We’ve Got ART Going On
Cottage Street Studios
Lynne Graves
Even in our haven of art and culture, ArtWeek MA is a festival that stands apart. Partially by design, because you’re required to demonstrate a special something to be accepted. And partially because every event is a truly spectacular glimpse behind the scenes. Dance performances are turned on their heads. Potters may invite you to throw your own clay. It’s the Other Side of Art on the Other Side of Massachusetts (see what we did there?).
Not only will you experience The Artistic Side, The Cultural Side, The Playful Side, and the Theatrical Side of Massachusetts, you’ll experience those things in a different and exciting way. Presented by Highland Street Foundation, produced by the Boch Center, and championed by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, this ten-day showcase of artistic talent will blow your socks off. Seriously, consider double-knotting your shoelaces.
10 Days of Fun
Get excited! This is a festival that incorporates art, culture, dance, film, food, spoken word, theatre, adventure, design, architecture, and fashion. Events are wide-ranging, less than $50/person, and hosted by small businesses, arts organizations, schools, libraries, non-profits, hotels, chefs, artists, and neighborhood groups.
There’s something for everyone, and we’ve curated a list of special events happening right here in Hampshire County. Remember, this is just a sample of the 50+ events that you’ll discover in western Massachusetts during ArtWeekMA. Click here to check out our offerings and plan your visit.
Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail — 15th Annual Studio Tour
April 27th & 28th, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Across Franklin & Hampshire Counties
The annual Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail is a tour of nine studios with over 20 nationally recognized potters. Easily reached from Boston, Hartford, and the Albany area, the free, self-guided tour winds along the beautiful back roads and scenic historic towns of the Asparagus Valley, a local name for the upper Connecticut River valley of western Massachusetts. The Pottery Trail celebrates the rich agricultural history and cultural vitality of the area, as well as the longstanding connection between pottery and food.
In With the New: Poets Laureate Read at Florence Poetry Carnival
The Florence Poetry Carnival
April 27th, 4:30 pm
Florence Civic Building, 90 Park St., Florence
In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Florence Poetry Carnival invites the community to come be a part of poetry! For this inaugural year of the Carnival, participants include Forbes Library, the Emily Dickinson Museum, and the Florence Poetry Society. Through fun activities and talks Florence will engage in the writing, reading, and listening to poetry. We will close out National Poetry Month in style. At 4:30 the highlight feature of outgoing Northampton poet laureate Amy Dryansky welcoming the new laureate, Karen Skolfield, will be a reading by both poets, followed by a conversation and Q & A with the audience.There is a $5.00 suggested donation for the Florence Poetry Carnival. It is an all ages event. Rain or shine, poem-ing will happen.
Jones Library Star Wars Day: May the 4th Be With You
May 4th, 3:00 - 8:00 pm
The Jones Library Woodbury Room, 43 Amity Street, Amherst
This year on May the 4th, the library will celebrate Han Solo and the crew of the Millenium Falcon. Using this iconic spaceship as our inspiration, we will design and decorate collaborative spaceships using recycled materials. Participants will also have the chance to make their very own mini ship to take home. The day will also feature a Galactic Slime Bar, a sensory play area, and a special photo booth- be sure to dress up! Following our afternoon program, we will host a free screening of a Star Wars movie. Activities will be from 3:00-5:00 directly followed by the movie screening.
#artcontinues Wine & Painting with Gallery Tour
May 1st, 6:30 - 9:00 pm
AmherstWorks, 11 Amity Street, Amherst
This #artcontinues Wine & Painting event will include some art history as well as individual technique instruction. No prior painting experience necessary — each participant will create a masterpiece. Special for ArtWeek, the curator will also lead a tour of the current AmherstWorks exhibit. Materials and snacks will be provided, BYOB optional.
A Taste of the Arts with Annette Gates & Tom Kuklinski
Pioneer Valley Food Tours
April 27th, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Downtown Northampton (meet: Pulaski Park)
A local food tour in downtown Northampton that will explore the synergy of tradition and technique between creative arts and culinary arts. Several stops will feature hand made porcelain by Annette Gates and hand crafted wooden boards by Tom Kuklinski. The artists will be present to share elements of their technique, process and vision with participants. A selection of locally sourced food and beverages will be thoughtfully interwoven in this collaborative display of art and food. The restaurants participating are Iconica Social Club and Moshi Moshi, and Provisions Specialty Foods.
Celebrating Human and Non-Human Connections
AylaTree
May 5th, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Eastworks, Room 111, 116 Pleasant Street, Easthampton
Do your animal family members choose the handmade toys, or even the cardboard box the toy came in over the toy itself? Let’s play on that theme and craft an animal box with intention! Come create a play box for your animal family to play with/lay in that shares just how important that animal is in our life. All animal lovers welcome! Bring a photo of your animal if desired and stop in anytime in the given time. A ceremony of thanks will be conducted from 12:00-12:15 for those who wish to participate.
The Art of Fashion Preview
Stonehouse Museum
April 27th, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The Stone House Museum, 20 Maple Street, Belchertown
As part of Belchertown's ArtWalk, the Stone House Museum’s exhibit, The Art of Fashion, will be on display and open to the public for a free preview. The exhibit features 8-10 fully dressed mannequins, presented in some the collections most interesting clothing. Staff will be onsite to answer all of your questions about the exhibit and the museum. The Art of Fashion exhibit will be moved to the museum's exhibit room after ArtWeek for those who visit the museum.
First — Poets — Then the Sun — A Writer’s Workshop
April 30th, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm; May 5th, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street, Amherst
Emily Dickinson counted poets first on her eternal list. In this intimate workshop held during private hours at the Emily Dickinson Museum, be inspired by the space and place that informed Dickinson’s own revolutionary poetic voice. Adult writers of any level and degree of experience are welcome to participate in this workshop facilitated by poet and writing coach Burleigh Muten. A private tour and prompts based on Dickinson's life and work will be provided. Participants will spend time writing poetry in the historic rooms of the Dickinson Homestead, including the poet's bedroom. Please note that the Museum driveway is for dropping off passengers and for accessible parking only. All other vehicles must park either at meters or in an Amherst town parking lot or garage.
Cottage Street Open Studios
May 4th & 5th, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cottage Street Studios, 1 Cottage Street, Easthampton
Cottage Street Open Studios is a weekend-long interactive event where approximately 20 artists showcase their work, demonstrate their processes, and offer informal talks about creativity. Artists open their studios to visitors and provide time and space for discussions about the artistic process. Demonstrations and workshops will be held on topics including: painting, ceramics, weaving, lamp makeovers, and printing on salvaged & restored letterpress equipment! Seeing the art is inspiring; getting to know the artists and talking about creativity is where the magic happens.
Cottage Street Studios is in the Riverside Industries building at 1 Cottage St. in Easthampton, MA. Artist studios are on floors 3-5. Free parking is available on Cottage St. and Union St. Free parking also available in parking lot behind the building.