Let It Shine! Unveils New Artwork in Downtown Pittsfield

On Friday, May 24th at 4 pm, the Let It Shine! partnership will unveil their most recent public art addition to downtown Pittsfield. The public is invited to attend this celebration, held at 292 North Street outside of the Berkshire Family YMCA. This project is a collaboration between local artists Huck Elling and Marina Dominguez, Morningside Community School, Mill Town Foundation and MassDevelopment’s TDI.

The project culminates in a photographic mural on 4 large panels that will be displayed on the YMCA on North Street. The murals include playful portraits of 173 students from Morningside Elementary School.

“The inspiration for this project started with a desire to strengthen connections between people who live here and places we share, through making art with/for our community. We chose the format of black and white photos because the simplicity of the format lets the kids’ personalities shine,” said organizer and local artist Huck Elling.

Huck went on to say, “Our motivation for this collaboration is joy. Our method for achieving this goal is sharing the youthful exuberance of children that make up this community. It’s our hope that their smiles bring you smiles.” As participant Kamaya, grade 2, said, “When people see it, they are going to think we are so beautiful. That is so beautiful.”

The Let It Shine! mission is rooted in making art accessible to all, rebuilding confidence in Pittsfield, and creating stronger ties between residents and their downtown. In 2023, the committee installed five murals of large scale in downtown Pittsfield, collaborated with Boys and Girls Club youth on themes of art and activism, worked with 50 volunteers to paint downtown sidewalks, and held a day of celebration for public art. Let It Shine! is made up of numerous local partners including representatives from Downtown Pittsfield Inc./Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association (fiscal agent), City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development, Pittsfield Artists in Residence: Huck Elling and Jesse Tobin McCauley, Mill Town Foundation, and MassDevelopment’s TDI.

This year, Let It Shine! will operate a mentoring program in three Pittsfield Public Schools surrounding downtown with the goals of educating young artists, building bridges between young people and downtown, and boosting economic vitality. Public art will be created with and by local youth after a series of workshops that engage kids with themes of activism, environmentalism, and entrepreneurship.

Let It Shine! expresses gratitude for support from its major 2024 sponsors: Mill Town Foundation, Lee Bank, a grant awarded by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Arts Build Community Initiative with funding from the Barr Foundation, Fiegenbaum Foundation, Pittsfield Cultural Council, NBT Bank, and General Dynamics.