A Note From the Monadnock Region Arts Community
Right now, people are turning to the arts. One obvious reason is that they have the time - the time to listen, watch, learn to make or play.
Another is that the arts bring joy and comfort.
Arts organizations are keeping doors open for folks to access the arts, continuing to support staff/employees, continuing to support art-making - all in new ways. Monadnock area arts organizations are still here - and they want to serve the community by bringing that joy and comfort and even a bit of positive distraction to everyone in our community.
An essential quality of arts experiences in our region is the intimacy of the relationship between audiences and performers, experts and students, masters and viewers. This is continuing through online relationships in a variety of ways.
The sudden shift to social distancing is putting innovation to the forefront in developing new ways to share art and teach art. The experience of staying home and staying safe has been an opportunity for a cultural shift in the arts sector and beyond. We are no longer allowed to disregard or disparage the power of communities coming together or consuming arts experiences digitally.
Check Facebook. Check Instagram. Check YouTube. Check whatever app the cool kids are using these days. See all the ways artists are working to bring us together and bring joy?
The missions of arts organizations across our region involve enrichment, connection, education, and transformation through creative and cultural experiences. Arts organizations will continue to do that now - in times of crisis and beyond - because we see the arts as an essential part of connecting with our own humanity and with each others’. We look forward to the new ways arts will connect our communities when we are all able to re-open our doors. For now, find us online and reach out if you'd like to support ways arts organizations are transforming - we are in this together.
Jessica Gelter, Arts Alive!
Alison Scott & Joan Epro, Electric Earth Concerts
Lenny Matczynski, Apple HIll Center for Chamber Music
Esther Rhoades, Grand Monadnock Youth Choirs
Nick Burns, Ashuelot Concerts
Keith Stevens, Peterborough Players
Joe Caracappa, Monadnock Art
Laina Barakat Monadnock Music
Michelle Stahl, Monadnock Center for History & Culture
Pelagia Vincent, Depot Square
Marybeth Hallinan, Two Rivers Community Choir
Rick Swanson & Alan Rumrill, Historical Society of Cheshire County
Holly Gibson & Reagan Messer, MoCo Arts
Deirdre Fitzgerald, Monadnock International Film Festival
Linda Greenwood, Green Lion Photography
Johniene Papandreas, Artist
Kimberly Kersey-Asbury, Sharing Arts/MAxT Makerspace
Alec Doyle, The Colonial Performing Arts Center
Dominique Boutaud Artist painter and Art Craft
