A Historical Society that brings in innovative practices to celebrate history, culture, and community || by Rick Swanson || For 91 years the Historical Society of Cheshire County has been collecting, preserving, and communicating the history of Cheshire County. We do all the things that other historical societies do – from archives to re-enactments. But that’s not all we do. The museum world is changing and we are changing with it. We fully recognize that people will not return again and again to museums that are just repositories of “old stuff”. Today people support organizations where the public can come to make discoveries about local history and culture, form connections to the past, and create their own sense of place. Our partnerships with artists, writers, and musicians are key ingredients to make that happen.

Two hubs of the Monadnock Region are uniting arts and main street businesses to activate and enliven their communities by hosting arts activities, building partnerships with artists, and encouraging downtown businesses to stay open late every First Friday of the month! Arts are a great driver of tourism, economic activity, and community vibrancy.  First Friday Monadnock in Peterborough and First Friday Art Hop in Keene are beginning to build a partnership in which the two groups will come together to co-market the First Friday events in both locations.

Arts education is an equalizer that gives kids in our community - all kids - the skills that help them flourish. That is something that the folks at MoCo Arts in Keene deeply believe in as they work to transform lives through movement and creative expression.

We recently had a chance to talk to their leadership about their programs and their exciting campaign - MoCo Moves: Building MoCo Arts’ Future Capital Campaign - for a brand new facility in Keene for the future of the organization, along with the architect and builders taking on the project. Please enjoy!

Monadnock Music started in 1966 when James Bolle brought musicians from the big cities to make recordings and play a few concerts in the quiet Nelson Meeting House. People who happened to hear a concert brought their friends to the next one or one the next year. No one could quite believe that musical performance of such high caliber was flourishing in this rural corner of New Hampshire. Astonishingly it did, and over the next 53 years, hundreds of musicians from all over the country have performed at over 18 towns around the Monadnock region.

This month, we spoke with American Contemporary Fine Artist, John C. Traynor of West Swanzey, NH. Please enjoy!