Two young artists are building a space for Greenfield’s art scene to develop and thrive.
Jackson Williams and his colleague, Charlotte Treiber, founded Madhouse Multi-Arts in April 2021. The idea for the business originated from Williams’ senior thesis at Hampshire College. A native of Greenfield, Williams notes how, over the years, he has seen a lot of fluctuation in the town’s art scene.
As a young man, Williams saw that, despite the community of Greenfield being overflowing with artists, there was nothing bringing them all together. Thus, after graduating, he initially planned to become an independent musician in Northampton. In college, he learned that although it’s easy to jump into the arts, “there are several early difficulties holding young artists back.” This gave him the idea to start a multi-art studio in order to help cultivate local talent.
Madhouse’s building contains 13 studio rooms, which are rented out to artists such as bridal seamstresses, painters, and mixed media artists. They hold Open Studios on the last Friday of every month, in which people can meet the artists and look at what they’ve been working on. However, they do not limit themselves strictly to the visual arts.
Before moving to their current location, Williams and Treiber held a local concert series under the Madhouse name, which gave performance opportunities for several Greenfield musicians. Since they opened in Greenfield, they have continued the concert series at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center, where Williams is employed, and are in the process of creating a space for bands to practice in.
Another idea that Williams and Treiber have for expanding Madhouse’s involvement in the field of music is a sort of “training program.” This idea is based on an 8-week program that Williams ran while in school at Hampshire. In this program, aspiring musicians could learn how to build a career as an independent musician, culminating in a final concert where all of the participants perform live in a venue. Williams has been in talks with Hawks and Reed about how he can create a similar program under the Madhouse banner.
One major achievement of Madhouse, which Treiber describes as her “flagship project” is the Greenfield Arts Walk. The event takes place on the last Friday of every month from 5 pm to 8 pm, and features artists at locations spread across town, which are indicated on a map given to walkers.
Many of these locations are in spaces such as bars and eateries which are not traditionally art-focused. Treiber says that this is a reciprocal arrangement, both using the arts to draw attention to interesting things happening in Greenfield, as well as having artists “take over” establishments to draw attention to themselves and their work.
“The goal is to cultivate more foot traffic in Downtown Greenfield, as well as cultivate the art scene,” says Treiber.
She remembers being “alarmed” by how much art there was in Greenfield, noting that all the town needs is stronger infrastructure to create a more cohesive arts scene. She explains that she first got the idea for an Arts Walk from someone at GreenSpace CoWork, who created similar events in Vermont and Northampton.
Indeed, at the first artists walk, there were a few Northampton residents who were completely unaware that Greenfield had an arts scene. Treiber says that Madhouse is always looking for new additions to the Arts Walk, particularly ones who have never shown their work.
“That’s the Madhouse mission really, to create these opportunities for new artists and aspiring musicians.”
In addition to helping cultivate individual artists, Madhouse also works with established art venues, including the Finch Gallery, Art + Soul, and the LAVA center, along with the Greenfield Historical Society. One of their partners, Susannah Crolius of Art + Soul, reflects on how Madhouse helped her through a transitional phase of her business.
Crolius, a self-described spiritual director, artist, writer, and workshop and retreat leader, is currently starting up her newest endeavor, the Center for Spiritual Imagination. She aims for the center to be a regional hub for “connecting our deepest stories with creativity as the language for what is sacred,” and to explore spirituality in a way that isn’t tied down to any one religion. Crolius only started working in Madhouse’s studio at the beginning of May, but has already scheduled classes both virtual and in-person.
Having sought out a comfortable space for local and virtual events, Crolius praises what Williams and Treiber have done with the old Victorian house where Madhouse is located. She describes it as a “beautiful and experimental space” noting that they have breathed new life into the building. She also praises their unique story and vision, and how they think of multi-arts in many different ways.
Another local artist with strong ties to Madhouse is Astranada Gamsey of Goose Divine Energy. Gamsey first met Jackson and Treiber after they approached her about becoming part of the Arts Walk. She is excited to see someone bringing the idea of an arts walk to Greenfield, and plans on displaying art on the wooden base near Goose.
A native of Provincetown, Gamsey sees similarities between the budding arts environment in Greenfield and the early days of the Cape Cod town’s now internationally-renowned arts community. With the town poised to become an art hub, she says that Williams and Treiber, whom she describes as being energetic and having a strong vibration, are helping to expedite this process by creating a haven for young artists. Gamsey plans to work with Madhouse as much as possible.
“We like to have a sort of eclectic representation of the community,” says Treiber. Noting their outreach and multidisciplinary approach to the arts scene, Williams added that they would like to be seen as an “entry point” for people looking to jump into Greenfield’s arts scene.
“I think (Madhouse) also offers a community,” he said, “because we have all these different artists working in different fields under the same roof.”