Grant-funded project to make the arts more profitable for artists and this region
Dee Boyle-Clapp of Florence has been chosen by a collaborative of area organizations to coordinate a new, grant-funded project called " Fostering the Arts and Culture in Franklin County,"? dedicated to growing the arts economy and helping artists of all kinds with the business side of their endeavors.
"Dee Boyle-Clapp brings an incredible combination of artistic and business experience to this position,"? says Leo Hwang-Carlos, Dean of Humanities at Greenfield Community College, one of seven grant partners. "Part of what makes her really dynamic is that she's able to draw upon a wide variety of artistic, educational and professional experiences. While I think we can certainly learn a lot from how other regions promote the arts, Franklin County has its own unique needs, and Dee has the familiarity with the region and the people to adapt her experiences to create a custom fit for the needs of Franklin County."?
A sculptor, Boyle-Clapp earned bachelor's degrees in both art and art history from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She received her master of fine arts degree in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has taught at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Garden in Lincoln, Mass., the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in Springfield, the Art Bank, Mt. Wachusett Community College in Gardner, and the Cummington Community of the Arts.
In the early 1990s, she and her husband, John Clapp, founded the Artemis gallery in Shelburne Falls, where she also taught children's art classes and summer art camp. As the first director of The Art Bank, also in Shelburne Falls, she established it as a successful art school and performance center that offered studio art classes, art exhibitions, theater performances, community events and cultural festivals. "It was just a really fun place to be,"? recalls Boyle-Clapp, who led the institute for three years. "There was something happening all the time."?
As executive director of the Pioneer Valley Humane Society for seven years, Boyle-Clapp indulged a lifelong love for animals and led the nonprofit organization through a period of growth in services, membership and scope, and is most proud of having created an education program. Boyle-Clapp left to complete a second master's degree in nonprofit management from Regis University in Denver.
This winter, she completed a 20-week course in how to create a business plan to prepare herself for launching her own exhibition design company focusing on animal welfare and environmental themes.
Boyle-Clapp expects to draw on these varied educational and professional strands as she implements the goals of the "Fostering the Arts and Culture"? project.
"Everything that I've done in the past has prepared me to help creative people succeed,"? says Boyle-Clapp. "Part of what we hope to do through this grant is inspire artists to make their own business plan. I've done that work, too, so I'm uniquely positioned to share that this effort is really worth it. Creating a business plan is time-consuming and it will take an artist away from the studio for a while, but in the end they will have discovered some of what we weren't taught in art school but need in order to succeed in a business.
"Many creative people have a hard time with the concept of being in business,"? says Boyle-Clapp. "The idea of selling something we create seems foreign, and for many of us, art is not about commerce, it is about creativity. I completely understand that. But I also understand that you've still got to pay your mortgage. There's a lot of expense to being creative.
"Another important question that we will consider is 'what is success' and what are individual goals? These will vary widely, but the workshops may help artists uncover what that means."?
Over the next six months, Boyle-Clapp will be shepherding development of a regional Web site for artists, building a data base of artists, musicians, writers and graphic designers, and holding focus groups around the county to learn what creative people need in order to succeed. Those focus groups will culminate in a "creative summit"? next fall that will distill all of their needs and dreams into an action plan for the future.
"The Summit will be the game plan for the next phase of this project,"? says Boyle-Clapp. "The artists will outline what they need and help plan how to get it. That is unique and challenging, and I am looking forward to the process.
"I've worked with a lot of incredibly talented people since I've moved out here,"? continues Boyle-Clapp. "Each of these people can add something really critical that will help themselves and the region. The partnership's ultimate goal is to move the creative economy along; but more than that, I really want to see people succeed."?
The purpose of the data base is to be able to contact people to tell them what's going on and what's coming up. People can add their names by sending an e-mail to lively@gcc.mass.edu. Write "add me"? in the subject line and " Fostering Arts and Culture data base"? in the body of your message, along with contact information.
"Fostering the Arts and Culture in Franklin County"? is funded by a grant from the John and Abigail Adams initiative of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Grant partners are the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin County Community Development Corporation, Mass Country Roads Project and the Franklin County Visitors Center, the Shelburne Falls Area Business Association, the Franklin/Hampshire Regional Employment Board and Greenfield Community College.
For more information, please contact Leo Hwang-Carlos at (413) 775-1221 or hwang-carlos@gcc.mass.edu.
The Archibald MacLeish Collection has been moved to the Historic Deerfield Library building in Deerfield, Mass., announced Curator Margaret Howland. The Collection is held in trust by the GCC Foundation, and ever since its founding in 1974 has been housed in the Greenfield Community College Library.
However, the College has embarked upon an extensive project to renovate the Main Building of its campus. The North and South wings are now completed and reconstruction is beginning on "The Core," which held the GCC Library and the MacLeish Collection. Due to this work, the library had to vacate its premises by June 1st. The main Library has moved to the fourth floor of the North wing, but there was insufficient room for the MacLeish Collection.
"In a notable display of cooperation between two prominent local educational institutions,"? said Howland, "Historic Deerfield, Inc., and Greenfield Community College have entered into an agreement to temporarily house the MacLeish Collection in the Historic Deerfield Library building. We hope this arrangement will be beneficial to both parties and are extremely proud to be situated alongside the famous research collections of Historic Deerfield and the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association. Our thanks go out to everyone who worked so hard to make this come about."?
The Archibald MacLeish collection will be open every Wednesday from 1 to 5 p.m. at 6 Memorial Drive, Deerfield, or by appointment. Since this is a temporary arrangement, Howland will respond to voice mail, e-mail, and postal mail addressed as follows: Archibald MacLeish Collection, Greenfield Community College, One College Drive, Greenfield, MA 01301, or Archibald MacLeish Collection, c/o Historic Deerfield Library, P.O. Box 53, Deerfield, MA 01342. Or call (413) 775-1835 or 775-7124, or e-mail: howlandm@gcc.mass.edu.
Makes it possible for students with disabilities to pursue their education
Anna Berry has accepted the offer to join Greenfield Community College as Coordinator of Disability Services. She has a bachelor of science degree in human development and family studies, and a master of science degree in occupational therapy, both from Colorado State University. She has spent the last ten years working with young children and their families in early intervention programs. Prior to that, she helped elementary- through college-age students learn through the integration of assistive technology into their learning repertoire, supported adults with disabilities to work and live in their communities, and worked in a rehabilitation center with newly disabled people as they adjusted to a new life.
"Anna is a professionally trained occupational therapist with a background in community-based programming for people of all ages with disabilities,"? says Shane Hammond, Associate Dean of Student Affairs. "She brings to students a wealth of knowledge and experience with assistive technology."?
"Assistive technology,"? explains Berry, "can be anything that helps a person with a disability make everyday living more accessible and therefore increases independence. In higher education, it means making learning accessible to everyone. Assistive technology includes computer programs that enlarge the images on a screen or even read to you what's on the screen, to tape recording a lecture, talking to your computer rather than typing on a keyboard, or just getting around campus and into classrooms. Whether it's low- or high-tech, it's about making it possible for students with disabilities to pursue their education, pursue their dreams."?
Not everyone needs assistive technology to be successful in a college learning environment. Some students simply need extra time to take tests or complete assignments; others require a sign language interpreter or note taker. The accommodations available and necessary are as varied as the students who seek them.
Berry also looks forward to working with high schools and community organizations such as vocational rehabilitation programs to identify the needs of people with disabilities and help them understand that college is an option for them. "My message to them is, 'Come on down!'"? says Berry.
For more information about how GCC can help students with disabilities to pursue higher education, please contact Anna Berry at (413) 775-1812 or berrya@gcc.mass.edu.
Worth up to $10,000 a year for GCC students transferring to AIC
Greenfield Community College and American International College in Springfield signed a joint admission agreement that is worth up to $10,000 a year for full-time transfer students from GCC, announced Kathleen Maisto, coordinator of transfer at Greenfield Community College and Pauline Mortenson, director of international and transfer admissions at American International College.
"My congratulations to all at GCC and AIC who worked to make this happen,"? says GCC President Robert L. Pura. "Students' lives will change for the better as a result of their efforts."?
Greenfield Community College has long had what are called " joint admission"? agreements with state colleges and the university, explains Maisto: "These are meant to assist our students in making 'seamless' transfers to four-year institutions."? Advantages include guaranteed admission for students in good academic standing, acceptance of all GCC credits toward a baccalaureate degree program, a shorter admission form, and waiver of application fee.
The joint admission agreement with American International College confers significant scholarship benefits as well. "AIC stands out in this respect,"? says Maisto.
Every student who signs up for the joint admission program with AIC, while completing 30 credits at GCC, automatically gets $4,000 off their tuition bill for each year that they are a full-time student in their baccalaureate program. In addition, students transferring from GCC receive annual transfer academic scholarships based on their cumulative grade point average, ranging from $2,500 for a cumulative GPA of 2.7 to 2.99 to as much as $6,000 per year for GCC students transferring with a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or better, "and a lot of our students do,"? notes Maisto. "The combined value of the scholarships can be as much as $10,000 a year, and every student who qualifies will get it, not just a limited number."?
"It helps make us competitive with state schools,"? says Mortenson, who has initiated similar agreements with Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College.
Beyond the financial incentives, according to Larry Dean, Title III director at GCC and former transfer coordinator for many years, there are compelling academic reasons why GCC students choose to transfer to AIC. "AIC is a very good place for our students,"? says Dean, "because it's a small institution and they give their students a lot of attention.
"Students who enter American International College as transfers add a special dimension to the campus community,"? according to Dr. Vincent Maniaci, President of American International College. "The energy they bring to the classroom and the maturity enhances the quality of learning that takes place. We are indeed pleased to enter into this partnership with Greenfield Community College because we know how much the students can benefit from the opportunity, as well as how much AIC can benefit from what the students bring to the campus."?
For more information, please contact Kathleen Maisto at (413) 775-1207 or Pauline Mortenson at (800) 242-3142.
All interested in firefighting urged to sign up now for June 24 event
There is probably no more famous fire department than FDNY, the fire service of New York. Even before the World Trade Towers tragedy, FDNY was recognized as being the busiest, most highly trained fire organization in the world. For 26 years, author and fire service instructor Vincent Dunn served as a chief officer for FDNY. On June 24, Deputy Chief Dunn will be taking a break from his retirement career as a nationally-renowned consultant to come to teach fire tactics and strategy to the firefighters of Franklin County and the tri-state region.
Firefighters from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont are expected to attend the day-long "Fire Ground Command " ? seminar, according to Peter Rosnick, director of Greenfield Community College's Fire Science Technology program. The Tri-State Fire Mutual Fire Aid Association and the Montague Center Fire Department are co-sponsors of the event.
John A. Greene, Chief of the Montague Center Fire Department and coordinator of the Recruit Training Program for the Tri-State Fire Mutual Aid, says normally, fire officers must travel to the National Fire Academy to study under Dunn.
"With most of the region's fire departments working under very tight budget constraints, and the fact that three out of four rural fire departments are staffed by volunteers who can't up and leave their jobs or farms to fly to Washington, D.C., this kind of opportunity hasn't ever been an option,"? Greene noted.
Chief Dunn will be teaching strategy and tactics for fires in private dwellings and strip stores (like those found in most of our area's downtowns); the dangers of operating on peaked roofs; preventing flashovers and back draft explosions; fighting fires in buildings with lightweight truss construction and the latest on rapid fire spread.
Greenfield resident and arson investigator Steve Houghton of Firefacts Inc., an expert on fire origin and cause determination, will also be teaching a section of the day-long seminar.
Rosnick says that the fire science degree program at Greenfield Community College is an example of how the college meets the needs of the community.
"Oftentimes, fire science students are full-time firefighters, or volunteer firefighters with full-time jobs, who will come and take a few courses, stop for a few semesters and then start up again,"? explains Rosnick.
"About eight years ago or so, the state wanted to close down fire science programs that didn't graduate a minimum number of students each year. We argued very loud and hard saying, 'Look, this is a very critical service to both the full-time and volunteer fire departments in the area. This is what we do: We provide educational service to the community.'"? Greenfield Community College and its fire science degree program prevailed.
Hosting Tri-State Mutual Aid's "Fire Ground Command " ? seminar on June 24 is an example of service to the community, says Rosnick.
Several local businesses are supporting this event. Greenfield's West Winds Inn agreed to donate "a room with a view"? for Chief Dunn's visit. Bill's Restaurant is helping to prepare the chicken barbecue; Nourse Farms is donating all the strawberries for strawberry shortcake for the gathering, and Zoar Outdoor donated river rafting tickets to be raffled off to help cover other expenses.
The seminar will take place on GCC's main campus and registration is $45, which includes breakfast and lunch. Registration will close on June 10. Registration forms are available at the Montague Center Fire Department's Web site: http//:www.montaguecenterfire.org. Phone registrations can be made with a credit card by calling GCC at (413) 775-1803.
Criminal Justice students spend Law Day where laws are made
"It's one thing to sit in class and read about the legal process, but to actually go there and watch how it all comes together is so much fun,"? says Bevely Maldonado of Greenfield. "The experience really helped me to understand it."?
Maldonado was one of nine students enrolled in Greenfield Community College's Criminal Justice program who spent May 1, Law Day, in Boston visiting the Supreme Judicial Court and the State House to observe our government in action.
"It's an opportunity for students to connect what they're learning in the classroom with what happens in the legal and the legislative process,"? says Professor and Attorney Stella Xanthakos, who set up the trip in conjunction with Judge Dina Fein of the western division Housing Court and Superior Court Judge Peter W. Agnes Jr. "Most of these students have read at least one decision written by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, so they actually got to see the Justices who have written opinions that they've studied."?
"We sat in on an appeals hearing on a first-degree felony murder charge,"? recounts Jessenia Aquino of Amherst. "This man had had a hung jury and the prosecution wanted to try him again, this time on the charge of 'joint venture' rather than being the actual shooter. 'Joint venture' means that he went into the building with others knowing that a crime was going to be committed. The defense argued that to bring this case back to court and retry it would be a violation of double jeopardy. Double jeopardy is violating someone's constitutional protection that you can't be tried twice for the same crime.
"It seemed to me,"? continued Aquino, "that the Commonwealth was looking for something more to charge him with because they weren't satisfied with the verdict the jury returned.
"The Supreme Court decides whether or not the lower court made a mistake. If there was a mistake during your trial, you get a new trial. I learned that we really do have a fair criminal justice system."?
For Erving student James Rode, who is also a police officer with the town of Greenfield, listening to the appeal offered a different perspective on the law. "My perspective, being in law enforcement, is enforcing state and town bylaws."? The Justices' perspective, Rode went on to explain, is listening to both sides' arguments and explicating the law. Rode described the procedure as "almost like being at an orchestra,"? with Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall in the role of conductor. "Everybody gets their chance to weigh in at their appointed time."?
Clerks for the Justices and Justice Mark Green of the Appeals Court spoke with the students both before the after the oral arguments, explaining the role of trial and appellate judges and analyzing the issues at stake in the case in point.
The Justices have 130 days to make their decision.
Their next stop was the State House, where students sat in the chairs of the representatives and discussed everything from seat belt laws and the push to increase the minimum driving age to issues related to immigration with the Honorable Eugene O'Flaherty, representative from Chelsea.
For Aquino, a second-year student who plans to continue in criminal justice after graduating from GCC and, ultimately, go on to law school, the trip drove home the purpose of her studies: "I'm studying the Constitution to protect people's constitutional rights,"? she said afterwards. "I think that all of us in the Criminal Justice department understand that what we're studying, essentially, is about protecting people's constitutional rights."?
In answer to the question, "What do artists want?"? one of the answers heard loud and clear was "connections"? " connections with one another, and connections with potential customers. Both are the aim of a new Web site and comprehensive data base all about the arts and artists in the Franklin County area, funded by a grant for the "Fostering the Arts and Culture Project of Greater Franklin County"? recently awarded to a collaboration of arts and economic organizations by the John and Abigail Adams initiative of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Arts Web site
"One of the things I'm struggling with is trying to make connections in the arts community,"? says writer/publisher/designer Maureen Moore of Shelburne Falls. "Who are the artists? Where are they? Slowly, person by person, I've been networking. But a Web site for artists would be a tremendous resource. If, for example, I was looking for an illustrator for some work of mine, that kind of Web site would be really helpful."?
"A Web site can be a place to come together, exchange information, see what each other is doing and get motivated by what you see others producing and succeeding in,"? says Patricia Crosby, executive director of Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board.
Just such a Web site will soon become a reality. "There'll be one place where everything cultural in Franklin County can come together, whether it's the artist trying to find a class, learning how to make their art a business, or telling a wide group of people that their studio's open every day,"? envisions Ann Banash, manager of the Visitors Center and project manager of the successful Franklin-County-based tourism Web site, masscountryroads.com. "Anything that's cultural going on in Franklin County is going to be part of the Web site. So when people come in (to the visitors center) and ask for things to do, we'll be able to go to one place and say, 'Well, there are these exhibits and there's this play tonight."?
The new arts Web site will be linked seamlessly with masscountryroads.com so people visiting masscountryroads.com for tourism information can click on the arts in Franklin County to go to the fostering the arts Web site and vice versa.
Business assistance
"Artists are passionate about the work that they do and tend not to see their art as a business,"? says Amy Shapiro, program manager of business assistance for the Franklin County Community Development Corporation.
Part of what the CDC brings to this collaboration is business training workshops for performing artists and for writers (see sidebar). "If we can help artists build their skills and develop their art as a business,"? says Shapiro, "then they will be building their capacity to be better and stronger, and that in turn will have a ripple effect. So this project dovetails beautifully with the mission of the CDC as well as our hopes and dreams for the region."?
Neighborhood focus groups
Starting up soon are neighborhood focus groups throughout the county for anyone interested in the creative economy. (Watch for ads announcing times and places.) They have the dual purpose of providing a venue for socializing and brainstorming about how to rev up the arts economy in Franklin County.
"It's not just a cookie-cutter approach; that's not what we're looking for,"? says Shapiro. "We're learning about what this region could be and that's what this year is all about. We don't necessarily have a succinct vision of what lies ahead, but that's the process that we're in."?
Attendees of neighborhood focus groups will be invited to meet again at a Creative Summit next fall to craft a strategic plan. The objective, according to Dale Macleod, grants writer for Greenfield Community College, is to come to some consensus in the community about the most important efforts that need to be undertaken to support the arts, with the goal of a better income for artists and a larger arts economy.
Angels wanted
"It's really kind of a seed project, in a way,"? says Macleod, anticipating even bigger projects to come. "It's part and parcel, I think, of all the forward thinking that's going on about the arts,"? says Macleod.
But first, part of that seed money must come in the form of public support. In order to qualify for the $40,000 grant behind this project, the partners are required to raise an 80% match, or an additional $32,000. The collaboration has sent out a fund-raising letter to people and businesses. "We're about half way there right now,"? says Macleod.
So far, match funding has come from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, the Entergy Corporation, and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Community College workforce Training Incentive Program.
Meanwhile, artists look ahead to a day when Franklin County is an arts destination with its own arts Web site and maybe even, one day, a performing arts center.
"It's a new world out there,"? says Ann Hamilton, president of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. "There's a lot of energy that can come out of something like this. Our mission is to strengthen the economy and advocate for businesses. This is a new segment of business today that we need to understand and we need to foster."?
To learn of upcoming activities and workshops that are part of the Fostering Arts and Culture project, please send an e-mail to lively@gcc.mass.edu. Write "add me"? in the subject line and " Fostering Arts and Culture e-mail list"? in the body of your message.
Courses to build success for people in the arts
These workshops are offered with the generous support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. To sign up, please call Karen at (413) 775-1803.
Saturday, May 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "The Care and Feeding of your Creative Voice: A Class in Abundance,"? By Jessamyn Smyth. Offered at the 2004 and 2005 PENN Writer's Conferences: Generate creative energy and develop techniques for allowing all aspects of your life to feed your writing " especially when you are blocked, struggling for time to write, or feeling uninspired. Participants will practice concrete writing exercises that can build the creative life, and learn some tricks to moving towards it. This class is for writers at all levels and in all genres. Cost: $25.
Tuesday, May 30, 6 to 9 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "Introductory Business Planning for Artists,"? by Amy Shapiro. Do you think of yourself as a business owner? Or operating a business? For those who wish to explore the process of business planning as it relates to artists of all kinds, this is a necessary first step. Topics covered are why to plan, elements of a business plan and creating goals. Amy Shapiro, MBA, Program Manager of Business Technical Assistance at the Franklin County Community Development Corp., has over 20 years experience consulting with artists; she has co-owned and operated a pottery wholesale and retail business. Cost $10.
Thursday, June 15, 6 to 9 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "Recordkeeping for Artists,"? by Deborah Kruger. This workshop is designed to dispel anxiety and demystify the basics of bookkeeping and taxes for artists. Covers bookkeeping systems, how you need to prepare for taxes, and how to optimize your business and personal finances. The presenter, Deborah Kruger, has been a studio artist for over 30 years. Cost $10.
Tuesdays, June 20 & 27, 6:30 to 9 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "Making It Happen: From Block to Book,"? by Jessamyn Johnston Smyth. You've got the writing rolling " what happens now? Teaches the basic skills every writer needs to get a book into the world and how to use all available resources and technologies to give yourself the best chance of getting your work out to readers. Jessamyn Smyth is a 2004 grant recipient of the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference. She is the founder and executive director of Basilisk Productions, is on the faculty of the PENN Writer's Conference and elsewhere. Cost $25.
What's good for artists is good for the economy
New collaboration launches comprehensive push for arts economic development
[Part 1 of 2. Today: the background and importance of this project for artists and our region. See sidebar: Schedule of workshops. May 22: Web site, neighborhood focus groups, role of other collaborators, future plans.]
Arts and artisans hold " enormous potential"? for the future of our region, according to Patricia Crosby, executive director of the Franklin-Hampshire Regional Employment Board. "It's more than emerging " it's become quite prevalent as a sector,"? says Crosby. "It's not a sector that employs a lot of people, at least right now; but we also know that people who start off as individual artists and are successful can end up both training and employing a number of people.
"One case in point is (glass artist) Josh Simpson,"? continues Crosby. "He started as an individual artist, began hiring people to help him, then started training those people and they went on to start their own businesses, so now we have a number of glass-blowing enterprises in the area. So we see that happen.
"Anything we can do to support an artist in making a living out of their art contributes to our local economy in a number of ways: It provides an income for themselves; it also adds to our tourism and hospitality sector because it draws people here to our region to see and do things."?
Crosby is just one member of a new collaboration dedicated to growing the arts economy by helping artists with the business side of their endeavors. The project, called " Fostering the Arts and Culture,"? brings together the expertise and resources of Greenfield Community College, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin County Community Development Corporation, Mass County Roads Project and Franklin County Visitors Center, the Shelburne Falls Area Business Association, and the Franklin/Hampshire Regional Employment Board.
"One of the things that I appreciate most about this effort,"? says GCC President Robert L. Pura, "is the degree in which it is collaborative in nature. It brings together a lot of supporting agencies as well as artists moving this agenda forward. The creative economy is such a natural part of the culture of Franklin County. There are many artists and businesses that are creative in nature that this effort will support and bring together. GCC is pleased to play a part in that effort."?
The project is funded by a $40,000 John and Abigail Adams Grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. That modest sum will go a long way: It will fund a newly-hired coordinator who will convene a series of focus groups throughout the county starting this month and culminating in a creative summit next fall. At that summit, participants will craft a long-range strategic plan for fostering the arts and culture that will be used to capture future funding. The initial seed money will also fund workshops to help artists develop their potential, and a new Web site to market the arts and culture of Franklin County both within the county and beyond.
"I'm so excited about this project,"? says Ann Banash, manager of the Visitors Center and project manager of masscountryroads.com, a travel and tourism Web site. "It's not just artists: it's writers, it's Web site designers, it's the whole creative economy,"? says Banash. "We can create economic development through this project that will help the creative community make a better living doing what they love doing."?
What do artists want?
The project evolved out of a series of gatherings with and for West County Artists, sponsored by the Shelburne Falls Area Business Association in cooperation with GCC's Department of Community Education and the Franklin County Community Development Corp. "We set up this event called 'out of the studio,'"? recalls Bob Barba, Assistant Dean for Community Education. "The idea was to put on quarterly events to give artists an opportunity to network with one another; we would have a guest speaker talk about some aspect of making a successful living as an artist in western Mass, and then we would continue to pick their brains for what they wanted in the way of training and support."?
One thing they wanted was connections with one another.
"We discovered from West County Artists that the hills are full of incredibly talented people who don't necessarily know one another,"? says Barba. "That was the big surprise for me, was finding out how isolated artists felt. I had imagined that, when we got together with a bunch of artists, they were all going to know each other and I was going to be the odd man out. In fact, very few of them knew each other because they're always working in their studios."?
This spring, Barba and Leo Hwang-Carlos, Associate Dean of Humanities, started a series of "Creative Conversations"? to keep that "out of the studio"? energy going. The idea is to bring together three prominent artists working in different media in a forum to interact with the audience on a particular subject.
The latest Creative Conversation, held on April 19 at GCC, tackled the topic of artistic translation. Three more are scheduled for next fall. "The intent is to have a very big conversation among a variety of artists, and it felt to me like that happened,"? says Barba.
One of the artists who attended was painter/sculptor Jack Nelson of Turners Falls who said, later, "I always feel better after (an event like this). Even if I didn't come back with answers, just the interplay of artist to artist and the different ways that the same subject, the same object, the same desire gets expressed is reassuring.
"I reconnected with a couple of people, met a couple of artists from Shelburne Falls afterwards,"? says Nelson. "The atmosphere just made me feel a little healthier and a little bit more connected to my process."?
"A forum like this,"? says Eileen Dowd, owner of Carriage House Designs in Turners Falls, "is something you do for yourself. I think to participate in something like this raises the oxygen level in your brain. I think that art is like oxygen for the brain. It expands your thought processes. It probably cures colds! It gives you a break from some of the day-to-day problems you face, whatever business you're running or whatever work you're doing."?
"They want to get together, they want to grapple with these big issues, they want to talk to other artists about what they're struggling with,"? says Barba. "It also acts as a convener for some of the other activities of the grant because it puts us in touch with a lot of people. Hopefully, they will participate in our focus groups and in our strategic planning later on."?
To learn of upcoming activities and workshops that are part of the Fostering Arts and Culture project, send an e-mail to lively@gcc.mass.edu. Write "add me"? in the subject line and " Fostering Arts and Culture e-mail list"? in the body of your message.
Courses to build success for people in the arts
These workshops for artists are offered with the generous support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. To sign up, please call Karen at (413) 775-1803.
Saturday, May 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "The Care and Feeding of your Creative Voice: A Class in Abundance,"? By Jessamyn Smyth. Offered at the 2004 and 2005 PENN Writer's Conferences: Generate creative energy and develop techniques for allowing all aspects of your life to feed your writing " especially when you are blocked, struggling for time to write, or feeling uninspired. Participants will practice concrete writing exercises that can build the creative life, and learn some tricks to moving towards it. This class is for writers at all levels and in all genres. Cost: $25.
Tuesday, May 30, 6 to 9 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "Introductory Business Planning for Artists,"? by Amy Shapiro. Do you think of yourself as a business owner? Or operating a business? For those who wish to explore the process of business planning as it relates to artists of all kinds, this is a necessary first step. Topics covered are why to plan, elements of a business plan and creating goals. Amy Shapiro, MBA, Program Manager of Business Technical Assistance at the Franklin County Community Development Corp., has over 20 years experience consulting with artists; she has co-owned and operated a pottery wholesale and retail business. Cost $10.
Thursday, June 15, 6 to 9 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "Recordkeeping for Artists,"? by Deborah Kruger. This workshop is designed to dispel anxiety and demystify the basics of bookkeeping and taxes for artists. Covers bookkeeping systems, how you need to prepare for taxes, and how to optimize your business and personal finances. The presenter, Deborah Kruger, has been a studio artist for over 30 years and also owns a successful medical billing company. Cost $10.
Tuesdays, June 20 & 27, 6:30 to 9 p.m., GCC Downtown Center. "Making It Happen: From Block to Book,"? by Jessamyn Johnston Smyth. You've got the writing rolling " what happens now? Teaches the basic skills every writer needs to get a book into the world and how to use all available resources and technologies to give yourself the best chance of getting your work out to readers. Jessamyn Smyth is a 2004 grant recipient of the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference. She is the founder and executive director of Basilisk Productions, is on the faculty of the PENN Writer's Conference and elsewhere. She earned her MFA at Goddard College. Cost $25.
"We teach a very wide range of dance styles at GCC and every concert we give reflects that,"? says Sharon Arslanian, artistic director for the concert.
"Every class that's taught here is represented by a piece, and that includes African dance, ballet, jazz dance, middle eastern dance, modern dance and tap dance.
"Students can choreograph their own dances, and our program so far promises to include Rebecca Bustillos (Greenfield), who's going to be doing a hip hop dance; Rose Sinclair (Greenfield) and Stephanie Weber (Pittsfield) doing a 'body music' and tap duet; instructor Whitney Suter (Greenfield) will be performing a solo middle eastern dance; graduating senior Cryssy Park of Amherst will be doing a solo, and Derian Neyra (Amherst), a GCC grad currently at UMass, is bringing a group dance in ballet.
"For the dancers, this concert is an opportunity to explore their own creativity through choreography and performance; for the audience, it gives people an opportunity to see what goes on in our dance classes."?
The dance concert is free to the public.
Greenfield Community College announces the appointment of Terri Mariani as Director for the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Professor Mariani earned a master's degree in nursing from the University of Massachusetts and has taught nursing students at community colleges in western Massachusetts for over 25 years. Since coming to GCC in 2000, she has taught in both the classroom and clinical setting, and served as program coordinator as well as interim director prior to accepting her new position.
"Terri's dedication to student success and ensuring the integrity of nursing education will continue to strengthen our program and enhance the quality of care provided by the GCC graduates who work as registered nurses in our community,"? says Judi Singley, Associate Dean of Health Occupations.
Mariani cites some of the challenges of her role as securing quality clinical placements in which nursing students can practice their emerging skills, coordinating the curriculum so that all courses are part of a cohesive plan for students, and keeping abreast of what's going on outside the college at the state and national levels. As an example, she notes the position statement put out by the National League of Nursing recommending a formal mentoring program for new nursing faculty. This is a part of planning for the professional development of clinical adjuncts who are in the process of becoming fully-qualified members of the nursing faculty.
"I love nursing education,"? says Mariani, "and the best part of it is watching the growth of the students over the course of the four semesters. That is a great satisfaction that comes at any level, whether it's teaching or administration.
"I'm getting the same feeling now,"? she says, "from being able to mentor faculty. I can help them in their professional development and watch them progress.
"I admire the GCC nursing program, which is the reason I came here and so I consider it my privilege to be able to help maintain the level of quality responsible for the program's long-standing position of highest respect. We turn out a great graduate."?
For more information, please call Judi Singley, Associate Dean of Health Occupations, at (413) 757-1627.
The GCC Alumni Association is pleased to offer a financial planning workshop, free to GCC alums and their spouse, on Thursday, May 11, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the GCC Downtown Center (270 Main St.). Anyone who has ever taken courses at GCC is eligible to sign up for the session. Adviser Dan Kunhardt, CLU, ChFC, and Karen Dolan Curran, MBA, will share practical retirement planning advice geared toward baby boomers. The session is strictly educational and practical, with no specific products or companies being mentioned, recommended or endorsed. The workshop is one of the benefits offered by the GCC Alumni Association. Registration is required as information packets and light refreshments will be provided. Please call (413) 775-1602 to register.
Greenfield Community College | One College Drive | Greenfield, MA 01301-5129 | (413) 775-1000 (tel) | (413) 775-5129 (fax)