When you’re a festival named “10x10,” with events produced in increments of 10 (minutes, dramatic acts, pieces of music, etc.) during 10 days in February, your 10th anniversary looms large. Wouldn’t you know, this is the tenth year of Pittsfield’s Upstreet Arts Festival, created a decade ago to get people out of their houses and gin up some activity for the creative organizations and merchants in town in the middle of February. Getting out this year? Not so much.

But, despite some initial uncertainty, the 2021 festival will go on, Feb.11-21, because how can you ignore a tenth anniversary?

“Normally, we have more than 10,000 people participating among all our events, which have numbered as many as 75,” said Jen Glockner, director of the City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development, which organizes the festival. “We decided to do 10 signature events to celebrate our anniversary. Art makes people happy, and we’re glad to contribute to making people happy.”

Many of the events (which number more than 10, to be honest) have to be virtual, of course. But 10x10 wouldn’t be itself without The Ten Spot Show at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts. All of the past Ten Spot artists have been invited to be featured in it this year, and many of the best of contemporary artists in Berkshire County stepped forward to participate. A video recording is being produced for viewing online.

The Real Art Party (RAP) sponsored by the Berkshire Art Association, is always an ebullient affair at the Berkshire Museum. Artists from the Berkshires and beyond contribute 10x10-inch original artwork that’s snapped up by ticket-goers, who for their $25 are allowed to choose a piece when their raffle number is called. The RAP has been migrated into a sneak peek virtual walking tour and then an online raffle. As always, proceeds will benefit Berkshire Art Association fellowships for college art majors as well as art field trips for high school art classes.

Another beloved activity, WordxWord, has named this year’s event “Pandemic Story Slam.” A livestreamed event via Zoom, it’ll be free to attend or perform, but registration is required.

Last year, organizers added outdoor activities to the lineup. Mass Audubon is sponsoring an Owl and Wildlife Prowl at Canoe Meadows, a gentle walk with listening and watching for owls and other nocturnal wildlife. The Berkshire Natural Resources Council will offer a self-guided story walk at Wild Acres Conservation Area. Weather depending, there will be ice sculpture carving at the Berkshire Museum.

Back inside, and virtual, Jacob’s Pillow is sponsoring a community dance party; Gypsy Lane Cabaret & Co. has prepared a virtual performance of its sexy, cheeky, musical comedy; the Berkshire Theatre Group is participating with “BTG Plays,” student written plays developed during this past summer’s BTG’s Learn From Home online playwriting program; and Dance Ten, a group of local dance companies, contributes an encore performance of a past Dance Ten performance, thanks to past vidoes produced by Pittsfield Community Television, which has also recorded and will release an encore performance of a past “10 Minutes of Fireworks.”  Berkshires Jazz will present a livestreamed concert featuring pianist Matt DeChamplain playing the jazz stylings of 10 different pianists.

Glockner said they’re doing whatever they can to keep the festival going in a safe way. “We're on a downward trend [in terms of Covid], and we don’t want to mess with that.”

But, she added, “We want to encourage people to grab takeout from one of our local restaurants.” Why not make that one of your activities?

For the full 10x10 schedule, check Discover Pittsfield’s website.

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Written by
Lisa Green