OUR BIG NEWS!

Deep breath—it’s been a big year. We’ll keep this fun to read, but there’s real news inside.   

The headline: We are donating the entire 130,000 square foot Beaver Mill (on 28 acres) to the Barbara and Eric Rudd Art Foundation d/b/a Berkshire Art Museum.  

Doing it now—rather than through our estates—lets Eric manage a careful, gradual transition so the Foundation’s future is strong.

  This year at a glance:

1.  $200,000 Building Upgrades are 90% complete. With a $100,000 MCC Cultural Facilities match, we tackled critical repairs on our two historic downtown buildings. That meant fewer outside exhibitions this season—but even our museum neighbors in construction mode temporarily closed (WCMA, Berkshire Museum), so please forgive us for cutting back.

2.  Still open, still growing. Nevertheless, we kept the Berkshire Art Museum’s summer/fall season open and even offered sneak previews of our Beaver Mill Studio–Museum Annex.  We also presented our popular ~ 25th annual ~ Eagle Street Beach event. And yes, once construction and repairs are completed, we’ll resume presenting changing exhibitions by other artists, as we’ve done since 2014.

3.  The Beaver Mill gift ~ what it unlocks. As Eric’s studios and archives transition into the Foundation (8,000 works ~ from large sculptures to works on paper), public exhibition space will expand toward ~ 100,000 sq. ft. ~ placing us among the 25 largest art museums in the U.S. by square footage and the largest single-artist museum in the country ~ modest only next to our supersized neighbor, MASS MoCA. Obviously, large space also becomes a challenge! With 35 years of local real estate experience, we are up to the task!

4.  Coming next summer: a 12-Room Historic Beaver Mill Inn. Contemporary rooms, generous common spaces, a shared kitchen, outdoor areas, and guided art studio tours. Artist-friendly rates will welcome creatives and culture travelers ~ and create a steady income stream to support the Foundation’s exhibitions and programs.

5.  Artist studios stay central. As we have for 35 years, we’ll maintain up to 40 affordable studios in the mill. A thriving artist community is core to our mission and to the city’s growth.

6.  Governance for the long haul. With the Beaver Mill donation comes serious legal work and a strengthened Board (see list). We formed the Foundation in 2012; MASS MoCA just marked 25 years and the Clark Art 75 ~ we’re planning for 100 years. 

7.  Lean, careful, forever-minded. As we age, time flies; it’s important not to delay these estate steps. Unlike museums with large endowments, we run lean: our 25,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space in the downtown buildings are volunteer-operated. Modest earned income (Inn + studios), continued annual gifts, and, eventually, additional legacy assets will keep our programs robust and accessible.

Why your support matters now:

The Northern Berkshires are buzzing, but we all know downtown needs stronger visitor flow beyond the MoCA campus. We’re working toward simple fixes that connect the dots. Meanwhile, preview tours of our full complex have received “over-the-top” responses. Your gift will help us finish the last 10% of construction/repairs, ready new galleries, and open the Inn ~ which will allow guests to stay longer and see more.

If our vision speaks to you, please give what feels right. Every dollar helps turn space into studios where future masterworks can take shape ~ and where exhibitions can turn into lasting memories.

 With gratitude,

  Barbara       Eric

Our New Board of Directors:

Cecily Abram, Lisa Avery, Keith Bona  Robert Henriquez, John Martin, Gail Sellers  Bryon Sherman, Valerie Shields   Maria Siskind, Sarah Sutro

P.S. The Beaver Mill gift is the largest step we’ve ever taken to secure a permanent, public home for art. Please help us make the most of it ~ this is the year to lean in.