Cultural Appeal

WE AT BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE asked the leaders of our cultural institutions to share their visions for 2021. We hope you will consider supporting them. After all, is there a more meaningful holiday gift than ensuring that the arts survive in the Berkshires for generations to come?

Arrowhead

HERMAN MELVILLE’S ARROWHEAD IN PITTSFIELD

“Although we were able to open this season, we experienced significantly reduced revenue due to limited tour sizes and times. This winter, we will ask our neighbors to support us. Just imagine the Berkshires with no museums: Where does that leave us as a community? We would not be able to tell the stories that make these hills so historically rich. What about the presidential Cheshire cheese? The trolley car accident that nearly killed Roosevelt in Pittsfield? The elephant that fell through the bridge in Adams? The mountain that inspired the epic tale of a white whale? We look forward to 2021 with renewed hope and optimism that will carry us through these challenging times. We want to tell our stories again.” Lesley Herzberg, Executive Director, Berkshire County Historical Society at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Rd., Pittsfield, mobydick.org

Barrington Stage Company

“Art is essential to our lives and shines a light on our shared humanity. Barrington Stage Company is proud to have produced the first play in the U.S. since the pandemic, and with that final bow of Harry Clarke, led the way to “envision how live performance might continue” (The New York Times). In 2021, we will continue to bring dynamic, challenging and entertaining plays and musicals to our stages starting with our 10X10 New Play Festival and a bold new drama, Chester Bailey starring Reed Birney and Ephraim Birney. Please support our Next Act Campaign that enables us not only to survive in 2020, but also to thrive in 2021. Your gift at barringtonstageco.org/play-a-role ensures that world-class theatre will continue to thrive at Barrington Stage.” Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, Barrington Stage Company, 30 Union St., Pittsfield

Bennington Museum

“We intend to focus on the brighter days ahead beginning with our winter exhibition and closed-bid auction, ‘Vermont Utopias: Imagining the Future.’ This December, we are also looking forward to hosting a virtual ‘Trivia Night Benefit,’ in place of our annual gala, where we can share good company, good competition, and good cheer with our resilient museum community as we celebrate the coming of a new year together. The museum will be closed for the months of January, February, and March, but we will open in the spring with a full slate of exhibitions as well as engaging workshops and programs for all ages. Please send your thoughts, advice or encouragement to ideas@benningtonmuseum.org.” David M. Pilachowski, Interim Executive Director, Bennington Museum, 75 Main St, Bennington, Vermont, benningtonmuseum.org

Berkshire Botanical Garden

“This year has proven to all of us at Berkshire Botanical Garden how much our local community appreciates and depends on its cultural organizations. Since June, when we were able to reopen, almost 20,000 visitors have enjoyed the serenity of our 24 acres of gardens and natural lands. So, even without much long-distance tourism to our region, we remained a popular destination. I know that in 2021, we will build on what we learned this season and will be able to bring back many more beloved special events and programs. We can’t do this without the help of our members and donors, and we greatly appreciate the collective generosity they have shown, especially in these difficult times.” Michael Beck, Executive Director, Berkshire Botanical Garden, 5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge, berkshirebotanical.org

Berkshire Museum

“With the support of our members, donors, and friends, the Berkshire Museum has risen to the challenges of 2020, adapting almost overnight to bring our signature educational programming and engaging stories from our collections to our community online. We’re doing our part to bridge gaps in learning that school disruptions have caused, by supporting students, educators, and families remotely. Even as we reopen the museum, we will continue to expand this valuable programming. Please visit berkshiremuseum.org/2020review to see how we’ve grown this year, and how your gift can help us find new ways to help our community thrive in 2021.” Jeff Rodgers, Executive Director, Berkshire Museum, 39 South St, Pittsfield

Berkshire Theatre Group

“Throughout this unique time, Berkshire Theatre Group has strived to reimagine our work as a theatrical space. Merging creativity and best medical practices has allowed us to safely bring live theatre back to our community. We will stage outdoors for as long as nature allows and continue to work virtually with our local schools. This is a critical time for theatre. Your support is vital to ensure that BTG can continue to adapt, create and produce. Please donate what you can at berkshiretheatregroup.org/support or call 413-448-8084 ext. 18.” Kate Maguire, Artistic Director, Berkshire Theatre Group, 30 Union St., Pittsfield

Bidwell House Museum

“Tucked into a Monterey hillside, the Bidwell House Museum shares stories of life in the 18th-century Berkshires. 2020 has been challenging, but there are reasons to be hopeful. Expanded signage and a new outdoor tour have created a richer experience for all visitors. New online programming enables participation at our events, no matter where you live. But, most importantly, our supporters let us know that they think history matters. For our 30th anniversary season in 2021, with the support of our donors, we will keep working to engage with visitors and continue to make history come alive. To help go to bidwellhousemuseum.org/support.” Heather Kowalski, Executive Director, Bidwell House, 100 Art School Rd., Monterey

THE CASTING ROOM AT CHESTERWOOD IN STOCKBRIDGE

Chesterwood

“This past season, we literally pitched a welcome tent at Chesterwood and provided the community with a safe and secure place to explore and be inspired. This beautiful artist-designed landscape provided needed respite during these uncertain times. Year-end support will help us become even more of a community resource as we continue to partner with local non-profit organizations—such as Berkshire Pulse, Multicultural Bridge, and the Stockbridge Library, Museum & Archives—to provide outdoor space for educational programs at this site for creativity.” Donna Hassler, Executive Director, Chesterwood, 4 Williamsville Rd., Stockbridge, chesterwood.org

Clark Art Institute

“We look forward to 2021 with a renewed sense of the joy that art brings to our lives and a deepened commitment to finding ways to continue to offer our community moments of inspiration, reflection, and education. Gifts to the Clark’s year-end annual appeal will be so important in helping us to ensure free access for all. Our first outdoor exhibition, Ground/work, is open through October 2021, heralding an exciting summer 2021 schedule where we’ll introduce the brilliant paintings and drawings of Norwegian artist Nikolai Astrup to U.S. audiences, and share a dazzling exhibition celebrating Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne’s fantastical sculptures. We remain focused on doing all that we can to serve our community and help to lead the Berkshires forward.” Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director of the Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown, clarkart.edu

Frelinghuysen Morris House

“This completely virtual season gave us the opportunity to reflect on how we have operated in the past and to learn new ways to connect and interact with the public. The outpouring of unsolicited gifts of support, whether through memberships or straight donations was something uplifting that I didn’t anticipate and for which I feel grateful. Donations will allow continued repair work to the structure of the 80-year-old Modern house and to also bring back the staff to 100 percent. We’ve made it easy to donate on our website.” Kinney Frelinghuysen, Director, Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio, 92 Hawthorne St., Lenox, frelinghuysen.org

Gallery 51

“When the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) was faced with the pandemic, we turned to the virtual realm to keep us connected and engaged. When faced with the pain and outrage over the racial injustice that continues to plague our country, we responded by directing our programs and our exhibitions to using art as a vehicle to broaden the way we regard the world—and one another. We created a safe space each month, for discussions that proved to be less challenging when rooted in the arts, and through these necessary efforts, we work to dismantle racism. Giving back in 2021 is our call to our community—to act and participate in making positive change. To ensure that MCLA, BCRC and Gallery 51 are able to continue this work, we welcome contributions to BCRC and The Fund for MCLA.” Erica Wall, Director, BCRC, Gallery 51/MCLA Presents!/Down-Street Art, 51 Main St., North Adams, mcla.edu

HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE IN PITTSFIELD

Hancock Shaker Village

“We appreciate the pandemic’s silver lining: time. We’re planning a robust 2021, from a major design show, to an exhibition with James Turrell, with other programming to be announced. We’re focused on our interns, too. We have interns in curatorial, marketing, education and our farm. Thanks to a big gift, we just renovated one of our buildings for intern housing, so beginning in 2021, we’ll offer housing that will open internships to candidates from further away or locals who cannot afford accommodation. Gifts to our intern program support the training of the next generation of museum professionals and sustainable farmers, who are the future of addressing food insecurity in Berkshire County and beyond. Your gift will furnish their lodging, stipends and activities.” Jennifer Trainer Thompson, Director, Hancock Shaker Village, 1843 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield, hancockshakervillage.org

Mahaiwe Performing Art Center

“A cultural hub in a beautiful historic theater, the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center faced the complexity of restricted gatherings in creative style: a summer drive-in theater, online concerts streamed from its stage, classic movies screened for micro-audiences, and a virtual 15th anniversary party featuring performances by national headliners in music, dance, and drama. Intent on fulfilling its mission to bring a wide range of great performances to audiences year-round, the Mahaiwe is preparing for a safe, gradual return to the live programming it is famous for. Donations now maintain the building and prepare for reopening.” Janis Martinson, Director, Mahaiwe, 14 Castle St., Great Barrington, mahaiwe.org/support 

The Mount

“As I look towards 2021, I foresee another year of economic uncertainty—a year where tourism and indoor gatherings remain severely restricted. Solid stewardship of our historic property and strengthening our community connections remain our top priorities. We will continue to expand our outdoor, family-friendly offerings deep into the winter months. Our year-end appeal will convey the gratitude we feel to be part of this amazing Berkshire community and our commitment to continue doing our part to support the economic and spiritual health of our region. We gratefully welcome donations to support our operations, which can be made by calling me directly at 413-551-5103, online at EdithWharton.org, or by mail to P.O. Box 974, Lenox MA 01240.” Susan Wissler, Executive Director, The Mount, 2 Plunkett St., Lenox

Naumkeag

“Our unique sites have always been an inspiration for all seasons, but now these special properties have become places of refuge—Bartholomew’s Cobble, Monument Mountain, Ashintully Gardens. Winterlights at Naumkeag when the snow falls and the Guest House at Field Farm for a weekend getaway. We need your help to keep them open and thriving. To donate, please visit thetrustees.org/support, call 617-542-7696 (option 7), or mail a check to The Trustees’ Development Department at 200 High St., 4th floor, Boston, MA 02110.” Brian Cruey, Director of Southern Berkshires Operations for the Trustees of Reservations, including Naumkeag at 5 Prospect Hill Rd., Stockbridge

Norman Rockwell Museum

“Since the start of the pandemic, Norman Rockwell Museum has been focused on how best to serve our community. The answer was clear. Our children, and those most vulnerable, must be our priority. The museum brought its resources to bear with a vibrant Virtual Museum as well as a sustained effort to reopen our galleries. Visitors have been reassured and uplifted by our cherished images which tell essential human stories, aid in learning, and bring comfort amidst uncertainty. The museum is harnessing the power of art to support teachers and parents so that they can continue children’s education, and to provide community to isolated adults to nurture spirits, and offer hope. Visitors tell us how the museum is dear to them and how good it feels to return. Please support the positive influence of illustration to create a just and kind society by making a gift to NRM today, so we can be here for you tomorrow.” Laurie Norton Moffatt, Director/ CEO, Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Glendale Rd, Stockbridge, nrm.org

Shakespeare & Company

“Our virtual gala, New Horizons, occurs December 5, and we’re aiming to revisit Jane Austen with Emma—the online version—in December. For summer 2021, we’ll have a season! What form it will take is yet to be determined. Christopher Lloyd has re-committed to play King Lear, which may yet find itself performed under the Berkshire evening skies. We had a great time producing the Berkshire Drive-In with the Berkshire International Film Festival and keeping up a presence online. We’ll be eager to see people in person next season. We would, of course, be enormously grateful for all generosity that folks feel they can show us. If there’s anything we’ve learned from the sadness of these past months, it’s that the way in which the arts nourish human connection is truly valuable, and especially in our corner of the world that is the sublime Berkshires.” Allyn Burrows, Artistic Director, Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble St., Lenox, shakespeare.org

Tanglewood

“The Boston Symphony Orchestra intends to present performances to live audiences at Tanglewood next summer, with the safety and well-being of everyone involved remaining our highest priority. An update regarding the 2021 Tanglewood season will be forthcoming when we have protocols and recommendations for the summer from the CDC, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and from our own committee of staff and medical experts. Your support for Tanglewood will help share music digitally, keep our musicians active and listeners engaged, while we maintain and prepare the Tanglewood grounds for visitors in the future. Thank you for keeping the music playing. To donate, please go to tanglewood.org/givetoday.” Tony Fogg, Artistic Administrator and Director, Tanglewood, 297 West St., Lenox

ARTWORK BY UTA P. BEKAIA, TURNPARK ART SPACE

TurnPark Art Space

“We opened in 2017 as a space for discovery, reflection, creativity, and dialogue. While our indoor galleries remain closed, we continue to welcome visitors to the park daily, and, with our local partners, offer unique events ‘at a distance’ to keep our community connected to art as well as to nature. We continue to enliven the grounds, adding new work from internationally recognized sculptors and taking comprehensive steps to allow the Park’s diverse plant life to flourish. As we look ahead to 2021, ensuring the feasibility of holding the exhibitions and programs we have planned (including a retrospective of our visionary founder, Alexander Konstantinov), we understand the need for renewed and ongoing flexibility. To help us adapt to an evolving cultural landscape, but also to enrich it, please record your support with a tax-deductible gift at turnpark.com/support/donate.” Katya Brezgunova, President, TurnPark, 2 Moscow Rd., West Stockbridge

Ventfort Hall

“In this elaborate Elizabethan-style mansion, restoration is a constant priority. Exterior repair of gutters, scuppers and downspouts, due this summer, have been rescheduled, with a GoFundMe campaign to raise needed funds. Our yearend appeal will enable first-quarter operations and general maintenance. We hope to soon bring back our sumptuous teas, lectures, galas and special events—and reopen the mansion to weddings and private parties. In a very different and difficult year, our staff and volunteers have fostered great successes, and we expect to witness more in coming months. Our efforts would be in vain if not for the many loyal supporters who have attended the events, toured the building and sent unsolicited donations to help in maintaining our historic Berkshire landmark. If anything can be learned from the events of 2020, it is to reflect on the good things that happen daily and relish the interaction with family, coworkers, and the strangers.” Beverly N. Rainey, Executive Director, Ventfort Hall, gildedage.org

MORE WAYS TO HELP

There are so many deserving organizations, it can sometimes be overwhelming. Those who want to donate or to volunteer now have a new one-stop resource of nonprofits that need help. givebackberkshires.org lists projects that need donations, specific items, virtual volunteer opportunities, and more. Community members can search by cause, geographic location, type of volunteer activity, age range, and several other filters. givebackberkshires.org is hosted by the nonprofit Center of the berkshires (npC) with funding from Berkshire Bank, Inspiring service, and massachusetts service Alliance. The npC was founded in 2016 to provide infrastructure and support for over 1,000 Berkshire nonprofits.

— Liana Toscanini, npc director