Dear Friends,
As the days begin to brighten and spring draws near, we’ve got several announcements + upcoming opportunities for artists, poets, musicians, and performers to share! We hope you’ll read through them all—and that you mark your calendars for all of Easthampton City Arts’ upcoming events and public programming! Each and every upcoming event is free to attend and all are welcome! Please help us spread the word by sharing these announcements and opportunities widely through your channels as well!
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK
FRIDAY APRIL 1st; 6-9PM
After a 25-month hiatus, we’re thrilled to re-launch our monthly Art Walk event on the First Fridays of the month, beginning Friday April 1st from 6-9pm! Listings can be found on our website and through the new QR code on the Art Walk poster (see below)! If you’re planning to host an exhibition or event during Art Walk, please fill out this quick + simple form so that your event will be included with the listings! We’re also excited to announce that Galaxy will be offering a special “grab + go” menu for Art Walk in April, too! More details to come!
EASTHAMPTON POETRY DAY
SATURDAY APRIL 30th; 10AM-6PM
Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday April 30th for Easthampton Poetry Day! We’re planning a full day of events that will activate several spaces throughout the Cottage Street Cultural District, including Big Wheel Press, Book Moon Books, Luthier’s Coop, and Mt. Tom’s Homemade Ice Cream! Stay tuned in the weeks to come for this year’s full lineup of poetry, music, performance, and workshops–all of which will be integrated throughout the Cottage Street Cultural District! And, if you’re a local poet and are interested in participating in this year’s event, please fill out this simple form as we are growing our roster of local and regional poets–for Easthampton Poetry Day and for future events as well! *Deadline to apply is March 28th.
EASTHAMPTON CITY ARTS FESTIVAL (FORMERLY CULTURAL CHAOS)
SATURDAY JUNE 11th; 12-5PM
Be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday June 11th for the Easthampton City Arts Festival (formerly Cultural Chaos)! While the name has changed, we’ll be offering the same robust lineup of art, music, performance, and food that you all love (and have missed) so much–and we’ll be offering a few new special features as well! AND, as was mentioned above, ECA is looking to grow our roster of Artists, Poets, Musicians, and Performers. If you’re interested in being considered to participate in this year’s event, please fill out this simple form no later than April 5th. We’re also looking for volunteers for this year’s event! Please sign up here to volunteer!
*Enormous thanks to River Valley Coop, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and to Galaxy for their generous sponsorship of this year’s Easthampton City Arts Festival! Gigantic thanks, too, to Cider House Media for creating the Festival’s new logo and for their ongoing partnership, organization, and support of this event! And, we’re sending out much-deserved acknowledgements to the members of the Cottage Street Cultural District Subcommittee for their continued efforts and dedication–to the District itself and to planning this beloved community event! Stay tuned for many more details to come!
ECA’S NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EASTHAMPTON FARMER’S MARKET
SUNDAYS FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER
We’re thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership between Easthampton City Arts & the Easthampton Farmers’ Market! And we’re sharing out an open call to any local visual artists working in any media who is interested in exhibiting + selling your work at the outdoor market during the 2022 season. It’s free to apply and $35 to participate, if selected. Tent, table, and chairs provided. Here’s a link to the application.
*And here’s more information about our ongoing programs, too!
ART WORKSPACE EASTHAMPTON (AWE)
We are thrilled and honored to have an incredible lineup of studio residents for the entire duration of the 2022 calendar year! Current artists are painter Malaika Ross and writer Aina Hunter — we encourage you to become familiar with their thoughtful and exceptional work! And, for the very first time since the AWE Studio Residency began, members of the public can visit the studio residency program as part of Art Walk! Malaika’s studio will be open for Art Walk on Friday April 1 from 6-9pm. More details can be found here.
PUBLIC ART INITIATIVE
We’re excited to be preparing for the installation of Easthampton’s newest public sculpture! Sending big congrats to local illustrator and public artist Peter O Zierlein whose sculpture will be installed along the Manhan Rail Trail at the entryway to Millside Park in the coming weeks. This sculpture, titled Good Times at the Mills, will be a component of a “pocket park” consisting of public art, an artist-made bike rack by Michael Poole, public seating, and wayfinding signage. This project is generously supported by the National Association of Realtors and is being thoughtfully overseen by ECA’s Public Art subcommittee. Stay tuned for information about the unveiling event and celebration!
YOUTH ARTS INITIATIVE
In case you hadn’t heard the news, ECA’s Youth Arts Initiative has received generous funding in the amount of $30,000 from the Collaborative for Educational Services–AND–an additional matching $30,000 in ARPA funds, making for a well-supported $60,000 project for the next two years! This intergenerational project is a collaboration with Easthampton High School, the Easthampton Council on Aging, Easthampton’s Healthy Youth Coalition, and Easthampton Media–as well as several other local stakeholders. Together, we will create the foundation for a “living” story archive for the City of Easthampton that can be experienced virtually, in-person, and in expressions of public art that will be integrated throughout our shared streets and spaces. Our first year of programming will focus on participatory civic engagement, in all its forms. Stay tuned for more information–and to learn how you can contribute your stories to this living, growing archive!
*We encourage you all to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to receive regular updates and announcements about these programs and more! AND, please scroll below for more information!
Many thanks to each and every one of you for supporting and celebrating our beloved community of local working artists in all the ways you do — and for supporting our beloved community of local businesses, too! We look forward to seeing you all real soon!
With art + heart,
Pasqualina Azzarello
City Arts Coordinator
Easthampton City Arts