Adams Arts Advisory Board

MISSION

The Adams Arts Advisory Board (AAAB) advises and assists the Town of Adams in developing local cultural assets that include a comprehensive Public Art Master Plan in town, year-round Arts & Cultural Events, and Partnership Projects with regional artists and cultural institutions.

AAAB enhances the visibility of local artists through shared communication and development platforms. The Board conceptualizes and organizes creative projects and activities for the local communities to participate. The Board is also creating a strategy to engage more artists from underrepresented communities including people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and people who are LGBTQIA+ to give them more visibility and opportunities.

The Adams Arts Advisory Board connects visitors and new residents to the growing network of the creative talents in town, establishing a cultural infrastructure to make Adams a go-to arts and cultural destination in the Berkshires and beyond.

LEADERSHIP

Board Members:

President: Melissa Silverstein, Founder and Publisher of The Athena Film Festival and Women and Hollywood

Treasurer: George LeMaitre, Founder and Owner of 13.5 Grove Art Works

Member: Yina Moore, Founder and Executive Director of Adams Theater

Member: Garret Weyr, Author

Member: Carissa Toomey, Artist and Graphic Designer

Member: Katherine Haig, Artist and Adams Liaison for Common Folk Arts Collective, North Adams

Member: Lea King, Owner of Wigwam Western Summit and 57 Park St

Member: Rob Patterson, Graphic Designer and Founder of The Dusk Chapel

HISTORY

The Adams Arts Advisory Board was established in August 2015 by the Adams Town Hall. The mandate was three-fold: to develop public arts initiatives, to develop an arts festival, and to provide assistance in promoting the arts community in Adams.

A lot of progress was made between 2015 and early 2020: the Faerie Festival was created and ran for four consecutive years, local mural projects were carried out, and artists from diverse backgrounds have come to live and pursue creative visions in Adams. The pandemic put a pause on everything including Adams Arts Advisory Board's public art initiatives and festivals, while a number of board members encountered health challenges and the then-President Phil Sellers sadly passed away from a heart attack.

Adams Arts Advisory Board was relaunched in July 2021, with new board members taking on the leadership responsibilities of rebuilding the organization, re-activating the Faerie Festival, and expanding the definition and the scope of our mission.