Kaatsbaan Cultural Park presents a showing of new work by Juilliard’s Risk Lab Residency
Tivoli, N.Y.— On Friday, January 9th at 6 p.m., Kaatsbaan Cultural Park presents a showing of new work by Juilliard’s Risk Lab Residency.
See artistic risk-taking in action as Juilliard presents an informal showing of works created during the Juilliard Risk Lab Residency. Over the course of a week at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, three student projects, each selected for its innovative and interdisciplinary collaboration, have taken shape in a boundary-pushing creative space.
Guided by a team of mentors, including vocal arts faculty member John Matsumoto Giampietro, Arnhold Creative Associate Caili Quan, and Arnhold Creative Associate at Large and chamber music faculty member Nadia Sirota, student creators Derek Jackson (Group 56, drama,) Yuxuan Lin (MM ’27, composition,) and bassist Daniel Song (BM ’27, jazz studies) have spent five days developing original performance pieces. You’re invited to an exclusive look at their new work.
The showing is on Friday, January 9th at 6 p.m. at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, located at 120 Broadway in Tivoli, N.Y. Admission is free. More information can be found online.
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Jazz Vespers returns to The Common Room at Zion Lutheran Church
Pittsfield— On Wednesday, January 7th at 6 p.m., Jazz Vespers, held on the first Wednesday of each month, returns to the Zion Lutheran Church after a pandemic-related hiatus.
Vespers is the name of an evening service of prayer and song that has been observed in the Christian tradition for over 15 centuries. Jazz Vespers blends contemporary jazz and blues into that historic tradition. The house jazz ensemble is vocalist Marisa Massery, Dan Broad on bass, Sturgis Cunningham on drums and Ben Kohn on piano.
Whether you’ve attended Jazz Vespers for years or are just hearing about it now, you will find a home in this place. Come for beauty. Come for community. Come for a warm, safe place to sit. Come for your spirit. You are welcome here.
The event is on Wednesday, January 7th at 6 p.m. at The Common Room at Zion Lutheran Church, located at 74 First Street in Pittsfield. Admission is free. The Common Room will be open from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for prayer, stillness, and rest. Free pizza will be served at 5:30 p.m. before Vespers begins. More information can be found online.
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Clark Art Institute to offer free admission for all visitors from January through March 2026
Williamstown— From January through March 2026, the Clark Art Institute will offer free admission for all visitors.
During the free admission season, in addition to a wide array of free public programs, concerts, and activities, visitors will have the opportunity to tour The Clark’s noted permanent collection and to see two ongoing special exhibitions, “Raffaella della Olga: Typescripts” and “Shadow Visionaries: French Artists Against the Current, 1840-70.” In addition, the Clark presents three special installations during this period, including Mariel Capanna’s “Giornata,” and Sónia Almeida’s “Stages,” and “Gridlocked: The Geometry of Weaving.”
The Clark’s grounds, which are always open free of charge, provide miles of walking trails. In the winter months, the Clark’s popular Project Snowshoe program offers visitors the opportunity to borrow free snowshoes to explore the beauty of the campus in winter. As the seasons change, visitors are invited to discover and rediscover the six monumental sculptures positioned across the campus as part of the outdoor exhibition, “Ground/work 2025.”
The special free admission period is from January through March 2026. The Clark Art Institute is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found online.
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American Mural Project announces free monthly admission for worker groups
Winsted, Conn.— From January through December 2026, American Mural Project, the world’s largest indoor collaborative work of art, will offer free monthly admission for worker groups.
American Mural Project, a giant five-story, 120-foot long mural and its accompanying audio tour – available in English and Spanish, tells the story of the everyday American worker. Each month in 2026, this one-of-a-kind exhibit will be offering free admission to honor a different sector of workers who make our communities thrive. The free admission schedule is as follows:
- January: Healthcare
- February: Agricultural & Farm
- March: Environmental & Conservation
- April: Manufacturing, Construction, & Trade
- May: Retail & Service
- June: Social Services & Nonprofit
- July: First Responders
- August: Teachers & Educators
- September: Aviation & Aerospace
- October: Automotive & Transportation
- November: Food Service & Hospitality
- December: Energy Sector: Electric, Gas, & Utilities
Founder and Artistic Director Ellen Griesedieck states, “My vision for the mural is to spotlight the contributions of the American worker and acknowledge the importance of their labors. Each month in 2026, we invite employers and employees in a particular sector to come discover themselves in the mural—and take pride in their hard work.”
The event runs from January through December 2026 at American Mural Project, located at 90 Whiting Street in Winsted, Conn. More information can be found online.
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Yiddish Book Center presents virtual alef-beys course
Amherst— On January 7th, 11th, 14th, and 18th from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Yiddish Book Center will present a virtual alef-beys course.
This four-part online course will focus on reading and pronouncing the printed Yiddish alphabet, with an introduction to handwriting. By the end of the course, students will have a strong knowledge of the alphabet, from alef to sof, and will be prepared for the center’s In eynem virtual courses, beginning on January 20th and 21st.
The virtual course is on January 7th, 11th, 14th, and 18th from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Zoom. More information can be found online.
