Artsweek is underway in Peterborough. President and event chair Bill Kimball said the week is all about celebrating the arts in unexpected ways.
“There is theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literary arts,” he said. “Art in unusual places is our motto and we want people to experience art that might not go to the theatre or might not go to the gallery.”
That is done, said Kimball, through unique outdoor events, like transforming Peterborough front porches into stages for intimate concerts, or the Take-Out Poetry Cart, a mobile stand where you order a custom poem, written just for you on a vintage typewriter.
Take-Out Poetry co-creators Jon Hedderwick and Ziysah von Bieberstein said it is about making poetry more accessible.
“The original idea for doing this was to get out and make poetry accessible to people,” said von Bieberstein.
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“But also, for us, as poets. Because often you’re alone in a room and here we get to have fun and use the first thing that comes to our minds, and we get to see everyone’s faces light up right away.”
And it seems to be working.
“We have been just swarmed since we opened so it’s wonderful,” added Hedderwick.
Downtown, Peterborough Square Courtyard is playing host to daily “Hot Spots,” 30-minute sets from local musicians.
Kathy McLay and Eva-Marie Hannah stopped by to see the show.
“I have been just thrilled with Artsweek so far,” said McLay. “The arts are such a vital part of a community and it’s important that we support them, but the arts just give life to the community.”
“We have such a strong artistic community in Peterborough, and I think it is important to support them, especially since the pandemic,” added Hannah. “They have been silenced for so long and they are just starting to rise again.”
Artsweek continues through May 14. For a full schedule of events, you can visit the Artsweek website.
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