All Opinion Articles

Ralph Brill a gallerist in the Eclipse Mill in North Adams reminds us that Mermaid Beatrice is swimming her way up the Hudson River. She splashes into North Adams after dark on Saturday night as the highlight of the Third Annual Hoosac River Lights event.

During the recent, season ending, Tanglewood Jazz Festival we spoke with Mark Volpe, the managing director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has had his hands full, yet again, with another medical absence by maestro, James Levine. Despite the concerns of some classical critics regarding the continuity and consistency of the orchestra, for the most part, the season has been successful. Even magical. But regarding non-classical programming, of which there is very little in the program, he was quoted making harsh remarks in the Berkshire Eagle. We asked him about that and were surprised but guardedly pleased by his response.

The Massachuetts Institute of Techology offers a great range of arts events many of which are free to the general public. We have the complete breakdown of the dense October calendar.

The glut of artists with MFA degrees has made it difficult to find tenure track positions in colleges and universities. There is now an industry in cranking out artists through degree programs. What is changing the playing field is the progressive standard of a doctorate in the fine arts for tenure track positions. Try to imagine Dr. Michelangelo, Matisse with an MFA, or Picasso teaching Photoshop at a state university in the midwest. What a mess as we start a new semester.

"My message has to be more complicated... The job of the Sherrif is not a law enforcement job. The Sheriff is responsible for the care, custody and condition of inmates. You can take a broad or a narrow interpretation of that, but either one is public safety, not law enforcement. The Sheriff does not go out busting perps, he doesn’t go on stakeouts. The perception is that he’s Wyatt Earp or James Arness in the Wild West. That’s what people think, but that’s not what the job is."

A large part of the success of Nicholas Martin's final of three seasons as Artistic Director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival has been the year round presence of the Williamstown resident, General Manager, Joe Finnegan. With a strong background in finance, for the past year, he has brought a professional status to his passion for theatre. With WTF back on track signified by rave reviews and sold out shows he looks forward to working with the new artistic director, Jenny Gersten.

The enormously ambitious, weekend long, Solid Sound Festival, curated by Wilco at Mass MoCA was a complete success. What now follows is a critical analysis vital to the momentum for future arts and events development in North Adams. We put out a call for responses and ideas. These ranged from Mayor Dick Alcobright, Mass MoCA PR person, Katherine Myers, to arts leaders, politicians and artists. We invite your responses as well.

The exhibition by the Pittsfield based, Haitian born artist, Robert Henriquez has evoked many provocative issues. The work is included in a group show at the summer long Gallerie Haiti on Main Street in North Adams. Here the artist discusses the ideas and resources for the work.

As summer winds down it is exciting to anticipate the launch of the fall arts season. Our Boston correspondent and tipster is marking her calendar. Here are some suggestions and where to find them.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today that the grant application deadline for the Artists Resource Trust (A.R.T) is August 1. A.R.T. provides grants to mid-career New England artists in financial need. Non-profit organizations wishing to show, commission or purchase work by mature artists living in New England may also apply.

This summer through fall foliage the arts are flourishing in North Adams. Now in its eleventh year Mass MoCA is lending a helping hand to a vital, imaginative and ever more vital arts community. New Mayor Dick Alcombright is working shoulder to shoulder with Joe Thompson of Mass MoCA, MCLA, local galleries, artists and community leaders. Now in its third year there are 35 stops on the Down Street arts map. There's a free trolley to get you around town. Events include a huge Wilco Festival at Mass MoCA, the Eagle Street Beach Party, and River Lights III. A world record sidewalk drawing is in the planning stages. Lots of family fun from now till whenever.

Everything is coming up roses for the North Shore Music Theatre, because they are back in business. They reopen with Vicki Lewis in the smash musical GYPSY. Vicki is most remembered for her five seasons playing Beth on the NBC sitcom “NewsRadio.” She also appeared on “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” GYPSY is a Broadway classic and a multi award-winning musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents.

The Longwood Symphony Orchestra which is made up of medical professionals will perform at Ozawa Hall in Lenox for the first time. The Boston Jewish Film Festival ENCORES AND MORE will be staged at the Museum of Fine Arts through June 27. Don't miss The Great American Trailer Park Musical at Speakeasy Stage.

The launch of the Fourth of July arts season in the Berkshires will be like an explosion in a fireworks factory. There has never been a greater offering of superb and diverse performances. While three days of James Taylor and Carole King at Tanglewood sold out ages ago there are many other top options. Mass MoCA is going head to head with Tanglewood on Friday night. It has Richie Havens vs. The Pops. Barrington Stage and Williamstown Theatre Festival will duke it out with dueling Sondheim musicals. There is a ton of stuff at Shakespeare & Company including the opening of John Douglas Thompson in Richard III. Jacobs Pillow and Berkshire Theatre Festival are in the mix. We offer a complete rundown.

There will be just tons of live music blasting from Mass MoCA this summer from a rock festival with Wilco, to the perennial Woodstocker, Richie Havens, to Carolina Chocolate Drops and a reggae dance party. Oh yes, there will also be some exhibitions. A show by Petah Coyne will open on May 29 and remain on view forever. But not quite for 25 years like Sol Lewitt.

Since 1987, State Representative, Dan Bosley, Democrat- North Adams, has been a great supporter of the arts organizations in the Berkshires. Last night, at the cozy Inn at Richmond, he asked a room of blue chip arts leaders for their support in a race for Berkshire Sheriff. He is opposed by Pittsfield Police Detective Thomas Bowler.

On September 21, 2007, in Federal District Court in Springfield, Judge Michael A. Posner ruled that Mass MoCA had not violated the artist Christoph Buchel according to the 1990 Visual Arts Rights Act. Now a Federal Appelate Court has found that the claim of copyright infringement against the museum has merit and should be heard by a federal jury. Tension mounts as the artist will indeed have his day in court.

The Gem show as Tucson knows it, is a collection of shows that are all held in this city from the end of January to the middle of February, some spanning the full period, some for a week, some for a few brief days. This year, 2010, there are 42 different shows being held here between Jan 22 and Feb 15.

Filmmaker John Waters will converse with artist Roni Horn. It is but one of the many events planned for the Winter/Spring at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art.

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington announces a schedule of events and performances from now through August. Highlights include the sold out Live in HD broadcasts from the Met. Tony winner, Patti LuPone, jazz masters McCoy Tyner and Bucky Pizzarelli are among the highlights. As well as appearances by the Paul Taylor and Alvin Ailey dance companies.

In the Berkshires they say never miss a Clark party. Particularly in the dead of winter. February 13: The party of the season takes place from 6 to 8 pm at the Clark. "Picture Yourself at the Clark" celebrates the opening of the Clark exhibition Giovanni Boldini in Impressionist Paris with an evening of live music, delectable hors d'oeuvres, and fun with portraits

For the first time in 26 years this week North Adams will have a new mayor in Dick Alcombright. After a busy weekend of ceremonies and celebrations he will be rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. In stating that this is "Our City" he pledges that his door will always be open. In a tough economy with many challenges nobody predicts that it will be easy.

In addition to its large foundation contributions, Berkshire Bank has launched a "Join the excitement Grant" program. It intends to award four $5,000 grants to area non-profits in February, 2010. The recipients will be based on votes made by the general public.

In a pre Holiday meeting Joe Thompson, director of Mass MoCA, greeted staff, volunteers and the media followed by curators presenting a preview of the coming season. Musician and performance artist, Laurie Anderson, will be in residence with a dialogue on January 16. After a dinner break there will be Alt Cafe that night. Time to mark your calendars.

As reliable as Black Friday and White Christmas, holiday offerings in the Berkshires once again take center stage. From "A Christmas Carol" at the Berkshire Theatre Festival to "The Nutcracker" at the Colonial Theatre, with a Christmas Oratorio and British Panto tucked away here and there, the holidays are upon us.

In article after article since John Barrett III lost a tough Mayor's race in North Adams the Berkshire Eagle has shed crocodile tears over his unanticipated defeat. To say the Eagle blew its coverage is an understatement. Now columnist Alan Chartock wades in on why he loves "Big John" who was "done in" by a "few disgruntled self styled arts types."

In one of the toughest campaigns in the history of North Adams Dick Alcobright succeeded in ousting John Barrett III at 26 years the longest running seated mayor in the Commonwealth. Today he updated transition plans.

While home for the holidays in the Berkshires, Martha Coakley, the front runner for the vacant U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts, took time to greet her home town supporters in North Adams. She endorsed incoming Mayor Dick Alcombright, and he was up bright and early to return the favor.

Joan Baez got her start singing at Club 47 on Mount Auburn Street in Harvard Square. Her then boyfriend, Bod Dylan, would fall by and jam. Tom Rush ambled over from his dorm at Harvard. Tim Hardin, Jim Kewskin, Geoff and Maria Muldaur and Mel Lyman appeared. Later Club 47 morphed into Club Passim. There is a city wide celebration of that folk era in Harvard Square through November. David Wilson, the publisher of the seminal Broadside provides the liner notes for this historic event.

Both the Berkhire Eagle and the North Adams Transcript are playing catchup for their blown coverage of the era ending upset when challenger, Dick Alcombright, ousted the Dean of Mass. Mayors, John Barrett. Their spin is mostly too little and way too late. While the on line media, such as feisty Tammy Daniels for iBerkshires, had it covered, big time, from the getgo.

The old line print media, The Berkshire Eagle, the North Adams Transcript, and the Boston Globe were dead wrong in their unflinching support of Mayor John Barrett. At 26 years he was the longest running mayor in the history of the Commonwealth. Yesterday some 60% of the 52% of registered voters in North Adams supported Mayor Elect Dick Alcombright.

During 26 years as Mayor of North Adams, John Barrett has done a lot for the city. Just ask him. Thanks, but it is time to move on. Berkshire Fine Arts endorses Dick Alcombright for the Mayor of North Adams. It is more about hope, ideas, survival and progress than just change for the sake of change.

Election 2009 seems to come down to this: who stands the best chance of delivering more jobs and economic growth in 2010-2011, the incumbents, the challengers, or some blend of both. It's a tough question, and one the voters will decide in just a matter of days.

For all the rhetoric about jobs and growth, neither Mayor John Barrett nor his opponent Dick Alcombright had very much to say about new directions for the troubled city of North Adams. The second Mayoral debate was mostly about how each counts beans and sees the problems the city faces, not about solutions. Their mutual lack of specific solutions is troubling.

To quote Winston Churchill during the Battle of Britain "Is this the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning?" In the coming months artistic director Tony Simotes will be charged with getting Shakespeare & Company back on track and out from under a stagering debt of $10 million.

Although Tina Packer is in the midst of a controversial production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" at Boston's Publick Theatre she attended the important press conference of Shakespeare & Company convened to discuss the current fiscal crisis. It was a chance to catch up with Packer and share her insights as founding artistic director of the company.

North Adams City Council incumbent and candidate for reelection Lisa M. Blackmer held a meet and greet at the Freight Yard. While drinking and snacking the rumors were flying in an ever more contentious Mayoral campaign between incumbent, John Barrett, and challenger Dick Alcombright. They both dropped by to press the flesh.

There was a lively turnout of some 272 supporters for a sit down dinner at Bounty Fare for Candidate Dick Alcombright. For many, the cupcakes with their Alcombright banners on top, baked by Keith Bona, were symbolic of the rising tide. While some feel the race is now a piece of cupcake Alcombright says it would be a mistake to be overly confident in the final month of a tough campaign.

Pittsfield becomes the first city in the Berkshires to openly welcome LGBT visitors. On Columbus Day weekend, October 10-12, it kicks off an "Out in the Berkshires" weekend full of music, theatre and dance performances for the gay community and its friends. It's great to see the region openly welcome this segment of our population.

Just like a church wedding the Alcombright supporters, many in his green t-shirts, sat in the pews on one side of the aisle, while the Barrett fans were seated opposite them. It evoked the visual image of a sharply divided city that reinforced the tough and contentious tone of the debate. It was an evening of lively political theatre with high stakes for the future of North Adams during a tough economy.

Shorter days bring brighter nighttime events. With a cornucopia of choices, Fall 2009 promises to be the most entertaining in years. Check over our picks and previews which cover events from now until late November, and you're sure to find something to spice up your cider.

Located between the larger and better known artist communities of Pittsfield and North Adams it is easy to overlook the vibrant Adams art scene. We visited and interviewed eight artists in their studios. They are all well established with an intriguing variety of work.

The Arts and Artists of Adams, Massachusetts have received little attention. There are two vital and evolving arts organizations, the Topia Art Center and Greylock Arts Gallery, as well as several cultural entities to visit and enjoy.

Summer may seem to be drawing to a close, but you can't tell by the busy schedule in the next few weeks. In fact, more new shows are opening, fresh dance companies are unpacking and the jazz musicians are waiting in the wings for a festive climax to Summer in the Berkshires. To make sure you don't miss anything, here is another handy roundup of the best events for late summer through the big Labor Day weekend.

composers, cutting edge dance or perhaps an absorbing evening of great theatre? Take time to indulge your senses and treat yourself to some of the Berkshire's legendary performing arts attractions. They all have great deals for residents and visitors alike. Use our handy Picks and Previews guide to help decide.

For 26 years John Barrett has served as the Mayor of North Adams. He is running for yet another two year term. In a meeting with artists of the Eclipse Mill complex he related the epic struggle to salvage a depressed city largely through his personal efforts to help Tom Krens and then Joe Thompson in their plan to transform the abandoned Sprague Electric campus into Mass MoCA. Some $35 million in state revenue was used to renovate the museum which is celebrating its first decade.

Recently Dick Alcombright who opposes the incumbent, John Barrett, met with us to discuss his platform as candidate for Mayor of North Adams. We particulaly focused on the presence of Mass MoCA, MCLA, and an emerging community of artists as a matrix for arts as an economic engine to drive a depressed and recovering city.

For Berkshire residents the Saratoga Performing Arts Center is not that far away, and offers a completely different menu of performances to choose from. Their season had just begun when we visited. The New York City Ballet is in residence through July 18.

July is a great time to be in the Berkshires with dozens of must-see events taking place as we approach the height of the season. Making the right choices is challenging. Winnow them down using our capsule descriptions and handy links. There's no easier way to compare, check and choose than this handy guide. Lots of pictures, too.

The hottest tickets in New York from the 10th to the 14th of June were to events featuring physicists, neuroscientists and other exotic individuals. There was, indeed, much ado about nothing.

Summer Begins with an amazing array of performing arts events to choose from. Both Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow kick off their busy schedules while the main stages of the Berkshire's four resident professional theatre companies all kick into high gear. Our capsule descriptions and handy links will guide you through the dense array of superb cultural resources. In season world renowned artists perform in the Berkshires.

A new season of events kicks off July 5 with the reigning "Pied Piper of Music," Dan Zane and Friends and continues with opera, dance, theatre and "something for every taste."

June is bustin' out all over, and our resident performing arts organizations are pulling out all the stops as the season approaches. Once again we provide our handy guide to upcoming Berkshire events.

North Adams, and Mass MoCA now celebrating its 10th anniversary, have come a long way from rock bottom when Sprague Electric left town, during the 13 terms of Mayor John Barrett, Jr. For the first time in 26 years Barrett has a tough opponent in Dick Albombright. Some 800 plus turned out for a spaghetti dinner fundraiser last week. It's shaping up to be a tight race.

During a mixer that Nancy Jane Fitzpartick held in the Lion's Den of the historic Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge there was the chance to put a face in the place. The event was about Facebook networking in all of its complexity.

For all those who sacrified that others may be free. A day to visit family grave sites and remember the fallen. From Ellis Island, to Gettysburg, to Iwo Jima and Normandy to Wounded Knee or Mi Lai. History is never simple and every cause is hardly just.

Here's your weekly guide to the top events happening in and around the Berkshires with more than a dozen exciting and fascinating offerings for you to choose from.

The live in HD series of broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera were an enormous success this past year for the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. There will be a preview of the season which starts in the fall with a broadacast of a vintage performance of Renee Fleming starring in Eugene Onegin on July 11. The Mahaiwe is planning a stunning schedule of dance, music, film and theatre for the coming season.

The Biennale de Montreal, 2009 is the sixth in a series that was launched by Centre international d' art contemporain (CIAC) under its director, Claude Gosselin, a dozen years ago. The ambitious interactive theme of Open/ Libre Culture is a response to dramatic changes impacting a network of some 300 global biennial projects. The current version focuses primarily on Canadian artists.

Once again we expect the unexpected in the 2009 Biennale of Montreal (BNL MTL 09). Taking a lead from developments in on line social networking,media, texting, sampling in music and video,this event will allow the public to interact with all aspects of the intense, month long project.

There are many highlights offered in the dense schedule for the 2009 season of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Founded in 1914 the PAAM has served one of the nation's oldest and most renowned artist colonies. The exhibitions and programming reflect that rich history.

As newspapers make drastic cuts in response to mounting debt and decline of ad revenue there is a paradigm shift in the way that we gather and rely on the accuracy of information. In the blogosphere and Facebook/ Twitter world everyone is a media pundit. At least for the proverbial 15 minutes which has eroded to just seconds. In the internet age who "owns" the rights to text and images?

The Venice Biennale is the oldest having been founded in 1895. That was followed by the Sao Paulo Biennale in 1951 and Documenta in 1955. Today there are some 200 global biennials. As the art world gets beaten back by a sour economy it is time to reevaluate the proliferation of international exhibitions. This was the topic of a lively panel that was mostly sabotaged by an unruly participant.

Some 364 individuals attended the weekend conference International Opportunities for Artists held at the Omni Parker House in Boston. There were 25 panel discussions, mentoring sessions, power lunches, a gala and several receptions. This truly global event offered 75 speakers. It was a great networking event for artists seeking residences as well as information on art fairs and biennials. There are already plans for a 2011 conference.

This past weekend provided a perfect Spring Break from the monotony of the Berkshire mud season. With offerings of comedy and drama, high art and low, these were the first tender shoots of the Berkshire's bountiful season that is preparing to burst into bloom.

Stuart Chase, the director of the 106 year old Berkshire Mueum in Pittsfield discusses the recently completed $10 million renovation that was "on time and within budget." He also deaccessioned three paintings by the Russian, Grigoriev, that added $7 million for future acquisitions. Not bad during these hard times.

In a gutsy move, Pittsfield's Colonial Theatre has greatly expanded both the number and kind of programs it will offer in the coming year. 46 different groups will present 60 performances in a dozen categories, including comedy, musicals, family events and cabaret singers.

Perhaps no playwright has had more ink spilled over his work than Samuel Beckett, master of the absurd. 25 years after A.R.T.'s first production of Endgame found them in court, the new A.R.T. version of Endgame doesn't prove Beckett was right all along. Perhaps A.R.T. was.

The $50 million for the arts in the $787 billion stimulus bill has been added to the existing budget of $145 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. But that is small change compared to recent appropriations for the arts of $2 billion by Germany and $4 billion in France. There is a prevailing attitude that goverment support for the arts in the U.S. is an agenda of a "cultural elite" and "liberals." But after the disaster of the eight Bush years "liberal" is no longer a dirty word.

Spending money it can ill afford during a time of financial crisis, Jehudah Reinharz, President of Brandeis University hired Rasky Baerlein Stategic Communications, a PR firm than specializes in crisis management, to draft a carefully worded apology for a rash and irresponsible decision to close the Rose Art Museum and sell its renowned collection.

With the unanimous decision of the Board of Trustees, Jehuda Reinharz, the President of Brandeis University has decided to close the Rose Art Museum and sell its collection appraised at $350 million but worth about half of that estimate in the current art market. It is a desperate measure to stabalize the cash strapped university whose donors have been hit hard by the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scandal.

Happily, midwinter in the Berkshires is anything but quiet. In fact, that's when many of our resident cultural institutions do their best work. A survey of what's coming up between now and Spring.

With $4 a gallon gas and a sinking economy 2008 was a challenge for arts and tourism in the Berkshires. But our contibutors covered not only the Berkshires but arts and culture in New York, Boston, London, New Orleans and Shanghai. We reflect on some of the highlights.

The turkeys in our backyard are lean and tough compared to the piles of butterballs at the Big Y. A time to reflect on the meaning of Thanksgiving.

From the lights on the Boston Common, to the lights on the marquees, Boston knows how to celebrate the Holidays. Their traditions have long histories and deep roots, from the Holiday Pops and Handel & Haydn Messiah to the Christmas Revels and The Nutcracker. To help you plan your holiday entertainment, here is a preview and guide for Boston Holiday Events 2008.

The beginning of winter is marked by theatre, music and dance throughout the world, but perhaps nowhere is it more heartfelt than here in the Berkshires. This Thanksgiving let us give thanks to our arts community and then get out and enjoy their offerings. Your guide awaits.

Gestern waehlte Amerika einen neuen Praesidenten, Barack Obama. Er wird der erste amerikanische Praesident werden, mit einer amerikanischen Mutter, eine Weisse, und einem afrikanischen Vater. Am Ende des Wahlkampfes spielte Rasse nur eine kleine Rolle.

There were tons of tourists and camera crews everywhere. The financial crisis lures the concerned and curious to Wall Street.

The Berkshire Hills are very much alive this fall. Choose from the ridiculous or the sublime, from the Ballet Trockaderos with men in tutus and on pointe to the arrival of Irina Brook at Shakespeare & Company to wrest a play from Oscar Wilde's book, The Canterville Ghost. For a complete change of pace, the Cirque du Soleil is coming to Amherst and Boston.

With Labor Day Weekend approaching Jordan Young will be heading back to college. For the past summer he was an intern at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art with a range of duties and challenges. Overall he reports that it was a remarkable experience.

A perfect storm of cool, rainy weather, $4 a gallon gas, and a lousy economy caused the coining of a new term "Staycation" during the summer of 2008. While clearly an off year Berkshire arts and tourism held their own largely through its range of world class offerings.

It is hard to believe that Janis Joplin performed at Tanglewood in 1969. As well as The Who and Miles Davis. There was a false start to revive rock in 2007 with a literally washed out Cars. But last night Wilco brought rock once again to Tanglewood. After three plus decades it's about time.

Berkshire residents are reveling in an amazing array of area arts offerings. Our monthly Preview serves to help guide your choices with helpful facts, insider details and handy links. The only mistake would be to procrastinate. Nothing gold can stay.

The awesome array of Berkshire arts events in July is astounding. Our theater, music and dance companies create their schedules one by one, but taken together it's going to be one sensational Summer Festival right here in our own backyard. Enjoy.

Part One: Use this handy guide to Berkshire museum discounts, and you can enjoy the same wonderful attractions that draw tens of thousands of people to our region each summer.

Berkshire residents and visitors are about to enjoy the earliest and most promising arts season in years. We pick the best of the early music, theater, dance and gallery offerings, from Memorial Day to the end of June 2008.

Theater, music and dance performances are sprouting up everywhere. Here's a head's up on the most promising. After a hard winter, it's nice to see the Berkshires bloom with life again.

Thinking back to his teenage days on Long Island, in the 1950s, when Elvis was the King, Steve Nelson draws interesting parallels to the presidential race that has Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton fighting for the nomination to lead the Democratic party. With a hint of Doris Day. A trip down memory lane that fast forwards to the future.

The Russian born scientist and engineer, Yuri Tuvim, offers a short sketch on how to quench the American thirst for oil.

While not a "best" and "worst" list in the usual sense we offer an overview of events and what proved to be moving and insightful while covering the arts in 2007.

Just in time for the Holidays a festive George W. Bush Calendar. In the last of eight magnificent years as they say we are winding down into the home stretch.

Negotiations for the Contemporary Artists Center to develop a permanent home in the former Notre Dame church property in North Adams ended in acrimony and finger pointing. It is a serious loss and set back for an emerging but struggling arts community.

The array of holiday treats taking place in the Berkshires has grown, and is more eclectic than ever.

In reponse to Friday's Federal Court decision in favor of Mass MoCA the artist Christoph Buchel filed an appeal. But today the museum has announced that it will trash the unfinished work immediately to make way for an installation by Jenny Holzer to open as soon as possible.

Originally scheduled to open last December Federal Judge Michael A. Posner ruled yesterday that Mass MoCA may indeed open the unfinished exhibition of Christoph Buchel in its largest gallery. Did the museum simply prevail in a no win situation? The jury is still out.

The volunteers, the deficits, the sniping from the sidelines: You have to expect it when you are biggest target. The BSO's Berkshire summer of 2007 lends itself to parody, speculation and reminiscences.

An eclectic array of possibilities makes this the richest Fall arts season yet.

The historic Dune Shacks of Provincetown have seen countless artists and writers commune with nature on the Outer Cape. That is now threatened with extinction. Artist photographer, Daniel Ranalli, writes about this issue with passion and first hand experience.

Julianne Boyd hosted an open meeting in her Barrington Stage Company theatre in Pittsfield between arts leaders and Deval Patrick, the first Democrat Governor of Massachusetts in far too long.

More response to the collection of essays "Critical Mess: Art critics and the state of their practice." And a reply to a Peter Plagens piece on critical writing in the February, 2007 issue of Art in America.

Overcome by ennui at the prospect of coming up with that annual best and worst list.