Reflections: Public Art Event Honoring the Lives Lived at Belchertown State School

The former Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded (BSS) campus and the treatment many residents experienced there from 1922-1992 is a painful and complicated part of Belchertown’s past. Using a multidisciplinary approach including, visual arts, performance art, poetry, historical text and imagery in an in-person and virtual art experience, the Belchertown Community Alliance (BCA) will shine a light on all parts of the legacy the BSS leaves behind. Creating a platform for expression for some of those harmed and disenfranchised by this space, this body of work will be a step towards justice for the site. The installations, performances, and coordinating digital application will aim to connect the community of BSS survivors now scattered around the state and country and Belchertown residents so that together they can tackle the legacy of the Belchertown State School and support development towards more just futures.