CitySpace presents one-woman show ‘Tea TIME’
Performer Erika MacDonald will bring her one-woman show “Tea TIME” to CitySpace in Easthampton on Thursday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m.
The show, according to a press release, is about tea, tim and the importance of steeping. It’s recommended for audiences 18 and up due to adult language.
In this 60-minute show, the press release states “MacDonald plugs in her electric kettle and makes cup after cup of tea in a way that will change your relationship with time forever … or at least for the hour. At Tea TIME, you’ll be chanting one minute and closing your eyes the next. You’ll cry some, but laugh more. Whistle if you can. Hum when the time comes. Don’t worry, you’ll know.”
Tickets are $26.83 to $37.13, fees included, at cityspaceeasthampton.org. For more information about Erika MacDonald, visit othererika.com.
Karaoke, lip-sync fundraiser to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County
The fourth annual, 21-plus karaoke and lip-sync fundraising event benefitting CHD’s Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, will be held at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Thursday, April 2.
“Big Love Little Performances,” which opens at 6:30 p.m., is emceed by Monte Belmonte, Tara Brewster and Kelsey Flynn. The event features celebrity contest judges delivering their verdict for the best crooners.
To purchase tickets or enter as a performer, visit getmeregistered.com/bllp2026. Tickets at the door will be limited.
Organizers of Queer Kids Fest host visioning session
The organizers of Queer Kids Fest will host a visioning session for feedback about this year’s festival on Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. at 33 Hawley in Northampton.
LGBTQ youth ages 12 to 18 are invited to give suggestions about future festival programming, connect with other kids their age, and learn about how to get involved with the festival in the future.
This year’s Queer Kids Fest will be on Saturday, Oct. 3. If you can’t make it to the session but have questions or want to offer feedback, email programs@nohoarts.org.
‘You Have To Do Something’ art exhibit opens April 3
“You Have To Do Something,” a visual art exhibition, opens April 3 at the A.P.E. Gallery in Northampton. The exhibit, which runs until April 26, explores the decades-long, experimental practice of Phil Lawrence (1947–2025).
Curated by Felice Caivano, Kathy Couch, Mollye Maxner and Lisa Thompson, the exhibition features works ranging from painting on salvaged construction materials to sculptural, mixed-media pieces. An opening reception for this retrospective of Lawrence’s innovative work, which often challenged conventional artistic definitions, will be held on April 10 from 5-8 p.m.
The gallery is open Wednesday-Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. and Friday, 1-8 p.m. For more information, visit apearts.org.
‘A Night of Fairies’ will be held April 2
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst will host “A Night of Fairies” as part of its The Carle After Dark event series on Thursday, April 2, from 4 to 8 p.m.
As part of the event, participants can create “fairy homes” — one to stay at the museum in a “fairy village,” and one to take home.
The event is connected to the museum’s exhibit “Sprites, Spells, and Splashes: Magical Beings in Picture Book Art.”
There will also be fairy-themed storytimes at 4:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., as well as live music by woodwind musician Aidan Higgins from 5 to 7:30.
Admission to the event is included with admission to the museum, which is $15 for adults; $10 for youth, students, teachers and seniors; and free for members.
Real Live Theatre seeks participants for oral history and performance project
Sunderland-based Real Live Theatre is looking for participants to take part in “The Birth/Death Project,” an oral history and performance project themed around, as its name suggests, experiences of birth and death.
Interested participants can be interviewed at The LAVA Center in Greenfield, Forbes Library in Northampton, Holyoke Public Library and Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke or other locations if necessary.
Participants can be anonymous if requested.
Interviews will be saved in a public archive and will inspire a performance piece that will debut as a work in progress this summer, then as a full production next year.
Participation is free and open to the public. If interested, contact Ellen and Lena at birthdeathproject@gmail.com to schedule an interview.
El Khat to perform at Bombyx
The Yemeni “junkyard funk” band El Khat will perform at Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity in Florence on Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m.
The band, according to a press release, uses “DIY, self-made instruments as an expression of a minimalist life philosophy — while remaining loyal to traditional Yemeni percussive roots. … Although their detachment from any nation or flag is a driving force behind the group, the heart of their music and heritage remains deeply rooted in Yemeni culture. The constant divisions created by war and migration have given rise to a reassembled identity, one that resonates strongly throughout El Khat’s music.”
Tickets are $33 to $49 for general admission options or $18 for students and Card to Culture participants via bombyx.live.
Bright Matter Studio invites proposals for festival of miniature-scale public artworks in Northampton
Local artists are invited to submit proposals for miniature-scale public artworks for Fun Sized: A Tiny Public Art Festival, which will debut this year in downtown Northampton on Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27.
Proposed artworks must be site-specific and “designed to reward close looking and discovery,” according to the artist call — for example, miniature murals, mosaics, installations or temporary activations. The festival “reimagines overlooked architectural details, alleyways, storefront edges and urban fragments as sites for artistic intervention.” As part of the festival, visitors will follow clues on a map to find 15 miniature art pieces in downtown Northampton.
The festival will be presented by Bright Matter Studio is a multidisciplinary art and consulting studio based in Northampton. Led by artistic duo Kim Carlino and Michael Crigler, the studio creates site-specific murals, installations and public art projects that connect people to place through color, form and thoughtful storytelling.
Submissions are open to artists living in New England, including established and emerging artists as well as students. Each selected artist will receive a $300 honorarium.
Submissions are due Wednesday, April 15, and artists will be notified on Monday, April 27. To learn more or apply, visit funsizedartfest.com.
