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Cultural Pittsfield This Week: June 7-13

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Friday, June 7 is First Friday Artswalk & More!
Enjoy 16 different art shows featuring work by more than two dozen accomplished regional and student artists in Pittsfield's bustling Upstreet Cultural District during the First Friday Artswalk and all month long! In most venues, artists will be present from 5-8 p.m. A free guided tour begins at 5 p.m. at the Intermodal Center @ BRTA, 1 Columbus Ave.
 
The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts will be hosting an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. for Oceans: Nature's Beauty and Fury, a solo show by artist Peg Dotchin. The exhibit will feature Peg's series of ocean pastels and oils. The exhibit runs through June 29. 
  MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
Celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month at the 4th Annual Berkshire Dance Party & Cabaret at the Colonial Theatre! Walk the pink carpet, sing along at the piano bar, and break in your dancing shoes at this unforgettable evening.
A drag pageant will be hosted by Fuse's Shade: Queens of NYC star Brita Filter! Contestants will compete for a prize package worth more than $2,000 and the title of Miss/Mr. Berkshire 2019! This year's judges include Real Housewives of NYC star Dorinda Medley, Senator Adam Hinds and more! $21/$31/$46. 8 p.m. 
Plus...  
FRI Spanish Guitarist Ben Schmolze at Mission | FRI Kurland, Kimball, O'Donnell Art Opening at Framework FRI Grahm Sturz at Hotel on North | FRI Blue Light Trio at Rainbow | FRI JB's Acoustic Gravel at PortSmitt's | FRI Karaoke Night at The A | FRI Karaoke Night at Friends | FRI Melissa Brinton at Rusty Anchor | SAT Women in Wine Gala at Berkshire Museum | SAT Pittsfield Parade Pasta Dinner Dance at Elks Club | SAT Generation X Rock at The A | SAT Melissa Brinton at Rainbow | SAT Connor Kelly at Rusty Anchor | SAT Jessica Wilson at Rusty Anchor | SAT Mary Ann Palermo & First Take at Mission | SUN Dance Night w/Tommy T & Black Velvet at Italian-American Club | MON Jazz Night at Mission | TUE On Stage Live & Cabaret Workshop Performances at Berkshire Music School | WED Gruppo Mondo at Rainbow | THU Rap, Inc. Hip-Hop Music Showcase at The Lichtenstein | THU The Picky B's at Mission
  FAMILY FRIENDLY
Pittsfield Church of Christ will host this event to bring awareness about Operation Bridges and the community outreach efforts of the Pittsfield Police Dept. to the community. There will be more computers and more helpers this year to allow as many children as possible to participate in the FREEMasonic Youth Child ID Program. Other activities include local police, fire and EMS vehicles for kids to see and interact with, a bounce house, popcorn and more. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Plus...
FRI WeeMuse: Adventures at Berkshire Museum FRI-THU Parenting Classes & Play Groups at Berkshire Children & Families | SAT Pop-up Play Day at Berkshire Museum | SAT Animal Ambassadors at Berkshire Athenaeum | SAT Grand Reopening at The Funk Box Dance Studio | SUN Discovery Tank Program at Berkshire Museum MON Teen Peer Art Group at Berkshire Athenaeum TUE WeeMuse: Littlest Learners at Berkshire Museum TUE Youth Chill Zone at Tyler Street Lab THU Farm Friends at Hancock Shaker Village
  WELLNESS
WED Tap & Jazz Class at Berkshire Salsa
 
 
Join action-based dance artist Stefanie Weber for 4 Wednesdays in June: Post-Industrial Dance at Berkshire Salsa. Tap class will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and jazz class from 6:30-7:45 p.m. Come for one or both!
Plus...
FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Running Center | FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Family YMCA | FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness FRI-THU Various Classes at Radiance Yoga | FRI-THU Various Classes at Berkshire Salsa FRI-THU Various Classes at Modig Internal Disciplines FRI-THU Various Classes at Pilates Fit | SAT Barre Class at Onota Lake | SAT Summer Kirtan at Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness | SUN Goat Yoga at Hancock Shaker Village | SUN Align & Refine Workshop at Radiance Yoga | SUN Yoga & Mimosas at Berkshire Running Center | SUN New Moon Circle at Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness | MON Barre Class on the Deck at Rusty Anchor | TUE Crystal Bowl Sound Meditation at Moments House
  PERFORMANCE
THU-SAT Hold These Truths at Barrington Stage
Jeanne Sakata's Hold These Truths is the story of unsung American hero Gordon Hirabayashi (Joel de la Fuente). During WWII, he defies the U.S. government's orders to forcibly remove and mass incarcerate all people of Japanese ancestry, launching a 50-year journey from college to courtroom and eventually to a Presidential Medal of Freedom. A story filled with hope, this play will leave you cheering for a man who stood up for the true meaning of patriotism. Barrington Stage Company's St. Germain Stage.
  COMMUNITY & LEARNING
SAT Berkshire Craft Beer Fest at The Common Park 
The 5th annual Berkshire Craft Beer Festival, the largest beer festival in the Berkshires, will feature a Chug Run 5K, live music, and more! This year's proceeds are directed at helping a shelter relocate to a modern, safe facility in Pittsfield. 12-5 p.m. Stay afterwards for a benefit concert by Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band.
NEXT THU Artscapes's Fine Art Auction at Framework
Artscape's Fine Art Auction is an exclusive opportunity to own original art by some of the area's most coveted and talented artists. A preview and silent auction begin at 5:30 p.m., with live music, hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. The live auction begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. All proceeds benefit Artscape, the volunteer committee dedicated to bringing public art to downtown Pittsfield.
Plus...
SAT Downtown Pittsfield Farmers Market | SAT Grand Reopening at The Funk Box Dance Studio | SAT Pittsfield Parade Pasta Dinner Dance at Elks Club | SAT Apus Discordia Artists' Talk at The Whit | SUN Brunch w/Andy Wrba & John Wayno at Dottie's | MON West African & Caribbean Drumming Classes at The Licht | TUE Creating Self Care at NuArts | TUE WAM Theatre on the Terrace at Berkshire Athenaeum | WED Dogs on North at Hotel on North | WED Grand Opening at Silver Solutions MedSpa | THU Non-profit Board Member Training at Mazzeo's
  FILM
FRI-MON The Raft at The Little Cinema
In 1973, five men and six women drifted across the Atlantic on a raft as part of a scientific experiment studying the sociology of violence, aggression and sexual attraction in human behavior. Although the project became known in the press as "The Sex Raft," nobody expected what ultimately took place on that three month journey. Through archive material and a reunion of the surviving members of the expedition, the film tells the hidden story behind what has been described as "one of the strangest group experiments of all time."
Plus...
ONGOING See What's New at The Beacon

 

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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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