The 30under30 art exhibition at No. Six Depot in West Stockbridge features work by local artists under the age of 30. From left to right, top row: Isabella Tobiason, Dana Piazza and Fiona McTeigue; middle row: Wes Elliot, Erin Potter, Fiona Wood and Olivia Wade; bottom row: Lee Blackmer, Rebecca van der Meulen, Mika Mintz and Molly Ann Almeida. Images courtesy No. Six Depot

Bits & Bytes: 30under30 art exhibit; ‘Poets Creating Conversation’; PCTV channels to change; BBG Bulb Show

By sharing personal stories, observations, and moments of inspiration and hope, the aim of 'Poets Creating Conversation' is to spark conversation and discussion around current issues affecting the country.

’30under30′ highlights work of young artists

West Stockbridge — No. Six Depot Roastery & Cafe presents its second annual 30under30 multimedia exhibition featuring the work of 30 artists under the age of 30 who are connected to Berkshire County through Friday, April 20. An opening reception will be held Sunday, Feb. 25, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The show will feature the work of visual artists Molly Ann Almeida, Sam Backhaus, Lee Blackmer, Brielle Collings, Wes Elliot, John Humes, Amy Inglis, Sydney Keyes, Sam Laiz, Daniel Lowenstein, Fiona McTeigue, Dana Miller, Mika Mintz, Dana Piazza, Erin Potter, Emma Sims-Biggs, Ruslan Sprague, Isabella Tobiason, Rebecca van der Meulen, Olivia Wade and Fiona Wood.

The show will also feature live events including Inkless storytelling Saturday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m.; a night of poetry, music and spoken word performances performed by Conor McCaffrey, Rachel Coopersmith, Michele Hatchette and Lia Russell-Self Saturday, March 24, at 8 p.m.; “Achilles Alchemy,” a collaborative performance Saturday, April 7, at 8 p.m. that exposes vulnerability through dance by Anna Masiero, a film by Marco Zambrano and light by Isabel Filkins; and “Flux,” a film screening featuring work by Jane Burns, Jordyn Cormier, Laiz, Mintz and Zambrano Saturday, April 14, at 8 p.m.

For more information, contact 30under30 curator Mika Mintz at (413) 717-0384 or mikamintz@gmail.com.

–E.E.

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‘Poets Creating Conversation’ series to navigate prominent social issues

Pittsfield — WordXWord will open its three-part ‘Poets Creating Conversation’ series Monday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. at the Berkshire Museum with ‘Education in America,” a fast-paced program in which poets are challenged to apply their creative energy to the topic of American education. By sharing personal stories, observations, and moments of inspiration and hope, the aim of the series is to spark conversation and discussion around current issues affecting the country. The series will continue with “Gender in America” Monday, March 26, at 7 p.m. and “Race in America” Monday, April 30, at 7 p.m. The events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact WordXWord at info@wordxwordfestival.com.

–E.E.

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Pittsfield Community Television channels to change

Pittsfield — Three cable television channels operated by Pittsfield Community Television are being removed from their current locations by Charter Spectrum for all viewers in Pittsfield as part of the cable company’s plan to encrypt its current television service. PCTV’s public, education and government channels will be found on channels 1301, 1302 and 1303 following the Tuesday, March 6, transition.

This change includes the added requirement that cable subscribers rent a cable decoder box for every television in their homes that will be used to view cable programming. By encrypting television channels, the cable company will prevent subscribers from viewing by simply connecting their TVs to the cable. Viewers will find blank channels on those TVs after March 6 if they do not rent the cable boxes.

“Our primary concern is that every cable subscriber in Pittsfield should continue to easily find their access channels,” said PCTV executive director Shawn Serre. “Because the channels are moving so far up in the lineup, we fear that this action by the cable company will create confusion among our viewers. They might think they no longer are able to receive the channels, and that’s just untrue.” The channels carry widely viewed local programming such as city council meetings, school committee meetings, and the Pittsfield Fourth of July parade.

PCTV has published a website to explain the changes. If viewers have difficulty receiving these channels or would like to register their comments about the change, they may contact PCTV at (413) 445-4234, info@pittsfieldtv.org or via Facebook.

This is the third time that the cable company has made changes to the PCTV channel lineup since in 2015. The cable company has not announced future plans for PCTV’s current channels 16, 17 and 18, which are scheduled to go completely dark as a result of the changes.

–E.E.

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Berkshire Botanical Garden to host annual Bulb Show

Chasmanthe bicolor (Two-color Cobra), a South African native flowering bulb at Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Bulb Show. Photo courtesy Berkshire Botanical Garden

Stockbridge — Berkshire Botanical Garden will host its annual Bulb Show Monday, Feb. 26, through Friday, March 16, in its Fitzpatrick Greenhouse. The exhibition will feature New England springtime favorites and a collection of South African bulbs rarely seen in the Northeast.

Visitors to the greenhouse will see an evolving collection of blooming plants over a three-week period including traditional New England favorites such as narcissus, tulips and grape hyacinths along with BBG’s collection of South African bulbs. Grown by collectors for their late-winter floral displays, the bulbs evolved in Fynbos in South Africa, which is considered one of the richest areas in the world for plant biodiversity.

Admission to the Bulb Show is free. For more information, contact BBG at (413) 320-4794 or info@berkshirebotanical.org.

–E.E.