WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — On Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Clark Art Institute hosts "Night at the Clark," an evening of special activities and exclusive gallery access to celebrate the arrival of the Class of 2029 to the Berkshires.

 

Students from Williams College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Berkshire Community College, Bennington College, State University of New York at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Smith College, and more are invited come together to explore, connect, and make memories on the Clark's campus.

 

Activities:

 

On Air with WCFM 91.9 and Belltower Records

5–7 pm

Reflecting Pool Lawn

Join a collaborative vinyl session hosted by WCFM 91.9 and Belltower Records. Choose records from WCFM 91.9 and Belltower Record's collection for a live-mixed set.

 

Print Room Pop-Up Exhibition: Paper Trails of the Clark's Collection

5–7 pm

Manton Study Center for Works on Paper

Enjoy a special display of prints, drawings, and photographs selected from the Clark's collection of 6,500+ works on paper. From Albrecht Dürer to Doris Ulmann, this drop-in showcase spans more than 500 years of creativity and craftsmanship over a wide range of artistic techniques on paper.

 

PRESS on the MOVE! with Melanie Mowinski

5–7 pm

Bold by Design: Mid-century Modern Graphic Art, Manton Research Center

PRESS on the MOVE! is a traveling letterpress studio and an offshoot of artist Melanie Mowinski's project PRESS: Letterpress as a Public Art Project. Be inspired by the works featured in Bold by Design: Mid-century Modern Graphic Art and create prints using vintage type and presses—no experience needed!

 

Pages to Pins: Button-Making Workshop

5–7 pm

Manton Research Center reading room

Repurpose dust jackets, periodicals, and other extras from our library into one-of-a-kind buttons!

 

From Ground to Cup: Lemon Balm, Milky Oats, and Catnip

5:30–7 pm

Schow Pond

Join herbalist Rebecca Guanzon to learn about wild herbs, then brew your own custom tea.

 

Mariel Capanna: Giornata Rapid Painting

6 pm, 6:30 pm, 7 pm & 7:30 pm

Family Room

Try fast-paced, collaborative painting inspired by this artist's practice—one minute per round, endless creativity. Guided by Williams College Museum of Art SPA interns, respond in paint to abstract visuals or found footage before passing the canvas on for others to add their own interpretation.

 

A Room of Her Own Embroidery Workshop

6–8 pm

Clark Center lower lobby

Join us in the gallery for a hands-on embroidery workshop inspired by A Room of Her Own: Women Artist-Activists in Britain, 1875–1945. Learn foundational stitches featured in the exhibition and described in May Morris's Decorative Needlework (1893) and create your own embroidered bookmark in homage to the era's craft revival.

 

Berenice Abbott's Modern Lens Curator-led Tour

6:15 pm, 6:45 pm and 7:15 pm

Eugene V. Thaw Gallery for Works on Paper

Exhibition curator Grace Hanselman presents a tour of photographer Berenice Abbott's work, focusing on her portraits of the Parisian avant-garde and her visual chronicles of New York City's dynamic urban landscape.

 

Berenice Abbott's Modern Lens Curator-led Tour and Mariel Capanna: Giornata Rapid Painting require a free ticket that can be collected by students at the main admissions desk. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 5 pm.

 

Works in Progress: Astral Sea Performance with Tsedaye Makonnen and Williams College

7:15 pm

Fernández Terrace

Watch an experimental in-progress performance directed by visiting artist Tsedaye Makonnen with Williams' dance faculty member Sandra Burton. Featuring students from Kusika, the Williams College African dance and percussion ensemble.

 

The full-length performance will debut as part of the Clark's programming on Saturday, October 4 at 4 pm on the grounds.

 

Outdoor Film: Night at the Museum (2006)

8–10 pm

Reflecting Pool Lawn

Watch the ultimate museum adventure under the stars. Presented by Images Cinema.

 

Stargazing & S'mores

8–10 pm

Thomas Shütte's Crystal, Stone Hill

Gaze at the night sky with PULSAR Astronomy Club while enjoying s'mores by the bonfire.

 

All activities are free. No registration is required to attend Night at the Clark. Select timed activities require a free ticket that can be collected by students at the main admissions desk. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 5 pm. Food from the outdoor grill is available for purchase until 8 pm. For accessibility questions, call 413 458 0524.