Hatchlings NORTH ADAMS

A five LOCation PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION for the community of north adams, open to the public both day and night

from MAY 2 through octoer 3, 2025

join us for artweek berkshires

at the hatchlings on eagle street, Saturday may 24,

8:30 - 10pm

This public art installation will activate multiple locations within a walkable zone of Downtown North Adams including the PARKLET on Eagle Street, First Congregational Church, THe HOTEL DOWNSTREET lawn and the MCLA CAMPus.

Hatchlings is an experiential art installation featuring nine illuminated pavilions that are programmable and immersive. The largest stands 9’ tall with a 17.5’ wide circular wooden stage and performance pavilion which will attract visitors day and night for selfies and performances; the smallest is a miniature pavilion standing 2.5’ tall.

This multi-location installation was designed and built at Greylock WORKS in North Adams by artist and lead designer Vanessa Till Hooper and her team at Studio HHH. It was originally created for the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, the winning proposal from an open call for art process. The concept of Hatchlings came about when Hooper imagined what if that Hatch Memorial Shell on The Esplanade hatched baby “shells”? The result is a series of nine miniature Hatch Shell pavilions covered in sparkling programmable lights; bringing together innovation, artistry, and sustainability.

Located throughout the Cultural District of Downtown North Adams, the primary location is circular the Eagle Street Parklet with four pavilions and a public stage. Hatchlings will also be installed on the Quad at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where students can hold outdoor performances and gather between classes; at First Congregational Church on Main Street, whose mission is to gather people together in friendship to engage in good works, and on the expansive lawn of Hotel Downstreet.

Each Hatchling’s half dome creates a partially enclosed, brightly illuminated space where people are compelled to enter, taking turns to photograph themselves or others in groups. This kind of togetherness fosters positive social interaction and strengthens community connections through shared experiences. Intended to be a safe place both day and night, thoughtfully placed in well-lit, easily navigable and accessible areas that support comfort and security for all community members, including those who may feel vulnerable in public spaces.

This project is also about envisioning a brighter and more environmentally sustainable future for our cities. These Hatchlings will be powered either entirely through solar power or through a combination of grid and solar power. The solar powered pavilions illuminate only after dusk.

The Hatchlings North Adams is made possible through generous support by North Adams Partnership, in collaboration with the City of North Adams and the North Adams Cultural District Committee, as well as the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and the Esplanade Association. As a cross-organization collaboration, this project is bringing together the Mayor’s office and the North Adams Public Arts Commission, the North Adams Cultural District Committee, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the community of the First Congregational Church as well as private businesses along Main and Eagle Streets who are involved with hosting or showing their support for the project.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE HATCHLINGS:

June 1: ARTS AND BUSINESS CRAWL WITH NATional arts strategies 5-7pm

June 6: First Fridays Eagle Street / celebrating pride

August 1: First Fridays Eagle Street

September 5: First Fridays Eagle Street / 5 POUND HORSE CONCERT

October 3: First Friday Eagle Street

OCTOBER 4: ANIMAL BLESSINGS on eagle street for world animal day

Fall foliage parade: October 5, 2025

De-installation: Monday, October 6, 2025

The Hatchlings were designed and fabricated at Greylock WORKS in North Adams with support from Salvatore Perry and the Greylock WORKS team. The steel frames were constructed out of rebar with the use of wood forms to achieve the precision measurements of these scaled replicas of the original Bandshell structure.