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| Creative Economy & Advocacy: How to Make Your Voice Heard |
| The first session Tuesday, March 4th at 6pm at IS183 Art School in Stockbridge, Mass. with “The Creative Economy: Advocacy.” For the creative economy to continue to grow, it needs to be recognized and supported by government at all levels: local, state and national. State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier and MassCreative Executive Director Matt Wilson will discuss the importance of making sure our voices are heard and how to be strategic about advocating for resources and policy that benefit artists, arts organizations, designers, creative businesses and more. The discussion will be moderated by Megan Whilden, Pittsfield’s Director of Cultural Development. IS183 Art School is located at 13 Willard Hill Road in Stockbridge. Free & open to all. |
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Creative Economy & Economic Impact: Stand up & Be Counted |
| Wednesday, March 5th, at 6pm Pittsfield’s Lichtenstein Center for the Arts hosts a session entitled “The Creative Economy: Economic Impact.” A recent national study shows that the creative economy has a large economic impact nationally, larger than tourism. Williams College economist Stephen Sheppard, Massachusetts’ State Creative Economy Director Helena Fruscio, and Dee Schneidman from the New England Foundation for the Arts talk about current efforts to ensure the creative economy is properly measured through innovative data collection and analysis, and why it’s important. The discussion will be moderated by Van Shields, Executive Director of the Berkshire Museum and President of Berkshire Creative. The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts is located at 28 Renne Avenue in Pittsfield’s Upstreet Cultural District. Free & open to all. |
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| Creative Economy & Education: Developing Skills |
| Thursday, March 6th,at 6pm, the final session on “The Creative Economy: Education & Training” will take place at MCLA’s Gallery 51 at 51 Main Street in North Adams, Mass. Like other economic sectors, it’s essential that proper workforce development and training is provided for current and future creative economy practitioners, whether they are artists, arts managers, creative businesses or solo practitioners. Four local providers of creative economy training and education talk about the field and where it is going. Moderator Lisa Donovan, author and MCLA arts administration professor is joined by Blair Benjamin from Assets for Artists and MASS MoCA, Hope Sullivan, the Executive Director of IS183 Art School, Diane Pearlman, Executive Director of the Berkshire Film & Media Collaboration, and Dr. Christine Condaris, MCLA Music Professor, and Chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department. Free & open to all. |
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All free and open to the public!
Now in its eighth year of serving the creative community of the Berkshires, Tricks of the Trade is a professional development seminar series for artists and other creative workers that gives them the tools and skills they need to grow and sustain their businesses, be that of a independent artist or musician, a non-profit arts institution, or a fast-growing business that depends on creative minds. Tricks of the Trade is produced by MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, in collaboration with the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts and IS183 Art School. The series is sponsored by Appelbaum-Kahn and funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Tricks of the Trade series runs from September until May, with all sessions free and open to the public, and starting at 6 p.m. For more information about this year’s Tricks of the Trade series, call the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center at (413) 664 8718. |