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Date: 2/10/2021
EASTHAMPTON – The city of Easthampton recently received a MassDOT Shared Winter Streets and Spaces Grant of $16,180 to assist in the continued transformation of the municipal parking lot into a temporary outdoor performance venue.
The grant itself supports the acquisition of equipment. Therefore, some of the funding will go toward purchasing chairs, staging, sound equipment, installation walls and more.
In the fall of 2020, Easthampton City Arts (ECA) used space in the parking lot at 50 Payson Ave. for a one-time event. Pasqualina Azzarello, ECA coordinator, said the initial purpose was to create a space where people could enjoy live music while supporting local artists. The space was designed to run an event while observing and maintaining all health and safety protocols related to COVID-19.
“We wanted to do this because we missed gatherings and live music, and wanted to support local artists at the same time. We also did this as a test run to learn from experience,” stated Azzarello.
She went on to say, “This one-time event was well attended and we received positive feedback.”
Luckily, with the support from MassDOT, ECA will be able to continue utilizing this space for outdoor performances.
Azzarello said, “We are going to launch a five week spring series that’s going to begin the last weekend of April.”
This series will support music, performance, poetry and visual art. A launching for open call for artists to participate will be sent out in the next few weeks, added Azzarello.
Some of the lessons that ECA learned from this experience had a lot to do with being creative and innovative. For instance, polka dots were painted for spectators to occupy, while being able to enjoy performances from a safe distance.
ECA continues to work with existing resources to create new meaningful opportunities to support local artists, while understanding the importance of COVID protocols.
Azzarello believes that this use of space and attendance from the community will continue past the pandemic. She claimed, “It brings people together.”
In the future, ECA will be able to continue to utilize the equipment and materials granted through various programs. Azarello said, “We believe in integration and activation of local art and the business community. This is a meaningful and tremendous opportunity for ECA to strengthen and grow.”