GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community Television and 10 Forward have teamed up to create a new public access series specializing in the avant-garde.
The first event in the series is “The Star Show: Live From the Underground” Thursday from 7 to 11:30 p.m. at 10 Forward, formerly known as The Root Cellar. Tickets are available at the door for $10.
Experimental musician Finley Janes will host conversations with Western Massachusetts artists including LOCULUS, Nemesister and Lena Abraham, followed by performances. The show will be filmed in front of a live studio audience.
GCTV Programming Coordinator Ian Hamilton said he wanted to create a documentary about art, and thus the partnership between GCTV and 10 Forward began.
“I wanted to record and talk about art, to talk with artists about their choices in art,” Hamilton said. “As a documentarian, I’m really interested in that process.”
Co-owners of 10 Forward, Sarah Lanzillotta and Paul LaBrecque, said they wanted to provide a home to artists “pushing the boundaries of their craft.” Lanzillotta explained the artists will provide insight into how and why they work on their respective performances.
“We’re going to be talking about topics on the minds of people who make important work,” Lanzillotta said. “There are reasons why people resonate with their art and ideas. We’re hoping the show will spark conversations with a wider audience as well.”
“We’re artists ourselves,” LaBrecque added. “So we want to be able to help facilitate that.”
LaBrecque said he believes 10 Forward and GCTV will work well together.
“One of our mission statements is to engage with the community around here, and so does GCTV,” he explained.
The monthly series will be held at 10 Forward on the last Thursday of the month.
Hamilton predicts two episodes will be made from the first show’s interviews and performance footage. The videos will be uploaded to the GCTV website and YouTube channel.
“We have performers from all different mediums,” he said. “It’s going to be a unique performance.”
Reach Melina Bourdeau at mbourdeau@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263.