FERRIN CONTEMPORARY, located on the campus of MASS MoCA, is in the heart of the Berkshires, about a three-hour drive from New York and Boston. Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, The Clark, galleries, and many great restaurants make the Berkshires the perfect art vacation destination along with the amazing natural beauty of the mountains themselves.
“Since the turn of the 20th century, urban creatives have flocked to the Berkshires—a quiet, mountainous region in Massachusetts—as a fresh air summer retreat. Over the years, these fair-weather tourists have left their mark on the area, establishing a rich assortment of arts institutions and seasonal programs highlighting every conceivable discipline, from theater to sculpture.” — Artsy
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Ferrin Contemporary 1315 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA
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MUSEUMS
The Clark
A 15-minute drive west of Ferrin Contemporary and MASS MoCA, is the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute—recently renovated by Tadao Ando. The permanent collection features European and American paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century. The collection is especially rich in French Impressionist and Academic paintings, British oil sketches, drawings, and silver, and the work of American artists Winslow Homer, George Inness, and John Singer Sargent. Click for more.
Williams College Museum of Art
Only a short drive from The Clark, the college town of Williamstown is unexpectedly buzzing each summer thanks to the Williamstown Theatre Festival. These intimate seasonal performances are matched by the school’s impressive art museum. The museum’s mission, “to advance learning through lively and innovative approaches to art for the students of Williams College and communities beyond the campus” means visitors from outside the college are met with a warm welcome. And, there is no admission fee. Click for more.
MASS MoCA
MASS MoCA is one of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. Click for more.
“A Wall Drawing Retrospective” by Sol Lewitt is worth the trip alone. Click for more. The long-term installation of sculpture and paintings by Anselm Kiefer is housed in a specially repurposed, 10,000 square-foot building at MASS MoCA. Click for more.
MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS
Jacobs Pillow Dance
Jacob’s Pillow Dance is lauded worldwide as a “hub and mecca of dancing” (TIME Magazine), “one of America’s most precious cultural assets” (Mikhail Baryshnikov), and “the dance center of the nation” (The New York Times). “The Pillow” is a treasured 220-acre National Historic Landmark, a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Arts, and home to America’s longest-running international dance festival. Each year thousands of people from across the U.S. and around the globe visit to experience The Festival with more than 50 dance companies and 200 free performances, talks, and events. Click for more.
Williamstown Theater Festival
Since 1955, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has brought America’s finest actors, directors, designers, and playwrights to the Berkshires, engaging a loyal audience of both residents and summer visitors. Each season is designed to present unique opportunities for artists and audience alike, revisiting classic plays with innovative productions, developing and nurturing bold new plays and musicals, and offering a rich array of accompanying cultural events including Free Theatre, Late-Night Cabarets, readings, workshops, and educational programs. Click for more.
Tanglewood
Further south, Lenox, Massachusetts, thrives during the summer thanks in part to the legendary Tanglewood Music Festival, which brings acclaimed contemporary classical acts to the rural bandshell. Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. Pack a picnic and head to Tanglewood for a starlit night of world-class music. Click for more.
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For a detailed listing of current exhibits, performances, events, and other local offerings, click here to visit Destination Williamstown.
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Ferrin Contemporary
Housed in an airy building on MASS MoCA’s 16-acre campus, this contemporary art gallery is only a short walk from the museums’s front door. A joint venture between Ferrin Contemporary and Cynthia Reeves Gallery, the shared space serves as a flexible platform for both galleries to stage large-scale exhibitions and programming. Our gallery features contemporary ceramic work in themed exhibitions and solo shows.
“Don’t expect local kitsch—the outpost boasts a rotating program of internationally acclaimed talents like Ron Nagle and Betty Woodman.” Kat Herriman, Artsy Editorial
Ferrin Contemporary’s Art Concierge Services
Let us help plan your visit with a curated itinerary. We can help you arrange studio visits, navigate various museum exhibitions and performance offerings, as well as recommend trails and outdoor adventures. Click here to contact us by e-mail. Or give us a call.
Click here to view a sample itinerary for a group of 10 visiting the Berkshires. The tour is filled with art in museums, galleries, and artists’ studios along with live entertainment and good food.
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Book Your Stay Today
Don’t leave your booking until too late. Make your reservations and get the special treatment at PORCHES INN — use the code ARTNA when booking best available rates.
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