Six in-person events in late July and early August to hear from residents
July 13, 2022, Springfield, Mass. — New England Public Media (NEPM) is launching the next phase of its summer Listening Tour with a series of six in-person events throughout western Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut.
The tour kicks off with a meeting at the Northampton Center for the Arts on July 20 at 6 p.m. There will be at least one event in each western Massachusetts county, plus an event in Hartford, Connecticut. NEPM staff will be present at each event.
The events will be free and open to the public, with food and drink and a raffle for a door prize at each location. Residents can visit nepm.org/listeningtourto see the full schedule and sign up for the event closest to them. A RSVP in advance is helpful but not required.
Here is the schedule of Listening Tour events:
Hampshire County: Northampton
Wednesday, July 20, 6-7:30 p.m.
Northampton Center for the Arts
33 Hawley St., Northampton, Massachusetts
Franklin County: Greenfield
Tuesday, July 26, 6-7:30 p.m.
The LAVA Center – Local Access to Valley Arts
324 Main St., Greenfield, Massachusetts
Hampden County: Westfield
Wednesday, July 27, 6-7:30 p.m.
Westfield Athenaeum
6 Elm St., Westfield, Massachusetts
Hampden County: Springfield
Monday, Aug. 1, 6-7:30pm
Springfield Innovation Center (formerly Valley Venture Mentors)
276 Bridge St., Springfield, Massachusetts
Berkshire County: Pittsfield
Tuesday, Aug. 2, 6-7:30 p.m.
Berkshire Museum
39 South St., Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Hartford, Connecticut
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 6-7:30 p.m.
Free Center
460 New Britain Ave., Hartford, Connecticut
The Listening Tour builds on a series of virtual focus groups that NEPM conducted earlier in the summer. The virtual and in-person events will be accompanied by a survey of residents in the NEPM audience area. The entire project is being conducted in partnership with MassINC Polling Group, a public opinion research firm with offices in Boston and Northampton, Massachusetts.
The findings from the Listening Tour will be used to inform NEPM’s programming and public outreach going forward.
“Our mission as public media is to meet the public where they are and provide content that meets their needs and serves the larger community,” said Matt Abramovitz, president of NEPM. “We hope that residents take advantage of these events to tell us what they want to see and hear on NEPM over the next few years.”
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA
New England Public Media is a community-supported, independent non-profit organization based in Springfield, Massachusetts. Through a deep commitment to independent local journalism, trusted educational content, inspired cultural offerings, and civic engagement, NEPM endeavors to share new voices and inspire new conversations. It provides audiences with a broad array of local and national programs across all media —TV, radio, online, and mobile, including PBS and NPR programs as well as locally produced series, podcasts and specials. Its four digital TV channels, and two radio networks present news, jazz and classical music, documentaries, talk, drama, plus cultural and educational programming.
For more information, visit nepm.org or follow NEPM on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT
Vanessa Cerillo
Senior Director, Marketing, Communications and Events
New England Public Media
413-735-6605
vanessa_cerillo@nepm.org