***PLEASE NOTE: this page is under construction. Please scroll down below to view upcoming events!***
This Events page lists all events offered through the Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley. Please visit our Classes calendar for classes and workshops! Events and programs offered by our building partners Northampton Open Media and A.P.E. Ltd. can be found on their websites.
For the past seven years, Michael Favala Goldman has been hosting the Poetry Critique Meet-up, sponsored by NCFA and Straw Dog Writers. On Thursday, January 23rd at 6:30pm ET, join Michael and his band of poets for The Poetry Ritual, their annual group virtual reading, where fifteen writers will have five minutes each to entertain and touch you with their unique writing style. For the zoom link to this free event, email thepoetryritual@artistdynamix.com.
Please join us for the 2025 Youth Performance Festival (YPF), and enjoy performances and presentations by dozens of local youth artists! All work is original and created by young artists ages 8-18. You’ll see solo pieces as well as collaborations between young artists, and every field of performing art is represented! YPF is an outstanding festival experience that warms hearts and inspires creativity in audience members of all ages!
The Youth Performance Festival is a collaborative program of Play Incubation Collective and the Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley, in partnership with Make-It Springfield. Now in its 6th year, YPF is a FREE opportunity for youth artists ages 8-18 to create original performance pieces with the guidance of mentor artists in the fields of music, dance, theater, poetry/spoken word, video/animation, and more. YPF centers the creative agency of young artists, and is committed to supporting them as they discover their own creative processes. For YPF 2025, we are partnering with Make-It Springfield for the second year to offer a Springfield-based youth cohort in addition to the Northampton cohort as part of the long term goal to expand YPF in Western Mass.
*Attendees may pay where they can on this scale. Payments on the upper end of the scale help support our commitment to sliding scale rates, as well as our low mentor/participant ratio.
Please join the Northampton Center for the Arts, A.P.E. Ltd., and Northampton Open Media at 33 Hawley for an opening reception with refreshments and live music during Arts Night Out on Friday, 2/14, from 5:00-8:00 pm!
The Northampton Center for the Arts presents Headspace in the Barn Door Gallery. Headspace is a collection of large-scale heads made from cardboard, paint, hot glue, and recycled trash. This installation, along with other handmade decorations, invites you into the creative world of Connor O'Rourke's Headspace. It offers a vibrant and playful environment that encourages self-reflection and curiosity, featuring over a hundred unique characters.
A.P.E. Ltd. presents If These Feet Could Fly, which is a collection of paintings by Natasha Wein, created with her feet as she navigates her body's deterioration. She expresses a desire to continue loving life despite her struggles and uses her art to document her experiences, transforming her brokenness into a vibrant mosaic.
Live Music by Gregory Boover
Gregory Boover is a multi-faceted artist based in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. He has collaborated in a number of venues across the East Coast, most recently including The Hanover Theatre, and has directed/taught in the education programs at Shakespeare & Company and serves on the faculty at Community Access To The Arts in Great Barrington, MA.
NOHO Art Club
Head downstairs to Eli’s Room for a Noho Art Club meet-up from 5:00-7:30 PM hosted by Paige Quinn-Vasic! Come play with collage and gelli plate printing, and check out Paige’s felt sushi demo, an original wet felting technique offered as a workshop through the Center!
All exhibits can also be seen during open hours Wednesday through Saturday, 12-7 p.m. More information about the Barn Door Gallery can be found here and the Split Level Gallery can be found here.
Relive Prom the Way YOU Deserve!
🌈 Did your high school prom leave you wanting more? Whether it felt magical or left you feeling out of place, it’s time to reclaim the experience and make it truly yours!
Welcome to Adult Queer Prom—a night designed to celebrate YOU and your community in all your fabulousness! If prom didn’t feel right the first time around—maybe you skipped it, didn’t feel like yourself, or couldn’t bring the person you truly wanted—this is your chance to rewrite that story.
🎶 Dance Your Heart Out to live DJ sets all night long.
👑 Royal Prom Court—who will you crown?
📸 Strike a Pose at the photo booth and immortalize your stunning look.
🎉 Vibrant Décor to set the celebratory mood.
🕰️ Masks Required for the first hour to ensure a welcoming and inclusive vibe for everyone.
🍹 Sip and Celebrate! A selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, so everyone can enjoy a drink that suits their style.
Dress to the nines, bring your date or your squad, and join us for an unforgettable evening of joy, dancing, and community. Let’s rewrite history and reclaim prom, together. 💖
✨ This is your night, your prom, your story. ✨
Thank you to our Event Sponsors: Bloom Local, Dry Humour, Peace & Rhythm Collective, & DJ Bex Taylor
Join us for the Valley’s popular jazz piano series! In 1995, the Northampton Center for the Arts asked long-time Connecticut River Valley jazz producer Glenn Siegel to produce a solo piano series, and A World of Piano was born. Throughout its history, the A World of Piano has sought to present a wide variety of approaches to the instrument. The series resumed in 2003 and continued until 2013, when NCFA lost its former space on South St.
Now firmly re-established at 33 Hawley, the Northampton Center for the Arts and Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares have resurrected A World of Piano. On February 27-March 1, 2025, the series continues with performances by pianists Matthew Shipp, Greg Burk, and Sylvie Courvoisier. Come to one concert or all three!
* Jazz Shares members may attend these concerts as part of their membership. Tickets are available to the general public on a sliding scale. Tickets purchased on the upper end of the scale help support NCFA’s ongoing commitment to accessibility and sliding scale models.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED!
Savor a moment of calm in these troubled times, and help raise funds for a wonderful cause! Since its inception in 2021, the Northampton Center for the Arts’ Community Fund has provided almost $20,000 to people in our community who need financial support to access arts space and classes. But the fund is not unlimited and we must figure out ways to regenerate so we can continue this good work. So please join us for an all inclusive Paint ‘n‘ Sip fundraiser on January 19th at 4pm. In this workshop, you'll create your own serene winterscape with acrylics on canvas! Enjoy a relaxed, welcoming environment where you can explore color harmonies and connect with a welcoming community. Alcoholic and NA drinks, snacks, and art materials are provided, so just bring your creativity. No prior experience needed—just sip, paint, have fun, and go home with a piece of art painted by your very own creative hands!
To register, email programs@nohoarts.org (preferred) or call the Center at 413-584-7327. Please include your name, address, and telephone contact. Community Fund donations are payable in advance by Paypal here, or by check to “NCFA” and mailed to the Northampton Center for the Arts, PO Box 366, Northampton MA 01061.
* Paying more on the sliding scale helps support our ongoing commitment to accessibility through the Community Fund and sliding scale models. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
About the Instructor: For the past 20 years, Natania Hume has been a passionate art /painting teacher at a local independent school, inspiring high school students with her belief in the power of creativity and a mission to make artistic expression available to all. In addition to her teaching, Natania is an accomplished potter, having created the Slow Studio line of pottery. Her love for both painting and pottery reflects her commitment to exploring and sharing diverse artistic mediums. Raised in the Pioneer Valley, she has long been an active member of the valley's artistic community, and currently serves on the board of directors for NCFA. Natania lives in Easthampton, MA with her family.
A one-act LGBTQ+ & woman-powered farce set in the 1950s brought to you by a teen-led theatre company!
This production is 100% teen, woman/non-binary, & queer-led!
Please join the Northampton Center for the Arts, A.P.E. Ltd., and Northampton Open Media at 33 Hawley for an opening reception with refreshments and live music during Arts Night Out on Friday, 1/10, from 5:00-8:00 pm!
The Northampton Center for the Arts presents Nexus: The Ties That Bind in the Barn Door Gallery. Each year, the January exhibit features artwork from Curatorial Committee members or artists of their choosing. Join us in celebrating this year's dynamic nexus of the local arts community as these creative minds unite, showcasing their work and reinforcing the spirit of collaboration and support within the local art scene. Don’t miss the chance to experience the vibrant expressions of our community!
A.P.E. Ltd. presents Remember to Remember, which brings together the works of Emine Cichowski, Muriel “Monik” Johnson, and many artists from The Care Center. Spanning multiple mediums, the exhibition offers a dynamic lens into dreams, memory, and daring expression.
NOHO Art Club
Head downstairs to Eli’s Room for a Noho Art Club meet-up from 5:00-7:30 PM hosted by Paige Quinn-Vasic! Come play with collage and gelli plate printing, and check out Paige’s felt sushi demo, an original wet felting technique offered as a workshop through the Center!
All exhibits can also be seen during open hours Wednesday through Saturday, 12-7 p.m. More information about the Barn Door Gallery can be found here and the Split Level Gallery can be found here.
Stars & Skulls Crafty Craft Fair is an annual alternative Craft Fair held in the Pioneer Valley since 2005. The return of the Valley's long-running craft fair for freaks & geeks! 30ish quirky crafters, artists & vendors on hand for all your holiday shopping needs. Conveniently located to downtown Northampton, plus free parking & admission!
Foes of a Minimum Wage Guard is the world's first solo play that brings attention to the issues of retail crime, shrink, and shoplifting. It explores the challenges faced by low-paid security guards and retail workers in managing theft and loss prevention. In this story of self-discovery, Steve Smelly, a complacent elderly retail guard, reluctantly accepts a new assignment as a loss prevention detective due to a department shortage. If he fails to curb shoplifting, he faces termination by the fearful district manager Mr. Coldstone. Steve stumbles upon a shocking discovery that could impact his employment. His difficult decision to handle this ultimate turn of events during a day of utter chaos will affect his relationship with coworkers and friends. The show is comedic and insightful, using humor to highlight the frustrations, absurdities, and ethical dilemmas surrounding the retail environment. Award winning filmmaker and actor Ken Harris performs 12 different characters in this story of retail chaos on a stage.
For tickets, please go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foes-of-a-minimum-wage-guard-a-solo-play-tickets-1032571839167?aff=oddtdtcreator
Please join the Northampton Center for the Arts, A.P.E. Ltd., and Northampton Open Media at 33 Hawley for an opening reception with refreshments and live music during Arts Night Out on Friday 12/13 from 5:00-8:00 pm!
The Northampton Center for the Arts presents Wallflower Wawa in the Barn Door Gallery. Paintings and wall sculptures by Nickolas Roblee-Strauss and Jacqueline Strauss explore the melodramas of less obvious party guests. Through the use of color, pattern, and a playful reinvention of form, this exhibit invites us to celebrate and encourages us to examine the perimeter, revealing the blossoms that emerge from the walls.
The Quabbin Art Association, in partnership with the Northampton Center for the Arts, presents New Voices, New Perspectives in the Split Level Gallery. This exhibition features 20 emerging artists from nine universities and colleges in the Connecticut River Valley area who are pursuing careers in the visual arts. Come and see the talented artists gathered by QAA in this new initiative, designed to create opportunities for these emerging creatives!
Music by River Valley Jazz Ensemble
This group first connected during the Jazz in July workshop program at UMass Amherst and the Vermont Jazz Center Summer Workshops in the summer of 2024. They have been jamming together ever since. Get ready to hear the smooth tones of Drew Jones, Andy Kivela, Bill Pastuszek, Aaron O. Reyes, and Ascher Savage.
NOHO Art Club
Head downstairs to Eli’s Room for a Noho Art Club meet-up from 5:00-7:30 PM hosted by Paige Quinn-Vasic! Come play with collage and gelli plate printing, and check out Paige’s felt sushi demo, an original wet felting technique offered as a workshop through the Center!
All exhibits can also be seen during open hours Wednesday through Saturday, 12-7 p.m. More information about the Barn Door Gallery can be found here and the Split Level Gallery can be found here.
The Northampton Center for the Arts will hold its annual building-wide Artisan Fair on Saturday, November 30th, 2024 (Small Business Saturday!), from 10:00am to 4:00pm at 33 Hawley. With over 55 talented local artists and artisans selling their work, refreshments and coffee available throughout the day, and live music by local musicians, this fair has quickly become a seasonal favorite!
Live music by Carrie Ferguson (11am) , Kim Chin-Gibbons (12:30pm), and Lily Sexton (2pm)!
The 2024 Northampton Artisan Fair is sponsored in part by The Roost!
Studio Feeler, Alex Makes Monsters, Alex Evora Green Arts LLC, Angela P. Shenk Art, Prayer Pots by Anita Walling, Anna Alter: Illustrated Goods, Helen Olsen Jewelry, my monster hat, Holler + Howl, Yellowdog, BKen Hobbies, Cabin Week Projects, Pagrana Naturals Handmade Bath & Body, Casey Williams ART & MAPS, Art Bug Illustrations, KafkaEzque Alternative Stationery, Hallie’s Comet Fine Jewelry, Christine Mirabal, Homestone Jewelry, Dani Antes Art, Sojourner Design, 230am Studio at the Carriage House, WhiteLeaf Paper, Doug Hockman Photography, Ella Alk Inuk LLC, E.klectix, FS woodturning, Gail B Cortis Art, Hal Glier Studios, La Boa Brava Jewelry, Harold J Dumas Art, Ouroboros Studios, Reclaimed Crafts, Rag Hill Farm, JoAnn Denehy/Westbrook Designs, Just Nice Wood, BlackPixelDust Art, Kathleen DeQuence Anderson , Northampton Art, The Rainbow Rack, Metal Objects, Kim Condon Pastels, Kristi Colbert, Carlson Creates , Lisa Cappello Design & Pottery, Madge Evers, Shire Arts, Pamela Acosta, Rachel Federico Art , Robin G. Photo Art, The Rah Collective, Simple Shoemaking + Scraps, Artsienas, Sol Weiss, Sophia Rose Pottery, Sophie Theroux, Stacey Dakai Pottery, Hawksong Weaving, Atelier Erotides Silva, Madelyn Bess, and the return of the NCFA Art Card Sale!
Fair attendees will find a variety of books and ephemera ranging from rare travel books to literary first editions, paper Americana to historic account books & manuscripts, fine letter press printing and fine bindings, small press poetry books, mystery & science fiction, books on the counter culture & queer studies, signed books & first editions. Also featured will be handmade journals, handmade paper, fine bindings, artist books, limited edition wood engravings, and early printed books. A wide variety of collectible books, printed paper, and book arts, priced under $100, will be available for sale.
At this time, 36 rare booksellers, paper Americana specialists, and book artists, including hand bookbinders, papermakers, & fine letterpress printers from New England and the mid-Atlantic states will convene to exhibit, sell, and schmooze at the popular two-day fair. The 2024 Northampton Book Fair will draw buyers, collectors, librarians, ephemera specialists, booksellers, and tourists from throughout the region to browse and purchase from a diverse set of exhibitors.
The Northampton Book Fair is sponsored by the Southern New England Antiquarian Booksellers and the Northampton Center for the Arts. Media sponsor is New England Public Media and the NEPM Book Club. Made possible, in part, with support from the International Online Booksellers Association. Produced and directed by Book Fair Promotion.
Get your tickets now!
Counting Down: A Song Cycle About Dementia & Life is a musical theater piece about a mother and daughter navigating the mom’s Dementia. It is a series of songs connected with dialogue. It is touching, funny and honest. This is the first public performance of the piece and will be a “staged reading” meaning that the actors will be using scripts during the show. One of the actors is from NY and two are local to Northampton.
For tickets ($10-$15), please go to https://www.ticketsource.us/jody-cutler
Please join the Northampton Center for the Arts, A.P.E. Ltd., and Northampton Open Media at 33 Hawley for an opening reception with refreshments and live music during Arts Night Out on Friday, 11/8, from 5:00-8:00 pm!
The Northampton Center for the Arts presents Pliable Entanglements in the Barn Door Gallery. This exhibition, featuring the works of Eva Barajas, María Sparrow, and Ross Momaney, invites viewers to reflect on their past, present, and future while recognizing the flexible connections that bind us to the lives around us. The exhibit encourages us to appreciate the subtle and invisible ties that unite us all, emphasizing the idea that our observations and interactions continuously shape and connect us in profound ways.
Stay for an Artist Talk at 7:30 pm in the Barn Door Gallery!
We’re excited to present two exhibits in the Split Level Gallery this month! Everyday/Every Day can be seen on the Mezzanine level, and features the works of Deb Lohmeyer, Joyce Lak, and Nancy Lowry. During the global pandemic, these artists started a peer-to-peer group sharing a "photo a day" project to stay connected. They took and shared daily photos on Instagram, which improved their photography skills and helped them notice and appreciate the beauty in everyday life. Whether in their hometown or exploring new places, the project encouraged them to pay closer attention to the wonders around them.
Continue to the lower level of the Split Level Gallery to see Home, Freedom, Beauty by Adeyemi Adebayo. The work explores the themes of home, beauty, and freedom through the lens of solitude, disposition, and the longing for home. The work focuses on the human disposition in different states and across time, emphasizing the quiet, contemplative, yet revealing nature of people as they navigate through life, leisure, and struggles for freedom.
Music by Infinite Sun
Infinite Sun is the rock and acoustic duo of Erik Vegeto and Jake Tuvek, celebrated for their chill, melodic tunes and heartfelt performances throughout Western Mass. Their music embodies a belief in radical acceptance and transformative compassion, with lyrics that deeply resonate and foster a sense of community.
NOHO Art Club
Head downstairs to Eli’s Room for a Noho Art Club meet-up hosted by Paige Quinn-Vasic! Come play with collage and gelli plate printing, and check out Paige’s felt sushi demo, an original wet felting technique offered as a workshop through the Center!
All exhibits can also be seen during open hours Wednesday through Saturday, 12-7 p.m. More information about the Barn Door Gallery can be found here and the Split Level Gallery can be found here.
Don't want to be scared this Halloween? No problem! At Dark of Fright™ Halloween Party, come in costume* to experience sweets and surprises without any scares (we're a misnomer, we know...)!
Northampton Center for the Arts at 33 Hawley comes alive with eerie excitement. On the main floor, go trick or treating for candy, toys and stickers and get your groove on at the demonically dazzling dance party inside Club Castle. Throughout the night, enjoy performances from A2Z Science and Learning Store's yo-yo team and incredible circus feats.
On the ground floor is the Wizard Workshop, where Pepperoni is waiting to meet you! Get pictures and autographs and pose in front of frightfully fun photo-ops. Directly next to the Wizard Workshop is a sensory space for autistic and other neurodivergent guests to regroup**.
A Halloween party is not complete without monstrous morsels... sink your teeth into vegan and gluten-free cupcakes from Carefree Cakery and other devious delights.
Admission wristbands are $0-$10 in-person on October 26th at the NCFA box office counter (pay what you can/no one turned away for lack of funds), or $5 and up online at Brown Paper Tickets. For more information on Northampton Center for the Arts please visit their website.
*No costume masks, long trailing fabrics, prop weapons or gore.
**Noise cancelling headphones/ear defenders will be provided in the sensory space and/or on request.
During Dark of Fright, we ask that you mask to better protect immunocompromised individuals. Various types of masks will be provided. Please consult our COVID-19 safety protocols for more information.
How can a Truth be told? How can a Secret be spoken?
A betrayed schoolboy, a Japanese soldier, and the inventor of the saxophone. Three narratives show how a story can save your life. It’s bold, provocative, theatrical—and not for a moment depressing.
The award winning play Groomed will be performed with a talk-back after the show. The performance is FREE and open to the public (PG-13).
Performed by UK playwright and male survivor, Patrick Sandford, the 1-hour, 1-act play is set in an elementary school. The performance evokes strong emotions but is not graphic. Groomed was performed at the Vatican in Nov. 2023 and is meant to educate, inform, and be a catalyst for discussions about the reality of sexual abuse of minors.
For information contact: Michael Koplinka-Loehr, 607-592-8437, mak11@cornell.edu
In New York City in the 1960s, an ambitious accountant named Chuck Baxter lends out his apartment to his supervisors, who need a discreet place for illicit afternoon rendezvous. Miserable and exploited, Chuck finds a beacon of hope in coworker Fran, who is trapped in a romantic predicament of her own. The bittersweet romantic comedy features a groundbreaking contemporary score from composer Burt Bacharach. The score includes the blockbuster hit “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” plus “Knowing When To Leave,” “Turkey Lurkey Time,” “Whoever You Are,” “I Say A Little Prayer for You, ” “A House Is Not a Home,” and the title song.
For more information, and tickets, please visit https://www.ketg.org/promises-promises.html