The Bethel Chamber of Commerce has recently named Janet Bartlett coordinator of Bethel Area Arts and Music.

Bartlett, an active member of BAAM for almost two years, said she is ready to take the up-and-coming program to the next level.

“In a nutshell, we really just looking to support local artists in all facets and really just try to engage the community to experience the arts,” said Bartlett of Bethel.

BAAM, which consists of many volunteers, focuses on five main areas: which are Youth Arts, Exhibitions on Screen, the Bethel Art Fair, Mountain Towns Music and the Artists’ Network.

The nonprofit organization, which was recently awarded a grant by the Betterment Fund. has as its mission to “cultivate an arts-inspired community in the greater Bethel region by supporting the local artists and providing abundant opportunities for all community members to experience the arts.”

The BAAM Youth Arts looks to get children involved with the arts.

One of the projects on which Youth Arts is working is painting picnic tables in the Bethel area. One, painted in bright colors, was recently placed on the Common. There is also a newly painted picnic table at the skate park.

Bartlett said the program will be doing more tables in the future. This week, the organizations will do one with exchange students from China at Telstar. Bartlett said it will remain at Telstar after it is finished.

Those affiliated with BAAM say the organization’s priorities include finding increased funding.

Related to that, Bartlett said Mountain Towns Music has not “gotten off the ground” as quickly as she had hoped.

She said it started last year with the Summer Celebration Concert on the Common.

“That was kind of the beginning of that, with the premise of trying to bring free, family-friendly music to the communities and have it travel,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett said she would like to see the concert travel to other towns, such as Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock.

“We’re all part of the same community even though we are spread out,” Bartlett said. “We’re just trying to bring it to different venues.”

Other programs

Exhibitions on Screen is another program at the Gem Theater. Its goal is to bring global culture to local people.

“We are just trying to bring some culture and art to the screen, and give the community an opportunity to be immersed in a different culture,” Bartlett said.

She said there have already been some excellent films that have come to the theater.

Bartlett emphasized relationships like the one BAAM has with the Gem are going to be essential down the road.

“Collaboration is definitely going to be a key word moving forward,” Bartlett said. “That’s going to be my goal is to make more connections and build relationships and to understand what the community is looking for.”

Bartlett said she plans to create a survey for the community, which will ask what type of arts they would like to see locally.

The future

BAAM is always looking for new ideas and volunteers to help the program grow.

Such growth includes BAAM’s current effort to to build an artists network in which anyone who identifies as an artist can sign up and become part of the database.

All forms of art are welcome at BAAM.

The organization has forms at its website — www.ba-am.org — for anyone interested in joining the network of local artists.

“I volunteered because I love the arts,” Bartlett said. “I love dance, I love art, I love music.”

“I could immerse myself in that world all day every day, if possible. That’s what brought me to the table, and my enthusiasm and energy has kept me in it.”

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