seARTS is pleased to announce this weekend's Partner with an Artist (PWA) Installations and Events. The program revolves around six artists interpretations of Cape Ann's Literary History and culminates this Thursday, October 9th with a "Forum" discussion with the artists and October 11th with a community art project and celebration.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 7pm
54 Commercial Street (the green building across the street from the Chamber of Commerce)
Boston-based art critic, Greg Cook will join the PWA Forum on Thursday to co-moderate with Peter Anastas. Greg's presence and interest in the PWA programs further demonstrates the significance of these innovative programs.

Before re-locating to Boston, Greg Cook lived in Gloucester for a decade. He writes regularly for The Boston Phoenix and is founding editor of The New England Journal of Aesthetic Research (http://www.gregcookland.com/journal). His reviews, reports and jokes have also appeared in The Boston Globe, Art New England, PoetryFoundation.org, The Providence Phoenix, the Gloucester Daily Times, and Nick Magazine. Among the many projects that fill his spare time, he serves as commodore of The Society for the Preservation of Fitz Hugh Lane. The combined perspectives and experience of Anastas and Cook promises to make this a lively discussion.

The program is also being enthusiastically supported by two community partners - the Cape Ann YMCA Teen Leaders and Art Haven who will collaborate to produce the October 11th community art project at the green house at 54 Commercial Street to transform the interior and exterior of the building. Ben's Paint Store has generously donated supplies to help the artists. Monte Rome, owner of InterShell is thrilled to have the space used for a community learning and experiential event and hopes to attract more in the future.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 All day
The October 11th "walk" along the waterfront schedule is as follows:

Cape Ann
Gail McCarthy
seARTS Partner with an Artist Projects Unveiled October 2-11

Over the next week, projects from Partner with an Artist will be unveiled in various events around town.

These six projects were awarded grants in July by the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (seARTS) to create projects based on Cape Ann's literary history in partnership with local businesses.

Weather permitting, the first of these projects becomes a reality this afternoon in the front parking lot of the Building Center, where a crane will drop in a "stele" created by artists Susan Frey and Richard Emmanuel. In case of rain, this will take place tomorrow.

Next Thursday, these projects will be discussed at a forum moderated by Peter Anastas at the "green house" that is now part of InterShell's new location at 54 Commercial St. Anastas is a long-time student and colleague of the literary figures that inspired these artistic installations. Among his many accomplishments, he served as editor of "Maximus to Gloucester: The Letters and Poems of Charles Olson to the Editor of the Gloucester Daily Times, 1962-1969" (Ten Pound Island Books). The forum begins at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. He will be joined by the artists who will present the background and evolution of their projects.

On Saturday, Oct. 11, a day full of events is open to the community. Starting at 10 a.m., Emily Sinagra, partnering with InterShell, invites all ages to collaborate with her throughout the day in an interactive, public art installation. Those wishing to participate will use the vacant building at 54 Commercial Street (across from the Chamber of Commerce) to express themselves with a variety of artistic mediums including, paint, lighting, text and found objects. The project is inspired by the "Wharf Rat's Tale" by Barry Fisher.

From 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Mark Teiwes, in partnership with Captain Joe & Sons, will present "Faces of the Working Waterfront," a series of portraits inspired by Vincent Ferrini's poem "At the Brink." Teiwes will focus on the strength, struggle and dignity of harborside workers with photographs on display on interior and exterior walls of the East Main Street warehouse. An online audio slide show was made of the subjects reading "At the Brink." Teiwes also will run a community photo workshop on night photography and environmental portraits on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at Pleasant Street Tea Co.

At 2 p.m., Frey and Emmanuel will be available to discuss the "stele," which is a commemorative sculptural piece representing the life and work of the late Poet Laureate Vincent Ferrini.

From 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Willie Alexander, in partnership with Virgilio's, plays a recorded singing of Ferrini's poems over minimal musical accompaniment on Virgilio's loudspeaker system on Main Street. Alexander will be there to discuss the project with visitors in the middle of the day. The music will be played again at the evening reception at 54 Commercial Street.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Martin Ray's installation will take place on the granite rocks in front of the Fitz Henry Lane House on Harbor Loop. The public is invited to view the sculpture named "Maximus [Olson] and The Living Poem [Ferrini]." Ray will be there to discuss his work with visitors.

At 6:30 p.m. Ian McColl will present the "Telling of the North Star" at Dogtown Bookstore on Main Street. This adaptation of Ferrini's play encompasses prerecorded text and dialogue, projected imagery and live action in an interpretation of Ferrini's epic description of an ancient Gloucester Ghost Ship's return to salvage one of its own.

The Oct. 11 event will culminate with a celebration back at the "green house" at 54 Commercial Street beginning at 7:15 p.m. At that point, the space will have been transformed throughout the day and all are invited to join in the festivities and enjoy the new space.

For more information about seARTS, contact Sara Young, Executive Director ed@searts.org or visit www.searts.org.