Community Classes
Free community classes at the Center are offered each semester for members of the greater Amherst community and are taught by independent scholars, retired faculty, and experts in Renaissance studies. To sign up for a class please contact us at @email or call us at 413-577-3600. This programming is funded in part by Mass Humanities, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. See: press release.
Hampshire Shakespeare Summer Performances
Every summer, we welcome the Hampshire Shakespeare Company's "Shakespeare Under the Stars": outdoor performances that take place on the Great Meadow of the Renaissance Center. HSC is a community-based organization with part-time seasonal professional staff. The Company brings together professional, amateur and student performers, offering audiences and actors a range of theatrical experiences from the most profound to the most playful.
The 2019 season includes: Henry V, directed by Mount Holyoke College’s Noah Tuleja (June 26 - 30 and July 3 - 7); and The *Annotated* Taming of the Shrew, adapted and directed by Toby Vera Bercovici, with music and lyrics by Old Flame (July 17- 21 and 24 - 28). The Young Company's presentation of Measure for Measure, directed by Hannah Simms, will run the weekend of August 16 - 18. All shows begin at 7:00 p.m.
For more information about this season visit https://hampshireshakespeare.com/
More on performances at the Center
Renaissance Harvest Festival
Our annual Renaissance Harvest Festival showcases local artisans and performance groupsin conjunction with a celebration the harvest of our Renaissance garden and orchard. The Harvest Festival puts the Center’s research and teaching interests into practice by inviting the Pioneer Valley community to join us for a day of thrilling entertainment, educational demonstrations, and fine crafts. Connecting the rich variety of local production on offer in the Valley to its past in Renaissance history, the Harvest Festival promises fun and entertainment for the whole family!
Check our Calendar of events for details in the Fall.
Garden Opening
Every summer the Center holds an official garden party to celebrate and enjoy the growing sixteenth-century Kitchen Garden. Music and light refreshment are provided, as are tours of our Renaissance Kitchen Garden. Check our Calendar of events for details.
Renaissance Wednesdays
A series of hour-long informal talks on wide-ranging topics by local or visiting scholars held in the Center Reading Room. Lecture topics are of general interest; discussion and refreshments follow each talk. Co-sponsored by the Amherst Woman's Club. Check our Calendar of events for details.
First Sunday Concerts
The First Sunday Series presents two concerts each semester at 2:00 pm on Sunday afternoons. These performances feature regional musicians and early music groups. Announcements regarding our schedule can be found under the Events tab. Check our Calendar of events for details.
Community Reading Groups
The community reading group meets to discuss new fiction on or set in the renaissance. New members are always welcome. To join our conversation, please contact us at @email.