Fugitive Arts Project Space

For three months in 2014, Fugitive Arts Project Space occupied a storefront in the Eastworks building in Easthampton, MA. We hosted a wide range of public events and art shows. All of our events were organized by independent curators and supported by the Fugitive Arts team, a small group of artists who came together to run this project space.

WHO

Fugitive Arts Project Space was operated by Esther S White & Jenna Weingarten. Jenna and Esther worked together with a group of artists to run HeadQuarters, an alternative event space that operated for over a year in an underground storage unit in Northampton, MA. We are supported by a network of volunteers and curators from around the valley.

WHAT

Fugitive Arts Project Space hosted art shows, music and noise shows, an arts market, book & zine releases, a fashion show, and a mini-golf course. Check our archive of events.

Over 700 people attended and approximately 100 artists participated in events and exhibitions at Fugitive Arts Project Space over the course of three months.

WHERE

Fugitive Arts Project Space was located in at 142 Eastworks, 116 Pleasant Street in Easthampton, MA. Our space was on the first floor, across the hall from the RMV.

WHEN

mid September - mid December 2014

WHY

The Pioneer Valley is home to a busy and diverse community of artists and performers and there is a great need for non-commercial and alternative art spaces. We are thrilled to be able to support our fellow artists with a project like this one!

HOW

Fugitive Arts was funded through donations and run by volunteers. Thank you Eastworks for being our temporary home! Our projects were also supported by Paper City Brewing Company of Holyoke, MA and Small Oven Bakery of Easthampton, MA.

OTHER PEOPLE SAY...

“Having a space dedicated to hosting non-traditional events, which is all volunteer run, is a very special thing. Fugitive's accessibility and diverse programming was an invaluable asset not just to independent curators and artists in the area (and beyond), but to the greater Western Mass community as a whole. It was a place that truly promoted community engagement and fostered a much needed dialogue about what is and what art can be.”

-Trevor Powers, curator of LIGHT AND SOUND, Fugitive Multiples Fair vendor

“Thanks again for making such a lovely evening possible. Fugitive was a truly wonderful environment for us to perform in, especially considering it was only our second gig. Such a welcoming & beautiful atmosphere.

Good luck with the rest of your projects, and I hope to see you again soon!”

-Amber Rounds of “O You Villian!”

“This past fall I attended several events hosted by Fugitive Arts Project. The Fugitive space, a small storefront gallery in the converted mill building Eastworks, had an atmosphere akin to the renovated historic galleries of Mass MoCA, but with the informality of a laid-back living room. Fugitive’s three month season was dynamic as the shows went from exhibitions of prints, paintings, and drawings, into installation, sound experiments, and performances. The space became a hub for “outsider” artists, offering unprecedented support for alternative and emerging artists in the greater Northampton area. The shows were accessible and inclusive. Crowds came by for Easthampton’s community art initiative “Artwalk,” and stopped in on their way to the neighboring RMV. The season ended with Putt-Putt Boom-Boom, an interactive exhibition/miniature golf course, in which artists were invited to make a “golf obstacle” for the space. The event drew a full house of local families, and proved how creative curation can be in a non-commercial artist-run space.”

-E. Saffronia Downing on Fugitive Arts Project

“I have seen Esther create successful programming and exhibitions from her solo shows at Elusie Gallery and the Emily Williston Memorial Library to her most recent large scale endeavor, the Fugitive Arts Space in Eastworks. She has exhibited good planning, shown curatorial skills, integrated collaborative projects, and invited community involvement into the Fugitive Arts Space.”

-Burns Maxey, Arts Coordinator of Easthampton City Arts+

PRESS

Boston Hassle Compass Ketchup interview