Click on the slideshow to see a bigger version.
Thank you! to all for making RAMP's 10th Annual Art Raffle a success ...stay tuned for next year's 11th Annual to be held in September 2012.
Over seventy-five regional artists have donated works. Images of the donated works are posted on the RAMP website: www.ramp-vt.org. A selection of the artworks is currently on display in the windows of the Windham Antique Center. A $25.00 ticket can lead to winning one of donated original paintings, drawings, collages, ceramics, or wearable art.
RAMP was founded in 1995 to convey an important message: artists and the arts are essential to the revitalization and sustainability of rural communities. To this end, RAMP focuses on the importance of developing affordable live/work spaces, hosting quarterly regional Artist Town Meetings that bring artists, artisans and local food growers together as a constituency, supporting public art initiatives and participating on a variety of boards of directors in order to make sure the arts are represented and involved in policy making.
RAMP's founding director, Robert McBride whose 35 year journey brought him to Bellows Falls from San Francisco, through New York City where he lived for twenty-five years, and was a founding member of PS122 an alternate art space on the Lower East Side. He feels strongly that rural life and small communities offer a unique opportunity for the residents to directly participate in shaping their own community.
McBride feels that: "The 10th Annual Art Raffle is a great opportunity for the community to come together. It is exciting for both the artists and the people who purchase raffle tickets. "The quality of the art is very high, and the possibility of winning a piece of art is very exciting to the people who purchase tickets. And at the end we feed you!"
The art raffle is part of RAMP's mission to develop an awareness of the arts, create vitality in the community through art, and demonstrate that art can favorably impact a community both financially and culturally. The raffle is an opportunity to meet the artists and become part of the creative arts community.
The donated artwork can be viewed at www.ramp-vt.org
Tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100 and can be purchased on loner. You need not be present to win.
For more information and accessibility inquiries call 802-463-3252; email: ramp@sover.net
]]>They were also looking for a project with a track record, that had proved itself in the community.
And they were hoping to honor an organization that had reached out to other groups to collaborate on ways to increase the impact of arts in a town or city.
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Now is the time to register. A deep discount is available for on-line registrations through June and mail-in registrations start July 1st at a slightly higher fee. PBN members have been sent instructions to register with an additional discount and should call the office if they have questions or difficulties; this PBN members discount ends on July 31st Non-members still have time to join PBN and receive this discount. Read more...
]]>Contact: Robert McBride
Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP)
802-463-3252 ramp@sover.net
CREATIVE ECONOMY EVENT TO DRAW TOGETHER REGION'S CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
NEFA to present inaugural Creative Economy Awards
Berkshire Creative of Berkshire County, MA, and the New England Foundation for the Arts of Boston, MA, will host the Creative Communities Exchange, a major regional event highlighting successful creative economy work on May 19 and 20, 2011, at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA.
]]>'We are thrilled to partner with NEFA to provide this opportunity for Creative Community practitioners to learn from their colleagues, and gain concrete tools for implementing proven initiatives and best practices," says Berkshire Creative director Helena Fruscio.
NEFA will present its first-ever creative economy awards to two projects during the closing session, recognizing excellence in cultural community building. "Though the creative economy movement is global, we know that success really happens locally - through the work of artists, nonprofits, businesses, and civic leaders," said NEFA executive director Rebecca Blunk. "We want to champion the innovative partnerships and inspired leadership in New England's creative economy."
Registration is $80 through May 1 and $100 after; a limited number of scholarships are available. For details, or for information on presenting, visit http://creative-communities-exchange.eventbrite.com/.
The Creative Communities Exchange is sponsored by Autodesk, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, MASS MoCA, the Porches Inn and the Red Lion Inn, with media sponsorship from Art New England.
About Berkshire Creative
The mission of Berkshire Creative is to stimulate new job growth and economic opportunity in the region by sparking innovative collaborations between artists, designers, cultural institutions and businesses. Berkshire Creative provides the businesses, individuals, and organizations of the Berkshire creative economy with the news, information, resources, and representation they need to do better business in the Berkshires and beyond. www.berkshirecreative.org.
About NEFA
NEFA creatively supports the movement of people, ideas, and resources in the arts within New England and beyond, makes vital connections between artists and communities, and builds the strength, knowledge, and leadership of the creative sector. NEFA is a nonprofit that operates with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England state arts agencies, and from corporations, foundations and individuals. www.nefa.org.
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Contact:
Ann Wicks, awicks@nefa.org 617.951.0010 x534
Helena Fruscio, helena.fruscio@berkshirecreative.org 413.822.8324
Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) will host its spring Artists Town Meeting potluck in Bellows Falls, VT at the Exner Block, Thursday, April 21, 2011, 6-8 PM --
For the last four years RAMP has hosted quarterly Artists Town Meetings. Artists, artisans and local food growers are all welcome to attend. The focus of the quarterly meetings is to bring creative people together in order to share ideas and a meal. "The more we know each other and can identify ourselves as a constituency the more credibility we gain."Mc Bride explains."There is an ever-growing community of working artists and local growers in our midst, all of whom are contributing greatly to the cultural and economic vitality of the area. One of RAMP's many roles is to be an advocate for these artists. In order to be effective in that role, RAMP creates and participates in opportunities to hear from local artists and assist them in making community connections that benefit us all."
One of the items for discussion is this year's Open Studio Weekend, May 28 and 29, coordinated with the "The Vermont Crafts Council Open Studio Weekend. It is a great opportunity for artists share their work and to gain access to potential customers.
McBride says that RAMP is committed to hosting four Artists Town meetings throughout the year and the agendas are informally developed by the input gathered at each of the forums. The Exner Block is wheelchair accessible. Please call 802-463-3252 to make arrangements. RAMP thanks The Vermont Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Sovernet and Stewart Property Management Co for helping to make this meetings possible. The Exner Block provides ten affordable live/work spaces with a preference given to artists and six retail spaces.
Interested participants are asked to RSVP by e-mailing: ramp@sover.net, with "Artists Town Meeting RSVP" in the subject line, or by calling 802-463-3252 ####
]]>The 9th Annual Art Raffle hosted by the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010 , starting at 3 P.M. at Boccelli's, 46 Canal Street, across from the train station in downtown Bellows Falls, VT. The raffle offers an opportunity to win original artwork, meet artists, fellow art lovers, have some great food and support RAMP.
Over fifty regional artists have donated works. Images of the donated works are posted on the RAMP website: www.ramp-vt.org up until the day of the raffle. A $25.00 ticket can lead to winning one of approximately 50 pieces of art including paintings, drawings, collage, ceramics, and wearable art valued in the hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
RAMP was created in 1995 to convey an important message: artists and the arts are essential to the revitalization and sustainability of rural communities. To this end, RAMP focuses on the importance of developing affordable live/work spaces, hosting quarterly regional Artist Town Meetings that bring artists, artisans and local food growers together as a constituency, supporting public art initiatives and participating on a variety of boards of directors in order to make sure the arts are represented and involved in policy making.
RAMP’s founding director, Robert McBride whose 35 year journey brought him to Bellows Falls from San Francisco, through New York City where he lived for twenty-five years, and was a founding member of PS122 an alternate art space on the Lower East Side. He feels strongly that rural life and small communities offer a unique opportunity for the residents to directly participate in shaping their own community.
“The 9th Annual Art Raffle is a great opportunity for the community to come together around the arts. The quality of the art is very high, as well as the chance of winning a piece of art. And at the end we feed you!” McBride comments.
A selection of works donated for the art raffle will be on display at Project Space 9, located in the Exner Block at 9 Canal Street in downtown Bellows Falls, October 19th-31st. Subsequently, the donated art work will be on display at Boccelli's November 5th, 6th, 12th and the day of the raffle Saturday November 13th from noon on. Tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100. You need not be present to win and tickets will be available for purchase online. Call us at RAMP, 802-463-3252, for details.
]]>Emily Wadhams is the Vice President for Public Policy at the National Trust for Historic Preservation,www.PreservationNation.org , a position she has held since January 2003. Her department manages all aspects of the organization's Congressional, federal, state and local, policy program and she directs the National Trust's Sustainability Program, which includes the Seattle-based Preservation Green Lab. Formerly she also served in the VT Division for Historic Preservation at the State Historic Preservation Officer.
]]> The Exner Block was purchased at auction in 1998. It was a derelict building on Canal Street which had not supported retail since the 1970's. Housing Vermont and the Rockingham Area Community Land Trust purchased the building; together with the Town of Rockingham and the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) funding was secured for the renovation of the building. The restored building opened its doors in October of 20000, providing ten affordable live-work spaces and six retail spaces with a focus. Project Space 9 is a community gallery that occupies the lobby of the building. All the retail spaces are wheel chair accessible and there is a wheel chair accessible apartment on the ground floor. The building is currently fully occupied."It is hard to believe that ten years have already passed since the building opened its doors. The renovation of the Exner Block completed in 2000 is the essence of RAMP's identity and mission. It is recognized as the bricks and mortar kick-off to the revitalization efforts in Bellows Falls. Residents, politicians and a variety of people statewide look at the success of the Exner Block as a model for the positive influence that artists and the arts have in contributing to downtown revitalization and the importance of creating affordable housing in the downtowns." Robert McBride, founding director of RAMP
The Howard Block on the other side of the Square was another derelict building in our downtown after a severe fire in the mid 1990's; Aubuchon hardware closed and opened a store across the river and left a boarded up building in the downtown. Housing Vermont and the RACLT after completing the success Exner Blk building were willing to take on this project along with BFDDA. The building provides thirteen, one and two bedroom apartments and six retail spaces.
The importance of the the housing organizations which had the capacity and the vision to restore these buildings cannot be underscored. BFDDA and the Town tried for many years to interest private development in rehabbing the buildings, the developers, just could not make the numbers work.
Between the Exner Block and Howard Block renovations an additional twenty-apartment and twelve retail spaces were added to the walkable downtown. All of the retail spaces are currently rented and the residents of the building shop in the downtown stores.
The Bellows Falls Visitors Center designed by Daniel Scully and home to The Connecticut River National Byway is owned by the Town of Rockingham and managed by the Great Falls Region Chamber of Commerce. The NH/VY Byway initiative links thirteen communities along the river sharing the history and recreational resources.
Another reason to celebrate on the October 7th is that the National Park Service has announced that the Williams Street Extension Historic District was officially entered on the National Register of Historic Places on July 13, 2010. The Division for Historic Preservation and the Town of Rockingham invite you to recognize this special honor as part of the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance's celebration of housing and historic revitalization in Bellows Falls. The nomination and other information about the National Register is available on the Division's website at www.historicvermont.org, under Historic Registers, Proposed Nominations.
BFDDA is a non-profit organization formed in 1999 with the mission "to promote and support revitalization efforts and economic development in the Bellows Falls Downtown Development District." All the venues for October 7 are all wheelchair accessible.
Contact: Francis Walsh, Town of Rockingham 802-463-3456 ext 104 Robert McBride, Rockingham Arts and Museum Project: 802-463-3252
If you have any questions regarding the National Register listing, please feel free to contact. Nancy E. Boone, State Architectural Historian / Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer 802-828-3045
rsvps: 802-463-3456 ext 104
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Tickets by phone: (1-800-838-3006), or online: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/113887
]]>Visitors to Bellows Falls 3rd Annual Open Studio Memorial Day Weekend, May 29 and 30 will have the opportunity to visit with over fifteen artists and artisans as they stroll around stroll around the downtown square.
Download the poster. (PDF)
"We're organizing a local effort in conjunction with this highly successful Vermont State Craft event to draw attention to the unique range of aritsts working in Bellows Falls" said Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP). founding director, Robert McBride. "We've spent over a decade integrating artists and the arts in the organic revitalization of downtown Bellows Falls, we are proud of the integral role artists play and thank the artists for consistently sharing their talents with the community."
If you are not familiar with downtown Bellows Falls start at the Project 9 pace located at 9 Canal Street in the Exner Block, a building that was renovated ten years ago in order to provide ten affordable live/work spaces and six retail spaces with a focus on the arts . Brochures including maps and listings of local eateries and businesses will be available. Look for yellow balloons and placards that mark the venues. There is plenty of all-day parking down by the railroad station and a pleasant two block walk into the downtown square.
The Exner Block on Canal Street, a unique building circa 1905, note the pressed tin exterior. Is home to ten artist's residents, the Project 9 Space. Artist exhibiting at the Exner Block are Barrie Elliott, Julia Jandrisits, Anne Y, Shawna Ingbar, *and *Jacque Fabrizi. Impoprted African woven textiles by *Amie Walter *and hand painted glassworks by *Kathy Tretler *in her new shop, Dellamano Glassworks add to the charm of this historic building.
In the the old firehouse, directly across the street from VT Pretzel and Coyote Moon visit with artists Robert McBride and Phyllis Rosser. McBride, an abstract painter is the founding director of RAMP. Phyllis Rosser, painter and sculptor is particularly inspired by wood that she collects from the Connecticut River and creates amazing wall sculptures.
Works on Paper and Maplewings on the ground floor of the municipal building a brick building (circa 1927) gives the downtown Square the feeling of being in an Italian hill town and also houses the recently renovated Bellows Falls Opera House.
Works on Paper opened over a year ago.* Carolyn Frisa* specializes in the conservation of drawings, watercolors, prints, historic documents, posters, maps, paper ephemera, blueprints and other architectural plans, and historic wallpaper. She is also experienced in treating parchment and vellum as well as three-dimensional paper artifacts such as fans and globes. She has spent the last ten years conserving a wide range of artistic and historic works on paper. Previous projects include the conservation of Audubon's Birds of America, prints by Alexander Calder, Henri Matisse, and Gustave Baumann, a collection of letters by Abraham Lincoln, and early American watercolors and portraits. Works on paper is exhibiting the work of *Helen O'Donnell. *Amongst Helen's many inspirations gardening which by working with her hands in the earth, witnessing the seasonal life cycles of her environment has inspired her in the shapes and forms that each plant takes, as it pokes its head from the wet cold spring earth to the dried and faded seed head bending in the fall wind. Her fascination with these changes in form, come across in the movement and energy of her broad shapes and scratchy lines that make up her imagery.
As you continue around The Square, you will pass Chris Glennon's antiques store, Halladay's, Village Square Booksellers and don't miss the large historic mural across from the Hula Cat at south end of town and also the historic petroglyphs along the Great Falls of the Connecticut River. Ask in Village Square booksellers they will be able to direct you.
Chris Sherwin's Glassworks and Rita Gilbride textile/fabric artist are located at 33 Bridge Street, along with woolfm community radio station, a short two block walk from The Square and over the oldest chartered canal in the United States (1792). Ms Gilbride comments on her work, " I look for signs in the work that give meaning to my experience of living every day. Fibers, fabrics, papers, threads are dyed, woven or constructed with the pulse of repetition and filled with color, texture or pattern. A visual language is presented for interpretation and Chris gives regular demonstrations of his glass blowing that mesmerizes young and old alike.
You will not be disappointed with your visit to Bellows FalI Park your car once and have the opportunity to visit, eat, and shop. Experience a real mainstreet that has evolved since its 18^th century roots: canal, railroad and paper making, A downtown brochure with a map and listings of stores will be available at the Exner Block, 7 Canal Street when you arrive. The Exner Block shops and Project Space 9 are wheelchair accessible. For information call RAMP _802-463-3252 or email: ramp@sover.net
Rockingham Arts and Museum Project calls local artists to Artists Town Meeting Bellows Falls, VT April 1, 2010
Robert McBride, Executive Director of the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) has issued a call to all local artists, artisans and local food growers to attend the spring Artists Town Meeting on Thursday, April 1, 2010 from 6 - 8 pm at the Examiner Block in downtown Bellows Falls, 9 Canal Street. The focus of the quarterly meetings is to bring this diverse group of creative people together in order to share ideas and a good meal. The more we know each other and can identify ourselves as a constituency the more credibility we gain. "Mc Bride explains.
There is an ever-growing community of working artists and local growers in our midst, all of whom are contributing greatly to the cultural and economic vitality of the area. One of RAMP's many roles is to be an advocate for these artists. In order to be effective in that role, RAMP creates and participates in opportunities to hear from local artists and assist them in making community connections that benefit us all."
McBride goes on to highlight upcoming arts events in the region that give participating artists greater exposure and highlight the great examples of the arts as a vital economic force. "The Vermont Crafts Council Open Studio Weekend, held each year on Memorial Day weekend is a great opportunity for artists to gain access to potential customers, and it also serves as a terrific vehicle for economic development: people come to our town to see art, shop at farmers markets and in the process have an opportunity to shop locally, dine locally and experience the great atmosphere of a revitalized Vermont downtown. We're looking forward to a greatly expanded presence at this annual event by local artists, and are prepared to organize support and assistance to artists who wish to participate. Also the Bellows Falls Farmers Market will be starting up in mid-May and is Friday evening from 4-7 at the Bellows Falls visitors center across form the train station in downtown Bellows Falls.
McBride expects that the Artists Town Meeting will also contribute to another of RAMP's many goals; that of building a constituency of local creative people whose impact can be felt in the political and economic life of the region. "When people who share a commitment to creativity come together and speak with a unified voice, it can have a powerful impact. One of RAMP's visions is to see artists and arts supporters fully integrated into the civic fabric of our community, weighing in on local issues, and contributing a valuable perspective to local dialog."
McBride says that RAMP is committed to hosting four Artists Town meetings throughout the year and the agendas will be largely shaped and developed by the input gathered at each of the forums. The venues are wheelchair accessible. The Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts help support the meetings. We thank Stewart Property Management Co for allowing RAMP to host this meeting at the Exner Block. The Exner Block provides ten affordable live/work spaces with a preference given to artists and six retail spaces.
Interested participants are asked to RSVP by e-mailing: ramp@sover.net, with "Artists Town Meeting RSVP" in the subject line, or by calling 802-463-3252
]]>The 8th Annual Art Raffle hosted by the Rockingham Arts and Museum Project (RAMP) will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2009 , starting at 3 P.M. in the lobby of the Hotel Windham, on The Square in downtown Bellows Falls, VT. The Raffle offers an opportunity to win original artwork, meet artists, fellow art lovers, have some great food and support RAMP.
Over fifty regional artists have donated works. Images of the donated works are posted on the RAMP website: A $25.00 ticket can lead to winning one of approximately 60 pieces of art valued in the hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
Artist: Robert Sydorowich, Dimensions: 10.5 x 14.5 Framed, Medium: Oil and Watercolor on Paper, Title: The Canal In Bellows Falls
RAMP was created in 1995 to convey an important message: artists and the arts are essential to the revitalization and sustainability of rural communities. To this end, RAMP focuses on the importance of developing affordable live/work spaces, hosting quarterly regional Artist Town Meetings that bring artists, artisans and local food growers together as a constituency, supporting public art initiatives and participating on a variety of boards of directors in order to make sure the arts are represented and involved in policy making.
RAMP's founding director, Robert McBride whose journey brought him from San Francisco, through New York City where he lived for twenty-five years, and was a founding member of PS122 an alternate art space on the Lower East Side. In the early 1980's Robert purchased a house in Bellows Falls and by the the mid 1990's moved there full time. He feels strongly that rural life and small communities offer a unique opportunity for the residents to directly participate in shaping their own community. In recent years he has become more involved with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has given him a national perspective on the cultural/economic challenges and advantages that rural communities face. McBride feels that in these economic times the small scale of rural communities offers a great advantage for resident to be involved and stay grounded. Rural communities, with their main streets are a wonderful resource to share with visitors who might only know the mall and miracle mile.
The 8th Annual Art Raffle is a great opportunity for the community to come together. It is exciting for both the artists and the people who purchase raffle tickets. "The quality of the art is very high, and the possibility of winning a piece of art is very exciting to the people who purchase tickets. And at the end we feed you!"
The art raffle is part of RAMP's mission to develop an awareness of the arts, create vitality in the community through art, and demonstrate that art can favorably impact a community both financially and culturally. The raffle is an opportunity to meet the artists and become part of the creative arts community.
The donated paintings, photographs, ceramics, drawings and sculpture will be on display in the lobby of the Hotel Windham, Thursday November 5 through the day of the raffle November 8 11-3.
Tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100. Artists, it is not too late to donate work. Call us at RAMP, 802-463-3252, for details.
For further information call 802-463-3252; or ramp@sover.net
You can read the piece here:
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20090611/FEATURES17/906110303
]]>Kicking off the weekend will be Lori McKenna in a full-blown concert production at the beautifully restored 553 seat Bellows Falls Opera House on Thursday, June 5, 2008. Mark Erelli will support. The Opera House boasts a state of the art sound and lighting system, along with the most comfortable theatre seating in New England.
]]> The concert will be preceded by a Deluxe Reception for those Deluxe Weekend Ticket holders.On Friday, the Festival will host an Open Mic show at Boccelli's On the Canal from 12 noon until 2:00pm. Details will be posted on the website, www.rootsontheriver.com, as they are updated.
At 4:00pm we move to the Bellows Falls Farmers' Market, across the canal from Boccelli's. The Lonesome Brothers will be performing at the Market free concert. Other artists to be announced as they are confirmed.
Then, on to The Big Tent at the Festival's Main Venue behind the Everyday Inn for the Friday night show. This show will open with The Lonesome Brothers, followed by The Bottle Rockets from St. Louis Missouri, who will play the Festival as one of their limited 15th Anniversary concerts. And for their first performance of the weekend, Fred Eaglesmith and The Flying Squirrels. Fred will be performing many of his songs from the just released "Tinderbox."
Saturday will find us back at The Big Tent for the all day lineup. Kicking off the day will be George's Back Pocket, featuring George Nostrand, Bellows Falls' native son. The rest of the day will see the Festival's favorite birthday boy, Roger Marin and his band, Sarah Borges and The Broken Singles, the Starline Rhythm Boys, Eilen Jewel, Robbie Fulks, Steve Forbert and Fred Eaglesmith and The Flying Squirrels.
In addition to all the music, throw in ample free parking, terrific food and drink at reasonable prices, a kid's tent, great festival merchandise, the equipment swap tent, the best fans anywhere, and it all adds up to an unbeatable day of music.
Sunday finds us at the historic Rockingham Meeting House, the 200+ year old landmark and oldest continuously operating public building in Vermont. With no electricity, no running water and incredible acoustics designed to amplify the 18th century preachers it was built to accommodate, we welcome back long-time Festival favorite, Mary Gauthier. She returns after a two year absence to focus her concise, poetic lyrics on the midnight hours of desperate souls and confirms that she's among the best singer-songwriters of her generation, especially when it comes to illustrating ramblers, derelicts and anyone who struggles with demons in the night. Fred Eaglesmith and The Flying Squirrels will round out the weekend with their third Festival concert to close out the afternoon. The Meeting House venue is my personal favorite of the weekend.
There are individual tickets, including kid's specially priced Saturday tickets, along with weekend ticket packages and a limited number of Deluxe Weekend ticket packages now available online at www.rootsontheriver.com
Regular Tickets available at these outlets starting May 1, 2008: