THE OFFICE performing arts + film first piloted the Artists At Work (AAW) program in July 2020. Western Massachusetts presented an ideal landscape for pilot learning, including as it does a mix of post-industrial cities, small towns, and rural areas, and being a region where the arts have long been valued as a major economic driver and artists integral contributors to the health of communities. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience working deeply in the cultural landscape of the Berkshires, THE OFFICE performing arts + film selected an initial cohort of six Culture Hubs from across Western Massachusetts, from major anchor institutions to smaller grassroots constituent-facing organizations, each specializing in a particular discipline.

The initial pilot of Artists At Work in Western MA was conceived in partnership with, and made possible by, the generous support of The FreshGrass Foundation.