BRATTLEBORO — In celebration of its first year, Vermont Independent Media (VIM), publisher of The Commons, will open its Main Street offices on January 5th from 5:30-8:30 p.m., as part of January's Gallery Walk. On display will be "The Year in Images — Photographs and Drawings," a showcase of artwork that has appeared in the pages of The Commons in 2006.
The walls of VIM's offices will feature photographs by Sara R. Lavigne, David Shaw, Annie Simoneau, David Swanson, Alvino-Mario Fantini, Insight Photography and others, as well as work of Commons cartoonists Jade Harmon, creator of "Northminster North," and Marek Bennet of "Mimi's Donuts." The exhibit also will feature editorial cartoons by Simon Reed and Lee Sanderson.
The exhibit will celebrate these talented local photographers and artists who, along with many gifted local writers, have helped launch Windham County's nonprofit community newspaper. The first issue of The Commons was published in January 2006. In its first 11 issues, The Commons has published a wide variety of articles, providing in-depth coverage of events and issues around Windham County.
"Windham County is fortunate to have many gifted writers, photographers and artists, and their participation in the pages of The Commons has helped set a high standard for independent, community media," said Alan Dann, board member of VIM.
VIM will provide refreshments and feature the lively music of Ethan Hazzard-Watkins and Anna Patton. All are welcome to come and enjoy the artwork, give feedback and suggestions for the paper, and find out how to get involved. You can find us at 139 Main Street.
In addition to publishing The Commons, VIM offers Media Mentoring workshops once a month in both Brattleboro and Bellows Falls. The workshops, free and open to the public, pair media professionals with local residents to improve their journalistic writing skills. Participants report that Media Mentoring workshops have increased their media literacy in both reading and writing. The project aims to enable more of Windham County's residents to participate in dialogue about issues important to southern Vermonters.
For more information, call 802-246-6397 (NEWS) or e-mail at info@commonsnews.org.