By Marsha Hewitt, Encaustic Artist

Greenfield, MA in Franklin County seems to have it all together – a charming downtown, excellent restaurants and a dedicated community of artists and businesses who collaborate and support each other.

Recently, I attended the Creative Economy Summit 3 in Greenfield, MA and was very favorably impressed. Over the two day event, there were lots of sessions to choose from ranging from how to sell your work on Etsy and Zazzle to a presentation by an artist, art consultant and hospital executive, called Corporation + Art = Collaboration, that discussed creating art/design for the hospital interiors.

I also attended practical workshops on how to use QR (Quick Response) codes and how to optimize search engine standing on the web. And there was plenty of time to network with good food, music and an exhibit of work by local artists.

I was especially impressed with how organized the artists in western Mass seemed to be. This was their third summit and it seems that they are creating a cohesive artist community that collaborates and has the support of local businesses who appreciate the contribution art makes to the region’s economy.

Can we do the same in the Monadnock Region?