WCMA Berkshires Satellite Reef Project

Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) and Williams College Gaudino Fund invite the community to take part in the Berkshires Satellite Reef Project.

 

The next public Coral Crochet workshop will be held on Friday, Aug. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Berkshire Art Center at the Brothership Building at 141 North St. in Pittsfield.

The Berkshires Satellite Reef, a Gaudino Creative Residencies initiative, is part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef, a participatory art project that responds to climate change through the creation of crocheted coral reef sculptures. Conceived by artists Christine and Margaret Wertheim in collaboration with the Institute for Figuring, the project invites individuals of all ages and skill levels to contribute to a community-sourced coral reef installation. The completed reef will be presented at Williams College in the ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance as an immersive exhibition in the spring of 2026. 

The Berkshires Satellite Reef will be hosting monthly workshops throughout the year at the Williams College campus and in locations throughout Berkshire County. No experience is necessary; crochet kits and instructions will be provided, and instructors will be on hand for small-group guidance.

Additionally, weekly drop-in Coral Crochet Circles will be held at Williams College and in partner locations throughout the Berkshires. Summer Crochet Circles are currently scheduled for Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Milne Public Library. 

Community members are invited to contribute crocheted coral reef pieces by dropping them off at one of several locations in Williamstown: the Milne Public Library, WCMA, or the ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance, Department of Theatre. Coral pieces may also be mailed to Amy Holzapfel, Professor of Theatre, Williams College, 1000 Main Street, Williamstown, MA 01267.

The Berkshires Satellite Reef project also encourages participation through donation of crochet hooks, yarn, or yarn remnants. Drop-off bins will be located at several sites on the Williams College campus, including the ’62 Center for Theatre & Dance (in Centerstage Lobby), WCMA (Lobby), and the Class of 1966 Environmental Center (Entryway). Additional drop-off sites include the Milne Public Library and the Berkshire Art Center’s brothership building in Pittsfield. 

 

For more information on the Berkshires Satellite Reef, contact Amy Holazapfel at ash2@williams.edu or visit https://gaudino.williams.edu/berkshires-satellite-reef/.

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

Williamstown, Five Other County Towns Receive Seasonal Community Grants

Staff Reports
BOSTON, Mass.  — Five months after Williamstown's town meeting opted into the commonwealth's Seasonal Communities program, the town has received its first grant from the state under the program.
 
Gov. Maura Healey Tuesday announced nearly $2 million in Seasonal Community Grants to help all 24 municipalities in the program statewide.
 
The funding helps communities advance housing projects with the potential to support 594 year-round homes, including affordable housing developments, infrastructure improvements and planning efforts that will help unlock future housing opportunities.
 
"From the Berkshires to Cape Cod and the Islands, our seasonal communities are an important part of what makes Massachusetts special," Healey in a news release. "But we know these communities face unique challenges, especially when it comes to housing for the people who live and work there year-round. That's why we created the Seasonal Communities designation and are backing it up with funding to help local leaders build more homes, support their workforce and keep their communities strong for generations to come."
 
That list of awardees includes six Berkshire County towns:
 
• Egremont — $60,687 to support septic and well construction for Phase II of Town Hall Housing, adding affordable housing units (20 units).
 
• Great Barrington — $84,731 to conduct a housing needs study, develop a Housing Production Plan and support the design and engineering of roadway and streetscape improvements near Reed Street and Main Street.
 
View Full Story

More Williamstown Stories