ART Happening and C3 Fundraiser a Huge Success!

C3's second ART Happening and Fundraiser at the Haymarket Cafe on Friday night was a massive success, raising over $4,000! Hundreds of people crammed their way into the cafe to take in the incredible visual art, join the audience at a raucous reading by some of the area's best up and coming and established spoken word artists, eat delicious food, partake in a glass of wine or two and dance their tails off into the wee hours.

Thanks to all the people who made the event's success possible:

• Everyone who came to the event!!
• The visual artists Tasha Robbins, Dan Towers and Donn Boulanger.
• The spoken word artists Leah Banks, Shira Erlichman, Jamila Gore, Adam Gottlieb, Amina Jordan Mendez, Kerry O'Keefe, Naimah Petigny and Anthony O. Wilson.
• DJs Brando and Douglas Hernandez.
  
• C3 interns Aliya Bonar, Haley Morgan, Sophie Wood and Elisa Loeser.
• C3 Board members Juan Carlos Aguilar, Norma Akamatsu, Andrea Ayvazian, Lori Divine-Hudson, Jennifer Ladd, Gina Nortonsmith, Jeff Rosen, Peter Simpson and Ruth Trujillo-Acosta.
  
• storefront ART curatorial committee members Oceanna Shawanda, Jennifer Orozco, Megan LaBonte and Derek Goodwin.
• All the volunteers who helped cover all the bases on Friday night!
• A big thanks to C3 Program Director Julia Handschuh who worked incredibly hard to pull it all together!

Thanks to storefront ART funders and supporters:

• The Northampton Arts Council
• The Art Angels
• A.P.E.
  

Thanks to storefront ART partner the Northampton Center for the Arts

Thanks to our event sponsors:

• The Northampton Brewery
• Spoleto
  
• Sierra Grille
• Martignetti Liquors
• And a huge thanks to event host, the Haymarket Cafe and its owner and C3 board member Peter Simpson, who made such a huge investment of time, money and resources in helping make this event so successful.

All of these people, organizations and local businesses did their part to help make our ART Happening and C3 fundraiser successful beyond our wildest expectations. If you were a part of it--Thank you! If you could not make it, it's not too late to show your support for C3. Please visit our website today and make a donation. Your contribution will help C3 as we work to strengthen our community by supporting local nonprofits and artists! Thank you!

Welcome to Lori Divine-Hudson

On behalf of the C3 Board and staff, I'm very pleased to announce that Lori Divine-Hudson has joined our Board of Directors. Our board just keeps getting stronger, and with the addition of Lori, we have gained an articulate, enthusiastic advocate of the C3 vision, who also has deep experience in board leadership and a long commitment to the Northampton community.

Lori Divine-Hudson has lived in Northampton for almost thirty years and has served on numerous boards during that time, including the Veteran's Education Project, Congregation B'nai Israel and the Guild Studio School. She actively supports many nonprofit groups whose emphasis is on arts, women, peace and social justice. Lori is a physical therapist, has a Masters in Education and is an eternal student of art. She has four grown kids, two grandchildren and two wacky and lovable dogs.

We're very excited that Lori has joined our board--hers will be a strong voice on our board and in our community for the C3 vision, for progressive social change and for the importance of art. Welcome Lori!

Welcome to Jeff Rosen!

On behalf of the C3 Board and staff, I'm very pleased to announce that Jeff Rosen has joined our Board of Directors. Jeff brings a great deal of experience in financial management, both in the for profit and nonprofit worlds, and he will help C3 establish effective and transparent financial systems that are powerful and highly useful.

Jeff Rosen lives in Leeds, MA with his wife and three young children. He serves as the director of Finance and Administration for the Solidago Foundation. Prior to working for Solidago, Jeff worked for more than 20 years in the food sector, owning his own businesses and serving as a senior financial officer for national restaurant chains. In addition, he has worked for several food sector focused nonprofits, including the New Alchemy Institute. He is currently active with a broad coalition of organizations in the Pioneer Valley, working to rebuild the local food system by investing in sustainable agriculture infrastructure projects. Jeff is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and has a Masters of Resource Economics from the University of Maine. Jeff is an adjunct faculty member in the Green MBA program at Antioch College of New England and teaches Tai Chi in the Northampton area.

We are so excited that Jeff has joined our team, and he will help our Board provide experienced and dynamic leadership to the C3 project. Welcome Jeff!

Preparing for the polls?
Join fellow Florence Savings Bank Customers and vote to support C3 today!

Florence Savings Bank is donating $50,000 to local, non-profit organizations and you get to decide where the money will go. The amount that C3 receives will be determined by the number of community votes C3 receives. Simply click on the link above and enter: 'Commonwealth Center for Change, 126 Main St. Northampton, Ma' into the electronic ballot.

Voting ends December 31, 2008.
Submit your vote today!

Storefront ART Hosts 2nd ARThappening

at the Haymarket Café

Friday November 14th, from 8pm-2am, Commonwealth Center for Change's Storefront ART program will host its second ARThappening at the Haymarket Café at 185 Main St. in Northampton.

Visual and interactive art, poetry and spoken word-not to mention world funk, hip hop, salsa, merengue and live Jazz-will come together for an incredible night of art, food, music, dancing and fun at storefront ART's November ARThappening!

Picking up where Arts Night Out leaves off, storefront ART will once again create a vibrant space for artists and the community to come together and celebrate the creativity that abounds in Northampton. Come for the poignant words of area poets and the striking imagery of local artists. Stay for the music, dancing and friends.

sliding scale $5-$25 donation at the door
$3 Beer & Wine
All proceeds will benefit Commonwealth Center for Change

The Evening's Schedule:

8pm-9pm - Reception
featuring visual art by Tasha Robbins & Dan Towers, live jazz by The Evolution Trio, and delicious food from Haymarket Cafe
9pm-10pm - Poetry
from Leah Banks, Shira Erlichman, Jamila Gore, Adam Gottlieb, Amina "Illypsis" Nia Jordan-Mendez, Kerry O'Keefe, Niamah Petigny & Anthony O. Wilson
10pm-midnight - World Flight Funk
DJ Brando
midnight-2am - Salsa y Merengue
DJ Douglas Hernandez
All Night - Art
Interactive art with Dana Wilde and Bethann Shannon, outdoor video installation by Lea Donnan, roving NCTV camera crew shooting footage for "Am I Famous Yet?"

Learn more about the participating artists at:
www.commonwealthcenter.org

This ARThappening is on FACEBOOK

still need more information? email julia@commonwealthcenter.org or call: 413.522.1319

C3 Has an Office!

Thanks to our long-time supporters at A.P.E., C3 now has an office space downtown! A.P.E. has generously provided office and meeting space to C3 on the second floor of their new building, Window, at 126 Main St in Northampton.

This beautiful, bright, downtown location will allow C3 staff to work more effectively toward realizing our vision of creating a shared space center for local nonprofits and artists. A.P.E. has provided space for several C3 events over the last two years, from the first community meetings in early 2007, to a strategic planning meeting with Linda Stout a year ago to the launch of our storefront ART program this past summer. A.P.E. has been there from the start for C3, and we are grateful for their support!

C3 Receives Solidago Grant!

On behalf of the C3 board and staff, I'm very pleased to announce that C3 has received a $5000 grant from the Solidago Foundation. This grant will help pay for general operating expenses and will be a huge help as we work to open our shared space Nonprofit Center. We are grateful for Solidago's confidence and support.

With this generous grant, Solidago joins a growing community of individuals and organizations who see how important C3 will be in helping nonprofits and local artists do their work more effectively and collaboratively by providing affordable space and shared resources. Thanks to everyone who has given so generously!

If you haven't already, please join this growing community of C3 supporters by making a tax-deductible gift today. Your support is crucial to making the C3 vision a vibrant, exciting reality. You can donate electronically on our website, or send your check to:

Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, MA 01060

Thank you!

C3 seeks part time volunteer bookkeeper

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to make a positive impact in the community and use their experience and expertise to help develop and administer a sound and transparent bookkeeping structure for a startup nonprofit.

Salary: Unpaid
Duration of position: 6-12months
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours/week
Responsibilities:

• Bi-weekly payroll
• Work with E.D. to refine and maintain Quickbooks accounts and systems
• On-going bookkeeping tasks
• Prepare quarterly state and federal employee forms

Requirements:

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and written skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong follow-through
• Self-starter & motivated
• Requires minimal supervision
• Has her or his own computer
• Proficiency in Quickbooks, Filemaker Pro, Excel and Word

To apply submit cover letter and resume to:

Julia Handschuh
Program Director
Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, MA 01060

C3 Seeks Intern

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to make a positive impact in the community and gain experience working in a vibrant, start up nonprofit environment.

Salary: Unpaid
Duration of position: 6-12months
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week
Responsibilities:

• Day-to-day office and program administrative tasks
• Newsletter production and other outreach tasks
• Website updates
• Grant research, writing
• Market research
• Data base maintenance
• Donor tracking
• Volunteer coordination

Requirements:

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and written skills
• Strong teamwork skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong follow-through
• Ability to listen and willingness to learn
• Ability to work from various locations
• Self-starter & motivated
• Requires minimal supervision
• Has her or his own computer
• Proficiency in Quickbooks, Filemaker Pro, Excel and Word

To apply submit cover letter and resume to:

Julia Handschuh
Program Director
Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, MA 01060

storefront ART Receives Arts Council Grant

C3 was notified today that our storefront ART program has received a $2,500 grant from the BJ Goodwin Memorial Fund, which is administered by the Northampton Arts Council.

This generous grant comes at a perfect time for storefront ART, and will allow us to build on the momentum and energy generated by our debut ARThappening at A.P.E. in June and our debut workSPACE in Thornes Market this summer. We are excited by the enthusiastic response storefront ART has received from the community, and the Arts Council's support will help us build on that enthusiasm and provide new studio, exhibition and gathering spaces for local artists. Speaking of which,

Check out storefront Art's fall lineup!

• We've just moved into our new workSPACE on the second floor of Thornes, in the old Northampton Box Office space. Be sure to stop by to check out the work of puppeteer Madison Cripps and the custom bookmakers from Jaguar Uprising Press.
  
• Later in September we'll present a new series of paintings by local artist Michelle Bellici in our first windowSPACE gallery in the old Crystal storefront on the corner of Green and West Streets, generously donated by Smith College.
  
• Mark your calenders now for our November 14th ARThappening and C3 fundraiser at the Haymarket Cafe.
  
• Plus we have a very exciting new project we'll be announcing in the next few day, so stay tuned!

As you can see, storefront ART has a lot going on, and we couldn't do it without the support of the BJ Goodwin Memorial Fund and the Northampton Arts Council. Thank you so much!

We welcome the Arts Council to the growing community of storefront ART supporters, which includes many individuals and the following organizations: the Northampton Center for the Arts, Art Angels, A.P.E., Thornes Market and Smith College. Thank you for your support!

We hope you will join this community as well by making a donation to storefront ART. You can donate online at our website, or make a check out to Commonwealth Center for Change, with storefront ART in the memo line, and send it to:

Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, MA 01060

Thank you!

Fall Series of ESL classes

Hi everyone,

A new series of Sunday ESL classes will be starting September 14th in Amherst. The first series last spring was a big success, and we're excited about being a part of this wonderful effort to help our immigrant neighbors feel more confident and welcome in our community.

Classes will run from 2-4pm every Sunday, from September 14th till October 26th.

If you are interested in teaching or being a tutor, please contact Erin at mcnallymonster@gmail.com

If you are interested in helping with child care or volunteer coordination, or if you or someone you know would be interested in taking the classes, please contact Juan Carlos at
jcaguilar@comcast.net

Jennifer Ladd Consulting
Leadership & Money Coach, Group Facilitator
jladd@jenniferladd.net
Courage to Fundraise

• Are you new at fundraising?
• Do you want to help a cause you love but have conflicted feelings about asking for money?
• Would you like to be able to ask absolutely anyone for a contribution?
• Do you want to find playful ways to move toward greater ease and courage where fundraising is concerned?

We each have a gaggle of voices that are at work in every fundraising phone call, appeal, and encounter. Is it Fear? Is it Begging? Is it Anger? Is it Entitlement? Is it Ambivalence? Is it True Love of the Cause? Is it all of the above and more?

Come join Jennifer Ladd, Ed. D. in a workshop of theater games, play, role-playing and real results as you and others explore all the voices in your head that both help and hinder you in fundraising. Explore and become more conscious so that you can choose who is doing the fundraising and relationship building essential for organizational survival. Learn how to use your fear as a creative catapult into an empowered approach.


When: Friday, October 10, 9:00 – 12:00
Where: Room 236, Potpourri Plaza, 243 King St. Northampton
Cost: $45 - $75, Deposit of $25.00 required


If you are interested contact Jennifer Ladd, Ed.D at 413-584-0565 or email her at jladd@jenniferladd.net.

Jennifer Ladd, Ed. D is a philanthropic advisor and leadership coach for those with resources and those seeking funds. She has over 30 years experience in social change philanthropy as well as group facilitation. For more information go to her website, www.jenniferladd.net.

Welcome to new Board members!

On behalf of the C3 board and staff, I'm very pleased and proud to announce that Gina Nortonsmith and Norma Akamatsu have joined the C3 Board of Directors. Their expertise and passion, and their commitment to our community will be invaluable assets to C3 as we work together to create a home and resource center that benefits nonprofits, artists and the Northampton community.

Gina Nortonsmith is an advocate who works for community and social change. She and her spouse, Heidi Nortonsmith, were one of the plaintiff couples in the Massachusetts landmark court case which resulted in equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. Gina, an attorney by training, has worked in the areas of housing, racial justice, children and families, sexual orientation, media, and cycling. She has brought her compassion and sense of justice for those considered institutional outsiders to her work in educational institutions as professor, assistant dean, and ombudsperson. Gina lives in Northampton with Heidi and their two sons, Avery and Quinn.

Norma Akamatsu, MSW, is a psychotherapist, practicing in Northampton, MA. She has facilitated discussion on a variety of topics with many local community, religious and educational organizations through her work with Community Dialogue Associates. She is a founding member of the Pioneer Valley Coalition Against Secrecy and Torture (PVCAST) working to raise awareness and educate about the problem of US sanctioned torture. She has been a member of the Northampton Civil Rights Committee, dealing with issues of equity in the public schools and has taught at the Smith College School for Social Work. She is also on the Community Advisory Board of Project 2050, UMass, Amherst.

The addition of Gina and Norma makes our board an even stronger, more dynamic team, and we are so excited they have decided to join us!

Welcome Gina and Norma!

C3 seeks 2-3 interns to form a dynamic support team for the storefront ART Program Director

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to make a positive impact on the local arts community and gain experience working with artists and managing gallery space.

Salary: Unpaid
Duration of position: 6-12months
Time Commitment: 4hours/week
Deadline: September 15th
Responsibilities:

Work with the Program Director to:
· maintain relationships with building owners
· work with artists-in-residence and exhibiting artists
· develop web and print publicity
· produce storefront ART events, including openings and ARThappenings
· install and remove work
· identify future locations
· staff workSPACE and windowSPACE locations
· maintain storefront ART databases
· research funding opportunities

Requirements:
· Excellent interpersonal, communication and written skills
· Strong teamwork skills
· Strong attention to detail
· Strong follow-through
· Excitement about and investment in community arts
· Ability to listen and willingness to learn
· Ability to work from various locations
· Proficiency in Excel and Photoshop

To apply submit:
Cover letter
Writing sample
Resume
To:
Julia Handschuh
Program Director
Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton Ma 01060

C3 featured in The Republican:

Commonwealth Center for Change helps nonprofit groups in Northampton

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

By FRED CONTRADA

fcontrada@repub.com

NORTHAMPTON - Monday morning was bustling on the first floor of Thornes Marketplace, and Mat G. Matera had his easel set up in the perfect spot. He was inside looking out from the recently vacated store called Details, a wall of windows separating him from the action.

Continue story

Check it Out!
Storefront ART is on Youtube.
Catch a glimpse of the action at the June ARThappening

It's not too late to submit a proposal for the October ARThappening: check out our list of current open calls to learn about how you can participate in storefront ART.

Welcome to Ruth Trujillo-Acosta

I am very pleased to announce that Ruth Trujillo-Acosta has joined C3's Board of Directors. She brings invaluable experience and wisdom to the board, which are the fruits of her many years of dedication to movements for civil rights and social justice.

Ruth grew up in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States in 1981. Since then, she has been committed to social justice for under represented communities, manifested in her long-standing work in movements for international solidarity, immigrant rights, women’s rights, and against racism and war.

Since graduating from Smith College, Ruth has held positions at two Massachusetts-based foundations supporting grassroots organizing in the southern United States and at an organization dedicated to stopping violence against women.

Ruth is a founding member of the Western Massachusetts Coalition for Immigrant and Workers’ Rights and also serves on the Rosenberg Fund for Children Board of Directors.

Ruth's joining our Board makes a strong team even more amazing, and we are all thrilled to welcome her as we continue our work to create a sustainable and collaborative home and resource center for Northampton's nonprofits and artists.

Storefront ART at Thornes Marketplace

Starting Monday July 21st, the former Details storefront on the ground floor of Thornes Marketplace will be transformed into the first Storefront ART workSPACE, featuring local artists Madison J. Cripps, Mat Matera & Dana Wilde.

Marionettes of wood and cloth with eccentric personalities and strange appendages manifest from Madison's world of Strings Attached. "For me, the most powerful moment is not when my painting looks like what I see, but when what I see looks like my painting" says Mat Matera whose work captures the details of Northampton. Dana Wilde brings a sensitivity to color and personal experience in her intuitive spirit drawings and large scale improvisational murals.

Thornes Market has stepped forward to partner with Commonwealth Center for Change’s Storefront ART program to provide local artists with temporary studio, exhibition and gathering space. Following its hugely successful launch last month at A.P.E.’s new Window Gallery, the partnership with Thornes represents a big leap forward for Storefront ART. Not only that, it’s an exciting milestone for local artists, who will benefit from low cost studio and exhibition space, and for the people of Northampton, who have responded so enthusiastically to the potential for a more energetic, interesting downtown that Storefront ART promises.

Now Thornes in not only a great place to shop, it also provides a unique opportunity to see artists at work. Come visit the artists and watch as their work develops!

Calling all artists, performers and all around creative folk!

Storefront ART is on the hunt for artwork of all media to include in the next ART Happening due to the streets of Northampton during October's Art's Night Out!

This cabaret style affair will feature a line-up of performances, a video art lounge and space for visual art. Interior and urban spaces will be home for tiny paintings on pebbles to intimate performance actions from spoken word to large-scale installations. How can the streets of Northampton and a gallery space be enlivened by your creative endeavors?

Submit the following no later than August 22nd:

• Project Proposal- This should include a description of the work you intend to show and any additional supporting materials, including installation requirements or duration of the work if it is performance or video

• Slide portfolio or CD; please include 10-12 images of your work or 5-10 minutes of time-based work

• Artist statement
• Resume/CV
• SASE if you would like your materials returned

Send Submissions to:

Storefront ART
c/o Commonwealth Center for Change

12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, Ma. 01060

Selected Artists will be notified by September 5th.

For more information contact Julia at: Julia@commonwealthcenter.org or 413.522.1319

NEED SPACE?

Storefront ART has workSPACE available at Thornes Marketplace!
Artists are placed in available workSPACE and windowSPACE through filling out our general application.

Storefront ART Seeks Time-based Art for NCTV

Location: A TV near you!
WindowSPACE: a new take on an exhibition space

Northampton Community Access Television poses an amazing opportunity to get more local art into the lives and homes of Northampton residents. NCTV is ripe with available airtime and The Commonwealth Center for Change wants to fill it with Storefront ART. We are seeking submissions of video art and other time-based mediums: installation, performance, dance, theater, sound, animation, etc. to include in our first run of local arts programming.

Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis, however to be considered for the first run of programming please submit no later than July 9th.

Submissions should include the following:

• Up to 15 minutes of video as an uncompressed quicktime file
  
• Title, running time and credit information (we will create title screens for each work)
• A brief artist statement (100 words or less)
• Resume/CV
• Your contact information: address, phone and email
  
• SASE if you would like your materials returned

Send Submissions to:
Storefront ART
c/o Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton MA 01060

Questions? Contact Julia at: julia@commonwealthcenter.org or 413.522.1319

Storefront ART is now seeking applications for WorkSPACE and WindowSPACE

Submit ASAP to be considered for the first available spaces!

Our first ART Happening on June 13th truly kicked things into high gear for Storefront ART. We are in the process of securing two new locations, one for WindowSPACE and one for a combination of WindowSPACE and shared WorkSPACE in downtown Northampton.

We need to know who is out there creating art, what kind of work you're creating and what you need for studio, exhibition and performance space so that we can begin to match artists with spaces that become available.

This is all happening very soon. We are unsure of the exact dates but it looks likely that we will have spaces available in July, so get your applications in as soon as possible.

You can find a copy of the application here.

Send Submissions to:
Storefront ART
c/o Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, Ma. 01060

For more information contact Julia at: julia@commonwealthcenter.org or 413.522.1319

Welcome to Andrea Ayvazian!

On behalf of the board and staff of C3, I'm very pleased to announce that Andrea Ayvazian has joined the C3 Board of Directors.

The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian is the Senior Minister of the Haydenville Congregational Church. She is the former Dean of Religious Life at Mount Holyoke Collge. A long-time activist for peace and social justice, Andrea has been involved in movements for social change since the early 1970s. She is firmly rooted in and dearly loves the Pioneer Valley and has served on numerous boards, councils and advisory groups in the region. She and her partner, Michael Klare, have one son Sasha who went through the Northampton public school system and is now in college.

Andrea brings an amazingly deep experience and wisdom to our board, as well as many years of commitment to movements for social change. Her active and enthusiastic embrace of the C3 vision will help C3 come to life in exciting and sustainable ways, and we are all so happy she has decided to join us! Welcome Andrea!

Storefront ART Launch a Huge Success!

Hundreds of people passed through A.P.E.’s beautiful new Window Gallery on Main St. in Northampton last Friday to take in the visual art and performance of some of the best young artists the valley has to offer in what was a tremendously successful launch of C3’s new Storefront ART program. Northampton art lovers of all ages were treated to an eclectic feast of photography, shadow boxes, sound installation, video installation, dance, hula-hooping, theater and music in an energy-filled celebration of local art and local artists.

Follow this link to see Derek Goodwin’s photographs of the evening. http://derekgoodwin.com/2008/2008/06/16/my-photos-at-the-c3-storefront-art-opening/

It was a lot of fun! And only the beginning—Storefront ART has arrived!

A big thank you goes to everyone who attended the event, both big and small! Your enthusiastic participation made the event a wonderful, exciting success!

Thanks to the intrepid group of artist/curators who worked so hard to make the show happen. Without your energy and imagination, this event would not have happened: Dave Dersham, Martha Fleming-Ives, Derek Goodwin, Julia Handschuh, Megan E. LaBonte, Jenny Orozco, Oceana Shawanda and Brettney Young.

Thanks also to the other artists who showed their work and helped give the evening such wonderful energy: Vanessa Anspaugh and dancers, FemmeAesthetik, Primate Fiasco, Serious Play! Theater Ensemble and Video Vanguards.

And finally, thanks to A.P.E. for so generously donating their gorgeous new gallery space, to the Northampton Center for the Arts for co-sponsoring the event, to YAC and the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce for helping publicize the event, and to the Art Angels for providing financial support.

For more information on Storefront ART, please contact Julia at 413.522.1319 or Julia@commonwealthcenter.org.

Storefront ART on the Radio!

Hey everyone,

We've been blanketing the air waves this week in anticipation of the launch of C3's Storefront ART program this Friday the 13th. Click on the following links to hear us on Bill Dwight's show on WHMP, and Monte Belmonte's show on the River. A big thanks to Bill and Monte for having us on their shows!!

Bill Dwight's show. Scroll down till you get to the June 10th show. Be aware that C3's segment doesn't start till about half way through the show.

Monte Belmonte's show. Just click on the picture of Megan hula hooping to get to the show.

Enjoy! And I hope to see you all Friday night at the Window Gallery!

Storefront ART Launch This Friday!

Friday June 13^th, from 5-8pm, Commonwealth Center for Change will launch its new ‘Storefront ART’ program at A.P.E.’s new Window Gallery at 126 Main St. in Northampton.

A stellar line-up of young local artists will present their work in an evening of dance, theater, folk music, video, photography, painting, installation and drawings, not to mention hula hooping and a wandering brass band!

Featured Artists include:

• visual artists Martha Fleming-Ives, Derek Goodwin, Julia Handschuh, Megan Labonte, Jenny Orozco, Oceana Shawanda and Brettney Young,
• folk singer Dave Dersham,
• modern dancer Vanessa Anspaugh,
• the FemmeAesthetik female hip hop crew,
• Serious Play! Theater Ensemble,
• hula hooper Hoop Master Sass,
• youth video art group Video Vanguards and
• the wandering eclectic brass band, Primate Fiasco.

In between the brief performance sections, artists will be on hand to answer questions and engage with the audience in a social evening designed to encourage interaction and conversation.

Storefront ART is a new Commonwealth Center for Change program that supports local artists by working with building owners to creatively use vacant downtown storefronts as temporary artist studio, gallery and performance space.

Commonwealth Center for Change is a nonprofit that provides office and program space, shared resources and capacity building programs to local progressive nonprofits and artists so they can do their work more sustainably, effectively and collaboratively.

C3 thanks the Northampton Center for the Arts for co-sponsoring this event and A.P.E. for hosting it. We also thank the Center for the Arts, A.P.E., the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and YAC for helping publicize this event.

For more information, please visit www.commonwealthcenter.org.

C3 Garden Party a Big Success!

An impressive group of community leaders gathered at the home of Lori Divine Hudson this past Sunday to learn more about Commonwealth Center for Change at C3’s Spring Garden Party informational open house. Around 45 people, the majority of them new to the C3 community, came to Lori’s house to learn about C3 and meet other people involved in the project. Although originally planned to take place in Lori’s lovely garden, forecast thunderstorms and temperatures in the very sticky 90s confined the event indoors, where we were all thankful for the air conditioning!

For the first hour guests chatted in small groups, enjoying the wine and beer generously donated by Lori, the fruit, crackers, cheese and other beverages donated by the River Valley Coop and Stop n Shop, and the delicious desserts donated by the Haymarket Café. It was a very pleasant, social way for guests to meet C3 staff, board members, volunteers and each other, and an informal way to be introduced to the C3 vision.

During the second hour guests listened to remarks by Mayor Clare Higgins, founding board member Jo Comerford and myself. After I spoke there was a lengthy question and answer period—I was very pleased by the energy and enthusiasm in the questions, which confirmed for me how exciting the C3 vision is to people and how much need there is for C3 in our community.

On behalf of the C3 staff and board, I want to thank Lori for being such a gracious and generous host, and such a staunch C3 supporter. I also want to thank Mayor Higgins for speaking at our gathering, and for the ongoing support and encouragement C3 receives from her and from the City. Lastly I want to thank our guests for braving the heat and coming out to learn about C3—their presence was energizing and nourishing for all of us at C3, and the generous gifts many of them made will be instrumental in helping the C3 vision become a reality.

Welcome to New C3 Board Members!

I'm incredibly pleased and honored to welcome Juan Carlos Aguilar and Jennifer Ladd to C3's board of directors!

Juan Carlos grew up in Mexico City before moving to the U.S. in 1988. After completing ESL classes at a local skills center, Juan Carlos started his career in public foundations as a clerical worker in 1990. His career has included being the director of Grants and Training and later a Program Officer at two national public foundations.

Working in foundations has given Juan Carlos the opportunity to learn from a large variety of groups working for social change in the U.S. and in the “Global South” (especially Chiapas, Mexico). Currently, Juan Carlos is the Development Officer of the National Priorities Project, which is a national organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent.

Juan Carlos is the proud father of Dionne and Thalia and lives in Northampton, MA.

Jennifer Ladd, Ed. D, of Jennifer Ladd Consulting, is a philanthropic advisor, a wealth and fundraising coach and a group facilitator. She co-founded Class Action with Felice Yeskel (www.classism.org). In her consulting work she is dedicated to creating resilient community by helping resources move where they are most needed. She uses theater and play, as well as traditional tools and practices to help organizations and individuals achieve their goals.


Both Juan Carlos and Jenny bring a great deal of experience and wisdom to the C3 board as well as a deep commitment to our community and to the C3 vision. I'm very proud and honored that they have joined our board!

New Series of ESL Classes

Hi everyone,

A new series of Sunday ESL classes will be starting June 8th at the Hope Community Church in Amherst. The first series was a big success, and here at C3 we're excited about being a part of this wonderful effort to help our immigrant neighbors feel more confident and welcome in our community.

The new class series will run for four Sundays, starting June 8th. Thanks to Hope Community Church for generously offering their space for this fantastic community building program. If you are interested in participating in the new class series please contact us at the following addresses.

If you are interested in teaching or being a tutor, please contact Erin at mcnallymonster@gmail.com

If you are interested in helping with child care or volunteer coordination, or if you are interested in taking the classes, please contact Juan Carlos at

jcaguilar@comcast.net

C3 Launches ‘Storefront ART’ program at Window Gallery

Friday June 13^th, from 5-8pm, Commonwealth Center for Change will launch its new ‘Storefront ART’ program at A.P.E.’s new Window Gallery at 126 Main St. in Northampton.

A stellar line-up of young local artists will present their work in an evening of dance, theater, folk music, video, photography, painting, installation and drawings, not to mention hula hooping and a wandering brass band!

Featured Artists include:

• visual artists Martha Fleming-Ives, Derek Goodwin, Julia Handschuh, Megan Labonte, Jenny Orozco, Oceana Shawanda and Brettney Young,

• folk singer Dave Dersham,

• modern dancer Vanessa Anspaugh,

• the FemmeAesthetik female hip hop crew,

• Serious Play! Theater Ensemble,

• hula hooper Hoop Master Sass,

• youth video art group Video Vanguards and

• the wandering eclectic brass band, Primate Fiasco.

In between the brief performance sections, artists will be on hand to answer questions and engage with the audience in a social evening designed to encourage interaction and conversation.

Bring your friends! Dress sharp! Don't miss it!

C3 thanks the Northampton Center for the Arts for co-sponsoring this event and A.P.E. for hosting it. We also thank the Center for the Arts, A.P.E., the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce and YAC for helping publicize this event.

For more information, call Julia at 413.522.1319 or visit www.commonwealthcenter.org.

PDF Grant!

C3 received a grant today of $1,000 from the Wellspring Fund of the Peace Development Fund. This grant is to help meet general operating expenses and will be very important in helping C3 get up and running. Thanks to PDF for this wonderful show of support for the C3 vision!

The grant from PDF joins the growing list of gifts of all sizes C3 is receiving from the many Valley residents who see how important C3 will be in helping progressive nonprofits and local artists do their work more effectively and collaboratively by providing affordable space and shared resources. Thanks to everyone who has given so generously!

If you haven't already, I hope you will join the growing community of C3 supporters by making a tax-deductible gift. Your support is crucial to making the C3 vision a vibrant, exciting reality. Please send your check to:

Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, MA 01060

Thank you!

Art Angels Grant!

I just found out this week that Art Angels, a wonderful group of local women philanthropists dedicated to funding the arts, has given a grant of $3000 to C3 to help us get our new Storefront Art program up and going.

Storefront Art brings artists and property owners together to meet the space needs of local artists by creatively using empty storefronts in a way that increases the cultural and economic vibrancy of Northampton. To find out more about Storefront Art send an email to info@commonwealthcenter.org.

I want to express our deep gratitude to the Art Angels; their support means a lot to us here at C3 and will be incredibly important in getting Storefront Art off to a dynamic, powerful start!

Welcome to Julia Handschuh!

I'm super pleased to announce that Julia Handschuh has joined the C3 team as a program/research/administrative assistant. Julia brings a great deal of experience in nonprofit administration, program development and outreach to her position at C3, in addition to a deep commitment to being an active, reflective participant in movements for progressive change. She is also a wonderful artist, and will play a key role in getting our Storefront Art program off the ground.

Julia can be reached at julia@commonwealthcenter.org

Hi everyone,

I was on Bill Dwight's radio show on WHMP last week. It was pretty fun--check it out! Thanks to Bill for having me on!


david sim...mp3 (9.9 MB),

ESL Classes off to a great start!

We had our first ESL class today at the Hope Community Church in Amherst. 16 students, 10 volunteer teachers, tutors and child care providers and a whole mess of kids came together for a lovely afternoon of eating, socializing and studying English together.

I love this project and I love this group of people I have to say--everyone is there for really great reasons, and the sense of community is very strong. By all accounts the afternoon was very successful, with all participants excited to continue, and many students vowing to bring more friends next week!

We are using a very conversational basis for our instruction, using different themes like health and work to help students gain confidence in their daily lives. Asking open ended questions and listening carefully are key to the success of this model, because it helps root instruction in the experience and needs of the students. This also is important for building trust between volunteers and students, and creates a stronger sense of common purpose and the feeling that we're all learning together. I could really feel this in the room, even in our first class--the sense that we're in this together as a group.

Plus eating together really helps....And speaking of which, thanks to Bueno y Sano for providing scrumptious burritos. Thanks also to the Hope Community Church for providing space for our little band.

And can I say how cool it was that the child care team was all men?

So we're off to a great start. Classes are free, and take place every Sunday from 2pm to 4pm for 8 week sessions at the Hope Community Church in Amherst. If you are interested in participating as a student, teacher, tutor or child care provider, please contact Juan Carlos at jcaguilar@comcast.net or come to our next volunteer meeting this Wednesday April 2nd at 7pm at the La Fiorentina Bakery/Cafe in Northampton.

C3 News

Website Relaunch!

C3 has relaunched its website--check it out at www.commonwealthcenter.org and be sure to check the 'Breaking News' link regularly to keep informed of upcoming C3 events and programs! A huge thanks goes to Yvonne Mendez for designing the site!

ESL Class Series Set to Begin

The ESL class series that C3 is helping to organize is set to start next Sunday, March 30th from 2-4pm at the Hope Community Church in Amherst. The classes will run every Sunday in 8-10 week sessions. They are free and open to all members of the community who would like to improve their English and connect with their community.

Hope Church is a wonderful facility with a big room upstairs for classes and a room downstairs for childcare, complete with toys! The church is on 20 Gaylord St. between South pleasant and Lincoln. Thanks to Reverend Carlos Anderson and the Hope Community Church for their generosity and hospitality!

If you have any questions, or would like to participate either as a student or a volunteer teacher, tutor or child care provider, please contact Juan Carlos at jcaguilar@comcast.net.

ESL note

Hi everyone,

Just to be clear, the ESL classes are not just for the latino community, of course. Anyone is welcome!! Remember, they start Sunday March 30th, so if you want to participate in any way, just let me know!

Thanks

Exciting News!!

Exciting News! Commonwealth Center for Change (C3) has received an anonymous 2 to 1 challenge grant of $10,000! This means one generous donor has made a pledge to give one dollar for every two we raise up to $10,000--translating into the opportunity to raise $30,000! This is wonderful news for C3 and will go a long way towards meeting our start up costs, finding our first home and making the C3 vision a reality!

C3 is gaining momentum and generating a great deal of enthusiasm. People throughout our community--nonprofit directors, city officials, educators, artists, activists and community leaders--are extremely excited by the prospect of a shared-space community center that provides stable, affordable event, program and office space for social change nonprofits, individual artists and arts organizations in the Northampton area.

As Northampton Mayor Mary Clare Higgins puts it:

"The Commonwealth Center for Change is a project whose time has come.
It has captured the imagination and support of many people in our
community, and I am convinced that it will make a significant contribution
to our quality of life and economic vibrancy."

If you are excited by the idea of a vibrant local community center committed to helping individuals and communities become stronger, smarter, more creative and more deeply connected, I hope you will join the growing community of C3 Founding Supporters. Make a tax-deductible gift and help us meet the challenge set by our anonymous donor. Your generosity at this early stage will be a crucial part of helping make the C3 vision a reality.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for your support and I hope to see you soon at a C3 event!

Sincerely,


David Simpson
Founder and Executive Director
Commonwealth Center for Change
12 Crafts Ave. #4
Northampton, MA 01060

Nonprofit Centers Network Workshop

I spent the day in Boston on Wednesday at a Nonprofit Centers Network workshop at the Nonprofit Center. It was a super informative day of panel discussions mostly around issues of financing buying or building a center as well as real estate issues, governance, tenant selection and tax questions. Man, there's a lot to learn! But it's great to be in a room full of people who run shared space centers or who are starting one--really energizing! I have to thank Jackie Cefola and Jonathan Spack of the Nonprofit Center and Third Sector New England for hosting the meeting in their wonderful nonprofit center (check out their website at http://www.tsne.org) and also Roxanne Hanson and China Brotsky of the Nonprofit Centers Network for making the trip from San Francisco and putting on a great day of learning and networking! (Check out the Nonprofit Centers Network site--it's a treasure chest of information about the broad network of shared space centers across the country. It's http://www.nonprofitcenters.org/)

Storefront Art Update

I presented the Storefront Art project to the Northampton Arts Council on Monday night, and received a very positive response. In fact, several members of the council asked to be added to our artist data base! The council encouraged C3 to apply for funding in the spring round. Thanks to Diane Porcella for inviting me to the meeting and to Dave Dersham and Lisa Thompson for moral support!

The word about Storefront Art is spreading kinda like crazy--I put a sign up sheet for artists interested in participating in Storefront Art over at the Haymarket at the end of last week, and already over one hundred people have signed up. I've also received several requests online to add people to our growing artist data base. There's clearly a big need and desire for ways for local artists to be able to make and show their art in Northampton. I'm confident C3's Storefront Art program will help meet that need and I'm also confident building owners will see participating in this project as being in their interests as well.

If you'd like to be added, please send an email with your contact info and the medium you work in to artistdatabase@commonwealthcenter.org, or sign up on the clipboard on the counter by the cash register at the Haymarket. If you're a building owner and would like to find out about participating in Storefront Art just drop me a line at dsimpson@commonwealthcenter.org.

Hi everyone,

We had a wonderful 'encuentro' today at the Newman Center at UMASS of people interested in participating in the series of ESL classes C3 is helping to organize. Around 20 people attended--about half the people interested in taking the classes and half interested in teaching, tutoring, providing child care, etc. We had a great lunch of burritos and taquitos, courtesy of Bueno y Sano and La Veracruzana, then conducted an informal assessment, to see where people's English level is at. More than anything though, it was just a way for us all to get together, get to know each other a bit. I gotta tell ya', it was great! Such an awesome group of people--I'm really proud to be a part of it.

If you're interested in learning more, in volunteering in any way, or if you know someone who might want to take the classes, just drop me a line. The classes are due to start March 30th, for eight week sessions, every Sunday, location TBA.

Peace!