By Kathy Baugh
Magic filled the air at the Becket Arts Center on Saturday October 24th as world-renowned folk singer and songwriter Dar Williams captivated a packed house with her performance and insights from her book What I Found in a Thousand Towns.
In her book Williams explores her fascination with towns that thrive against the odds. She began with Beacon, NY, a town neighboring her home in Cold Spring. Once struggling in the late 90s, despite its picturesque location along the Hudson River, Beacon transformed into a vibrant destination with a flourishing art scene in the early 2000s. While that was largely a result of the opening of the Dia Center in 2003, the town made a concerted effort to embrace the modern art museum while preserving its community integrity, which played a crucial role in this renaissance.
Through her firsthand experience, Williams connected this series of developments to other towns she had visited, like Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and Moab, Utah. The thread she uncovered is towns lifting themselves up by rediscovering their identities through resources they have (nature, culture, history, food, etc.) and working collaboratively to enhance them. She identified a key element of these transitions (which differentiates them from towns that have simply been gentrified, only to benefit the wealthy) as “positive proximity.” By this Williams means developing spaces or platforms that allow all residents to come together in a way that instills pride and a sense of agency over the place they call home, such as restaurants, parks, trails, dog runs, theaters, waterfronts, etc.
Following Williams’ presentation a group of community leaders took the stage to highlight Becket’s strengths and opportunities. Dave Johnson, Chair of the Conservation Commission, emphasized the transformative effects of town boards that collaborate with residents rather than merely communicate top-down. Mo Vandesteene, long-time resident and owner of the Route 8 Pub, discussed his journey of leaving Becket only to return twenty years later to realize what a truly special place Becket is to live. Local folk legend Bobby Sweet relayed a similar story, reflecting on the many towns he visits as a traveling musician and always appreciates coming home. Kathy Baugh, Co-Editor of the Becket Beat and this article’s author, spoke about creating the Beat during the pandemic with the express purpose of building community during a period of extreme isolation. Lastly, Town Administrator Kathe Warden expressed her commitment to maintaining Becket as a cherished Berkshire gem while exploring paths for its continued growth.
Audience members shared other opportunities for enhancing community connection, including celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1927 flood, exploring what can be done with the Becket Quarry, embracing the wide range of Athenaeum programming, and highlighting natural resources like the Wild and Scenic Westfield River.
Throughout the evening many acknowledged that our historic and vibrant Becket Arts Center, whose team conceived of and hosted this amazing night, is a significant generator of “positive proximity” in our community. Attendees left inspired, filled with pride, and ready to cultivate new ideas for strengthening the foundation of our beloved town.
