By ARN ALBERTINI

Recorder Staff

TURNERS FALLS - River Culture is taking a new twist on downtown art.

Instead of stationary art, like the sculptures artists have already erected around town, River Culture is looking for participatory art for downtown, said Lisa Davol, River Culture coordinator.

Among the ideas that have been raised are a dance party, some sort of circus-type act or figuring out a way to put giant marionettes in the power canal, similar to an exhibit in Berlin, Germany.

"The point is, anything is possible," she said.

"Part of the point is we're looking for people to come up with cool ideas," said Chris Janke, who sits on the committee that will be evaluating proposals. "Things we haven't thought of.

"We're interested in people with a unique perspective who would be willing to put some energy into creating a happening in the downtown. We're trying to encourage people who have never done anything like this to come forward."

One caution, the project must be feasible, he said.

River Culture is a partnership of leaders from the Turners Falls arts, cultural and business communities to promote and enhance the wide variety of cultural activities that Turners Falls has to offer residents and visitors.

River Culture is paying for four participatory art projects this year. Proposals for the first of those projects must be postmarked by Thursday. The piece would be installed, or performed in early June. Deadlines for the other projects haven't been set.

Whoever River Culture selects for that first project will get $250. The money will double for each successive project with the last one paying out $2,000.

To coincide with the first installation, River Culture is planning a parade across the Gill-Montague Bridge, a music festival (co-organized by Powertown Music and the Rendezvous) and maybe more events.

The event should serve as a way to bring people from town together as well as bringing people from outside town to the downtown, said Jodi Baker, who also sits on the committee that will evaluate proposals.

"We want to get people moving around town to get them to look at it in an interesting way and to experience it in a way they're not used to," Davol said.

That could mean tapping into unused spaces around town or spaces that have negative connotations, she said.

Each of the four projects will have its deadline, budget and key words, which attempt to set a theme for the project.

Following those themes "is encouraged, but it's not required," said Janke. "You're free to interpret them or ignore them."

The key words for the first project are bridge, fish and pageantry.

Proposals should be sent to Turners Falls Producers Series, care of River Culture, 1 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA 01376.

Those with questions can e-mail Davol at riverculture@montaguema.gov or call her at (413) 230-9910.

For more information:

www.turnersfallsriverculture.org " We're interested in people with a unique perspective who would be willing to put some energy into creating a happening in the downtown.

Chris Janke

evaluation committee member "