therealljidol Season 10-Week 21: Current Events

[baxaphobia]

This is my entry for week 21 of therealljidol. This week’s topic was current events. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my home town and a brief history of what is a fabulous effort to revive what could have been a terrible waste

Comments

[penpusher]

Great to note how artists are rushing in to save the old manufacturing town! I nearly attended Williams. I think if I were more enamored with theater, I might have, as the Williamstown Theatre Festival is noted all over, and features some heavyweight actors every summer.

What are the doubters saying about the Museum now?!

[baxaphobia]

Yes the Williamstown Theatre festival does attract quite a few big names. I have not gone in quite a while as often times tickets are gone before they even hit the general market. WTF doesn't do much for the locals, unlike MoCA. MoCA does free days for local residents and does a lot for the community in general. Many of the older people here still shake their heads at MoCA and refuse to even consider going there. I attend a lot of things there and you see more people from out of the area than locals. It's a same. It's very cool that you know the area. Do you ever get out this way?

[penpusher]

I haven't been very good about traveling to that part of the world, despite its geographic closeness. Probably also because tickets to WTF are so difficult to acquire (at least to the shows that sound most intriguing or have the biggest names).

[baxaphobia]

Well if ever you do get to this area send me a message. It'd be fun to meet you!

[i_17bingo]

Having lived a few years in a dying, formerly manufacturing town, I feared the worst of depression from your piece. You turned it around so fast, though, with hope and joy. I really liked reading this.

[baxaphobia]

I'm glad you enjoyed this. North Adams still has a lot of issues but we are not the laughing stock of the state anymore.

[rayaso]

What a great idea, and to see it succeed is impressive. The death of manufacturing can be so brutal, but it is heartening to see what some dedicated, creative people can do.

[baxaphobia]

Many didn't think MoCA would fly. I was excited from the start and it's a great place that I frequent often. Thanks for reading!

[halfshellvenus]

What a clever idea! Re-purposing an abandoned space helped both the artists and the more blue collar town, and to have it give rise to more festivals and tourist opportunities is fantastic.

There is no company loyalty to employees anymore, and the continual search for ever-cheaper labor has driven too many companies overseas. That ultimately costs us all. :(

[baxaphobia]

There is still a lot of work to be done to bring hte town back to life and it probably always will have issues. But MoCA does bring lots of people and revenue in which helps. Thanks so much for your comment!

[beeker121]

What a fabulous re-use of an old building otherwise left to ruin. Hopefully it will continue to attract more folks and help the entire town come back to life.

[baxaphobia]

Well, the museum already has helped the local economy and I can't imagine it not continuing to do so. This coming weekend is the big festival so much to some old crabby people's dismay there will be an influx of about ten thousand people. Smile! Thanks so much for reading!