Annual Pride Art Exhibit Extends Call For Art

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BECKET, Mass. — Organizers of the 2nd Annual Pride Art Exhibit have extended their submission deadline to April 7, 2026. 
 
The exhibit, hosted at the Becket Arts Center, features a jury composed of leaders from some of the region's largest arts institutions.
 
"When the forces of repression rise, it is vital we create spaces where queer artists' works can be seen and celebrated," said Bart Church, Q-MoB Executive Director and one of the key organizers of the Exhibit. "I am so proud that in the Berkshires leaders from many of our largest arts institutions have joined the jury to pull together this important exhibit of local queer artists, many of whom are struggling in the current climate to find ways to exhibit their work. Here in the Berkshires we celebrate diversity in the arts and go out of our way to make spaces for art and artists who some in power are trying to erase."
 
Produced by a coalition of local organizations—including the Becket Arts Center, Q-MoB, and the Berkshire Queer History Project and funded by grants from Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation – the exhibit serves as a vital platform for queer creators at a time when national efforts to defund Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and LGBTQ+ arts initiatives are escalating.
 
Call for Art Details:
  • New Deadline for Submission by Artists: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
  • Exhibition Dates: June 11 – July 5, 2026, at the Becket Arts Center
  • Artist Compensation: Artists retain 75 percent of the proceeds from any works sold, alongside community visibility and patron support.
  • Eligibility: LGBTQ+ artists residing in Berkshire County or the seven surrounding counties (Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden, MA; Bennington, VT; Litchfield, CT; Columbia and Rensselaer, NY).
  • How to Submit: Artists can submit their works online at https://www.becketartscenter.org/pridecall2026
Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of arts leaders.
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Great Barrington Unveils 9/11 Memorial Featuring World Trade Center Steel

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — A piece of history will now stand in front of the Great Barrington Fire Department, serving as a lasting reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and heroism of those who rushed in, stepped forward, and answered the call on Sept. 11, 2001.
 
Hundreds of community members gathered outside the Fire Department for the unveiling of a 9/11 memorial featuring a steel I-beam salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center.
 
The monument marks the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, and its effect reached far and wide beyond New York, said Deputy Fire Chief James Mead.
 
"There are moments in our lives that become markers of time. Moments when we remember not only what happened, but where we were, who was beside us, and how the world somehow felt different afterwards," Town Manager Liz Hartsgrove said. 
 
"For those of us who experienced September 11, 2001 — it is one of those moments for us to share."
 
The acquisition of the beam was a multi-year effort initiated by the late Andy Moro, former commander of American Legion Post 298 in Housatonic, and was carried on by the Legion's second vice commander, John Morris. 
 
Morris said he was able to obtain the warped steel I-beam through connections he made during his time as a New York City firefighter.
 
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