Community Access to the Arts (CATA)

We're THRILLED to share our new short film 🌟🎥 "CATA IS...!" 🎥🌟— the story of CATA as told by our artists! CATA "News Anchors" Cindy and Dan take you behind the scenes in this fun, fast-paced film— packed with great CATA artist interviews, performances, artwork, and more. Get ready for 15 minutes of CATA joy! 🎥 Watch the film: https://lnkd.in/eDJsn6Td 🌟 PLUS: Watch and WIN CATA artwork! Sign our guestbook after watching and you'll be entered to win a piece of CATA artwork of your choosing. ❤️ A big thank you to Ben Hillman— filmmaker and friend of CATA— for creating this film. And congrats to Dan, Cindy, and all the CATA artists in the film!

📣 Attention all Berkshire & Columbia County arts workers! CATA is proud to be part of a cohort of local arts organizations exploring compensation equity for entry and mid-level workers in local nonprofits arts sector. Check out the SURVEY CALL below ---> We want to hear from you! 📝 SURVEY CALL: Entry/Mid Level Arts + Culture Employees The Berkshire/Columbia County pay equity project continues! Are you an entry/mid level arts and culture employee in the Berkshires or Columbia County? Please fill out this survey by July 15th and help us know if our pay equity efforts are changing your experience at our organizations. https://lnkd.in/egG4sDRY Please share with all your entry and mid level arts and culture employee colleagues. The project's second report, outlining how the 17 pay equity project coalition member organizations are implementing the 2023 report recommendations, will be shared on September 25 at 5pm at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington - Save the date and join us- it's free. As we prepare the second report, we are gathering as much data as possible from entry and mid level arts and culture employees in our two counties. Please complete and/or share this new survey and help us know if our efforts are working!

📣 Get ready to enter the CATAverse... because YOU can now watch our full CATA Annual Performance online for free! Congrats to our cast and crew on an amazing show! Shout out to CTSB-TV and our CATA artist camera operators for filming and editing the performance. Watch CATAverse: https://lnkd.in/dzwvC6vs Watch with audio description: https://lnkd.in/dh4B5_Pe

If you attended our CATAverse Annual Performance at Shakespeare & Company, you may’ve noticed CATA artists taking on new roles backstage and behind the scenes! That includes CATA Ambassadors Izzy and Kyle, who greeted guests and shared their experience as CATA artists— and Brittni and Max, who worked alongside Erica Spizz and CTSB-TV as camera operators to film our performance. 🎥👋 You’ll see their footage in our “CATAverse” performance video coming very soon! Image description: Izzy and Kyle smile behind a table of CATA materials and wearing CATA hats and t-shirts. Brittni and Max get last minute pointers on the video camera with Erica Spizz from CTSB-TV

A BIG thank you to The Berkshire Eagle for highlighting CATA's work—and how we want to say 'yes' to everyone who's calling. "CATA makes me feel good," says Eric, a long-time CATA artist and member of its advisory council. "I've grown here at CATA. Disability is about ability." Take a peek at the article (with great CATA quotes and photos!): https://lnkd.in/eAnKEGb3

We had the incredible honor of welcoming Moussa "Bolokada" Conde as a guest artist in our CATA drumming workshop! 🙌 Bolokada is a world-renowned master musician, djembefola and cultural ambassador of the Malinke people of Guinea, West Africa. CATA artists learned new rhythms and techniques playing alongside Bolokada. We're still bursting with joy and feeling the incredible rhythms Bolokada brought to our studio! Thank you to Bolokada and to our drumming faculty Aimee Gelinas (TAMARACK HOLLOW NATURE AND CULTURAL CENTER) for coordinating this incredible opportunity for CATA artists! Image descriptions: Photos of Bolokada Conde leading a drumming workshop with CATA artists in the CATA arts studio

We're thrilled to welcome two new staff members to the CATA team— Kelly Rybczyk (Development Director) and Bailey Girvan (Associate Director of Development)! 🎉 In their new roles, Kelly and Bailey will help oversee CATA's donor relations program, giving people with disabilities across the Berkshires and Columbia county more opportunities to explore their talents and express themselves creatively. Next time you visit CATA be sure to say hello! 👋 Image description: Headshots of Kelly Rybczyk and Bailey Girvan with drums and musical instruments in the background. (photos by David Dashiell)

CATA is on New England Public Media's #Fabulous413 Radio Show! 🎙📻 Listen to our director Margaret Keller talk all things CATA— including how MacKenzie Scott's $2 million #YieldGiving grant from Lever for Change will help us reach even more people with disabilities. 🎧 Listen below (CATA starts at 18'30"). Thanks to the FABulous Monte Belmonte + Kaliis Smith for having us on! https://lnkd.in/er8A2dNr

We’ve been thrilled to welcome the wonderful Noel Staples-Freeman as a Guest Artist in CATA’s “Dance Expressions” workshop this past month! 👏 Noel brought her talents as a dancer and teacher to our studios—leading CATA artists in African-rooted dance and sharing history, music, and movement activities from the African Diaspora. Thank you Noel! 🙌 Image description: Noel and CATA artists dance with colorful scarves in CATA’s performing arts studio

🎉 A BIG congrats to CATA’s Program Associate Shawn Mille who was honored at the 40 Under 40 Awards at Berkshire Community College! We’re so proud to celebrate you and the difference you’re making in our community. Shawn’s dedication to CATA is helping expand opportunities for people with disabilities. Shawn is also VP of the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention and volunteers with Berkshire Pride. Go Shawn! 👏 Image description: Photos from the 40 Under 40 Award ceremony, including Shawn posing with CATA staff and Shawn accepting his award on stage. Mill Town Foundation 1Berkshire