Northampton, Mass., is a hub for arts and culture

AND ARTISANS. ART CAN BE FOUND TUCKED INTO ALL SORTS OF SPOTS ON NORTHAMPTON SIDEWALKS AND BENCHES, BECOME CANVASES AND SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CITY ATTRACTS ALL TYPES OF CREATIVE PEOPLE. IT’S BEEN A BREEDING GROUND FOR SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC. JIM OLSON KNOWS THAT MUSIC WELL. HE’S BEEN BRINGING MUSIC TO THE VALLEY FOR DECADES THROUGH HIS WORK ON THE RADIO STATION WRC AND THE RECORD LABEL HE CO-FOUNDED, SIGNATURE SOUNDS. WE STARTED SIGNATURE SOUNDS FIRST AS A HOBBY, AND HERE WE ARE 30 YEARS LATER, IN 2013, THE EFFORT EXPANDED TO THIS SPACE. THE PARLOR ROOM. IT’S A TINY CONCERT SPACE ROOM FOR ONLY ABOUT 100 PEOPLE. WE GET A LOT OF MUSICIANS WHO WANT TO PLAY HERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE INTIMATE ATMOSPHERE OF IT. MUSICIANS INCLUDING LORI MCKENNA AND LAKE STREET DIVE HAVE TAKEN THIS STAGE AT OUR LEVEL. MUSICIANS ARE ARTISTS, SO WE REALLY ENJOY THE ARTISTS WE WORK WITH. A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, THE OLD SCHOOL COMMONS, A MIXED USE BUILDING THAT ONCE SERVED AS THE CITY’S HIGH SCHOOL. HERE, LUKE. ABBOTT IS PUTTING THE FOCUS ON ARTISTS AS WELL. WE’RE REALLY CELEBRATING QUEER ARTISTS IN PARTICULAR, WHO ARE ARE LIVING AND CREATING IN THE VALLEY. ABBOTT IS THE OWNER AND CURATOR AT THE BLOOMERY, AN ART GALLERY AND MEETING SPACE. HE HAD JUST INSTALLED A NEW EXHIBIT BY TONY LEMOS THERE, A COLLECTION OF 50 ECO PRINTS. TONY HAS CREATED FROM PRESSING BOTANICA AND ALL THE COLOR FROM THEM COMES FROM THE PLANT. ABBOTT HAS ALSO CREATED THE BLOOM LOCAL BUSINESS GUIDE, HIGHLIGHTING BUSINESSES OWNED BY AND ALLIED WITH LGBTQ+ PEOPLE. WE DO HAVE AN AMAZING COMMUNITY OF ALLIES. IN ADDITION TO A LARGE LGBTQ POPULATION IN THIS AREA, SO FOLKS LOVE THAT THERE’S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE, SUPPORT, AND INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A NATURAL FIT TO END UP IN NORTHAMPTON. THERE ARE SEVERAL CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS THAT LIVE HERE THAT PUTS JARED JAY KROSOCZKA IN GOOD COMPANY. HE’S AN AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR OF MORE THAN 40 BOOKS, MANY OF THEM FOR YOUNG READERS. SO THESE ARE SOME EARLY SKETCHES OF OF THE LUNCH LADY CHARACTER. HE’S ALSO A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST FOR HIS GRAPHIC MEMOIR. HEY KIDDO. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ORIGINALS FROM HEY KIDDO IN. IT, HE WRITES ABOUT GROWING UP WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS IN WORCESTER. HIS MOTHER’S DRUG ADDICTION, AND HOW ART CHANGED HIS LIFE. HIS NEW BOOK, SUNSHINE, DESCRIBES A FORMATIVE WEEK AT CAMP WORKING WITH SERIOUSLY ILL CHILDREN. WHEN I WAS A SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY SENT KIDS UP TO CAMP SUNSHINE IN MAINE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE WEEK, AND IT ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE, KROSOCZKA SAYS. ART HOLDS AN INVALUABLE PLACE IN HIS LIFE. IT’S AN ESCAPE PORTAL. THE ACT OF JUST PHYSICALLY MAKING IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS IS GOOD FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT IS DRAW EVERY DAY WITH JJC NOW HE’S WORKING TO GIVE CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY. HE REGULARLY POSTS VIDEOS TEACHING ART AND COMIC TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING A SPECIAL DAILY LIVE SERIES. DURING THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC. AND I THINK I’M JUST NOW STARTING TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND ABOUT WHAT THAT EFFORT DID FOR FAMILIES TO GIVE THEM A SENSE OF JOY AND NORMALCY AND A VERY UNSURE, SCARY TIME. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING. BACK AT HISTORIC NORTHAMPTON, THEY’RE HARNESSING COMMUNITY FOR A SPECIAL RENOVATION PROJECT. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, WHY DON’T WE JUST MOVE IT BY HAND? THE IT ALICIA SPENCE IS TALKING ABOUT IS A 200 YEAR OLD BARN, AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID. WE SET UP TRACKS AND PUT BASICALLY ROLLER SKATES UNDERNEATH THE BARN. EVERYBODY GOT TOGETHER AND THEY STARTED TO PULL, AND THEY WERE SORT OF LIKE NOTHING, NOTHING. AND THEN IT STARTED JUST RUMBLE. GOING AND YOU’RE PULLING IT TOWARDS YOU. IT’S A REALLY PRETTY NEAT EXPERIENCE. THE TIMBER FRAME SAYS NORTHAMPTON RESIDENTS WERE EAGER TO PARTICIPATE. I ASKED FOR 40. WE GOT ABOUT 400. WE COULD HAVE TAKEN THAT BARN TO MY HOUSE EASY TO ROUND ABOUT THE WAY, SPENCE SAYS OVER THE CENTURIES, THE BARN MISSED OUT ON MAINTENANCE AND IT NEEDED A NEW FOUNDATION IN MOVING. THE BARN MADE SPACE FOR THAT WORK. ONCE THE FOUNDATION WAS READY, SHE USED ICE BLOCKS TO LOWER THE BARN BACK DOWN. SO WE GOT TO EASE THE OLD BARN ONTO THE ICE. AND THEN AS THE ICE MELTS, WE GET A UNIFORM SETTLING WITHOUT A LOT OF STRAIN IN ANY ONE LOCATION INSIDE THE BARN, THERE WILL BE MESSAGES HIDDEN IN THE WALLS WRITTEN BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON WOOD PEGS THAT WILL HOLD JOINTS TOGETHER. THIS MAKES ME PROUD OF MY COMMUNITY AND IT FEELS LIKE HOME. SPENCE HAS A BACKGROUND IN COMMUNITY BUILDING. WE’RE LOOKING FOR STRENGTH AND GRACE, SHE SAYS, BRINGING HER NEIGHBORS INTO THIS PROJECT MAKES IT MORE POWERFUL. GIVING. THE TOWN THE CHANCE TO JUST FEEL THE COLLECTIVE POWER AND WORK TOGETHER. IT WAS SUPER COOL. THAT IS. SUPER COOL. AND THE BARN RENOVATION PROJECT IS NOW COMPLETE AND IT REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN AUGUST. AND HISTORIC NORTHAMPTON SAYS THE PLAN, OF COURSE, IS TO USE IT FOR EVENTS AND EXHIBITS. AND THEY BEGAN WITH THREE PLAYS COMMISSIONED SPECIFICALLY TO CELEBRATE

Northampton, Mass., is a hub for arts and culture

Musicians, writers, artists, and more flock to the Western Massachusetts city

Updated: 8:20 PM EST Jan 2, 2024

The city of Northampton has a reputation for attracting creative people of all types.Jim Olsen knows the area’s music scene well. He’s been broadcasting on WRSI for decades and co-founded the record label Signature Sounds. In 2013, Signature Sounds opened a tiny concert venue called the Parlor Room.At the Bloomery, Luc Abbott is putting the focus on LGBTQ+ artists in an art gallery and meeting space. Abbott also created the Bloom Local business guide to highlight LGBTQ+-owned and -allied businesses in the region.Author Jarrett J. Krosoczka chose to make Northampton his home after growing up in Worcester. He tells the story of his upbringing in his graphic memoir “Hey Kiddo,” which was a National Book Award finalist. His new memoir, “Sunshine,” details a life-changing volunteer project when Krosoczka was in high school. “Sunshine” will be published on April 18, 2023. Krosoczka also works to introduce art to kids around the world with his online tutorials.At Historic Northampton, they’re harnessing the community for a special renovation project. Timber framer Alicia Spence is working on restoring a barn that’s more than 200 years old. In order to put in a new foundation, Spence recruited Northampton residents to pull the barn on casters and tracks.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. —

The city of Northampton has a reputation for attracting creative people of all types.

Jim Olsen knows the area’s music scene well. He’s been broadcasting on WRSI for decades and co-founded the record label Signature Sounds. In 2013, Signature Sounds opened a tiny concert venue called the Parlor Room.

At the Bloomery, Luc Abbott is putting the focus on LGBTQ+ artists in an art gallery and meeting space. Abbott also created the Bloom Local business guide to highlight LGBTQ+-owned and -allied businesses in the region.

Author Jarrett J. Krosoczka chose to make Northampton his home after growing up in Worcester. He tells the story of his upbringing in his graphic memoir “Hey Kiddo,” which was a National Book Award finalist. His new memoir, “Sunshine,” details a life-changing volunteer project when Krosoczka was in high school. “Sunshine” will be published on April 18, 2023. Krosoczka also works to introduce art to kids around the world with his online tutorials.

At Historic Northampton, they’re harnessing the community for a special renovation project. Timber framer Alicia Spence is working on restoring a barn that’s more than 200 years old. In order to put in a new foundation, Spence recruited Northampton residents to pull the barn on casters and tracks.