>>> COMING UP, STORIES WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH TONIGHT.

WORD BY WORD'S FESTIVAL SHOWCASES THE POWER OF WOMEN'S VOICES.

>> ALWAYS LISTEN TO A BLACK WOMAN WHO LOOK AT YOU LIKE THANK YOUR DESTINY.

THE LOVE FROM A LOOK YOU RECEIVE >> A PASSION FOR SEWING LEADS ONE LOCAL WOMAN TO START A NEW BUSINESS.

>> SOING IS A THERAPY AND ALSO A WAY FOR ME CREATE NEW THINGS FROM VACH.

>> -- FROM SCRATCH.

>> AND WE'LL TAKE YOU TO A -- ON A TRIP TO EXPLORE THE BEAUTY AND HISTORY OF CAPED COD'S NATIONAL SEASHORE.

>> THE WAVES ARE ALWAYS BUILDING, RESHAPING.

IT'S A REDISCOVERY.

>> WE'LL BRING YOU THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US NEW ENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> GOOD EVENING.

AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR JOINING US FOR CONSIDER.

IT'S -- FOR "CONNECTING POINT."

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

AFTER MORE THAN A YEAR OF VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES, WORD BY WORD, A PERSON MASSACHUSETTS-BASED ORGANIZATION CELEBRATING DWERLSTY THROUGH SPOKEN WORD IS FINALLY BACK TOGETHER IN PERSON.

TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF LIVE POETRY, WORD BY WORD HELD A THREE-DAY FESTIVAL AT FAMED AUTHOR EDITH WHARTON'S HOME, THE MOUNT IN LENOX.

ONE OF THE NIGHTS WAS DEDICATED JUST FOR WOMEN AND APTLY NAMINGS -- NAMED, WITH THE WORDS BY WOMEN."

ROSS LIPSON TAKES US TO THAT EVENT WHERE THE POWER OF THEIR VOICES WAS ON DISPLAY -- >> SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE NEEDED HAMMERING AND A HAMMER WASN'T HANDY.

WIELD USE WHATEVER CAME TO HAND.

>> AND OUR WORLD HAS FACED THIS CHALLENGE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COMMUNITY.

BUT WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT BEING BACK AND BEING LIVE AND IN PERSON AGAIN BECAUSE SO MUCH OF WHAT WE DO IS LITERALLY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER SO THAT THE UNPLANNED MOMENTS CAN HAPPEN.

>> WE SPENT THE EVENING TAMING HER OVERHEATING RAZOR AND LAPPING THE CLIPPINGS ON MY BACK WITH A SAW.

THINK PANDEMIC BLUES OR, REJECTION OF FEMININE OR EMBRACE OF FEMININE, SOMETHING MANIC.

>> WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE PART OF WORD BY WORD BUT THE ORGANIZATION TENDS TO BE WOMEN-SEN TRIN ORGANIZATION.

AND THE -- WOMAN-CENTRIC ORGANIZATION.

AND THE OTHER REASON IS WE'VE SEEN THE POWER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN'S VOICES IN THE WORLD.

>> ALWAYS LISTEN TO A BLACK WOMAN WHO LOOK AT YOU LIKE THEY KNOW YOUR DESTINY.

YOU CAN KNOW IF THE LOVE FROM A LOOK YOU RECEIVE IS GENUINE.

>> WE'VE BEEN CLINTON RATEOSHES -- COLLABORATORS FOR FIVE OR TEN YEARS NOW.

THE GROUNDS ARE SO MAGNIFICENT THAT IT SERVES AS SORT OF A WONDERFUL INSSPRAGUAL PLATFORM FOR ALL KINDS OF ART.

SCULPTURE, POETRY, MUSIC.

IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.

>> IF BY SOME TWIST OF FADE GOD HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR IN OUR FUTURE YEARS, I IMAGINE A DAY IS COMING WE WILL RUN INTO EACH OTHER ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY OF SUN AND NO CLOUDS.

, THAT MAYBE IN THIS DISTANT FUTURE WE'RE LOCAL OKAY -- LOOK OR ONE DAY AS WE'RE IN LOVING EMBRACES WITH THE MEN WHO COMPLEMENT US AND OUR EYES WILL CONNECT AND SMILE AND MAYBE SHARE IN THE SIDE-SPLITTING LAUGHTER AGAIN.

>> WE HAVE A HUGE RANGE OF AGES REPRESENTED TONIGHT FROM I BELIEVE 15 TO 70 SOMETHING.

>> THAT SAME YEAR, MY GRANDMOTHER VISITED ME IN MY TENEMENT ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE AND SHE CRIED BECAUSE IT LOOKED JUST LIKE THE 10MENT SHE'D LEFT IN 1914.

MY LIFE IS HISTORY TOLD IN KEN BURNS' DOCUMENTARIES.

[LAUGHTER] >> I HOPE THAT PEOPLE COME AWAY WITH AN APPRECIATION FOR THE POWER OF WOMEN'S VOILSES -- VOICES AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE.

>> YOUR APPLES TAUGHT ME THAT GIRL IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH SWEET.

I AM NOT SORRY THAT I WASN'T BRED TO BE EASY TO EAT.

YOUR APPLES TAUGHT ME THAT IF THEY DON'T LIKE HOW YOU TASTE, THEY SHOULD STOP BITING.

AS IF BY GROWING WE IMPLICITLY INVITED THEM TO PLUCK.

YOU TAUGHT ME [BLEEP] THAT.

YOU TAUGHT ME "NO."

YOU TAUGHT ME THE PROBLEM LIES NOT WITH THE APPLE BUT WITH A WORLD THAT TRIES TO SWALLOW ALL THE LITTLE WOMEN WHOLE.

[APPLAUSE] ¶ ¶ .

>> WORD BY WORD PERFORMERS SHARE EXCERPTS FROM SOME OF THEIR POWER PIECES WITH CONSIDER.

>> YOU USE -- WITH "CONNECTING POINT."

>> YOU USED TO GIGGLE AT THE DIRTY JOKES I LEARNED FROM OLDER BROTHER AND WHEN TATTLE TAIL TOLD MY DAD, MY MOTHER, IT WAS YOUR FOREBOYDEN FRUIT THAT TOLD MY SHAME TO FALL LIKE LEAVES.

>> FLY OFF THE HANDLE WAS VERY REAL TO US.

HAMMER HEADS BROKE AWAY, PLIERS FELL APART.

WE HAD ONLY TWO-THIRDS OF A YARDSTICK.

AND WE GIRLS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GET EVEN CLOSE TO DAD'S WOBBLY HATCHETS.

>> YOU CAN FIND THOSE PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS EXTRA FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> SINCE THE AGE OF 17, LUCILA SANCHEZ HAS HARBORED A PASSION FOR SEWING.

AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL YEARS AS A CHEF AND WORKING IN BANK MANAGEMENT, SHE FOLLOWED THIS PASSION AND OPENED UP AZAILA'S SEWING ACADEMY AND HAPPENEDMADE SHOP.

THE SPRINGFIELD-BASED ACADEMY TEACHES SEWING SKILLS TO ALL, FROM THE NOTIVE TO THE MORE ADVANCED STUDENT WHO WANTS TO MAKE THEIR OWN CLOTHES.

LUCILA JOINED ME IN THE STUDIO TO SHARE MORE ABOUT HER GOAL IN MAKING SO,ING A SAYSIBLE, REGARDLESS OF SKILL LEVEL, AND HOW SHE DEVELOPED HER PASSION FOR IT.

>> BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC I STARTED SEWING MASKS AND WE DONATED SO MANY OF THEM AND BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME TO SELL THEM.

SO WE DID.

AND AFTER THAT, THEN ANOTHER ITEMS CAME OVER.

WE STARTED SEWING MANY OTHER ITEMS.

AND I DECIDE TO CHANGE CAREER AND GO INTO WHAT I REALLY, REALLY LOVE.

THIS IS MY PASSION.

>> YOU FIRST STARTED SEWING AT AGE 17 AFTER TAKING A HOME ECONOMICS COURSE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT SEWING THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH?

WHY ARE YOU SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IT?

>> WELL, SEWING, IT'S NOT JUST A SKILL.

SEWING -- SEWING IS A THERAPY.

SO YOU KNOW THAT I DID BANKING FOR 14 YEARS.

THAT MEANS STRESS OVER STRESS.

AND I USED TO GO HOME AND SEW A LITTLE BIT JUST FOR RELAXING.

SO MY PASSION -- IT'S NOT ONLY RELAXING.

IT'S ALSO A WAY FOR ME TO CREATE NEW THINGS FROM SCRATCH.

SO I JUST -- I JUST LOVE IT!

>> SEWING JUST AS YOU SAID IS MORE THAN A SKILL.

FOR YOU IT'S THERAPY.

IT'S A CRAFT.

IT'S ALSO AN ART.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ARTIST ASPECTS OF -- ARTISTIC ASPECTS OF SEWING WITH NEEDING AND THREAD.

>> I LOVE THAT.

WHEN WE -- WE CHOOSE THE MATERIAL, AND THEN THE THREAD, WHAT KIND OF NEEDLE, IT'S AN ART.

LIKE YOU SAID.

AND THEN YOU SEE ALL THOSE PIECES OF MATERIALS.

AND THEY DON'T MEAN ANYTHING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM.

BUT WHEN YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER, OH, THEN YOU SEE THE CREATION.

I JUST LOVE IT.

IT'S AN ART LIKE YOU SAID.

>> THE SEWING ACADEMY OFFERS BILINGUALIAL CLASSES IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE LEVELS AND PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES.

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT LEVELS AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING MADE.

>> YES.

WELL, WE TEACH KIDS.

WE DO KIDS' CLASSES AND AGE RANGE FROM 8 OR 9 TO BETWEEN, 11.

AND THOSE TEENAGERS 12 TO 16, THEY GO INTO THE ADULT CLASS BECAUSE THEY USUALLY HAVE THE SKILLS AND THEY ARE MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE A MACHINE.

SO WE DO ONE-ON-ONE, WHICH IS THE BASICALLY ONE.

WE DO ONE -- 101, WHICH IS THE BASELINE ONE.

102, 103, AND 104 IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY ASKED FOIRLT.

SO 101 IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER, EVER HAVE TOUCHED A MACHINE BEFORE AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SEWING FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, NOT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A LOT THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.

SO THEY LEARN EVERYTHING.

THEY LEARN THE HISTORY OF SEWING.

THERE'S A HISTORY BEHIND IT.

THEY LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE MACHINE.

THEY LEARN HOW TO HANDLE THE MACHINE FROM SCRATCH LIKE FROM A TO Z, PROPER NAMES.

THE FUNCTION.

THEY LEARN ALL ABOUT THE MACHINE AND THEY LEARN HOW TO SEW -- DO STRAIGHT LINES, SEMICIRCLES, HOW TO PUT TOGETHER A PROJECT, AND THEY ACTUALLY COME OUT WITH MAKING A BAG.

GORGEOUS.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO MAKE.

BUT IT'S NOT.

THEY COME OUT WITH THE SKILLS.

>> AND UPON DEPRESSION OF THE SO -- COMPLETION, YOU CELEBRATE THE STUDENTSES WITH THE GRADUATION.

>> I DO.

>> WHAT TYPE OF SKILLS WILL THE STUDENTS LEAVE WITH, ASIDE FROM THE OBVIOUS ONES, BUT THE SKILLS THAT WILL APPLY TO OTHER THINGS WITH SEWING?

>> MU MENTIONED -- WHEN YOU MENTIONED IT I LOVE IT, IT'S NOT JUST A SKILL.

THEY LEAVE OUT WITH A LOT OF SELF-CONFIDENCE.

E SO I LOVE WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY'RE AFRAID TO TOUCH THE MACHINE, THEY'RE AFRAID TO CUT FABRIC.

AND WHEN THEY'RE GETTING TO THE CLASS, AND IT'S NOT ONLY CONFIDENT FOR SEWING.

THEY APPLIED IT TO THEIR -- TO THEIR LIFE.

>> DESPITE THE CHALLENGING TIMES THAT WE ARE ALL FACING DURING THIS PANDEMIC, YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND OPEN UP YOUR VERY OWN SMALL BUSINESS.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER ENTREPRENEURS?

>> FOR ALL OF THEM TO NOT -- NOT TO GIVE UP.

GO FOR IT.

DO NOT LET THE PANDEMIC, DO NOT LET ANYBODY TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CANNOT DO WHAT YOU CAN DO.

>> SO YOU'VE SAID THAT BUILDING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE PARTS OF THIS NEW BUSINESS.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS HELPED OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES SO FAR AND WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO YOU?

>> AT THE SEWING ACADEMY, THE PLACE THAT WE HAVE, WE ALSO ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN AND BRING THEIR OWN BUSINESS CARDS AND JUST LEAVE IT AT THE COUNTER.

WE ALSO ALLOW THEM TO USE THE PLACE FOR THEM TO DO ANY KIND OF MEETING AS WELL.

AND IT'S NOT JUST A BUSINESS.

IT'S ACTUALLY IS A PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY OWN IT AS WELL.

LET ME TELL YOU!

SO YES, IT'S -- SAME WAY THAT I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING SO MUCH SUPPORT, I LIKE TO GIVE THEM BACK TO MY COMMUNITY.

>> NOW, YOU'RE EMPOWERING EACH PARTICIPANTS BY TEACHING THEM AN IMPORTANT LIFE SKILL.

HOW ARE THEY IN TURN EMPOWERING YOU?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHEN I FIRST STARTED TEACHING SEWING, I THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE THE ONE LEADING AND TEACHING.

GUESS WHAT?

ENDED UP THAT I'M THE ONE LEARNING MORE FROM THEM THAN WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY LEARNING FROM ME.

I HAVE LEARNED -- THEY ARE SO HEMBLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE -- HUMBLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO VAB SEWING FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.

IT'S NOT EASY TO GO TOE AN ACADEMY AND START SOMETHING -- START LEARNING SOMETHING THAT THEY?

KNEW.

SO PUTTING THE KNOWLEDGE TO START FROM SCRATCH.

AND LET SOMEONE YOUNGER TO TEACH THEM.

THAT WILL INSPIRE ME.

AUGUST 7TH, 1961, PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY FORMALLY SIGNED INTO LAW THE CREATION OF THE CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE.

THE NEW PARK SET ASIDE WHAT WOULD BECOME MORE THAN 43,000 ACRES OF PRIME OUTER CAPE PROPERTY, FROM THE ELBOW OF THE -- OF CHATHAM TO THE TIP OF PROVINCETOWN.

TO IT PRODUCER DAVE FRASER SHARES PART ONE OF A THREE-PART SERIES ON THE NATIONAL SEASHORE AND HOW IT INVITED VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT SIGNED -- KIND OF SEASIDE, UNPOLISHED AND UNDEVELOPED.

>> A GRAND PLACE TO BE ALONE AND UNDISTURBED IS HOW PLAYWRIGHT UNINE YOIF NEIL DESCRIBED THE OUTER BEACHES OF CAPE COP, 40 MILES OUTSIDE OF THE HOOKED ELBOW.

>> THIS WAS A -- PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST TREACHEROUS AREAS ALONG THE EAST COAST, BECAUSE OF THE WAY CAPE COD STICKS OUT.

I HAD -- >> I HAD NO IDEA, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN CHATHAM HERE AS A KID, THAT THERE WAS THIS SORT OF WIDER CAPE COD.

>> THE WAVES ARE ALWAYS SHAPING, RESHAPING, BUILDING UP, TAKING AWAY.

EVERY TIME YOU GO TO THE BEACH, IT'S A REDISCOVERY.

>> WHEN PEOPLE GO OUT TO THE DUNES OR RACE COVE AND YOU WATCH A SUN SUNSET OR A SUNRISE, YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

>> SPENDING TIME ON THE OUTER BEACH CAN INDUCE A FEELING OF ENCHANTMENT THAT LEFT PEOPLE TO FEEL THEMSELVES REIMAGINED WHILE THEY WERE THERE.

LITERARY GIANTS LIKE EUGENE O'NEIL, E.E.

COUPLES, JACK CAIRO BACK, MARY OLIVER AND PERHAPS MOST HORLY -- IMPORTANTLY, HENRY BESTON, CHRONICLELES THE OUTER BEACHES, DUNES, WETLANDS, AND HARBORS AND AWOKE CAPE CODERS TO A LANDSCAPE THAT NEEDED PROTECTION.

>> HE WAS OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL NATURAL SETTING THAT HE HAD ALWAYS -- IT HAD ALWAYS APPEALED TO HIM BUT HE NEVER GOT TO EXPERIENCE IT.

AND THE MORE HE WAS OUT THERE, THE MORE HE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLACE.

SO HE HAD A HOUSE BUILT OUT ON WHAT IS NOW COAST GUARD BEACH.

IT HAD 10 WINDOWS.

HE SAID HE HAD A RATHER AMATEUR IMENTHUSE IMFOR -- ENTHUSIASM FOR WINDOWS I. I HAD 10.

I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF HIS FRIENDS THAT NATURE AND WRITING WERE SYNONYMOUS WITH HIM.

HE TALKED ABOUT THE RHYTHMS OF THE WAVES, HOW THEY CAME IN IN THREEES.

-- IN THREES.

HE WAS SO TAKEN BY THAT AND HE SAID THAT THE WRITING HAS TO HAVE RHYTHMS JUST LIKE THE WAVES.

>> THE WATER HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CAPE'S CALLING CARD.

FISHING BUILT TOWNS LIKE TRURO AND PROVINCETOWN.

CAPE COD BOASTED 27,000 REDS IN 1920.

BY 1950 THAT NUMBER HAD NEARLY DOUBLED.

PEOPLE WANTED WHAT THE CAPE OFFERED, ITS RURAL CHARACTER AND IT'S UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THE SEA.

BUT THEY CHANGED THE VERY THING THEY WERE SEEKING.

>> CAPE COD WAS AT A CROSS ROADS IN THE 1950s FOR SURE.

LAND WAS STILL AVAILABLE AND STILL INEXPENSIVE AND THERE WAS A DANGER OF DEVELOPMENT TAKING OFF AND TURNING THE PLACE INTO MORE DENSELY POPULATED COASTAL AREAS.

BUT AT THIS POINT THERE WAS STILL A 40-MILE OR SO UNBROKEN STRETCH OF OUTER BEACH THAT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WAS ENTICING BECAUSE IT OFFERED A LOT OF PUBLIC REM RACE TO PEOPLE WITHIN A DAY'S DRIVE OF THIS AREA.

>> IN 1955, A FIRST-TERM SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS SPONSORED A BILL THAT WOULD LARGELY SERVE AS THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE SEASHORE LEGISLATION.

THAT SENATOR WOULD BECOME PRESIDENT AND IN 1961, SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW CREATING THE CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE.

SOME THREE TO FOUR MILLION PEOPLE VISIT THE NATIONAL SEASHORE EVERY YEAR FOR A SMALL FEE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, ANYONE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PRISTINE BEACH, ITS BLUE ATLANTIC, ITS LONG SANDS AND COMMANDING HIGH BLUFFS.

THIS ISN'T A GATED PROPERTY.

IT'S THERE FOR ALL WHO CHOZ TO COME, WHICH IS -- WHOSE TO COME, WHICH WHAT IS THE CREATORS HAD INTENDED.

>> I WORKED OVER 30 YEARS AT THIS NATIONAL SEASHORE AND WHAT I FOUND HERE WAS THAT OUTER BEACH.

THAT SENSE OF SOLITUDE, THAT PLACE TO ESCAPE.

AND THAT IS MY GO-TO PLACE.

AS PARK HISTORIAN, I LOVE THE HISTORIC BUILDING, THE LIGHT HOUSES, THE HUMAN STORIES, THE DUNE SHACKS.

BUT IN MY SPARE TIME AND WHEN I NEED A BREAK FROM THE BUSYNESS OF WORKING AT A PARK, I GO TO THE OUTER BEACH, ESPECIALLY ON A FOGGY DAY OR EARLY MORNING OR AT SUNSET.

THAT IS A GREAT PLACE TO REIGNITE THE PASSION OF WORKING IN A NATIONAL PARK.

>>> AND YOU CAN WATCH PART TWO OF OUR SERIES EXPLORING THE CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE ON NEPM.

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

>>> THIS SAT IS NATIONAL LIGHT HOUSE DAY AND IF HONOR OF THAT PRODUCER DAVE FRASER FURTHER EXPLORES THE CAPE NATIONAL SEASHORE BY YOU EVER CONNING THE HISTORY OF THE CAPE'S OLDEST LIGHTHOUSE.

IT SITS AT 120 FEET ABOVE THE OCEAN IN TRURO, MASS.

>> THERE'S NO DOORS IN THE LIGHT ROOM BECAUSE IF YOU WERE TO OPEN THAT DOOR 100 YEARS AGO, IN HIGH WIND, IT WOULD -- MIGHT BLOW OUT THE LIGHT.

THAT WOULD BE A DISASTER.

SO YOU GO OUT TO LOWER GALLERY, WALK AROUND, CLIMB A LADDER ON THE BACK.

>> DON'T MISS THIS DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE AVAILABLE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> BERKSHIRE COUNTY IS HOME TO FIVE STATE-DESIGNATED CUL TIEWRLG DISTRICTS.

THE DOWNTOWN GREAT BARRINGTON CULTURE DISTRICT, THE LENOX CULTURAL DISTRICT, THE NORTH ADAMS CULTURAL DISTRICT, THE UPSTREET CULTURAL DISTRICT, AND WILLIAMSTOWN CULTURAL DISTRICT.

THESE DISTRICTS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR ART WEEK BERKSHIRES THIS SEPTEMBER, WITH A FESTIVAL OF EVENTS THAT WILL CELEBRATE THE ARTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

ART WEEK IS CURRENTLY SEEKING EVENT APPLICATIONS FOR THE FESTIVAL, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE COUNTY'S CREATIVE ECONOMY, CULTURAL TREASURES, AND ARTISTIC ASSETS AND I SPOKE WITH FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS TO LEARN MORE.

>> IT WAS AMAZING THAT THE STATE DID THIS FOR A TRUE YEARS AND THE BERKSHIRES -- FEW YEARS AND THE BERK SUNSHINE IN THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAT THE BERK SUNSHINES HAVE -- BERKSHIRES HAVE SAID WE WANT TO CONTINUE THIS EVEN THOUGH THE STATE IS NOT CONTINUING IT, BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE FIVE CULTURAL DISTRICTS, FIVE DESIGNATED CULTURAL DISTRICTS BY THE MASS CULTURAL COUNCIL AND THAT'S A LOT IN ONE COUNTY.

SO THE DISTRICTS DECIDED TO TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES AND SAY LET'S DO THIS.

LET'S CONTINUE TO DO THIS JUST -- WITHIN OUR COUNTY, WITHOUT THE STATE'S OFFICIAL EVENT.

>> WHY IT IMPORTANT FOR -- WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE FIVE CULTURAL DISTRICTS TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER?

>> I THINK THE BERKSHIRES IN GENERAL BEING 30 TOWNS AND TWO CITIES, WITH NO CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT, WE REALLY RELY A LOT ON COLLABORATIONS IN ORDER TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTY, GET PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE COUNTY, AND SO THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY -- EMPOWER THE CREATIVE ECONOMY TO CONTINUE PUSHING THEIR MESSAGE AND THEN ALSO NOT ONLY SHINE A LIGHT ON OUR MAJOR INSTITUTIONS BUT EVEN MORE SO TO SHINE A LIGHT ON ALL OF THE SMALLER ARTISANS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

>> THE FESTIVAL WILL BE CELEBRATING THE CREATIVE ARTS THROUGH DIFFERENT EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTY FROM SEPTEMBER 16TH THROUGH THE 26TH.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WE CAN BE EXPECTED TO SEE?

>> WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE CREATING A COUNTY-WIDE OPEN STUDIO EVENT WHERE ANY ARTIST IN THE COUNTY, IN THE REGION, CAN PARTICIPATE.

AND WE'VE DONE THE OPEN STUDIO EVENTS FOR ART WEEK SEVERAL YEARS.

THE LENOX CULTURAL DISTRICT DID PARTICIPATE IN AN OPEN STUDIO EVENT THAT WAS BASED ON LENOX GALLERIES AND ARTISTS.

SO EXPANDING IT TO THE COUNTY IS A REALLY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT THE STUDIOS AND GET BEHIND THE SCENES LOOKS AT THE ARTISTS, THE MANY, MANY, MANY INCREDIBLE ARTISTS THAT LIVE ALL OVER -- LIVE AND WORK ALL OVER BERKSHIRE COUNTY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE ARE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE OFFERED, INCLUDING LIVE PERFORMANCES AND MUSIC AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES ARTISTS' TALKS.

>> THERE'S A FEW SORT OF PAPER MARBLING DEMONSTRATION GOING TO BE HAPPENING, SCULPTURE NOW, WILL BE PART OF IT.

UP IN NORTH ADAMS, THE GALLERY 51, THERE WILL BE AN EVENT CALLED HOGS TIME TERRAIN THAT'S FOCUSED ON AN UNDOCUMENTED MIGRATION PROJECT.

SO I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

>> IN PITTSFIELD WE'RE DOING A CONCERT WITH THE WHISKEY TREATY ROAD SHOW CALLED A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH.

AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO BE HONORING ESSENTIAL WORKERS AT THAT CONCERT AND ANYTHING INVOLVING THE WHISKEY TREATY ROAD SHOW IS TRULY SPECIAL.

>> IT'S A GOOD SHOWING.

>> WE HAVE OPEN STUDIOS, AND JESSIE IS CURATING ONCE AGAIN.

THE DRIVE WALK BIKE BY CITY ART SHOW, LAST YEAR THEY HAD MORE THAN 40 ARTISTS SET OUT THEIR FRONT LAWN AND YOU CAN DRIVE, WALK, OR BIKE BY AND SEE THIS.

AND SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED THAT THAT'S HAPPENING AGAIN.

THAT WAS KIND OF -- BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT IT WAS SUCH A SUCCESS THAT THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN.

>> NOW, LINDSAY, YOU ALLUDED TO THIS EARLIER.

THE CREATIVE COMPEIS A HUGE -- COMPEECONOMY IS A HUGE EVENT.

WHAT MAKES ART WEEK BERKSHIRES DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FESTIVALS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE BERKSHIRES AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY DIRECTLY?

>> I MEAN, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WHAT SON TRA TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE COLLABORATION OF IT AND BRINGING ALL OF THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS TOGETHER.

I THINK YOU'LL FIND LOTS OF SINGLE ENTITIES DO AMAZING WORK OR SINGLE TOWN WILL HOPEFULLY A FESTIVAL -- WILL HOLD A FESTIVAL.

BUT THE SCOPE OF THIS, FROM TAIL TO TIP, IN LENOX AND SMALL HILL TOWNS AND THINGS -- REALLY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN REGARDS TO IT JUST BEING A COUNTY.

TRULY A COUNTY-WIDE COLLABORATION.

>> YEAH, IT'S REALLY ANOTHER STEP TOWARD UNIFYING THE COUNTY FOR A CREATINGIVE VISION FOR THE -- CREATIVE VISION FOR THE CREATIVE ECONOMIES SO WE CAN SHARE IN PROMOTION.

AND ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO GET OUT AND DO THINGS AND BE TOGETHER.

HAVING SAID THAT, A LOT OF THESE EVENTS WILL BE VIRTUAL AND IF PEOPLE WANT TO COMMIT AN EVENT AND PARTICIPATE IN ART WEEK, THEY CAN CREATE AN EVENT THAT'S IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL.

>> APPLICATIONS TO BE PART OF THE FESTIVAL ARE SILL OPEN -- STILL OPEN.

WHO DO YOU ENCOURAGE TO APPLY AND WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE?

>> EVERYONE.

EVERYONE SHOULD APPLY.

AND THIS IS -- I THINK THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT.

THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE BERKSHIRES THAT ARE ALL READY DOING EVENTS FROM SEPTEMBER 16TH TO THE 26TH.

THOSE COUNT.

PLEASE SUBMIT.

THOSE ARE THE EASIEST ONES TO USE FOR THIS ART WEEK.

SUBMIT THOSE EVENTS, BECAUSE THEY COUNT.

THEY'RE ALREADY HAPPENING.

BUT WE JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU MORE PROMOTION BY LISTING THEM IN THE ART WEEK BERKSHIRES LISTINGS.

>> AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT THIS EVENT IS THAT IT IS ALL-INCLY SUFFICIENT.

-- ALL-INCLUSIVE.

I CAN PARTICIPATE.

IF YOU'RE AN ARTIST WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.

IF YOU'RE A GALLERY, YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.

IF YOU'RE A RESTAURANT -- WE WANT THE EVENT TO BE BROAD AND HAVE A DIVERSE RANGE OF EVENTS.

BUT THERE IS NO FEE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION OR TO HAVE AN EVENT.

SO YOU JUST HAVE TO GO TO BERKSHIRES.ORG WEBSITE OR ANY OF THE OTHER CULTURAL DISTRICTS' WEBSITE TO FIND THE APPLICATION FORM TO SUBMIT YOUR EVENT FOR ART WEEK, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 16TH TO 26TH.

¶ ¶ >>> THAT UZ DID IT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" FOR AUGUST 6TH, 2021.

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW TONIGHT, AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT AND MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 6:00 RIGHT HERE ON NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA FOR MORE STORIES OF CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

>> Announcer: SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

¶ ¶