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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Friends, the organizing has begun for the SECOND
Annual North Adams Open Studios, and I wanted to urge the artists among you to
sign up to exhibit this year. If you have a studio you want to open to the
public that weekend, great; but if not, you can show at one of the temporary
galleries we'll be setting up in downtown North Adams. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Open Studios was a great success last year. If
you're a local artist, you don't want to miss the chance to exhibit this
year. And the time to register is now. You can even do it online.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Below is the press release the Open Studios
Committee sent out, with all the details you'll need.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>All the best,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed Sedarbaum</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><STRONG><FONT
size=5>PRESS RELEASE</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><STRONG><FONT
size=4>North Adams Open Studios Announces Plans for October
Exhibition</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><STRONG><FONT
size=4>Artists are invited to register now</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><STRONG><FONT
size=3></FONT></STRONG></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><EM>Contact: Sharon
Carson, 664-8085</EM></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><EM>Editors: See
hi-resolution logo in separate e-mail</EM></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT size=3>North Adams
Open Studios, the highly successful citywide art show that debuted last October,
will return this year for the weekend of October 12-14, with plans for an even
larger and more varied celebration of local artists. Venues will be open
throughout the city – at artists’ private studios and lofts, at existing
galleries, and at Main Street storefront spaces donated for the weekend by local
developer David Carver.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT size=3>Fortified
with some high-tech additions this year, including a Web site for informing the
public and for registering artists (</FONT><A href=""><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><FONT
size=3>www.northadamsopenstudios.com</FONT></SPAN></A><FONT size=3>), and a
brochure and map showing artist locations that will be available at all points
along the trail of exhibition sites, this year’s organizers anticipate showing
the work of 75 or more artists at as many as 5 locations. Musical performances
and participatory events are also under development for the
weekend.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT size=3>Artists are
urged to sign up now in order to take advantage of special benefits for early
registrants. Their<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>work will be
featured on the show’s Web site and their name will be included in publicity
throughout the summer. Very early registrants will have the option of a recorded
interview appearing on the Web site. For complete information on deadlines or to
register for the show, visit </FONT><A href=""><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><FONT
size=3>www.northadamsopenstudios.com</FONT></SPAN></A><FONT
size=3>.T</FONT></SPAN><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">o
request an artist application by mail, write to North Adams Open Studios, 243
Union Street, #102, North Adams, MA 01247 or telephone 413-664-8085.
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">The
registration fee is $40.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT size=3>A Mission
Statement approved by the Open Studios organizing committee this week adopted
exciting goals that last year’s event proved are reachable. “North Adams Open
Studios is a citywide event that showcases artists working in and around North
Adams,” the Mission Statement declares. Last year’s show brought out an
estimated 500 to 600 viewers, including local residents and tourists from
throughout the Northeast, to see artwork displayed in permanent and temporary
galleries and private studios. For some local artists and some long-time
residents, this was a first opportunity to get to know one
another.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial">“Open Studios inspires
and enlivens the community through the arts,” the Mission Statement continues,
“and grows the creative economy by drawing art lovers and tourists to North
Adams and all it has to offer.” The experience of local merchants on Main Street
backs up this claim: “We had our most successful day of business to date,” said
</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt">Daniel
Lester, co-proprietor of Main Street’s Cup & Saucer. “We’re looking forward
to welcoming this year’s visitors to our downtown and the entire
city.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt">Open
Studios is being organized by a committee of twelve volunteers that includes
artists, gallery and business owners, community activists, and representatives
of MCLA and the city of North Adams, and </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">is
supported in part by a grant from the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, a
local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural
Council.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=3>For more information, or to volunteer your help in mounting the event,
the public may contact Sharon Carson, Open Studios chairperson,<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>at </FONT><A href=""><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><FONT
size=3>carson.carson@verizon.net</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"> or </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">413-664-8085.</SPAN></FONT><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>