Crane Offers Creative Challenge

Crane & Co. is setting the bar for the next Berkshire Creative Challenge in hopes of identifying local talent that could be added to its freelance creative resource team.

The 200-year-old Dalton stationary manufacturer and the sole supplier for the nation's folding money is the second company to participate in the challenge. Interprint Inc. took the plunge last year and was so pleased with the results, company officials are considering their own creative program.

The challenge is designed to connect local artists and other creative types with the manufacturers and businesses that fuel the Berkshire economy. This challenge is open to artists, illustrators, designers and copywriters who can create sophisticated art and copy for Crane's stationery collections.

Known as a leader in the stationery category, Crane is an iconic brand that delivers uncompromising quality and classic designs. The brand also creates updated, fresh, modern designs targeted at consumers who are young, artistic, design-savvy and stylish.

Interested creatives should have an understanding of the stationery category and how art translates to stationery products. Art for stationery would include, but not be limited to, motif illustrations, illustrative design, pattern creations, type-driven design (type layout and type as art), and copywriting as art/voice/layout. Working knowledge of printing and production processes will also be helpful. Printing and production processes used by Crane & Co. include engraving, letterpress, thermography, lithography, foiling and die cutting.

Those interested should submit an application to include examples of their work using the guidelines provided. The preliminary examples should help with Crane's assessment of each artist's style as it applies to stationery. Concepts for stationery collections or brand appropriate product lines are also welcome. From these submissions finalists will be chosen.

Find an electronic application here.

Berkshire Chamber Gets Four-Star Rating

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce with four-star accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community. This is the third time the chamber's received the second-best rating offered by its national counterpart.

"We are thrilled that the Berkshire Chamber has earned a four-star rating for the third consecutive accreditation process," said Michael Supranowicz, president and chief executive officer. "We are one of only two chambers of commerce in Massachusetts and one of seven in the Northeast to have been awarded this rating. This prestigious honor puts the Berkshire Chamber among the top 4 percent of chambers nationwide."

Local chambers are rated accredited, three stars, four stars or five stars. State chambers are recognized as either an "Accredited State Chamber" or "Accredited State Chamber with Distinction." The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members.

"Accreditation validates a chamber as having programs that benefit their local economy and for positively influencing action in their community," said Raymond P. Towle, the U.S. Chamber's executive director of political affairs and federation rlations. "We applaud these organizations for advancing the principles of free enterprise."

This is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs and technology. This self-review can take three to six months to complete.

The Berkshire Chamber is the largest organization of its kind in Berkshire County and one of the largest chambers in the state. For more information, visit www.berkshirechamber.com.

Hot Stuff

Our photographer Paul snapped this shot of the heating array being installed last week for the new parking lot at Mark Paresky's Spring Street project in Williamstown. Looks like there'll be no trudging through the snow to get to  the new Purple Pub - to be located on the first floor where the large doorways are.