>> IT'S THE LARGEST CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM IN THE COUNTRY, AND
IT'S NESTLED RIGHT HERE IN THE BERKSHIRE HILLS.
FOR OVER TWO DECADES, THE MASSACHUSETTS
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART HAS BROUGHT LARGER-THAN-LIFE MODERN
ART, EXCITING PERFORMANCES, AND NEW RESIDENT ARTISTS TO THE
REGION.
CONNECTING POINT'S KATE PRINCE VISITED THE LANDMARK INSTITUTION
AS IT CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY AND SAT DOWN WITH
THE MUSEUM'S FOUNDING DIRECTOR, JOSEPH THOMPSON, TO DISCUSS
WHERE THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN -- AND WHERE IT'S LOOKING TO GO.
>> IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, THIS HAS BECOME A CONTEMPORARY ART
DESTINATION.
THE TOWERING BUILDING WAS A TEXTILE FACILITY.
IT WOULD CLOSE IN 1985 IN NORTH ADAMS INTO ANOTHER VACANT
FACTORY TOWN.
NOW IT'S HOME TO 130,000 SQUARE FEET OF INDUSTRIAL GALLERY SPACE
SPREAD OUT ACROSS 19 SPRAWLING BUILDINGS.
IT HAS BECOME A CULTURAL HUB IN THE BERKSHIRES AND DRAWS TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS FOR PERFORMANCES EACH YEAR.
THE TRAFFIC HAS COMPLETELY IMPACTED NORTH ADAMS SINCE IT
OPENED IN 1999.
>> NORTH ADAMS IN THE MID-80s LOOKED TO BE A TOWN WITH A VERY
LITTLE FEATURE.
SPRAGUE LEAVING 20% OKAY PARTICIPANT SI RATE.
ANYBODY WITH SKILLS WAS GETTING OUT OF TOWN SO YOU WERE LEFT
WITH AN AGING POPULATION OR POPULATION OF LARGELY UNSKILLED
LABOR.
IT WAS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC NEUTRON BOMB HAD LANDED
ON NORTH ADAMS.
IT'S BETTER NOW.
IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME.
HERE WE ARE COMING UP ON TWO DECADES AT HAVING BEEN OPENED, 3
DECADES IF YOU COUNT THE PLANNING.
MANY PEOPLE EXPECTED A MIRACLE OVERNIGHT, BUT I'VE COME TO
BELIEVE THAT WAS THINGS ARE -- -- THAT THESE THINGS ARE
GENERATIONAL.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT LONG AS A STARTUP PROJECT.
>> AS IT TURNSOUT IT EXPANDED TO ITS ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT.
IN ORDER TO MAKE THE MUSEUM MORE FEASIBLE THEY ADDED ART FORMS
OUTSIDE OF THE GALLERY.
>> WHEN WE FIRST PROPOSED IT THERE WAS NO PERFORMANCE ARTS.
IT WAS A BIG MUSEUM FOR BIG ART.
BIG ART THAT WAS GOING TO STAY IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME.
A DEPOT, IN ESSENCE.
WE CHANGED THE IDEA RADICALLY THROUGH THE EARLY '90s AS WE
WERE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKER PROJECT FEASIBLE.
WE FIRST ADDED CHANGING EXHIBITIONS INSTEAD OF ART
EXHIBITIONS AND PERHAPS MOST RADICALLY WE DECIDED 50% OF OUR
EVERYTHING, OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES, OUR PEOPLE, OUR
EMOTIONAL BANDWIDTH WOULD GO INTO THE PERFORMING ARTS.
20 WEEKS A YEAR WE PRODUCE PERFORMING ARTS WHICH RANGES
FROM DANCE, PERFORMANCE AND FILM.
>> JUST THIS SUMMER THEY HAVE A LINEUP OF EVENTS AND PERFORMING
ARTISTS RANGING FROM MAGGIE ROGERS TO ITS OUTDOOR MUSIC
FRESH GRASS FESTIVAL.
THE MUSEUM'S INCREASED CUTTING EDGE PROGRAMMING HAS DRAWN LOCAL
AND NATIONAL ATTENTION AND WITH IT INCREASED CROWDS.
>> THE MUSEUM ATTENDANCE HAS GROWN STEADILY FROM 60 AND
70,000 A YEAR TO PUSHING 300,000 A YEAR NOW.
I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS OWING TO THE EXCITEMENT OF THE
PERFORMING ARTS GENERATION.
PEOPLE COME AND YOU HAVE YOUR FAVORITE ROCK 'N ROLLER OR YOUR
FAVORITE AVANT-GARDE PRACTITIONER OR YOUR FAVORITE
POET AND YOU COME TO SEE THEM AND YOU VISIT THE GALLERIES AND
YOU FIND OUT IT'S NOT AS BAD AS YOU THINK.
>> THERE'S NO STOPPING YET.
THEY HAVE BIG ASPIRATIONS FOR ITS FUTURE AS WELL AS THE TOWN
OF NORTH ADAMS.
THE MUSEUM HAS ALREADY CREATED OSITIVE CHANGE ON THE LOCAL
ECONOMY BUT THERE'S STILL MORE ROOM TO GROW WITH HOPES TO
CREATE MORE JOBS, ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND DRAW A NEW
GENERATION TO NORTH ADAMS.
>> LOTS OF GOOD THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO HAPPEN IN NORTH
ADAMS.
I REMEMBER WHETHER WE WERE FIRST HERE, PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE A
LONG TIME WOULD LOOK AT THESE REALLY MILLED BUILDINGS OR
VACANT STORE FRONTS OR VICTORIAN HOUSES THAT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK
AND THEY WOULD SEE WHAT WAS.
THEY WOULD SEE THE END OF AN ERA.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF NEW, EXCITING ENERGETIC YOUNGER
PEOPLE MOVING TO TOWN AND THEY LOOK AT THOSE SAME BUILDINGS AND
THEY SEE OPPORTUNITY AND I THINK THAT'S JUST THE SWITCHING OF A
PERSPECTIVE THAT COMES WITH A NEW GENERATION WHO LOOK AND
DON'T SEE THE PAST BUT LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
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