The newly renovated Amesbury Cultural Center will be one of Open Studios location options for fine artists without studios in Amesbury.

If you're interested in viewing the space ahead of registration, or are curious about our general exhibition capabilities, you're invited to attend an open house on Friday, July 31st from 5 to 7 PM!

OPEN STUDIO REMINDERS:
• Artist registration opens August 1!
• Location options for artists without studios in Amesbury:
1) Local Business Hosts (to be coordinated directly with the business)
2) 62 Friend Street (former Amesbury City Hall); with a focus on CRAFTERS.
3) Amesbury Cultural Center, 37 Upper Millyard; with a focus on FINE ARTISTS.
• please note that due to changes at the Costello Center, this is NOT an available location for artists again this year.

INK FOR IMPACT

A Community Steamroller Print Event

Information Session

Something BIG is rolling into Amesbury...The Center style.

At The Center, we love hard. We community hard. We art hard.

This fall, we're bringing a large-scale community printmaking event, inspired by BIG INK's famous steamroller printing events, but with a distinctly Center twist. Think giant prints, community collaboration, artists of all levels, families, workshops, live energy, and one unforgettable day where art literally gets rolled over by a steamroller.

Whether you're a seasoned printmaker, a curious beginner, an adventurous family, or simply someone who loves to witness creativity in action, there's a place for you.

Ink for Impact invites artists and community members from Amesbury and beyond to create work around a shared theme, culminating in a spectacular public printing event on Saturday, October 3, 2026.

Leading up to the event, The Center will host a series of September workshops, including:

• Large-scale woodblock carving

• Community collagraph making

• Family-friendly maker sessions

• Artist meet-ups and carving days

Curious what all this looks like? Curious what our theme is?

Join us for a FREE Information Session to learn about the festival, the creative process, artist registration, workshops, volunteer opportunities, and all the ways you can participate, from the macro to the micro...or simply come satisfy your curiosity and see what all the excitement is about.

Wednesday, July 22
6:00PM
Amesbury Cultural Center
Upper Millyard

Special thanks to the Amesbury Cultural Council for supporting this project through an Ink for Impact Grant, helping bring this bold community arts experience to Amesbury.

Big prints. Big community. Big impact.

Poetry Karaoke feat. DJ Jason Dowd!

A fundraiser to support the Poet Laureate Program

Where: Barewolf Brewing, 12 Oakland Street

When: Wednesday, July 15th from 7pm to 10pm

50/50 raffle

The kitchen is closed during this time, so please plan accordingly.

Join us for an in-person conversation about reporting from the region, the human cost of conflict, and where Lebanon is headed.

Paul Hefel-James is a freelance journalist from Amesbury based in Beirut, Lebanon. He covers migration and refugee issues, the humanitarian sector and conflict in the Middle East region. His work has appeared in DAWN’s Democracy in Exile, New Internationalist and The Progressive, and he has appeared on the International Risk Podcast.

A moderated discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A.

All are welcome! The agenda can be found on the City of Amesbury website: https://www.amesburyma.gov/AgendaCenter/Cultural-Council-23

Location for this meeting is the Cultural Center in the Upper Millyard!

Join for a public reading of "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass.

Brought to you by: The John Greenleaf Whittier Home & Museum and Historic New England

Learn more about the Reading Frederick Douglass Together statewide collaboration at masshumanities.org.

Support the ACC by buying pizza from Flatbread! Dine in or order out, doesn’t matter to us as long as you grab a pie!

Do you have a sewing, cross-stitch, knitting, crotchet or other craft project you are working on? Bring it to a meeting of APL’s Community of Stitchers where you can work on your project, get advice from your fellow creators, and show off your work! Local stitching enthusiast and advanced knitter, Sarah Chapman, will be on hand at each meeting to help attendees with their projects. All experience levels are welcome - come enjoy a creative evening with the APL!

No advanced registration required - walk-ins welcome!

Join the Amesbury Cultural Center for a Community Window Mural! Members of the Amesbury Cultural Council will add your likeness to the window display - all you have to do is bring your face!

When: Sunday, June 28 from 10a-12p AND 1-3p
Where: 8 Market Square Amesbury, MA 01913

Want to see more of the process? Check it out here!

Are you grant ready?

Join the Amesbury Cultural Council for a casual conversation on grants, covering topics from research to application writing and best practices! Q+A to follow.

Featuring Talks by:

Laura Schofield, former event and residency coordinator for the MCC & ACC member

Janice Valverde, grant writer & non-profit consultant

Bonnie Brady, local artist and ACC member

Please note that this conversation is best suited for those with a focus on creative individuals and non-profits.

This event is FREE, but please register here.

YWCA Greater Newburyport and Amesbury Racial & Social Justice are proud to be co-hosting a multi-community Juneteenth celebration this year, with the day starting in Newburyport and ending in Amesbury.

12:00 PM @ YWCA Pool, 13 Market St. Newburyport: Free Community Swim!

2:00 PM @ Newburyport City Hall: Flag raising, speakers including Mayor Reardon and local activists, Double Dutch team performances, presentations from local community organizations, and ice cream (sponsored by Biggarts).

5:00 PM @ Barewolf Brewing, 12 Oakland St. Amesbury: Words from Mayor Gove and Clare Killian of ARSJ, live music from Harsh, and a Black-owned Business Market

We are looking forward to an incredible day filled with community building, commemoration, and celebration!

Sara Conlon is hosting Acting Workshops on Wednesdays for kiddos grades 5-8!

These workshops will include:

• Acting Techniques

• Improvisation Games

• Audition Prep

• Scene Study

• Ensemble Building

• FUN!

When: Wednesdays, May 13-June 17

Final Showcase: June 17 @ 5PM

Where: The Cultural Center, 37 Millyard Amesbury, MA

$225/student

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

Sara Conlon is hosting Creative Movement + Drama Workshops on Wednesday mornings from 9:15-10 AM.

These classes are designed for ages 2-6, and will guide your child as they explore movement, create stories, and play freely!

$20/child or $30/family

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

Sara Conlon is hosting Acting Workshops on Wednesdays for kiddos grades 5-8!

These workshops will include:

• Acting Techniques

• Improvisation Games

• Audition Prep

• Scene Study

• Ensemble Building

• FUN!

When: Wednesdays, May 13-June 17

Final Showcase: June 17 @ 5PM

Where: The Cultural Center, 37 Millyard Amesbury, MA

$225/student

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

Sara Conlon is hosting Creative Movement + Drama Workshops on Wednesday mornings from 9:15-10 AM.

These classes are designed for ages 2-6, and will guide your child as they explore movement, create stories, and play freely!

$20/child or $30/family

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

Join the Whittier Home for a performance of the original play The Abolitionist’s Refrain by Punctuate4Productions, written by Michael Cormier. There will be two performances, each lasting thirty minutes. Tickets, free thanks to the Amesbury Cultural Council, will be available soon.

From the Punctuate4 website: 

“As the Civil War comes to an end Poet and Abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier celebrates the 13th Amendment that brings an end to slavery. After his initial jubilation, Whittier begins to grasp the true cost of the War. A returning Union soldier and African American poet help him see that abolishing slavery brings new challenges to a divided and wounded nation. Exhausted by decades of fighting to end slavery, Whittier is at a moral crossroad.”

The times for these performances are not yet set, but will be updated when available. A ticket link will also be provided when it is available.

Pond St. Art Studios is popping off First Fridays in Amesbury!

Our friends at Pond St. Studios will be opening their doors to the public for a fun hang – Come mingle with the artists and check out what's been going on!

Stunning art, live music, light bites, and libations 💃

When: June 5 from 5-8pm
Where: Pond Street Studios, 34 Pond St. Amesbury, MA

Do you have a sewing, cross-stitch, knitting, crotchet or other craft project you are working on? Bring it to a meeting of APL’s Community of Stitchers where you can work on your project, get advice from your fellow creators, and show off your work! Local stitching enthusiast and advanced knitter, Sarah Chapman, will be on hand at each meeting to help attendees with their projects. All experience levels are welcome - come enjoy a creative evening with the APL!

No advanced registration required - walk-ins welcome!

From fine art fairs to brewery pop ups, learn how to be successful at artisan markets!

Have you been wanting to dabble in markets and fairs, but you’re not sure where to start? In this panel discussion, we’ll dive into the nitty gritty details of success from finding the right market for you, to marketing strategies and vendor checklists.

Meet the Panel:

Kristen Costa, Market Organizer

Amy Vander Els, Jewelry Designer 

Todd Surrette, Leatherworker

Rachel Wilcox, Oil Painter

This Panel Discussion will be moderated by ACC member and local artist, Bailey Campbell.

This event is FREE to the public, but please register here.

Sara Conlon is hosting Acting Workshops on Wednesdays for kiddos grades 5-8!

These workshops will include:

• Acting Techniques

• Improvisation Games

• Audition Prep

• Scene Study

• Ensemble Building

• FUN!

When: Wednesdays, May 13-June 17

Final Showcase: June 17 @ 5PM

Where: The Cultural Center, 37 Millyard Amesbury, MA

$225/student

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

Sara Conlon is hosting Creative Movement + Drama Workshops on Wednesday mornings from 9:15-10 AM.

These classes are designed for ages 2-6, and will guide your child as they explore movement, create stories, and play freely!

$20/child or $30/family

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

All are welcome! The agenda can be found on the City of Amesbury website: https://www.amesburyma.gov/AgendaCenter/Cultural-Council-23

Location for this meeting is the Cultural Center in the Upper Millyard!

Join us each month to explore and appreciate different artists or artistic movements with Jane Oneail. This month, learn about Charles Willson Peale, the patriarch and Revolutionary War veteran, who not only created some of our nation's most important portraits of founding fathers like George Washington, but also founded America's first major museum and fostered a dynasty of painter sons and daughters.

Registration is required; register via Zoom by clicking here.

This program is presented in conjunction with the public libraries of Chelmsford, Ashland, Groton, and Tewksbury and is funded in part by the Friends of the Amesbury Public Library.

This month's topic: How did one family's dedication to art, science, and education shape the cultural landscape of a young nation still defining its identity? Discover the remarkable legacy of the Peale family, whose artistic talents spanned generations and helped establish the foundation of American art in the early republic. Charles Willson Peale, the patriarch and Revolutionary War veteran, not only created some of our nation's most important portraits of founding fathers like George Washington, but also founded America's first major museum and fostered a dynasty of painter sons and daughters. Through exploring works by Charles Willson Peale, his sons Raphaelle, Rembrandt, and Rubens Peale, along with his daughters Sarah and Anna, this program reveals the intimate story of artistic innovation, family bonds, and the pursuit of both beauty and knowledge in early America.

Image: Charles Willson Peale, The Artist in his Museum, 1822. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

About the Presenter: Jane Oneail (pronounced OH-neel) is the founder of Culturally Curious, a company that curates and presents art appreciation programs for audiences worldwide. Jane holds a master’s in Art History from Boston University and a master’s in Education from Harvard University. Born and raised in NH, she has worked at some of the state's most esteemed cultural institutions, including the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, where she served as Executive Director, and the Currier Museum of Art, where she held the role of Senior Educator. Jane has also taught at the college level for more than a decade, most recently at Southern New Hampshire University. For more information visit the Culturally Curious website.

QUESTIONS ABOUT REGISTRATION? Contact the Reference Desk, 978-388-8148, option 2 / reference@amesburylibrary.org

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM? Contact Stephanie Smith, ssmith@amesburylibrary.org, 978-388-8148 x607

FUNDING CREDIT: Thank you to the Friends of the Amesbury Public Library for funding this series!

Sara Conlon is hosting Acting Workshops on Wednesdays for kiddos grades 5-8!

These workshops will include:

• Acting Techniques

• Improvisation Games

• Audition Prep

• Scene Study

• Ensemble Building

• FUN!

When: Wednesdays, May 13-June 17

Final Showcase: June 17 @ 5PM

Where: The Cultural Center, 37 Millyard Amesbury, MA

$225/student

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

Sara Conlon is hosting Creative Movement + Drama Workshops on Wednesday mornings from 9:15-10 AM.

These classes are designed for ages 2-6, and will guide your child as they explore movement, create stories, and play freely!

$20/child or $30/family

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.

CALLING ALL BIRD ENTHUSIASTS! 🐦👀 You're not going to miss next week's birdwatching!

Join the @massaudubon for a FREE birdwatching walk at Woodsom Farm. Participants will learn about bird migration, breeding behavior, and field identification. This program is for birdwatchers of all skill levels.

When: Tuesday, May 26, 2026 from 8-10 AM
Where: Woodsom Farm Park

Questions? Contact Mass Audubon at
978-887-9264 or ipswichriver@massaudubon.org

Mass Audubon is pleased to offer a FREE birdwatching walk made possible by the Amesbury Cultural Council at Woodsom Farm Park on May 26. Learn about bird migration, breeding behavior, and basic identification skills. This program is for adult birdwatchers of all skill levels.

Registration required: here.

Join Bonnie Brady for a collage workshop! In this class, makers will work with decorative papers, stencils, and acrylic paint. You will learn about sources for decorative papers, suitable substrates, and when to use different types of adhesives.

After creating a warm-up collage, we will create a collage on canvas board, choosing from a variety of provided stencils including a dancing figure (shown), hummingbird, dragonfly, lotus, and yoga tree pose.

For more information and tickets: https://www.bonniebradyartist.com/classes-and-events/get-creative-with-collage-decorative-papers-and-stencils

Sara Conlon is hosting Acting Workshops on Wednesdays for kiddos grades 5-8!

These workshops will include:

• Acting Techniques

• Improvisation Games

• Audition Prep

• Scene Study

• Ensemble Building

• FUN!

When: Wednesdays, May 13-June 17

Final Showcase: June 17 @ 5PM

Where: The Cultural Center, 37 Millyard Amesbury, MA

$225/student

To register, please email Sara at saratodeconlon@gmail.com.