NORTHAMPTON — Lights, cameras and action all require energy — and at the Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, that energy comes with a $13,000 annual price tag.
To help offset that bill, the arts center is asking National Grid customers to donate their excess solar credits through a new campaign called Sunshine to Art. Solar panel owners typically sell back surplus energy their panels generate to providers; Bombyx is instead asking those customers to redirect that value to the arts center. Because Bombyx is within the National Grid service area, only National Grid customers are eligible to contribute.
“We want to turn ‘overhead’ into ‘opportunity,'” said Executive Director Cassandra Holden. “Every dollar we don’t spend on the electrical bill is a dollar that goes directly to supporting multidisciplinary artists locally, regionally and globally.”
Holden said reducing energy costs would free up money for housing and food for artists in residency, payments to artists performing in the space and community projects such as turning recycled trash into art. With energy costs surging, she expects the venue’s annual bill to climb even higher than $13,000.
The campaign began after Northampton resident John Silletto reached out to Bombyx offering to donate 100% of his excess energy credits. Holden called it “a first step toward sustainability.”
Residents interested in participating in the program can email cassandra@bombyx.live to request a Schedule Z Form, which includes the necessary account details. Donors then use the form to designate Bombyx as the recipient of their excess credits. Those who provide a copy of their monthly bill showing the transferred amount will also receive a formal tax acknowledgment for their records.
The fundraiser is one piece of a larger effort to make the center more sustainable, Holden said. Bombyx — a former church converted into a community arts space — is currently powered by three dual gas furnaces that are nearing the end of their life. The building has already been upgraded with more energy-efficient LED lighting, and solar panels are expected to be installed over the sanctuary later this year, the first such installment at the center.
Holden said the effort isn’t just about finances. “The arts should also not harm the environment,” she said, noting that lighting and other performance needs demand significant energy.
Beyond its role as an arts venue, Holden said Bombyx has also served as a community resource during times of crisis, offering food and shelter to those in need. She called it “a resilience hub for the most basic things — and also for joy.”
