Berkshire Lightscapes Celebrating Phase 1 Completion

Berkshire Lightscapes came into being in Pittsfield in 2018, and since then it has given the facades of some of the city’s most iconic buildings a brilliant splash of color. Now, as phase one wraps up, a celebration is in order.  

Berkshire Lightscapes will celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of its unique program with the lighting of the new LED lights on the front facades of the Colonial Theatre and the Barrington Stage Company’s Wolfson Center. The public is invited to attend the lighting ceremony on July 7th at 8:45 pm in front of the Colonial Theatre on South Street.  

Immediately following the lighting ceremony, a new Video Projections show sponsored by Berkshire Lightscapes will debut on the large south-facing wall of the Colonial which will serve as a giant screen. The featured artist will be Joe Wheaton and his unique and vibrant video creations. The program will be ongoing during the summer and fall months on a schedule to be announced.  

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The outdoor lighting, which has also been installed on several other downtown buildings, is part of an effort to illuminate prominent buildings and spaces in downtown Pittsfield creating artistic “lightscapes” that will help make a brighter and more pleasing environment. Each installation features state-of-the-art LED light systems that can be remotely programmed for colorful effects and animation. The goal is to help transform and bring new energy downtown after dark with colorful vibrant lighting that can be coordinated on multiple buildings. 

The lighting installations at the Colonial Theater and Barrington Stage Wolfson Center were made possible by support from Mass Development, Pittsfield Beautiful, and local private donors and businesses. 

Berkshire Lightscapes, a program of Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association and Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., was launched in 2018 under the leadership of the late Elie Hammerling. Mass Development, a quasi-public entity that invests in redevelopment projects across the Commonwealth, awarded a $50,000 grant for the project from its Commonwealth Places Program.  Its grant had to be matched by private donations and within 3 months, a total of $52,000 was raised locally from 137 individuals and businesses.   

The program first lit up the dramatic façade of City Hall. Other lighting installations followed at Dunham Mall, and most recently, at the Sottile and Persip Plazas that straddle the train underpass on North Street. The lighting of the Colonial and Wolfson Center completes the publicly supported phase of the program.