Call For Art: Eyes on Art Town 2025 Williamstown Cultural District Banner Exhibition

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Town of Williamstown, the Williamstown Cultural District, and the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce are partnering in an opportunity to showcase local artwork right in downtown Williamstown.

From Labor Day to November 2025, selected art will be reproduced on vertical banners on utility poles along Spring and Latham Streets. 

Artists and community members are encouraged to submit designs for the Eyes on Art Town banner call. 

Installed: around September 13 – November 1, 2025 (weather dependent) For those selected, original artworks can be included in an exhibit in the Spring Street Market in October.

Deadline for submissions: midnight on July 6, 2025

Banner Specifications

Banner image size: 24” wide x 32” tall. Banner size: 24” wide x 48” tall. Includes Williamstown Cultural District header and footer. See example above.

Note: Modifications may be made to accommodate banner manufacturing process.

Artwork Submission Information

  • Online submissions only, via submission form: https://forms.gle/W93ufBn1fg6eHhp57

  • Those submitting work must reside and/or produce work in Williamstown.

  • All work submitted must be high-quality images of original work, in any medium including 3-D and digital processes. 

  • Artists may submit only one image of original artwork. 

  • Work must have been produced in the last 5 years.

The quality of images will affect the strength of submissions. Carefully consider composition, focus, color accuracy etc. "Crisp, clean, and simple" images read better from a distance or as people drive by.

Artists are responsible for any costs related to providing high-quality images, including but are not limited to, photographing, scanning, or graphic design. If you need assistance to produce the images, please refer to this great guide created by committee member Sarah Pike.

More technical information on submissions:

  • Our designer will place your image in a template- no need to add any content or design yourself. 

  • Image format: JPG, TIF, or PDF. Resolution: 150 – 300 pixels/in at 100%.Size:300 pixel/in on longest size (minimum) or no less than 20 MB. CMYK, not RGB

  • Vertical images or cropped horizontal images. Aspect ratio: 8:10 (vertical)

  • No advertising, branding, or stock/commercial images allowed. Avoid text.

  • If images include recognizable people, the artist must obtain a release from these people for the images to be displayed publicly. 

Jurors and Selection Process

Exhibition will be juried by a Williamstown Cultural District representative and the following art professionals with very different perspectives and preferences:

  • Valerie Carrigan, North Adams, Assistant Professor of Studio Art at Bryant University and artist specializing in printmaking and artist books featured in national and international collections.

  • Megan Mazza, Bennington, VT. Director of Studio Art Operations for Williams College and professional photographer, running Megan Cross Photograph.

  • Jesse Tobin McCauley, Pittsfield, MA. Painter and graphic designer who sits on the board of the Berkshire Art Association and is the creator of the Drive.Walk.Bike by City ArtShow in Pittsfield. She is a partner on the Let it Shine! Public Art Project Committee stewarding murals throughout the city of Pittsfield.

Selection criteria. Works will be evaluated based on whether they:

  • Represent range and depth of local talent 

  • Display excellence in elements of design and/or public art

  • Engage the viewer's interest conceptually and/or visually

  • Enhance community identity and place

  • Contribute to community vitality

  • Involve a broad range of people/communities

  • Expand perception and understanding of our region and community

In past years jurors have tended not to select work which represents recognizable, distant content (for example: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, surfers on a California beach, Times Square). Keep this in mind as you choose what to submit. 

The Banner Selection Committee will review all proposals received by the deadline and make a final decision by August 5, 2024. The Committee reserves the right to reject any and all submissions. 

Complete form: https://forms.gle/W93ufBn1fg6eHhp57

Williamstown Cultural District Responsibilities

  • Contract with a vendor to print the banners on high quality vinyl and be professionally installed.

  • Final printed banners are the property of the Williamstown Cultural District.

 Questions? Contact Ellen Joffe-Halpern at ellenjoffe@gmail.com

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Friday Front Porch Feature: A Cozy Place to Be

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Are you looking for a move-in ready home close to the downtown area? Then this just might be the house you're looking for.

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 193 Cold Spring Road.

This 1950 single-family has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house is 2,184 square feet on a little less than an acre of land. The price is $469,900.

The house not only comes with a 3.5-car basement garage but also a detached two-car garage with additional storage space above. The house includes the kitchen appliances like the dishwasher, range, and refrigerator, and has a fireplace, screened porch, and back deck. The home is also generator-ready.

We spoke to Suzette Lyons with Burnham and Gold Real Estate, which has the listing.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Lyons: Location, location, location!! This property is a short distance from downtown Spring Street. It's nestled conveniently away from the road and provides substantial privacy. Plus, the home has a well-maintained exterior and interior.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home? 

What a gem! The workmanship is lovely and shows the home has been loved. There is an abundance of space with four bedrooms for family or work/home office space.

The opportunities are endless.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history? 

The home was built in the mid-1950s by the owner of Yeadon Farm Dairy on the edge of the farm, now the Thornliebank/Buxton Hill neighborhood, with lumber cut from the property.

Along with thick plaster walls and ceilings on the first floor, quality craftsmanship is abundant throughout.

The house has been owned by the same family who built it and the grandson has made every effort to match the original design and style with all of the renovations, including custom-milled natural woodwork for the private second-floor primary bedroom suite. Family pride in ownership is evident in every space of this well-constructed and maintained house now waiting for a new family to call it "home."

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for? 

This home appeals to many buyers. There are four bedrooms sufficient for a full-time family, singles or second homeowners. Opportunity for in-law suite. Also, ample room for a home/office business. Lots of storage space with 3 1/2 garages and additional storage space above the oversized two-car garage.

Are there any standout design features? 

Lots of personal touches with natural woodwork throughout, freshly painted light colors to maximize natural light, new flooring in several rooms. Spacious four-season room for relaxing or home/office use. Also, offers a beautiful primary suite on the second floor.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space? 

A peaceful retreat in the woods. Cozy up to the fireplace on winter nights, enjoy the morning coffee on the back porch or the four-season sunroom. Spend the afternoon gardening in your beautiful yard and connecting with nature. A pet-friendly home offering a fenced yard and durable flooring. A family friendly home directly on the school bus routes.

How would you describe the atmosphere or feel of this home? 

The home has a welcoming feel with natural elements offering a place of comfort and belonging.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

 
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