Leaving an artistic footprint: A.P.E. will host several public workshops in the Workroom Theater at 33 Hawley before renovations begin

By STEVE PFARRER

Staff Writer

Published: 02-22-2023 9:56 AM

NORTHAMPTON — The Workroom Theater at 33 Hawley, the largest section of the Northampton Community Arts Trust building, is facing an extended closure, as renovations and new construction will soon begin to complete the 3,800-square-foot space.

But before that happens, Available Potential Enterprises Inc. (A.P.E.), the Northampton nonprofit that manages the theater, is throwing open its doors for a sort of community block party that’s designed to put an artistic imprint on the space.

“Making Ground,” which begins Feb. 22, will feature 11 days of public activities, ranging from drawing sessions, movement and dance exercises, and discussions on how the Workroom might best reflect the varied stories and histories of community members.

From Feb. 22 to March 4, nine different sessions, open to all, will be held before renovations to the Workroom begin. Kathy Couch and Mollye Maxner, the new co-directors of A.P.E., say these workshops offer an opportunity for artists and community members alike to integrate their expressions “into the very structure of an arts space.”

“For the 11 days of Making Ground,” they said in a statement, “the Workroom and the land on which it sits will be a site for personal and interconnected creative engagement with our relationships to land, community, space, imagination, and stewardship.”

For instance, for two “Community Activation Days” on Feb. 25 and 26, the public is invited to “infuse the Workroom” with creativity by drawing “relationships to land, space, and belonging.” Drawing materials will be provided, and A.P.E. staff will offer guidance and ideas.

Meanwhile, a movement session on Feb. 27 is aimed at new and returning dancers or people interested in movement exercises. “Participants will be invited to engage with improvisational movement prompts that help us translate physical experience into visible marks on the floor of the Workroom,” according to program notes.

Beginning in early March, the Workroom is expected to be closed for most of the year once renovations begin; the work will be funded through a number of sources, including federal grants.

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“Making Ground” is supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council and funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For a list of all the sessions that are part of “Making Ground,” visit apearts.org/making-ground.html.

Steve Pfarrer can be reached at spfarrer@gazettenet.com.

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