Issue #64 | Friday, February 17, 2023

North County Happenings

North Adams WinterFest returns on February 18

All events are FREE to the public.

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

Participate in the Chowder Cookoff

Sponsored by:
MountainOne, Terra Nova Church - North Adams, MA, First Baptist Church

>>Monthly Events<<

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

Every Friday | 8-close | Karaoke at State Street Tavern
Every 1st & 3rd Sunday | 7 p.m. | Karaoke Night at The Log in Williamstown
Every 2nd Saturday | 8 p.m. | Comedy Night at Bright Ideas Brewing
January-March | Free Admission to The Clark Art Institute

Common Folk Artist Collective
Every Friday | 6-8 p.m. | Common Craft Night
Every 2nd Sunday | 3-5 p.m. | Adams Artist Meet-up | 57 Park Street in Adams

Upcoming

February 16-26 | 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival | Pittsfield
February 16-18 | Williams Winter Carnival

February 18 | 2:30 p.m. | House Plant Care 101 | The Plant Connector

February 18 | 5:15-6:30 p.m. | Partner Yoga & Massage at North Adams Yoga

February 19 & 26 | Speed Dating Event Hosted by Secret Stash at Bounti-Fare Restaurant

February 19 | 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Mini Makers Market | Greylock Works

February 20 | 5 p.m. | Dried Flower Crown Workshop with Full Well Farm | The Plant Connector

February 20 | 1-3 p.m. | AR Tattoo Surrealism Workshop for Teens

February 22-25 | Guided Performance of N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) | Williams College ‘62 Center

February 22 | 6 p.m. | Divinatory Poetics Writing Workshop | Hearts Pace

February 22  | 7:30 p.m. | Trivia Night at Tourists

February 23 | 5-7 p.m. | Assets for Artists Open Studios at MASS MoCA

February 23 & 24 | Open Universe Installation | Williams College ‘62 Center

February 23 | 9-10 a.m. | MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board Working with High School Interns Session

February 23 | 9 a.m. | Better Financial Management Workshop | Williamstown Chamber of Commerce and MSBDC

February 26 | 6:15 p.m. | Relaxation Yoga at North Adams Yoga

February 27 | 6 p.m. | Hardman Journalist in Residence at MCLA

February 28 | 4-5:30 p.m. | 1Berkshire Entrepreneurial Meetup at Hot Plate Brewing

Want your event listed? Submit the listing here

Saturday, March 11, 2023
8:00pm - 12:30am | North Adams Elks Lodge

Book your tickets here

Tickets range from $0 - $50, with a standard ticket costing $15. Noone will be turned away due to lack of funds. 

Please consider sharing our Facebook Event and Instagram posts as well.

This event is being produced by several LGBTQIA+ people, and we want all of our ally friends to attend. This event is truly for everyone. Please join us and help support North Adams Pride!

About our performers: 

Drag performers Veronika Baked, Jackie Leggs, and Miss Ginger Souless will tease and tantalize us with their shimmer and sass; Milz 007 and Mz. October May Lay of the New England Ballroom scene will peel back the curtain on their world of ballroom culture and all night long we'll dance to the hot beats thrown down by acclaimed Berkshire DJ BFG. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations will be available for purchase at the Elks bar.

See you out under the Northern Lights!

Funding Opportunities

Biz-M-Power Updates

The program has increased the matching grant from a 1:1 match to a 2:1 match. This means businesses receive $2 from MGCC for every $1 raised in crowdfunding. There is approximately $5.8 million in funding still available. This program is open until June 30, 2023. Monthly reviews will be posted on MGCC Biz-M-Power website.

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.

Grants for Artists

• Feb 28 Grant | MGCC x Patronicity Biz-M-Power Grant

• Mar 1 Grant | NEFA New England States Touring Grant

• Mar 3 Grant/Submission | 1Berkshire “Insert Here” Vacant Window Art Installation

• Mar 6 Scholarship | National Sculpture Society Laura Ziegler Scholarship

• Mar 8 Grant | NEA Grant for Creative Writing

• Mar 15 Grant | Assets for Artists Capacity Building Grant for Pittsfield Artists

• Mar 31 Award | 2023 Nervous Ghost Press Book Prize

• Mar 31 Grant | Creative Capital Wild Futures Grant (app opens Mar 1)

• May 10 Grant | Studio Potter Grants for Apprenticeships

• Jul 23 Grant | Martha Boschen Porter Fund

• Aug 1 Grant | Berkshire Taconic Artist Resource Trust (for individuals)

• ongoing Grant | MGCC Digital Capabilities Grant

• 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 Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund

• rolling Independent Journalism 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

February 21 | 2- 3 p.m. | Personal & Small Business Finance -Part 3
March 14 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | 8 Customer Retention Tips for Small Businesses

Connect with Us!

North Adams Chamber Business Development Team
Marketing: Makayla-Courtney McGeeney
Business: Nico Dery