West Stockbridge— On Saturday, June 10th from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., TurnPark Art Space presents its Annual Summer Festival, a day-long celebration of art and nature.
This year’s event, titled “Open Heart”, will feature a variety of performing and visual arts across the grounds, as well as food by HAND CRAFTED with deserts by TurnPark. The Festival also represents a continuation of TurnPark’s extensive relief efforts for Ukraine, with opportunities to provide support through direct donations and the purchase of unique merchandise.
For this year’s Festival, TurnPark is collaborating with artists from the United States as well as from Ukraine, Georgia, Estonia, Russia, Israel, and others, including Olga Rabetskaya, Natasha Mirny, Dima Klim, Sasha Drey, Luna Go, Maidibor, Carolina Muñoz Awad, Slava Yasser, Aliya Kamenshikov, Alisa Rodny, and others. Throughout the day, there will be music, dance, and performance art, as well as immersive installations, wearable sculptures (by Muñoz Awad), bright costumes, collective art projects, workshops, and bonfires. Lidia Mikhaylova, Inna Zhukovsky-Zilber, and more will lead a community art project. Volga Bo, Natalie Knurenko, and Gabriel Turetsky will lead a Prayer for Peace station, offering meditation and a grief release ritual.
“‘Open Heart’ is a term to describe a willingness to engage with people through a genuine and authentic connection that comes from love and compassion,” say TurnPark’s co-founders Igor Gomberg and Ekaterina Brezgunova. “If there is anything we can do to oppose this war – and all evil – it is to support those suffering, to resist indifference, create art, and to be together. “We hope,” add Gomberg and Brezgunova, “everyone will be able to find something healing and encouraging at our Summer Festival.”
Some of the unique programming scheduled during the Summer Festival includes:
“4 scenes, a duet”, the story of partnership, of two “whales” swimming nearby each other. Together they feel as good as they do apart. They need each other, but there is no fear of being alone.
“Sand”, a story of difference. We have distinct views, opinions and idols. “Sand” is a work-in-progress which explores how individuals from different cultures and worlds get along and find peace with each other and harmony within themselves. How beliefs can be unsteady like sand.
“Grief and Release station – North meadow” continues what soulDance started in 2022 and deepens the experience so there is time to hold the grief, and release and transform these emotions. They will be making prayer ties with organic earth materials and the PEACE altar; and finally they will elevate a collective prayer for peace and unity via a journey guided dance.
The festival is on Saturday, June 10th from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the TurnPark Art Space on Moscow Road in West Stockbridge. Tickets are $35 through May 31st, $40 through June 9th, $45 on the day, and $25 for TurnPark members. Tickets and more information can be found by visiting TurnPark online.