MCLA Students Host Better Together Block Party

03:12PM / Wednesday, April 29, 2026Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) students present the Better Together Block Party on Friday, May 1 from 3–6 p.m. at MASS MoCA in Courtyard A.

This free, arts-centered event is the culmination of a student-led, semester-long pilot project, developed through MCLA's Managing Creativity course, with collaborative support from MASS MoCA.

The Better Together Block Party invites the community to celebrate North Adams before First Friday in downtown North Adams.

Designed and produced by MCLA students as an applied learning initiative, the Better Together Block Party at MASS MoCA features live pop-up performances by regional artists including The Nothing Birds and The Blue Steam Project, and food and drink for purchase from on-campus establishments. Attendees can also participate in free hands-on, all-ages art-making activities.

A featured Creative Campus Crawl, organized by MCLA students in partnership with participating businesses, will offer guided small-group visits, including Gary Lichtenstein Editions' studio and MASS MoCA's Research and Development Store. Participants will spend 15 to 20 minutes at each site, gaining insight into artistic production, creative entrepreneurship, and the role these businesses play within the broader North Adams ecosystem.

"The Better Together Block Party is exactly the kind of collaboration that strengthens North Adams—bringing together students, artists, businesses, and residents in a shared celebration of creativity," said Jenny Wright, Executive Director of the North Adams Partnership. "What makes this especially exciting is that it's student-led, demonstrating how emerging leaders are actively helping shape the city's future. By connecting the MASS MoCA campus with downtown through First Fridays, this event helps build the energy, relationships, and visibility that support a vibrant downtown."

MASS MoCA's role in the pilot is to provide a collaborative environment and creative campus context that supports student exploration and community engagement, highlighting the intersections of art, community, and creative enterprise through a student-driven lens.

Tags: mass moca, MCLA,

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North Adams Housing Authority Hires MassNAHRO to Lead Executive Director Search

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
02:22PM / Saturday, October 31, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA) board of commissioners voted to utilize MassNAHRO's Executive Director Search Services for its own director search.

Before the unanimous vote Thursday to retain MassNAHRO (Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials) services, Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah noted that NAHA is already an affiliate of the organization.

"They have been doing executive director recruitment searches for public housing authorities that they represent," she said. "They follow all of the Massachusetts laws, they advertise, they screen, they involve the tenants in their process. I think it is in our best interest to secure their services."

Longtime director Jennifer Hohn resigned earlier in October, following rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The commissioners promoted Director of Operations Lisa Labonte to interim director.

The service will cost $5,500, and MassNAHRO will work directly with the commission to set up a screening committee.

Lillian Zavatsky, city councilor and liaison to NAHA, spoke during the open forum and encouraged the board to avoid a permanent internal promotion. This was in reference to a letter she sent to the commissioners several weeks ago.

"I think that it is really important that the search is open and transparent, and there is a direct role for tenant participation," she said. "Not just after a decision is made, but throughout the process ... I also said I do not support an internal candidate. I do not support the director of operations being promoted to the director. There are older issues here, and she has been part of it. I think a lot needs to change here."

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