcript has to write its usual happy-go-lucky stuff, but can we count on you guys to do a little more investigation? Editor: We rely a lot on the feedback we get on stories. It's tough to cover everything - sometimes we need to sleep. Yes there were disappointed participants and a freezing mill. The numbers speak for themselves in the story - more than 800 visitors between the two mills when it's averaged 2K the last two years. I would argue about Main Street being dead, theough. I was downtown on Saturday for another story and there were far more people than normal. Not enough obviously.
from: local artist	on: 10-20-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

The fact that the event happened was an accomplishment in it self. The committee was very short staffed in comparison to previous years. - all I can say is that if you feel the event was not up to snuff, please transform your opinions into actions and sign up to be on the committee for 2010. There is contact info on the website - NorthAdamsOpenStudios.com
from: Committee Member	on: 10-20-2009 12:00AM I Agree (0) - I Disagree (0)

While I would definitely agree that there is progress to be made, and would also agree that numbers were down this year I do need to disagree that downtown was a bust. Saturday we had over 250 visitors at MCLA Gallery 51 and work. Others I talked to also had many more visitors then they would have otherwise. Sunday...yeah, that was a little sad. But even I decided that a rainy,sleety, snowy day was a great day to explore the Eclipse Mills from top to bottom.
from: jonathan	on: 10-20-2009 12:00AM I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

BRTA Plans Technology Upgrades as Fare-Free Service Continues

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:20AM / Friday, October 02, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — As Berkshire Regional Transit Authority riders take advantage of fare-free service through June 30, 2027, the agency is also looking to modernize its services and make public transportation more accessible.

Prior to BRTA going fare-free, riders could pay with cash or electronically using a CharlieCard. However, the state is no longer supporting Charlie Cards, according to BRTA administrator Kathleen Lambert, who said the state had been buying back CharlieCards over the last three months.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is taking BRTA's CharlieCard equipment because it is still using the cards and also will be buying BRTA's old Scheidt & Bachmann fare boxes, Lambert said.

But when returns to collecting fares, Lambert said, BRTA would like the system to be as cashless as possible.

She noted that based on a Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa) fare analysis, the cost of collecting and processing cash fares significantly reduced the revenue. Only about 25 cents of every $1.50 collected in cash fares ultimately went back to the authority after accounting for administrative costs, she said, including staff time spent counting cash, armored-car services, banking fees and other costs associated with processing fares.

Right now, she said, fare free is a "much better bargain" for the agency because it is getting $1.7 million directly from the state through the Fair Share revenue, she said.

But fare-free will not last forever, hence the need for technology upgrades.

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