Farewell to Factory Towns?

“Starting with one town and broadening out to what’s wrong with the entire political economy, the film brings alive the human implications of policy decisions by elected officials and corporations, and inspires viewers to action for real, bottom-up economic development.” — Betsy Leondar-Wright, author of Class Matters and project director of Class Action (www.classism.org)

“The film is the story of mill towns everywhere that have fallen victim to deindustrialization.  But rather than leaving the audience wringing their hands at the intractable issues, the filmmaker ends with a provocative framework for viewing the issues and exploring innovative public solutions.  I’m eager to show Farewell to Factory Towns? to my sociology students.”  —  James W. Russell, Professor of Sociology, Eastern Connecticut State University

“Farewell to Factory Towns? focuses on North Adams, MA, as a community that has experienced some of the most devastating impacts of deindustrialization and is undertaking community revival through the arts.  These are processes that are increasingly important to understand but there are few resources I know of that bring them to light as clearly and accessibly as does this film.  I can’t wait to show it to my urban politics students.”  — Martha Ackelsberg, Professor of Government and of the Study of Women and Gender, Smith College

Maynard Seider was interviewed in the June 2012 issue of Berkshire Trade & Commerce. To view a PDF of the whole article click here.

Farewell to Factory Towns will be shown as part of Western Massachusetts Jobs with Justice’s (WMJWJ) “Making History” series. The screening is at the Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitors Center, 221 Appleton St, Holyoke Tuesday July 10 ~ 7:00-8:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm).

As with all former factory towns, North Adams was hit hard by deindustrialization. MassMOCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, located in the biggest complex of factory buildings in the city, was to be the engine of economic development that would improve the lives of local residents. This film examines the role that the museum has played in North Adams and argues that much more needs to be done. To that end, the film looks at a variety of locally-based projects, union solidarity, and emerging social movements geared to change national policy. After the screening (60 minutes), director Maynard Seider, retired Mass. College of Liberal Arts professor, will answer questions about the film and issues.

For more information and to reserve a seat in advance, contact Western Mass. Jobs with Justice ~ (413) 827-0301 ~ wmjwj@wmjwj.org. Sign up for the event on Facebook here.

These are the details about the rest of the series:

The making of history still needs the telling, and the telling of history needs the making of images, still and moving.  So Western Mass. Jobs with Justice and the Holyoke Heritage State Park are delighted to host a series of visual presentations, two films (a documentary and a drama) and historical photos.

Nina Kleinberg ~ “Salt of the Earth” ~ Tuesday July 17 ~ 6:45-9:10pm (note earlier start time, longer program; the film will end around 8:20)

Joe Manning ~ “The Lewis Hine Project” ~ Tuesday July 24 ~ 7:00-8:30p

Here’s the cover of the boxed dvd:

Community Corner: Interview with Maynard Seider, Director of “Farewell to Factory Towns?”

North Adams Transcript – Retired MCLA professor delves into factory town history

Valley Advocate – Between the Lines: MoCA Not Raising All Boats

The Online Beacon – Documentary on North Adams premieres Tuesday

June 6, 7:30 p.m.  Interview on “Connecting Point,”  WGBY, Springfield