EASTHAMPTON — If you think you’re “not an artist,” a local arts organization hopes you’ll rethink that while raising money for a good cause.
The first Easthampton Arts & Ale Trail will debut Saturday afternoon. The fundraiser, described as a “choose-your-own-adventure afternoon through Easthampton’s Mill District,” features interactive art, live music and local food and drink vendors. Ticket proceeds will benefit Resilient Community Arts (RCA), an Easthampton nonprofit that provides arts programming to the community.
“It’s a fun time to meet people, do art, get some food and drinks, and have a good, fun afternoon,” said Midori Fitzgerald, community engagement coordinator at RCA.
Here’s how it works: Ticketed participants will first visit either Local Burger or Farm Kitchen Workshop/Libretto Cafe on either end of the “line” of participating businesses in the Mill Buildings. There, they’ll pick up a T-shirt, take a photo at a photo booth and get tickets for five food items or drinks. Eventgoers can listen to live music as they walk and take part in a craft activity at every stop.
“A lot of the magic of RCA is that we really are sending home the idea that everyone is an artist and everyone can create something,” said Maddie McDougall, executive director of Resilient Community Arts. “A lot of times, when people come into our studio space or our programs, people will say that they haven’t done art since they were a kid, or it was their first time going to an art-related event in the Valley. A lot of people can feel intimidated by participating in such a thing if they don’t identify as an artist.”
With that in mind, she said, the craft activities at the Arts & Ale Trail — T-shirt painting, designing a button and contributing to a collaborative mural, for example — don’t require a lot of artistic expertise, especially since the event is also focused on socializing and drinking.
“We kept that pretty straightforward [so] that, really, anyone can do it,” she said.
Solo participants are welcome, but others are encouraged to join in teams, because attendance comes with fundraising rewards: A team that raises $1,000 will fund a birthday party for a child in foster care; a team that raises $3,000 will earn a two-hour art party of their own at RCA for up to 15 people; and a team that raises $5,000 will get a free after-school or season-long arts program for their own school, library or senior center.
“So many grants are focused on the essentials — food, shelter, healthcare — which is super important, and the fear is that the arts get lost in that and the arts get cut in times like this,” McDougall said. “We need art in order to remain hopeful and continue with the resistance.”
Funding from the Arts & Ale Trail will support the organization’s general funds, keeping the lights on, programs up and running and teaching artists paid a living wage, McDougall said.
“The money that somebody might spend to have an evening or afternoon out on the town with friends,” she added, is the “same expense that can benefit a good cause. So, folks who want to go out and have an afternoon on the town, come spend that time with us.”
The Easthampton Arts & Ale Trail runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $65. Childcare is available for an additional $35 at RCA or $30 at Easthampton Skate Club. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit resilientcommunityarts.org/aletrail.
