Berkshire Cultural Districts Awarded Grants

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BOSTON — Mass Cultural Council announced that 58 state-designated cultural districts will each receive a $15,000 Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) award through the Cultural District Investment Grant program. 
 
"Cultural districts not only draw people in, but they also create the conditions for communities to thrive," said David T. Slatery, Acting Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council. "Through the Massachusetts Cultural Districts Initiative, we recognize the essential role these districts play in strengthening local economies, animating public spaces, and creating places where people feel connected, welcome, and inspired. Cultural districts strengthen our communities while laying the groundwork for long-term economic and cultural vitality"
 
In Berkhshire County the Great Barrington Cultural District, Lenox Cultural District, North Adams Cultural District, Upstreet Cultural District in Pittsfield and the Williamstown Cultural District were all awarded $15,000 grants. 
 
As the Commonwealth’s independent state arts agency, Mass Cultural Council is charged with bolstering the cultural sector, thereby advancing economic vitality, supporting transformational change, and celebrating, preserving, and inspiring creativity across all Massachusetts communities.
 
Each of the 58 state-designated cultural districts will receive a $15,000 award. These flexible funds may be used to support a wide range of activities, including marketing and promotion, organizational and partnership capacity-building, artist and vendor fees, public art and creative place-based work, collaborative planning and cultural policy efforts, and community-engaged data collection and reporting.

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Pittsfield Plans to Replace Bridge Over Daniels Brook

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city plans to replace a deteriorating bridge on Hancock Road over Daniels Brook. 

Last week, the Conservation Commission continued a notice of intent application for the project to its November meeting to get more information on water flow. 

"It's a great project. We like it. We just want to make sure it's done correctly as well," Commissioner Jonathan Lothrop explained. 

Pittsfield proposes replacing the crumbling bridge with a 17-foot-wide hydraulic span underneath to an embedded precast box culvert with a span of 26 feet. The .37 work area extends about 200 feet along Hancock Road, north of 615 Hancock Road.  

Contractors from Fuss & O'Neill presented to the commission. A budget was not provided. 

"I think overall, this is going to be a really great improvement for traffic traveling over this bridge and for wildlife living under this bridge," Natural Resources Scientist Megan Woytik said. 

The 1930 bridge is showing cracking, spalling, exposed steel supports, and section loss. It was determined that repairs would retain deteriorated components and yield fewer long-term benefits, while a full replacement also improves hydraulic capacity and aquatic organism passage. 

Engineers pointed to exposed, corroding reinforcement and an existing guardrail that is no longer embedded into the structure.  Rigid barriers were placed on either side of the road so that vehicles can't impact the rail. 

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