AMHERST — The cultural, social, economic and environmental impact on the community and the town’s story by individuals and families who are Black, Indigenous and people of color will be the focus of an art installation at Kendrick Park.

The Amherst Public Art Commission and the Amherst Business Improvement District recently announced an appeal for artists for the “Making it Public” $10,000 grant from the New England Foundation of the Arts.

Applications for the grant are available via the Amherst BID or town’s website. The project is required to have a three-dimensional element, to be installed on a 4-foot-by-4-foot concrete base and be weather-durable, as well as be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Artists, with priority accorded to BIPOC artists who call or have called Amherst their home, should apply by May 14 at noon to be considered for their art proposal.

This opportunity is funded in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

The selected artist will be notified by June 20. The final installation will be completed in November and a public unveiling and community celebration will take place at that time.

Email Amherst BID Eecutive Director Gabrielle Gould at gabrielle@amherstdowntown.com for more information.

Daffodil Run

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, a program of the Center for Human Development, is holding its 13th annual Daffodil Run on the Town Common on Sunday.

To register to run or walk in the hybrid in-person and virtual event, being held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., go to www.runreg.com/daffodilrun2023.

The event supports the mentoring done through the program.

New restaurants

A gourmet hamburger and ice cream shop opened this week in downtown Amherst

Amherst Burger Co., a fast casual restaurant, opened at 104 North Pleasant St. It was founded by longtime developer Barry Roberts and gets its beef from Echodale Farms’ grass-fed cattle, and also serves Flayvors of Cook Farm ice cream.

Another restaurant, Blue Mango, is being planned for the former Hair East spot inside the 103 North Pleasant St. building, which also houses Coronation Cafe, Panda East and Pita Pockets, and Paul’s Shoe Repair.

Ending student academic titles

Current eighth graders will be the first class going through Amherst Regional High School that will dispense with naming valedictorians and salutatorians before graduation.

Superintendent Michael Morris told the Regional School Committee this week that the decision came out of a faculty discussion.

“There’s a feeling that that process limits some students course taking,” Morris said, noting that students need to achieve perfect grades in selected courses to get the titles. Also, teachers suggested that academic titles limits students’ willingness to take risks, and impacts their mental health through competition.

Morris said higher education institutions have indicated that the titles are meaningless in the admissions process. 

Multilingual Celebration

A Multilingual Celebration is being held on the Town Common Saturday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. A highlight will be a visit from what is known as the Spectacular Translation Machine.

Students and faculty from the Spanish & Portuguese Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts will be showing how the machine will translate the Catalan book “Per què hi ha estrelles al cel? Llibre dels oficis curiosos” by Anna Obiols and Joan Subirana.

Participants can pick a page from the picture book for the collaborative translation experiment.

Created by translators Sarah Ardizzone and Daniel Hahn, the Spectacular Translation Machine has been exhibited overseas in Dublin, Brussels, Exeter, Toronto, Edinburgh and London.

For more information, contact Professor Regina Galasso rgalasso@umass.edu.

Meeting

MONDAY: Town Council, 6:30 p.m.

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