Berkshire Theatre Group Receives Grant from Massachusetts Cultural Council's Festivals Program

Berkshire Theatre Group is proud to announce that our Made In The Berkshires Festival is the recipient of Massachusetts Cultural Council's Festivals Program grant. In November, BTG will host the 6th annual Made In The Berkshires Festival, which will utilize both Pittsfield and Stockbridge locations throughout the November 11th - 13th festival weekend. Made In The Berkshires is a locally-grown festival of new works including theatre, film, dance, poetry, music, short stories, performance and visual art.

Artistic Director/CEO Kate Maguire says, "We're proud to be included on the list of Fall and Winter Festivals supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Festivals Program. Since ticket sales only cover half of our expenses, outside funding is vital to maintain our educational and transformative programs. We are grateful that the MCC supports the valuable work we do."

MCC's Festivals Program is designed to provide funding to help festival programmers meet the needs of producing, promoting, and developing audiences. In the program's first round, 125 grants of $500 were awarded. Grant recipients also receive technical support from ArtsBoston in social media and best practices in data collection to create a framework to deepen the marketing and data collection capacity of festivals across the Commonwealth.

About Berkshire Theatre Group

The Colonial Theatre, founded in 1903, and Berkshire Theatre Festival, founded in 1928, are two of the oldest cultural organizations in the Berkshires. In 2010, under the leadership of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, the two organization merged to form Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG). Berkshire Theatre Group's mission is to support wide ranging artistic exploration and acclaimed performances in theatre, dance, music and entertainment. Every year, BTG produces and presents performances to over 68,000 attendees and, through our Educational Program, serves over 13,000 Berkshire County schoolchildren annually. BTG's celebrated stages reflect the history of the American theatre; they represent a priceless cultural resource for the community.

The Fitzpatrick Main Stage, cataloged by the National Register of Historic Places, has been home to the Berkshire Theatre Festival since 1928. Nestled at the corner of Main Street and Yale Hill Road in Stockbridge, this 318-seat theatre epitomizes summer theatre for many of its faithful patrons. The intimate 122-seat Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, is BTG's home for new and experimental works, showcasing world premieres and reimagined classics. Built in 1903 and declared a National Historic Treasure in 1998, the 780-seat Colonial Theatre is a cornerstone of Pittsfield's revitalization. Re-opening to the public in 2006 after a $21 million restoration, the Colonial serves as a cultural resource for the community. Located in the lobby of the Colonial, the 150-seat Garage is a convertible space that serves as a dance floor, stage for comedians, bands, theatre and more.