NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) students present the Better Together Block Party on Friday, May 1 from 3–6 p.m. at MASS MoCA in Courtyard A. 

 

This free, arts-centered event is the culmination of a student-led, semester-long pilot project, developed through MCLA's Managing Creativity course, with collaborative support from MASS MoCA.

 

The Better Together Block Party invites the community to celebrate North Adams before First Friday in downtown North Adams.

 

Designed and produced by MCLA students as an applied learning initiative, the Better Together Block Party at MASS MoCA features live pop-up performances by regional artists including The Nothing Birds and The Blue Steam Project, and food and drink for purchase from on-campus establishments. Attendees can also participate in free hands-on, all-ages art-making activities.

 

A featured Creative Campus Crawl, organized by MCLA students in partnership with participating businesses, will offer guided small-group visits, including Gary Lichtenstein Editions' studio and MASS MoCA's Research and Development Store. Participants will spend 15 to 20 minutes at each site, gaining insight into artistic production, creative entrepreneurship, and the role these businesses play within the broader North Adams ecosystem.

 

"The Better Together Block Party is exactly the kind of collaboration that strengthens North Adams—bringing together students, artists, businesses, and residents in a shared celebration of creativity," said Jenny Wright, Executive Director of the North Adams Partnership. "What makes this especially exciting is that it's student-led, demonstrating how emerging leaders are actively helping shape the city's future. By connecting the MASS MoCA campus with downtown through First Fridays, this event helps build the energy, relationships, and visibility that support a vibrant downtown."

 

MASS MoCA's role in the pilot is to provide a collaborative environment and creative campus context that supports student exploration and community engagement, highlighting the intersections of art, community, and creative enterprise through a student-driven lens.