Salon at The Foundry, and Trans Art Workshops

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18, 2024
Media Contact: Maayan Nuri Héd | always.seeing.rainbows@gmail.com

Announcing

Salon at The Foundry, and Trans Art Workshops in collaboration with Berkshire Art Center

[PITTSFIELD, MA] The barely three-week old, trans-led and -operated organization, Seeing Rainbows, greets this summer season with extraordinary momentum. The group, committed to “producing and presenting liberating art and experiences” by and for the local trans community, has launched with an array of programs already in place. The first salon workshop, billed as “Salon: A Seeing Rainbows Co-Creation Workshop Experience” launched at The Foundry in West Stockbridge earlier this month, and will reprise the event on Monday, July 15 at 7:00pm. Salon is an open event, where the organization invites the broader community to co-create in an intentionally anti-racist and anti-discriminatory setting. Of the program, co-founder Maayan Nuri Héd says, “It's hard to describe if you haven't participated before. Think one part workshop, one part community hangout, one part transcendent spiritual experience, one part performance. If you’ve participated in something called a ‘salon’ before, or think you know what it is, the experience thrives on leaving any expectations behind.” Salon events will continue in partnership with various venues throughout the region, both indoors and outdoors, to increase access to this program, and opportunities for different audiences to interact with it. Following the July event at the Foundry, Seeing Rainbows has partnered with Berkshire Art Center to offer a Salon at their Citizens’ Hall location on Sunday, September 8 at 1:30pm.

BAC and Seeing Rainbows will also be co-hosting a monthly “closed” Trans Art Workshop, on fourth Fridays from 6–8pm. The first of these events will be hosted on Friday, June 28 at 6:00pm in Berkshire Art Center’s Pittsfield location, in the Brothership Building at 141 North Street. Offering a mix of “closed” (meaning open to trans- and non-binary audiences only) and “open” activities that welcome cis allies to be in community with Seeing Rainbows trans audiences helps to foster a sense of safety and belonging within the trans community, enabling more opportunities for interaction and understanding with the broader community.

To align with its mission of offering liberating experiences, all of Seeing Rainbows’ programming is offered on a pay-what-you-can / no-one-turned-away-for-lack-of-funds (PWYC/NOTAFLOF). “Much of our community, due to discrimination or disability, or other reasons, is on public assistance or has limited income,” explains Ms. Héd, “and we cannot demand that they pay for, what we feel are, vital experiences and opportunities for human connection. It’s our hope that donors, and the broader community will be generous in supporting our efforts.”

More information on all of Seeing Rainbows’ programming and partnerships can be found on their website at seeingrainbows.org. Questions may be directed to the entire staff at always.seeing.rainbows@gmail.com.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRES:

Maayan Nuri Héd | Staff/Board | always.seeing.rainbows@gmail.com

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