Berkshire Art Association Invites Submissions for 2025 College Fellowship Show

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Art Association (BAA) is accepting submissions for its 2025 College Fellowship Show, offering $5,000 in grants to undergraduate art majors.

The show will be held in April 2025 at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

The fellowship is open to Berkshire County residents enrolled as art majors at colleges nationwide and non-residents studying art at Berkshire colleges, including Berkshire Community College, MCLA, Williams College, and Simon's Rock.

Applications can be submitted online at baafellowshipshow2025.artcall.org from Dec. 20, 2024, to Feb. 23, 2025. There is no registration fee.

The show will culminate in an awards ceremony on Saturday, April 15, 2025, from 3-5 p.m.

The BAA Fellowship is supported by the Norman and Rose Avnet Fellowship Endowment, the Feigenbaum Foundation, and private donations. Proceeds from the 10x10 RAP (Real Art Party), held on February 20, 2025, at the Clock Tower Artist Studios in Pittsfield, also contribute to funding the fellowship and other art programs for secondary school students in Berkshire County.

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.