Events
Please join us for one or more of our exciting programs.
Intro to Improv
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Join us for an introductory course in improvisation with Ken & Paula!
No experience needed, just pop in to spontaneously combust into laughter while building your skills through games, scenes and storytelling.
$45 per class (Members pay what you can with tiered pricing)
*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Knit or Not
Bring your knitting, crocheting, or other textile work, and enjoy coffee, tea and conversation.
Call For Art Workshop
Instructor: Sean McCusker
Have you ever struggled with applying to an online call for art? Does photographing your work feel like a hurdle? Join us at the Becket Arts Center for a hands-on workshop designed to guide you through the art call application process from start to finish.
Led by local artist Sean McCusker, this workshop will cover everything you need to know about submitting your art in today’s digital world. You'll learn how to:
Photograph your artwork for submission
Select the best pieces to submit
Create an account on art call platforms
Complete and submit your application
The workshop begins with a brief lecture outlining the entire process. Afterwards, participants will break into two work areas: one focused on photographing artwork, and the other dedicated to completing and submitting actual applications. Bring your art call links and artwork, and we'll help you get ready to submit with confidence!
What to Bring:
Your artwork
Art call links or application details
Sign up today and take the first step toward successfully showcasing your work!
$20/$10 for BAC Members
Writing Group
Meeting once a month, our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
Intro to Improv
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Join us for an introductory course in improvisation with Ken & Paula!
No experience needed, just pop in to spontaneously combust into laughter while building your skills through games, scenes and storytelling.
$45 per class (Members pay what you can with tiered pricing)
*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia
Drum with Rick Shrum!
In this monthly class you will learn to play traditional west African rhythms on hand drums in a fun and relaxed group setting. Drumming together in a group is an excellent way to connect with others, engage your mind and body, and build listening skills. We will use a variety of traditional drums and percussion instruments from various African countries to create multi-part rhythms that bring stimulation, relaxation, and joy. All instruments are provided and no previous experience is necessary. Ages 12+. Pre-register here or drop-in. Fee is $15 per class ($10 for Members).
About Rick Shrum: “I have taught African drumming for over 40 years, engaging students in schools, summer camps, nursing homes, rehab centers, private parties and at Berkshire Pulse in Great Barrington. I have studied traditional west African rhythms with master teachers such as Bolocada Conde, Namori Keita, and my first teacher, Arthur Hull. Though I work in Great Barrington as a nurse, I have lived in Becket for almost ten years. In short, I have the rhythm in me and love sharing it with others.”
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Knit or Not
Bring your knitting, crocheting, or other textile work, and enjoy coffee, tea and conversation.
Intro to Improv
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Join us for an introductory course in improvisation with Ken & Paula!
No experience needed, just pop in to spontaneously combust into laughter while building your skills through games, scenes and storytelling.
$45 per class (Members pay what you can with tiered pricing)
*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia
Intro to Improv
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Join us for an introductory course in improvisation with Ken & Paula!
No experience needed, just pop in to spontaneously combust into laughter while building your skills through games, scenes and storytelling.
$45 per class (Members pay what you can with tiered pricing)
*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia
Intro to Improv
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Join us for an introductory course in improvisation with Ken & Paula!
No experience needed, just pop in to spontaneously combust into laughter while building your skills through games, scenes and storytelling.
$45 per class (Members pay what you can with tiered pricing)
*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia
Sound Healing w/ Three Trees
Soulmonic Sound Healing
Join us on a transformative journey with Three Trees, Master Sound Healer and visionary behind SoulMonicTM Sound Healing, with over two decades of pioneering expertise in the field.
Experience a one-of-a-kind sound healing immersion meticulously crafted to transcend boundaries and elevate souls.
Three Trees is a Sound Healer, Teacher, Musician, Artist, Shamanic
practitioner, co-founder of “Lineages Earth Wisdom School” and
creator of SoulMonicTM Sound Healing.
About Sound Healing:
Sonic energy has a myriad of benefits, including stress and anxiety
release, expanded awareness, enhanced cellular oxygenation, a
profound sense of unity, regulated blood pressure and heart rate,
inner peace, and spiritual communion. Experience increased
lymphatic circulation, mystical insights, heightened melatonin levels,
liberation from energetic blockages, and the release of healing
endorphins and hormones. Awaken your body's innate healing
capacities and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep
relaxation, inner guidance, and profound revelations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mats/Blankets will be available or feel free to bring your own along with a pillow and water bottle if you like.
$15/ Session Members $10/$5 (Pay what you can with our tiered pricing option)
Pre-Register or Pay at the Door
Please check back for registration information
Writing Group
Meeting once a month, our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
Drum with Rick Shrum!
In this monthly class you will learn to play traditional west African rhythms on hand drums in a fun and relaxed group setting. Drumming together in a group is an excellent way to connect with others, engage your mind and body, and build listening skills. We will use a variety of traditional drums and percussion instruments from various African countries to create multi-part rhythms that bring stimulation, relaxation, and joy. All instruments are provided and no previous experience is necessary. Ages 12+. Pre-register here or drop-in. Fee is $15 per class ($10 for Members).
About Rick Shrum: “I have taught African drumming for over 40 years, engaging students in schools, summer camps, nursing homes, rehab centers, private parties and at Berkshire Pulse in Great Barrington. I have studied traditional west African rhythms with master teachers such as Bolocada Conde, Namori Keita, and my first teacher, Arthur Hull. Though I work in Great Barrington as a nurse, I have lived in Becket for almost ten years. In short, I have the rhythm in me and love sharing it with others.”
Sound Healing w/ Three Trees
Soulmonic Sound Healing
Join us on a transformative journey with Three Trees, Master Sound Healer and visionary behind SoulMonicTM Sound Healing, with over two decades of pioneering expertise in the field.
Experience a one-of-a-kind sound healing immersion meticulously crafted to transcend boundaries and elevate souls.
Three Trees is a Sound Healer, Teacher, Musician, Artist, Shamanic
practitioner, co-founder of “Lineages Earth Wisdom School” and
creator of SoulMonicTM Sound Healing.
About Sound Healing:
Sonic energy has a myriad of benefits, including stress and anxiety
release, expanded awareness, enhanced cellular oxygenation, a
profound sense of unity, regulated blood pressure and heart rate,
inner peace, and spiritual communion. Experience increased
lymphatic circulation, mystical insights, heightened melatonin levels,
liberation from energetic blockages, and the release of healing
endorphins and hormones. Awaken your body's innate healing
capacities and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep
relaxation, inner guidance, and profound revelations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mats/Blankets will be available or feel free to bring your own along with a pillow and water bottle if you like.
$15/ Session Members $10/$5 (Pay what you can with our tiered pricing option)
Pre-Register or Pay at the Door
Please check back for registration information
Sound Healing w/ Three Trees
Soulmonic Sound Healing
Join us on a transformative journey with Three Trees, Master Sound Healer and visionary behind SoulMonicTM Sound Healing, with over two decades of pioneering expertise in the field.
Experience a one-of-a-kind sound healing immersion meticulously crafted to transcend boundaries and elevate souls.
Three Trees is a Sound Healer, Teacher, Musician, Artist, Shamanic
practitioner, co-founder of “Lineages Earth Wisdom School” and
creator of SoulMonicTM Sound Healing.
About Sound Healing:
Sonic energy has a myriad of benefits, including stress and anxiety
release, expanded awareness, enhanced cellular oxygenation, a
profound sense of unity, regulated blood pressure and heart rate,
inner peace, and spiritual communion. Experience increased
lymphatic circulation, mystical insights, heightened melatonin levels,
liberation from energetic blockages, and the release of healing
endorphins and hormones. Awaken your body's innate healing
capacities and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep
relaxation, inner guidance, and profound revelations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mats/Blankets will be available or feel free to bring your own along with a pillow and water bottle if you like.
$15/ Session Members $10/$5 (Pay what you can with our tiered pricing option)
Pre-Register or Pay at the Door
Please check back for registration information
Sound Healing w/ Three Trees
Soulmonic Sound Healing
Join us on a transformative journey with Three Trees, Master Sound Healer and visionary behind SoulMonicTM Sound Healing, with over two decades of pioneering expertise in the field.
Experience a one-of-a-kind sound healing immersion meticulously crafted to transcend boundaries and elevate souls.
Three Trees is a Sound Healer, Teacher, Musician, Artist, Shamanic
practitioner, co-founder of “Lineages Earth Wisdom School” and
creator of SoulMonicTM Sound Healing.
About Sound Healing:
Sonic energy has a myriad of benefits, including stress and anxiety
release, expanded awareness, enhanced cellular oxygenation, a
profound sense of unity, regulated blood pressure and heart rate,
inner peace, and spiritual communion. Experience increased
lymphatic circulation, mystical insights, heightened melatonin levels,
liberation from energetic blockages, and the release of healing
endorphins and hormones. Awaken your body's innate healing
capacities and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep
relaxation, inner guidance, and profound revelations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mats/Blankets will be available or feel free to bring your own along with a pillow and water bottle if you like.
$15/ Session Members $10/$5 (Pay what you can with our tiered pricing option)
Pre-Register or Pay at the Door
Please check back for registration information
Sound Healing w/ Three Trees
Soulmonic Sound Healing
Join us on a transformative journey with Three Trees, Master Sound Healer and visionary behind SoulMonicTM Sound Healing, with over two decades of pioneering expertise in the field.
Experience a one-of-a-kind sound healing immersion meticulously crafted to transcend boundaries and elevate souls.
Three Trees is a Sound Healer, Teacher, Musician, Artist, Shamanic
practitioner, co-founder of “Lineages Earth Wisdom School” and
creator of SoulMonicTM Sound Healing.
About Sound Healing:
Sonic energy has a myriad of benefits, including stress and anxiety
release, expanded awareness, enhanced cellular oxygenation, a
profound sense of unity, regulated blood pressure and heart rate,
inner peace, and spiritual communion. Experience increased
lymphatic circulation, mystical insights, heightened melatonin levels,
liberation from energetic blockages, and the release of healing
endorphins and hormones. Awaken your body's innate healing
capacities and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep
relaxation, inner guidance, and profound revelations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mats/Blankets will be available or feel free to bring your own along with a pillow and water bottle if you like.
$15/ Session Members $10/$5 (Pay what you can with our tiered pricing option)
Pre-Register or Pay at the Door
Please check back for registration information
Writing Group
Meeting once a month, our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
Drum with Rick Shrum!
In this monthly class you will learn to play traditional west African rhythms on hand drums in a fun and relaxed group setting. Drumming together in a group is an excellent way to connect with others, engage your mind and body, and build listening skills. We will use a variety of traditional drums and percussion instruments from various African countries to create multi-part rhythms that bring stimulation, relaxation, and joy. All instruments are provided and no previous experience is necessary. Ages 12+. Pre-register here or drop-in. Fee is $15 per class ($10 for Members).
About Rick Shrum: “I have taught African drumming for over 40 years, engaging students in schools, summer camps, nursing homes, rehab centers, private parties and at Berkshire Pulse in Great Barrington. I have studied traditional west African rhythms with master teachers such as Bolocada Conde, Namori Keita, and my first teacher, Arthur Hull. Though I work in Great Barrington as a nurse, I have lived in Becket for almost ten years. In short, I have the rhythm in me and love sharing it with others.”
Sound Healing w/ Three Trees
Soulmonic Sound Healing
Join us on a transformative journey with Three Trees, Master Sound Healer and visionary behind SoulMonicTM Sound Healing, with over two decades of pioneering expertise in the field.
Experience a one-of-a-kind sound healing immersion meticulously crafted to transcend boundaries and elevate souls.
Three Trees is a Sound Healer, Teacher, Musician, Artist, Shamanic
practitioner, co-founder of “Lineages Earth Wisdom School” and
creator of SoulMonicTM Sound Healing.
About Sound Healing:
Sonic energy has a myriad of benefits, including stress and anxiety
release, expanded awareness, enhanced cellular oxygenation, a
profound sense of unity, regulated blood pressure and heart rate,
inner peace, and spiritual communion. Experience increased
lymphatic circulation, mystical insights, heightened melatonin levels,
liberation from energetic blockages, and the release of healing
endorphins and hormones. Awaken your body's innate healing
capacities and activate the parasympathetic nervous system for deep
relaxation, inner guidance, and profound revelations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
*Mats/Blankets will be available or feel free to bring your own along with a pillow and water bottle if you like.
$15/ Session Members $10/$5 (Pay what you can with our tiered pricing option)
Please check back for registration information
Writing Group
Meeting once a month, our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
Drum with Rick Shrum!
In this monthly class you will learn to play traditional west African rhythms on hand drums in a fun and relaxed group setting. Drumming together in a group is an excellent way to connect with others, engage your mind and body, and build listening skills. We will use a variety of traditional drums and percussion instruments from various African countries to create multi-part rhythms that bring stimulation, relaxation, and joy. All instruments are provided and no previous experience is necessary. Ages 12+. Pre-register here or drop-in. Fee is $15 per class ($10 for Members).
About Rick Shrum: “I have taught African drumming for over 40 years, engaging students in schools, summer camps, nursing homes, rehab centers, private parties and at Berkshire Pulse in Great Barrington. I have studied traditional west African rhythms with master teachers such as Bolocada Conde, Namori Keita, and my first teacher, Arthur Hull. Though I work in Great Barrington as a nurse, I have lived in Becket for almost ten years. In short, I have the rhythm in me and love sharing it with others.”
Writing Group
Meeting once a month, our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
Knit or Not
Bring your knitting, crocheting, or other textile work, and enjoy coffee, tea and conversation.
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Intro to Improv
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Join us for a 6 week drop-in introductory course in improvisation with Ken & Paula!
No experience needed, just pop in to spontaneously combust into laughter while building your skills through games, scenes and storytelling.
$45 per class (Members pay what you can)
*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia
Kilashandra Live!
Kilashandra is an Irish Celtic-inspired jam band that mixes traditional and modern Irish music with twists of blues, rock and soul. Music ranging from the 1920's to today, Kilashandra offers a unique sound that is appealing to all types of music lovers.
Tickets: $20/$10 for members (Non-Refundable). Concessions will be available for purchase.
Knit or Knot
Bring your knitting, crocheting, or other textile work, and enjoy coffee, tea and conversation.
Woven Textiles Display
Come and see a collection of woven textiles as well as a working loom in our downstairs gallery - the ‘Art Lounge’.
Come by to explore our Woven Textiles collection and see a working loom in action in our downstairs Art Lounge. You’ll have the chance to participate in a community weaving project and try the loom yourself. Perfect for anyone interested in textile art and hands-on creativity.
On display through January 15, 2025
Holiday Sing-A-Long
A holiday tradition of 35 years will be held at the Becket Arts Center
The Becket Arts Center invites visitors to sing out and celebrate diverse holiday traditions through music and song. Get into the Holiday Spirit and join in on the festivities.
Welcome Dave Bacon, Jeff Forget & Katie Grey as our core group of players who will be leading the event. Song books will be provided.
Bring your voice, your instrument of choice OR just yourself!
All instruments welcome. Coffee, tea & hot cocoa will be provided. Please bring a dish to share if you can.
Email susie@becketartscenter.org for any inquiries
TRUMAN CAPOTE’S THE THANKSGIVING VISITOR AND A CHRISTMAS MEMORY
A special holiday reading of two treasured American stories that capture the heart of the season of giving. One performance only. Friday, December 20, 2024 at 5 pm BECKET ARTS CENTER will present a reading of two beloved holiday stories by iconic American author Truman Capote. Capote’s notoriety often outshadows his more lyrical and heartfelt writing based on his boyhood growing up in Alabama. The two stories, THE THANKSGIVING VISITOR and A CHRISTMAS MEMORY recall the deep connection between the young Capote - a misfit boy, and his closest friend - his eccentric spinster aunt, who he names Sook. The two have a special bond remembered in these two unforgettable tales that make for a perfect evening of storytelling. At BAC, the story will be told by three actors, Paula Langton, Jim Petosa, and Ryan Winkles. Each story is 45 minutes. There will be one brief intermission.
Permission for this reading is curtesy of the Truman Capote Literary Trust
$10 (Free for BAC Members)
FOR TICKET INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS click the button below.
BAC Hannukah Celebration
✨ Celebrate Hannukah with the Becket Arts Center! ✨
Join us for the first-ever Hannukah celebration at BAC. Let’s fill the evening with light, laughter, song, and community spirit!
$10 per person (free for BAC Members)
It will be an evening of warmth and light, featuring Hannukah stories, traditional songs, holiday refreshments and an opportunity to share your own cherished Hannukah memories.
All are welcome to join in the celebration and learn about this beautiful tradition. Bring your family, bring your friends, and help us fill the Arts Center with the warm glow of Hannukah!
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Writing Group
Meeting once a month on the first Monday of the month, (except not in January) our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
How to Coil a Basket Using Materials Found in Nature with Elizabeth Whyte Schulze - A Becket Athenaeum Big Read Program
How to Coil a Basket Using Materials Found in Nature with Elizabeth Whyte Schulze
A Becket Athenaeum Big Read Program
Learn to coil a basket using pine needles from Florida and hand dyed raffia. Coiling is one of the oldest basketry techniques and was used by several tribes in the American Southwest. We will be using pine needles for the core and raffia to bind and stitch the rows of the basket. As the basket develops, we will add some color and create a design with our stitches, This class will be fun for all skill levels.
Elizabeth Whyte Schulze
For over a decade, Elizabeth’s fiber art has been informed by her travels. Visiting petroglyph sites in the American Southwest to an Aboriginal Art Center in Australia’s outback, each destination is an opportunity to experience art and culture of diverse communities. On her baskets, she layers images by intersecting and overlapping figure, design and text. Her approach to working on the basket is to present a complex landscape of imagery that is visually challenging and personally satisfying. Elizabeth's work is represented by Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, MA. She is the recipient of the 2009 Artist Fellowship of Massachusetts. Her work is in the permanent collections of the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh, RAM in Racine, WI , American Embassy, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Africa and in numerous private collections throughout the US. Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Small Business Saturday
❤️SHOP SMALL
Support Local Artists and Artisans ❤️
Stop by the Becket Arts Center and peruse our gift shop on Small Business Saturday.
We carry handmade and crafted artisanal items that make perfect gifts.
We will be offering discounts and sales throughout the gift shop!
When you shop small, you are supporting local businesses and artists in your community❤️
CLOSED - Thanksgiving
We will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We hope you enjoy time with friends and family❤️
And don’t miss Small Business Saturday! Discounts throughout our gift shop! 10-4pm
Heat up the Becket Arts Center w/ 'D-Rod and the Uprising'
Dance for a great cause!
We rely on Supporters like YOU to keep the BAC rockin’! We hope to see you there!
A Fundraiser in support of our “Music Brings Communities Together” series.
We’re turning up the heat with local band ‘D-Rod and the Uprising’. Known for their upbeat original and cover songs sure to get you on the dance floor.
Help us to raise funds while gettin’ down on the dance floor. Open to all ages. Beverages and light refreshments will be available for purchase.
$10 Non-Refundable Ticket.
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Felting Workshop w/ Tina Sweet
Felting Workshop with Tina Sweet
In this beginner-friendly class, participants will be introduced to the tools and techniques of needle felting, while creating (and completing) a small sculpture of their own. All materials and tools will be provided.
*$75 for non-members/members pay $20, $40 or $60.
Tina Sweet has been felting for 18 years. Her commissioned artwork has included life-sized chickens, stylized gnomes, personalized penguins, a West Highland White Terrier, and a 19” x 13” super-hero from a children’s book (Kids Super Journal, by Elizabeth Heller). In April of 2023, she was honored to have two wool paintings (mixed media) selected for "Rural Berkshires: Always Adapting", a juried show through the Bushnell-Sage Library and Dewey Hall in Sheffield, MA. Tina has taught felting at the American Cancer Society's AstraZeneca Hope Lodge in Boston, MA and to many others over the years.
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*A Note About Tiered Pricing for BAC Members: We are committed to accommodate those who have a financial barrier to participation by offering Card to Culture memberships and tiered pricing options. What this means is that we offer 3 different pricing options and members can choose which fee they are able to pay. These options are $20, $40 or $60.
Speaker Series - A Christmas Journey: Yuletide Readings w/ Kevin O’Hara
We invite you to come and listen to Holiday Stories sure to delight!
Author Kevin O’Hara
A Christmas Journey includes 16 of O’Hara’s annual Christmas columns published in The Berkshire Eagle. The stories range in subject from tales of his growing up in Pittsfield to poignant tales of his time as a psychiatric nurse at Berkshire Medical Center to his Christmas celebration in an Irish pub at the conclusion of his famous travels in Ireland with Missie the donkey.
O’Hara is also the author of Last Of The Donkey Pilgrims, about his travels with Missie around Ireland; A Lucky Irish Lad, about his boyhood; and Ins and Outs of a Locked Ward, which chronicles O’Hara’s three decades as a nurse in Berkshire Medical Center’s psychiatric ward.
$5 Per Person/ Free for Members
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Holiday Arts & Crafts Marketplace
Artists, Crafters, and Bakers! Tour the galleries of Becket Arts Center and visit the tables of these amazing vendors.
Yoga With Rima Sala
$10 for non-members. Members pay what you can. Register and pay in person.
Writing Group
We’re forming a new circle of writers group at the Becket Arts Center. Meeting once a month on the first Monday of the month, (except not in January) our BAC Writing Group will be a haven of non-judgmental creativity and spontaneity. Based on the work of Natalie Goldberg, as expressed in her popular book WRITING DOWN THE BONES, the group will be facilitated by Jim Petosa, (Professor Emeritus, Boston University College of Fine Arts) who has been leading a Writing Group at the Unitarian/Universalist United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts for more than ten years.
Here’s what one review of Goldberg’s book has to say about her method.
“The secret of creativity, Natalie Goldberg makes clear, is to subtract rules for writing, not add them. It’s a process of ‘uneducation’ rather than education. Proof that she knows what she’s talking about is abundant in her own sentences. They flow with speed and grace and accuracy and simplicity. It looks easy to a reader, but writers know it is the hardest writing of all.”
Such is the spirit of our BAC Writing Group! We will work from prompts and we will share our words by speaking them to each other at the culmination of ⁶each session. (Participants can always opt out of public sharing.). At the end of a season of work, we will create an evening of public reading (voluntary) that highlights the work of each participant
Participants can feel free to come to ALL sessions, or to come to as many as they are able, or to come just once to try it out!
FREE to BAC Members in good standing. $5 Per session for non-members.
Member Showcase / Becket Day!
Member Showcase In Partnership with Becket Day!
We welcome you to come and enjoy the show! We will be hosting a showcase featuring the talent and skills of Becket Arts Center members. Prepare to be entertained! Everything from music to poetry to comedy, monologues, song etc. Join us as we spotlight the diverse talent within our community.
In partnership with the 2nd annual ‘Becket Day’; an entire day dedicated to celebrating the beautiful town of Becket - the Berkshires not so hidden gem!
Intermediate Improvisation
Instructors Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Dive deeper into the art of improvisation with our Intermediate class. Building on basic skills, this course explores more advanced techniques in storytelling, character development, and dynamic scene work. Enhance your spontaneity, collaborate with fellow improvisers, and push your creative boundaries in a supportive and fun environment. Perfect for those with some improv experience looking to take their skills to the next level.
Instructors:
Ken Cheeseman is an actor with extensive credits in theatre, film, and television. He is a former Senior Artist in Residence at Emerson College and is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University for the Obama Foundation and the Social Impact Fellowship. His improvisation background begins with his training at the Trinity Rep Conservatory under Larry Arrick and Suzanne Shepherd, early members of the Compass Theater, which eventually became 2nd City. He was taught and mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers for over 20 years. He was greatly influenced by his close friend and director, Andrei Belgrader and Kristin Linklater, author of Freeing the Natural Voice.
Paula Langton is an actor and a teacher with over 30 years experience. She is Professor Emeritus at Boston University and served as Head of the BFA Acting Program. Paula is a Certified Linklater Voice Teacher and she studied and was mentored by the world renowned teacher of Improvisation - Keith Johnstone. Other teaching credits include: Emerson College, World Economic Forum- Columbia