Wednesday, September 21 · 6 - 8pm
Leverett Crafts and Arts, 13 Montague Rd. Leverett, MA
FREE. RSVP + questions here

GUERILLA EXHIBIT-Bring 1 piece of your art to hang, position, share, in visual form. Hanging from 5:30-6, 1st come-1st choice
6-6:15 Introductions
6:15-6:30 Presentation: SPACE + Venue: Kiran Bhowmik-LCA.
... 6:30 Open discussion on exhibit and performance space in Franklin County.
7 Networking+refreshments while appreciating work in the Barnes Gallery-YOURS!

Presenter Kiran Bhowmik
Co-Director/Program Manager, Leverett Crafts & Arts

Kiran will be presenting about the LCA venue and work space options:

Originally called Leverett Craftsmen and Artists, LCA first came into being in the 1960's. The 19th century building was a steam powered factory which used native timber to make wooden boxes. After the factory closed in the 1940's, the building housed poultry and sank into decrepitude. In the 1960's Joseph and Lois Barnes came to Leverett with a visionary idea: to create a center for the training of crafters and the production and marketing of crafts and artworks. After Joe's premature death, Lois mobilized a grass roots group of artists and community members who made the dream a reality. This was an all volunteer effort, hard to imagine in today's world. The reconstruction of the building, led by Llan Starkweather, was heroic-from chicken coop to art center with no budget.

Since then, almost 50 years ago, LCA has survived and flourished. Where other arts organizations have succumbed to the pressures of changing times, LCA has continually reinvented itself. Hundreds of resident artists have passed through, leaving their stamp on a unique and always evolving creative community. The LCA artists in residence are a creative and vital group which helps shape the artistic life of our area.
LCA Programs

* LCA provides low cost space for creative work in a beautiful setting.
* LCA resident artists give such classes and workshops as figure drawing, jewelry, ceramics, weaving, art for children, creativity training, flute making, yoga and more.
* The Barnes Gallery offers a full schedule of exhibitions, giving artists a chance to connect with the community.

We have sifted through all of your comments from Fostering Art & Culture's Franklin County Creative Economy Summit 2, and one thing is clear; you want more networking opportunities!  We had five successful Buzz events last year and look forward to more frequent and regular events for the arts community to gather, network and mix up our company with the community at large.

With this in mind, we have teamed up with the Ten Miles Collaborative for a networking event on Monday, July 25^th, from 6-8pm at the Ten Miles Collaborative space at 10 Miles Street in Greenfield.  We will hear a presentation from Tess Gadwa, owner of Yes Exactly Web Design, on the topic of creative collaboration.  The Collaborative space houses Locavore Catering, which will provide refreshments! (pictured: Tess Gadwa)

For future Buzz events, we are interested in attracting a core group of artists and creative community members to help choose and plan out the rest of the year's presenters and event locations.  Please let us know if you are interested in helping make these events happen.  We'd love to hear from you at the event on the 25^th or if you are unable to make it, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

About the presenter

Tess Gadwa, owner of Yes Exactly Web Design, will speak on the topic of creative collaboration, with special attention paid to its economic value. As individuals, we are socialized to compete rather than collaborate from an early age; we often do not immediately see the pathway to viewing colleagues as potential partners rather than rivals for scarce resources.

Many artists are solitary by nature, and require time by themselves to reflect and recharge.  At the same time they often benefit from time spent interacting with other creative professionals. When individuals freelance or work from home, seeking community and collaboration is not automatic, but the extra effort can yield many benefits. She will speak to the complexity of nurturing the creative process in group situations, and of finding the right balance between solitude and community life.

Ms. Gadwa will share her own experience in building effective partnerships; creating spaces, processes, and structures that foster collaboration; and navigating the challenges posed by collaboration, such as conflict and effective decision making. Her firm belief is that attaching economic value to a creative collaboration is one of the most powerful tools for accountability and mutual respect. In keeping with the nature of this topic, she will include time for Q & A and invite audience members to share their own insights and advice about creative collaboration.

Bio
Tess Gadwa brings more than 12 years experience in media and web development to her practice. She works most frequently with clients in the technology, education, and media sectors. In January 2011, she launched Yes Exactly Web Design, a Pioneer Valley Internet startup focused on rapid deployment of custom-designed content-managed websites for small businesses, individuals, and nonprofits. Whenever possible, she looks for talented writers, graphic designers, and programmers to collaborate with.This "virtual agency"model has been key to her business's success.

Ms. Gadwa's background also spans journalism, illustration, and comics. During the last decade, she logged over 10,000 miles traveling through the American South, talking to Pentecostals, snake handlers, peace activists, Civil Rights veterans, and other believers. The result is Southern Cross, an illustrated nonfiction travel memoir documenting the lives of believers in the contemporary American South.

Ms. Gadwa has also written extensively for print and web on topics including food, arts, architecture, real estate, and finance. Samples of her freelance news reporting, web content, and artwork may be found online at DCS Creative.

We are proud to announce that one of our Franklin County towns has won the Commonwealth Award!  Fostering Art & Culture partner, Turners Falls RiverCulture, has won the Commonwealth Award for the creative community category.  Presented every two years, it's the state's highest honor in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Join us for the award ceremony with Mad Men Star, John Slattery, on February 9, 2011 at the State House in Boston, where the Massachusetts Cultural Council will once again honor individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to education, economic vitality, and quality of life in communities across the state.  Go Franklin County!

Artists and artisans (painters, photographers, writers, musicians, potters, digital media artists, wood workers, etc.) 18 years and older are wanted to participate in a research study about highlighting and supporting the diverse economic activity of artists and artisans in the Greater Franklin County.

If selected, you will be asked to participate in training, interview 5 of your peer artists and artisans, and collaborate in analyzing the information collected.  The project will run from September to December and will involve up to 25 hours of work. Compensation will be up to $500.00.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Leo Hwang-Carlos at 413-775-1221 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We encourage you to come to an information session at Greenfield Community College's Downtown Building, Rm 313 on Aug. 25^th from 7-8 PM.

If you have any questions please contact the co-coordinators for this project: Abby Templer, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Leo Hwang-Carlos, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This project is supported by: Greenfield Community College

The University of Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Cultural Council

Olympus and the Fostering Art and Culture Project