ValleyCAST!

06/09/2026

After an incredible 17 years at the Whitin Mill complex, Cristi Collari is retiring as ValleyCAST’s Director of Community Outreach at the end of June. From artist-in-residence to Director, Cristi has passionately championed arts as a pathway to inclusion in our community. We are grateful for her years of dedication!

Please join us in wishing Cristi well in her next chapter, and in welcoming our new ValleyCAST team: Director Nikki Erskine and Coordinator David Wolfe! Nikki joined us in April, bringing over 20 years of arts administration and marketing experience, and David joins us with nearly a decade of experience in community-focused organizations.

📅 Save the Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026 (5 – 8pm)
Come celebrate Cristi’s legacy, send her off in style, and meet Nikki and David during our biggest night of the summer! Our season kicks off at the Whitin Mill with a double feature:

🎨 ValleyCAST presents INFORMAL | Opening Reception in the Heritage Gallery, featuring works by Michael Bourque, Nathan Bourque, Madeleine Lord, and Derrick Te Paske.

🎵 Free Summer Concert Series Kick Off | Ash and Eric & Blackstone Valley Community Concert Band on the Rice Community Plaza.

We can’t wait to get together for a great night of art and music!

Find the full summer concert lineup and exhibit details at ValleyCAST.org.

06/05/2026

Join us at the Whitin Mill for our Observational Drawing for Teens class hosted by ValleyCAST! Whether you want to build a strong portfolio or just love creating, this class will help you master foundational techniques, explore new mediums, and learn how to give and receive helpful critique in a supportive space.

Taught by Kerry Fitzgibbons, an illustrator and designer who has created for Hasbro, Basic Fun, and more!

🗓️ When: Wednesdays, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
• Session 1: June 10–July 8
• Session 2: July 15–August 12
📍 Where: Alternatives' Whitin Mill (60 Douglas Rd, Whitinsville, MA)
💲 Cost: $125 per 5-week session

Spaces are limited! Register and secure your spot today! https://ow.ly/gIYI50Z85J6

05/15/2026

This spring, artist Lynne Simmons from the New England Sculptors Association joined our ValleyCAST community for a hands-on birdhouse building and painting workshop.

Each person brought their own vision to their birdhouse, and together those individual works became something even greater: a conjoined sculpture installation that now lives right here on our campus, a colorful, living reminder of what community can create.

Thank you to Lynne for sharing your talents with us, and to everyone who participated!

05/14/2026

Want to level up your portfolio this summer? Our Observational Drawing class for teens is designed to strengthen foundational techniques, explore new mediums, and help you develop work you're proud of, with guidance from Kerry Fitzgibbons, a professional designer whose work has been shown at ArtsWorcester and Chicago Art Department.

Spots are limited! Register here! https://ow.ly/MzcR50YZvTI

05/08/2026

✨ Join Holly Crawford, an expert Stampin' Up! demonstrator, for a hands-on greeting card making class on May 14, 16, or 17! Discover the joy of crafting beautiful, personalized cards with rubber stamps, ink, and paper, no experience needed. All supplies are provided, and you’ll leave with 4–5 unique cards and envelopes, perfect for sharing with loved ones. Don’t miss this chance to learn new skills, meet fellow crafters, and have fun!

RSVP here: https://ow.ly/8N2g50YW7E8

05/07/2026

Join us next wednesday, April 8, for our monthly Art Cart Workshop! Local artist Charlotte Eckler will guide you step by step as we combine “gelli plate” printing and stamps to experiment and express your own unique work of art.

We have 2 FREE sessions: 10 AM & 1 PM at Alternatives' Whitin Mill. Bring your friends or family and make it a fun day out!

For more info and to register a group, click here! https://ow.ly/SoyG50YW39t

05/07/2026

🎉 Celebrating one incredible month with Nikki Erskine at ValleyCAST! and Open Sky!

Nikki brings more than 20 years of experience supporting the creative economy through leadership roles in arts administration, cultural development, events, grants, and communications. Most recently, she served as Special Projects Manager with the City of Worcester’s Cultural Development Division, leading arts communications initiatives, managing major grant programs, and helping secure significant public and private funding for cultural projects.

A longtime leader in the local arts community, Nikki has also held key roles with stART on the Street, co-hosted WICN Public Radio’s Culture Beat, and currently supports artists and arts organizations through her consulting practice, EASEL.

Nikki has many relationships and partnerships throughout Central MA which are vital for the ongoing work of ValleyCAST and Open Sky to bring inclusive arts and culture activities and events to our communities for all to enjoy! She is an artist herself and has vast experience in curating and hanging gallery shows.

We’re thrilled to have Nikki on our team and look forward to the vision and collaborative leadership she will bring to ValleyCAST.

05/06/2026

📣Call for art! Participate in our May art challenge and have your work featured on our social media. This month's theme is BIRDS 🐦‍⬛. Send in your feathered artwork by May 30 to be induded!

Submit your art here: https://ow.ly/x9p450YVEov

05/06/2026

04/15/2026

Some art was always meant to stay. Artist Roe Osborn first shared his work with us through our Inside & Out NESA exhibits, and now his two stunning PVC sculptures have found their forever home at the Mill. We're so honored by this generous gift. Thank you, Roe!

Stop by and see "Plumbers Pirouette" and "Meanwhile on the Road to Mariupol" in their new permanent homes!