The new Northeast chairman of the Board of Advisors, Robert McBride is the founding director of the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) www.ramp-vt.org, a not-for-profit arts organization in downtown Bellows Falls, VT, whose
mission is to demonstrate that artists and the arts play an essential cultural and economic role in the revitalization and sustainability of rural communities.

Mr. McBride's background is in the arts. He grew up in San Francisco, graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in painting. In the mid-1970's he moved to New York where he received an M.F.A. from Hunter
College and was a founding member of Painting Space 122, an alternate art space located on the Lower East Side. His interest in historic preservation stems from his moving to Bellows Falls full time in the 1990's and participating in
the revitalization efforts of his community by, sharing his background in the arts.

"The small scale of Vermont offers its residents a unique opportunity to interact on local, regional and state levels. Moving to Bellow Falls, provided an opportunity to roll up my sleeves, share my background in the arts, contributing
to the community's revitalization efforts," commented McBride.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history - and the
important moments of everyday life - took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in
Washington, DC, 8 regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of
people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America's stories.

The National trust for Historic Preservation hosts an annual conference annually in 2010 it will be in Austin, Tx and in 2011 it will be in Buffalo NY. Mr McBride is excited about the conference coming to our NE region in 2011 and will
be working closely with the advisors to assure the success of that conference.

"My primary goal as chair is to engage the twenty-two advisors in the Northeast in preservation initiatives that match their own expertise and fields of interest. My particular interests are the sustainability of rural communities and
particularly how artists and the arts can participate in that sustainability., stated McBride. . The Northeast Office of the National Trust is located in Boston, MA and serves 10 states in the region, including New York, Vermont, New
Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. For more information, visit www.PreservationNation.org.

Bellows Falls has been a hub for southeastern Vermont and neighboring portions of New Hampshire for well over two centuries. In years past, its regional leadership was based on manufacturing that grew up in the mid-1900s along the canal around the nearby falls on the Connecticut River. Several decades later, railroads replaced rivers and canals as the primary mode of transportation, but Bellows Falls remained a major hub thanks to the narrow gorge at the falls, which made it the best place to build a railroad bridge across the river. Today, though, Bellows Falls is more a cultural hub than an industrial one. Community leaders in this village of 3,500 residents were among the first in Vermont to recognize the value of taking advantage of state incentives for downtown revitalization, and over the last decade or so, they have brought the village out of a period of decline by repositioning it as a vibrant community that can attract twenty-first century high-tech industries looking for great places to relocate.

Live Music Events Listings for the Midriver Valley Region Southeastern VT, Southwestern NH, and Franklin County MA

WAYPOINT CENTER, BELLOWS FALLS VT
OPEN MAY-OCTOBER

The market takes place every Friday night from 4 to 7 at the Waypoint Center in downtown Bellows Falls. For more information about the Bellows Falls Farmer's Market, contact market manager Abi Miller at bellowsfallsmarket@gmail.com or 802.387.6128.

The market can be found on the web at www.bffarmersmarket.com.

I'm a full time exhibiting artist and instructor recently located from the Pacific Northwest to Chester, VT. I was a member of the Puget Sound Group of Northwest Painters, the oldest painting group, salon in the country. My work is focused on abstract expressionism using oils, sometimes acrylic paint and mixed media (oil bars, graphite,etc.). I enjoy teaching, sharing and mentoring and welcome beginners as well as experienced professionals. I find that working in the abstract allows one to develop style, skill and trust in one's creative intuition. You are then able to transfer this new confidence and expertise to any genre of painting.

I currently paint and teach at the Great River Arts Institute in Bellows Falls, VT. I'm represented by Brian Marki Gallery in Portland, OR and Polonaise Art Gallery in Woodstock, VT.

I was born and grew up in South-Eastern VT, have been blowing glass professionally for over 15 years, and have been in my own Studio, here in Bellows Falls, VT on 33 Bridge Street for 3 years. I specialize in hand-sculpted and blown glass, featuring "On-the-pipe" torchwork decoration that is best described as "Painting with Glass". I create unique & collectible Paperweights, Vases, Sculptural Animals and Fruit, Glass/Stem-ware and Seasonal Pieces, and More! I have an onsite Retail Gallery and can be found by accident or appointment at the Studio Mon-Sat 10am-3pm. Glassblowing Demonstrations most days.... Call or e-mail for appointment: (802-376-5744, sherwinartglass@comcast.net)

--Chris Sherwin

The Great River Arts Institute offers OPEN ART after-school programs throughout the school year to foster literacy through art-based, multi-disciplinary activities. We identify regional artists and educators who create innovative, hands-on art projects while interweaving elements of science, social studies, environmental studies and language arts.

After a successful pilot program in Vermont, OPEN ART expanded to elementary school in New Hampshire in 2006-2007. The program is now offered to 3rd through 5th grade students in eleven townships in Vermont and New Hampshire.

More than 200 students will benefit from OPEN ART over the coming school year.

The Rockingham Town Hall underwent a $3.7 million renovation from 2004~2006 that restored the Opera House to accommodate both movies and live performances including:

• State-of-the-art movie, sound, rigging and lighting equipment
• A full-height fly-space with rigging grid and catwalk
• A total of 553 fixed seats ~ 372 on the main floor and 181 in the balcony
• A greenroom with several dressing rooms

The Opera House is located in downtown Bellows Falls, a half hour north of Brattleboro, VT:

• Take Exit 5 off of I-91 North. At end of ramp, bear right
• At bottom of hill turn left onto Rte. 5 North
• Go 3 miles to Downtown Bellows Falls, entering "The Square"
• The Opera House is on your left, right under the clock tower!

The Town of Rockingham has recently acquired the services of a Theater Coordinator, Kali Quinn. Kali will be handling all live performances that will take place in the Bellows Falls Opera House.

There's something about music and trains that just goes together. The relentless rhythm of steel wheel against steel rail; the sense of leaving it all behind; the unfolding panorama of the North American landscape. From great cities to the lights of small towns, the majesty of the Rockies to the wide-open plains. Join us for one of our journeys - incredible music adventures on great trains with great music and great people.