This week in North County

Issue #62 | Friday, February 3, 2023

FIRST Fridays

We saw so many folks make Valentines for North Adams on MASS MoCA’s Free Day last week. Now the postcards are scattered around downtown storefronts showcasing all the reasons why people love North Adams! They will be on display throughout the month.

Take the time to visit the galleries and businesses hosting events for FIRST Friday tonight!

Savvy Hive | 4pm | 53 Main Street
Valentines pop up shop; no cover

Plant Connector | 5-8pm | 73 Main Street
DIY Valentine Cards; no cover

Store Front Studio| 6-8pm | 40 Eagle Street
Live music and Spirit Drawing; no cover.

Hearts Pace | 6-9pm | 15 Eagle Street
Live music and mocktails; no cover

Future Lab[s] Gallery | 6-8pm | 43 Eagle Street
Hot Colors Exhibition; no cover

North County Happenings

>>Monthly Events<<

Every First Saturday | 9-1 p.m. | North Adams INDOOR Market at Terra Nova

Upcoming

February 4 | 7-9 p.m. | Common Folk Telethon | Northern Berkshire Community Television
February 4, 11, 18, and 25 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Clowning Workshop at MCLA Art Lab
February 5 | 8 p.m. | Erin Rae at Tourists
February 7, 14, 21 | Fundamentals of Coffee Classes | Berkshire Community College & Barrington Coffee Roasters
This class is about fundamentals and includes lecture, practice in cupping, a cursory understanding of roasting and the third and final class will be 3 hours and be an in depth training for professional Barista training.
February 10 | 7:30 p.m. | Live Comedy at Bounti-Fare Restaurant
February 11 | 8 p.m. | Live Music at Tourists
February 16 | 11:30-2:30 | Arts & Humanities Virtual Internship Fair
February 19 & 26 | Speed Dating Event Hosted by Secret Stash at Bounti-Fare Restaurant
February 23 | 9 a.m. | Better Financial Management Workshop | Williamstown Chamber of Commerce and MSBDC

BCC Offers Free Choke Saver Training and Food Handler’s Certification for Berkshire County

NAACP Berkshires | White Learning Programs
Every other Sunday from October to May

Want your event listed? Submit the listing here

Our next market is this Saturday, February 4th! You can find us in The Terra Nova Church Space, 85 Main St. from 9 am to 1 pm. We hope to see you there! We accept cash, card and SNAP/EBT. See the Market Manager for help or questions!

We are happy to be able to continue offering our Market Match program into 2023. Come see the Market Manager, first table on your left to double up to $30 for SNAP/EBT users at every market.

North Adams WinterFest returns on February 18

All events are FREE to the public.
Vendor fees apply for Winterfest Artisan Market.

Details and events for 2023 to be announced, but will include artists', and crafters' markets, ice sculpting, horse-drawn wagon rides, Main Street bonfire, free ice skating, Children's Winter Carnival, winter fun in Colegrove Park and more. Stay tuned for details!

WinterFest Events Schedule:
Ice Carving Downtown - Approx. 9AM - 4PM
Fun in the Snow at Colegrove Park - 10AM - 4PM
Artisan & Craft Market at Terra Nova (85 Main) - 10AM - 3PM
Hot Cocoa & Cookies with MountainOne - 10AM - 12PM
Children's Carnival at First Baptist Church - 11AM - 1PM
Community Bonfire on Main St. - 12PM -2PM
Chowder Cookoff - 12PM - 2PM
Horse-drawn wagon rides - 1-3PM on Main Street
Children's Reading with Mayor Macksey - 2PM - 2:30PM
Free skating and rentals at the North Adams Skating Rink from 2-4PM

Farmer's & Artisans may follow this link to apply - https://cms9files.revize.com/.../2023%20Application%20for...

Want to part take in our Chowder Cookoff? apply here - https://cms9files.revize.com/.../2023%20Chowder...

Thank you to our sponsors! We couldn't do this without you!
MountainOne, Terra Nova Church - North Adams, MA, First Baptist Church

Greylock WORKS' mini maker market returns to the Berkshires!

Find a synergetic group of local artisan vendors set up inside the doors of our 135+ year old, stunningly renovated mill building.

Our winter season will be held every 1st and 3rd Sunday, February through April, from 9:30am - 1:30pm.

Enjoy thoughtfully inspiring food from The Break Room alongside this uniquely intimate shopping experience.

Funding Opportunities

Best Foot Forward Facade Improvement Micro-Grants
Deadline: Applications are now open and grants will be awarded until funding is exhausted.
Apply HERE

Do you operate a first floor business?
Does your facade need updating?
Would an update improve the aesthetics of our downtown commercial district?

If you answered "YES" to these questions, help is here! 1Berkshire is accepting applications for their Best Foot Forward Facade Improvement Micro-Grants. A minimum of 47 grants of between $500-$1000 will be made available on a rolling basis to small businesses and organizations with first-floor store fronts. A maximum of $7,000 in awards will be made within any specific municipality. Priority will be given to businesses who did not receive facade improvement grants in 2022.

Community Sub-Award Application: "Insert Here" Vacant Window Art Pilot Program

1Berkshire, thanks to a one-time grant award, is excited to announce the opportunity for up to three (3) sub-award grants to communities, community organizations or individuals in Berkshire County municipalities to support the commissioning and installation of high visibility vinyl window art pieces in vacant storefront windows of downtown commercial buildings available for rent. Only one sub-award grant can be made in any single municipality, and a letter of support from the municipality is required for consideration (NOTE: municipalities should only provide one (1) organization/individual letter of support for this program to prevent redundant applications within any individual community).

Organizations that apply may be municipalities, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, or unofficial organizations/individuals with a proven track record of project execution of this type and scale. Sub-awardee grants will be at least $5,000 each, and all work (i.e. selection of artist/art, production of vinyls, installation, etc.) must be completed by June 30th, 2023. Up to 10% of the sub-awardee grant may be utilized for administrative expenses associated with the coordination of the project. Reporting of all expenses and photos of final installations are required to be submitted by the June 30th, 2023 deadline. Failure to do so will result in the sub-awardee returning the full amount of funding back to 1Berkshire.

The Deadline to apply for this opportunity is March 3rd, 2023 and decisions will be made on awards by March 10th, 2023. Grant decisions will be based on a thorough review of all responses to this application.

Massachusetts Cultural Council

Jul 23 Grant | Martha Boschen Porter Fund
Aug 1 Grant | Berkshire Taconic Artist Resource Trust (for individuals)
ongoing Grant | Hilary Teachout Covid-19 Relief Grant
ongoing Grant | The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
ongoing Grant | Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Grants
monthly Awesome Foundation Grant
rolling Eyebeam Center for the Future of Journalism
rolling Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants
rolling Creative Capital x Skoll x Kickstarter Funds for Asian/Black/Indigenous/Latinx Creators
rolling A.P.E. Open Call for Project Proposals
rolling BridgeSong Fund: Emergency Relief for Women, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Artists of Color
rolling New England Musicians Relief Fund
ongoing NEFA Grant Finder List

Provided by the Artist Impact Coalition
Financial Opportunities from the Berkshire Black Economic Council
FOR NEW ENGLAND BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES:
Power Forward Small Business grant (rolling deadline)
FOR NEW ENGLAND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES:
MBDA Small Business Center’s Covid-19 Relief
FOR MASSACHUSETTS BLACK- OR WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES:
Mass Mutual Catalyst Fund (MMCF)
FOR WESTERN MA WOMEN, NONBINARY, AND GENDERQUEER ARTISTS OF COLOR:
BridgeSong Fund Emergency Relief

The Empower Digital Grant Program has modified its grant terms to include additional funding (up to $5000) for capital expenses that can help small businesses to expand or improve their digital capabilities. As a result, applicants may pursue up to $5000 of grant funding for digital services and $5000 of grant funding for relevant capital expenses.

Workshops & Webinars

Basics of Starting a Business

Monday, February 6th from 1pm-4pm
Thursday, February 16th from 9am-12pm
Monday, March 6th from 1pm-4pm
Thursday, March 16th from 9am-12pm
Monday, April 3rd from 1pm-4pm
Thursday, April 20th from 9am-12pm

Economic Disaster Injury Loan (EIDL) Repayment Information Session

During COVID the federal government, via the SBA, provided $230 billion in funds to keep businesses in business, and to protect the jobs in those small businesses. There were grants, loans, and forgivable loans. If you have questions about the funds you received, this webinar will provide answers.

Watch the video and learn the rules about the COVID funds you may have received. We are offering this webinar NOW as the EIDL repayments are becoming due.