About Us
Origin
Berkshire Busk! was conceived and developed by Eugene Carr, a local cellist and entrepreneur, during the earliest days of the pandemic. When all the stores, restaurants and cultural organizations were closed, the festival became a safe way to bring the community together and enliven the town of Great Barrington through the arts.
In the summer of 2021, Berkshire Busk! held its first season which featured both local and visiting artists, many of whom were performing publicly for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. In only a few years, the festival has quickly established itself as a staple of summertime in the Berkshires, providing a new and free-to-attend cultural and community event for visitors and residents. In the summer of 2023, over 28,000 people experienced Berkshire Busk! in downtown Great Barrington.
You can hear more about the history of Berkshire Busk! in this episode of the Community Catalyst Podcast: Entrepreneurial Citizenship.
Mission
Berkshire Busk! strives to improve community engagement and economic development during the summer in downtown Great Barrington, MA, by harnessing artistic talent from the community and beyond to create a new and vibrant downtown cultural experience.
Goals:
The goals of Berkshire Busk! are:
1. To provide performing artists (both non-professional local performers and world-famous professional buskers) with opportunities to perform.
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2. To create a fun and joyous free-to-attend community gathering space that people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy.
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3. To bolster Great Barrington’s reputation as a great place to visit, shop, dine and live
4. To provide a new avenue for economic development for the Town of Great Barrington.
What is “Busking?”
To busk simply means to perform in a public space for tips. This activity is often associated with well known musicians - The Roots, Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Bridgers and others trace their roots to busking – but can apply to street performers of any kind. Attendees are able to listen for free, and are encouraged to tip the performers.
Busking takes place all over the world, either organized by individual performers themselves, or through organized busking festivals like this one. Our festival’s buskers range from musicians to dancers, jugglers, aerialists, circus performers and many other creative artforms.
Performers of all types (from musicians and dancers, or anyone with a wacky idea) are welcome to apply to be a part of Berkshire Busk!.
Press
Berkshire Busk! has received wide recognition in the local press and maintains a very active social media presence. To explore Berkshire Busk!’s local, regional, and national press coverage, click here. To see more about the festival, please visit the festival's social media sites on Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube.
Leadership & Team
Berkshire Busk! is produced each year with a small leadership team led by Eugene Carr, Festival Director and Carli Scolforo, General Manager, as well as a team of seasonal staff, volunteers, and an array of local advisors.
The full list of our team members can be found here, and those looking to get involved may apply any time!
Supporters
Berkshire Busk! Is a project endorsed by the Select Board of the Town of Great Barrington, and entirely supported by sponsorship fees from companies and organizations, as well as philanthropic donations from granting organizations and individuals and the Town of Great Barrington.
Berkshire Busk! currently operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. Your support is welcomed!
Access
We are proud to participate in Mass Cultural Council's Card to Culture program in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health's WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of organizations by making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a participation barrier.
Berkshire Busk! is free for the entire community to attend. Check out the complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.
Non-Discrimination & DEI
Berkshire Busk! does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
Berkshire Busk! is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.