GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — In more than one survey, Berkshire nonprofit leaders indicated strong demand for training in DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging). As a result, Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires is partnering with André Lynch and the Berkshire Equity Association to launch a training series that runs from September 2025 through April 2026.
The Agents of Change: Equity Academy includes 6 workshops, individual coaching to assist in achieving organizational goals, and a culminating sharing and "Equity Activator" certificate presentation.
The cost of the series is largely underwritten by The Barr Foundation, Berkshire Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guardian Life, and Milltown Foundation. The cost per organization (for up to three participating individuals) is $500. Some scholarships may be available based on financial need.
"This type of robust training is normally very expensive," said NPC executive director Liana Toscanini. "By partnering with a group of local funders, we are able to offer a high-quality program that’s affordable for nonprofit organizations and work alongside the Berkshire Equity Association as they pilot their framework for fostering equitable practices."
The 6 workshops (3 in-person and 3 virtual) address the following topics: DEI Fundamentals, recognizing and addressing microaggressions, unpacking organizational culture, serving diverse communities, measuring and communicating DEIB impact, reflection and presentation.
Facilitators include André Lynch (DEIB consultant and coach, and Vice Provost of Institutional Equity & Belonging at MCLA), Michael Obasohan (M.Ed, Chief Diversity Officer for City of Pittsfield), and Sharron Frazier-McClain (Director of Community Engagement & DEIA at Barrington Stage Co.).
Berkshire nonprofit organizations are invited to apply through July 15 and will be notified by the end of July. A maximum of 20 organizations will be chosen for this initial cohort. More information about the program and application process can be found online https://npcberkshires.org/workshops/agents-of-change-equity-academy/
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Berkshire Art Center Announces Fall 2026 Classes & Workshops
STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — Berkshire Art Center (BAC) invites artists of all ages and experience levels to participate in lineup of Fall 2026 classes and workshops.
With programs offered at Citizens' Hall in Stockbridge as well as partner locations including Berkshire Music School, WANDER Berkshires, and the Mass Audubon's Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, BAC's fall season celebrates creativity through ceramics, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, and more.
Ceramics students will find opportunities to develop their skills this fall. Faculty Artist Paula Shalan returns with Tableware: Creating with Soft Slabs, where students create functional pottery such as mugs, tumblers, and bowls, as well as Cut, Add, and Stretch: Creating with Soft Slabs, which explores more contemporary approaches to handbuilding. Jess Cropper-Alt teaches Timeless & Tactile: Handbuilding Traditions, while Donna Bernstein leads Wheel Throwing for All, an all-levels course featuring demonstrations, individualized instruction, and ample studio time.
For those looking to try clay for the first time, Lorimer Burns offers Try Your Hand at the Pottery Wheel, a welcoming two-hour introduction to wheel throwing. BAC also offers fun, social workshops including Wall Pocket Party, perfect for beginners, friends, couples, and families with children ages 10 and up, and Pottery Night: Beer Stein Social, an evening of creativity and community where participants craft their own handmade ceramic beer stein.
Mixed media and printmaking enthusiasts will find an inspiring variety of offerings throughout the season. Jody King Camarra teaches Color Theory Through Collage, Print Lab: Collagraph, Drypoint & Relief, Working in a Series: Creating Cohesive Collages, Monoprint Magic, and concludes the season with the festive workshop Handmade Holidays: Winter Layers in Gel Plate Printmaking.
Additional printmaking opportunities include Eco-Printing: Basics and Beyond with Mallorey Caron, where students create beautiful botanical prints using real flowers and leaves, Gelatin Plate Printmaking with Johanna Merfeld, an introduction to playful experimentation with layering, texture, stencils, and image transfers, and Image Transfers & Mixed Media, where Diane Firtell shares versatile techniques that can stand alone or enhance existing artwork.
Photographers can celebrate autumn alongside Thad Kubis, whose seasonal workshops include Photography of Daniel Chester French's Studio at Chesterwood in Stockbridge and Photographing Fall Colors in the Berkshires at Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Pittsfield.
Painters and drawing enthusiasts will discover classes ranging from foundational techniques to expressive exploration. Jill McLean returns with Watercolor Foundations and Watercolor Landscapes at Berkshire Music School, along with shorter, 1-day workshops including Berkshire Polaroids in Watercolor and Handmade Holidays: Watercolor Bookmarks.
Wednesday Nelena Sorokin offers Creative Writing & Abstraction, where students use stream-of-consciousness writing to inspire expressive abstract paintings, along with Painting Basics, Two-Dimensional Composition Workshop, and the popular Abstract Painting: Color, Design and Spirit. Artists looking for a relaxed, supportive studio environment can also enjoy the return of Friday Painting Studio, featuring a new and more accessible tuition rate and experienced facilitators who provide encouragement, feedback, and creative community while participants work on independent projects.
BAC's monthly workshop series at WANDER Berkshires in Pittsfield also continues this fall. Held on the second Saturday of each month, these welcoming two-hour sessions invite participants to sketch, paint, journal, and experiment in a relaxed community setting—no long-term commitment required. The series begins September 12 with Commonplace Visual Journaling led by Kaily Ritz, followed by Mini Nature Assemblage Boxes with Johanna Merfeld on October 10, Indoor Urban Sketching with Jill McLean on November 14, and concludes December 12 with Watercolor Reset for the New Year, led by BAC Executive Director Laura Thompson.
During his visit, Congressman Neal met with CATA artists and their families, including artists with disabilities from many of CATA's 65 program partners. click for more
Now, just steps from the original playground, a new ninja park is nearly complete to soon offer adults a unique opportunity to reconnect with that childhood sense of adventure.
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Second- and third-grade students at St. Mary's turned their creativity into real-world advertising by designing ads for Meadow Farm Equipment — wrapping up our Junior Marketers Create an Ad series.
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This season, Allen returned to the Berkshire Theatre Group's Unicorn Theatre in Abi Morgan's "LoveSong," a play about how love changes people over time. click for more
