Wild & Precious Arts Festival celebrates art of women over 50Date: 5/17/2022 EASTHAMPTON – The first-ever Wild & Precious Arts Festival is happening across Easthampton on May 27 and 28 to celebrate the artistic works of women 50 years of age and over through poetry, installation, cabaret, gospel music, a visual exhibit and a dance band.
The two days include a little over 10 performances and activities at different locations across Easthampton that are spearheaded by artists who specialize in various mediums. Activities include live musical performances, art exhibitions and street parades.
For festival creator Ellen Cogen, also a professor of music at Holyoke Community College and a music director at The Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, creating this festival is an opportunity to showcase women at an age where she feels many are in their artistic prime.
“Part of [creating the festival] was I became an over-50 artist, and I noticed that I felt freer than I did when I was younger,” said Cogen. “I know that I felt more accomplished and open.”
Cogen believes that women in general tend to feel more comfortable with themselves as they get older, especially when it comes to those who perform. “I think there’s a lot of expectations as younger artists to look a certain way, to act a certain way, especially in performing arts,” said Cogen. “I think to society, women become more invisible as they age, and yet there’s the dichotomy where they become better artists.”
This festival, therefore, aims to spotlight these artists who have only grown bolder and more creative as time has passed, according to Cogen. Places like The Blueroom at Cityspace, Galaxy, Luthier’s Co-op, Marigold Theater, Elusie Gallery, Nini’s Ristorante and Easthampton Congregational Church are a few of the many venues hosting these events across two days. Cogen herself will be accompanying the cabaret performers during the festival and is also the pianist and one of the singers in Giving Voice, a gospel group performing and spearheading a sing-a-long on May 28 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Easthampton Congregational Church.
Cogen grew up as a classical musician playing cello and piano, and in her senior year at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she began studying voice, as well. She then became a singer and choral director and studied classical voice while in graduate school. “I kind of fell into jazz,” Cogen told Reminder Publishing, when speaking on her career trajectory. “I love improvisation, and I love the songs. For the past 25 years, that’s been my focus as a performer … more jazz-oriented music.”
For the festival itself, Cogen said she has a committee who has assisted her in the organization of the weekend. In all, she said she has six people on the Board of Directors, plus the artists they personally know, who have helped with networking for the festival. Mary Witt, a local visual artist and accomplished band leader of The O-Tones, was also integral in finding visual artists for the weekend. Witt also performs with Cogen in Giving Voice, and her art will be displayed in the Elusie Gallery.
“We have a person who is organizing each event,” said Cogen. “I have an amazing board that has been doing so much for this.”
People can visit the Wild & Precious Arts Festival website to learn more about what is going on throughout the festival. The Dance Band at the end of the festival is the only event where tickets are required. People also have the option to pre-register for some events since there are a few venues with limited space.
The festival is open for all ages. The website is https://wildpreciousartsfestival.com/.
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