BJ Goodwin Memorial Fund
The BJ Goodwin Memorial Fund
Formed in honor of performer, dancer, and educator BJ Goodwin, this award was created to provide grants to Northampton-based artists, writers, and arts organizations in recognition of exceptional work and to support the further development of their talents as they travel outside our community.
Created in 2003 following BJ Goodwin’s passing, this fund has provided vital support for Valley-based artists to travel, exhibit, learn, and perform all over the world. Since 2004, artists have traveled to Austria, Israel, Scotland, Sweden, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, and Iceland to perform theatrical and dance works, record music, and exhibit installations. The fund has supported touring musicians—including And The Kids, Sun Parade, and Boy Harsher—on national tours across the United States. Closer to home, the fund provided assistance for initiative programs like the 2008 Storefront Art Project, transforming vacant retail spaces into dynamic creative environments.
For over two decades, the BJ Goodwin Fund has offered artists the resources needed to bring their work into the broader world, providing affirmation and recognition for both the artists and the Northampton community they call home.
Grant Requirements & Operational Guidelines
Reimbursement Basis: Funds are awarded on a reimbursement basis only. Requests for payment must be made within twelve (12) months of grant award notification.
Credit & Attribution: All successful applicants must adequately credit the Northampton Arts Council across all promotional materials, press releases, posters, programs, announcements, and paid advertising.
Required Formatting: Press materials must feature the Northampton Arts Council logo alongside the statement:
"This program is supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council."
Support the Fund
The Northampton Arts Council, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization) accepts ongoing community contributions to support and expand this fund. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Donate to the BJ Goodwin Memorial Fund
To donate to the BJ Goodwin Memorial Fund visit our Zeffy.com donation form. When you donate through Zeffy, we pay zero processing fees, so every penny of your gift goes directly toward our mission.
BJ Goodwin Funding Brief History
2004 – Mollye Maxner | Dance – Austria
2006 – Mo Ringey | Art Email Newsletter – Northampton, MA
2008 – C3 | Storefront Community Art Space – Northampton, MA
2009 – Serious Play! Theater Ensemble | Theater – Serbia
2010 – Alan Schneider | Music & Vocal Arts – Tel Aviv, Israel
2013 – Spirithaus Records (Sun Parade & Lux Deluxe) | Music (Rock) – SXSW (Austin, TX)
2013 – Justin Norris | Murals & Urban Art – Chemnitz, Germany
2014 – And The Kids | Music (Indie Rock) – SXSW (Austin, TX)
2015 – Chris Gonzalez | Theater & Poetry – Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland
2016 – Jake Meginsky | Music & Sound Art – Denmark & Sweden
2016 – Madison Palffy | Dance & Performance – San Francisco, CA
2017 – Boy Harsher | Music (Electronic) – U.S. Tour
2018 – Max Wareham | Music (Folk) – The Cecil Sharp House (London, England)
2018 – Liz Chalfin | Printmaking – Artist Proof Studio (Johannesburg, South Africa)
2018 – Serious Play! Theater Ensemble | Theater – Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, Scotland
2019 – Lucas Solórzano | Music (Bachata) – Dream Project (Cabarete, Dominican Republic)
2022 – Olivia Arau McSweeney | Visual Arts – SÍM Residency (Reykjavik, Iceland)
2026 – Richmond Willis | Literature & Creative Writing – Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing (MV, MA)
If you are interested in applying for this grant, please get in touch with us at admin@northamptonartscouncil.org.
BJ Goodwin Funding Full History
2004 – Mollye Maxner
Category: Dance | Destination: Austria
Mollye Maxner, co-founder of the Chimaera Physical Theater, received $1,000 to support her participation in the highly competitive danceWEB-Europe conference and festival in Austria.
2006 – Mo Ringey
Category: Art Email Newsletter | Destination: Northampton, MA
Mo Ringey, publisher of Mo’s Better Living Through Art: Arts & Culture Email Newsletter, was awarded $500 to expand local cultural communications.
2008 – C3 (Commonwealth Center for Change)
Category: Storefront Community Art Space | Destination: Northampton, MA
A $2,500 award was made to C3 and Storefront ART in support of a residency and exhibition program using vacant storefronts to give artists and the community increased access to studio, exhibition, and gathering spaces.
2009 – Serious Play! Theater Ensemble
Category: Theater | Destination: Serbia
Serious Play! Theater Ensemble received a $1,000 grant to become the first American theater company to perform their production Milosevic at the Hague at the 4th International JoakimInterFest in Kragujevac, Serbia.
2010 – Alan Schneider
Category: Music & Vocal Arts | Destination: Tel Aviv, Israel
Alan Schneider of Leeds, MA received $900 for the opportunity to perform the title operatic role in Mozart’s Idomeneo at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel.
2013 – Spirithaus Records
Category: Music | Destination: SXSW (Austin, TX)
Spirithaus Records bands Sun Parade and Lux Deluxe were awarded $500 to perform at the annual South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.
2013 – Justin Norris
Category: Murals & Urban Art | Destination: Chemnitz, Germany
Hampshire College student and self-taught urban muralist Justin Norris received $650 to participate in an artist-in-residence program in Chemnitz, Germany.
2014 – And The Kids
Category: Music (Indie Rock) | Destination: SXSW (Austin, TX)
Emerging Northampton indie rock trio And The Kids received $550 to perform at South by Southwest. The band subsequently went on to record an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, release full-length albums, and tour internationally.
2015 – Chris Gonzalez
Category: Theater & Poetry | Destination: Edinburgh, Scotland
Local poet and performer Chris Gonzalez received $650 to attend the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, engaging with international theater makers and attending over thirty productions.
2016 – Jake Meginsky
Category: Music & Sound Art | Destination: Denmark & Sweden
Electronic musician and composer Jake Meginsky received $750 for European travel as a featured soloist at Denmark’s Click Festival and artist-in-residence at EMS Elektromusikstudion in Stockholm, Sweden.
2016 – Madison Palffy
Category: Dance & Performance | Destination: San Francisco, CA
Dancer, visual artist, and LOCULUS collective co-founder Madison Palffy received $550 to participate in the 3-week FRESH Festival of embodied art and performance in San Francisco.
2017 – Boy Harsher
Category: Music (Electronic) | Destination: U.S. Tour
Electronic duo Jae Matthews & Augustus Muller received $750 to support their 30-date, 8,000-mile Winter Tour across North America, connecting with new audiences and raising funds for alternative safe spaces.
2018 – Max Wareham
Category: Music (Folk) | Destination: London, England
Folk musician Max Wareham traveled to the United Kingdom to perform and study at the historic Cecil Sharp House.
2018 – Serious Play! Theater Ensemble
Category: Theater | Destination: Edinburgh, Scotland
Serious Play! presented John Sheldon’s original production THE RED GUITAR at Venue 9 during the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival, conducting research to enrich future Northampton programming.
2018 – Liz Chalfin
Category: Printmaking | Destination: Johannesburg, South Africa
Zea Mays Printmaking founder Liz Chalfin received $750 to teach green printmaking techniques at Artist Proof Studio alongside master printer William Kentridge, culminating in regional exhibitions in Amherst and Florence, MA.
2019 – Lucas Solórzano
Category: Music (Bachata) | Destination: Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Musician Lucas Solórzano volunteered as an educator at the Bachata Academy (Dream Project), assisting renowned arranger Mártires De León.
2022 – Olivia Arau McSweeney
Category: Visual Arts | Destination: Reykjavik, Iceland
Supported a summer residency and exhibition at the SÍM (Association of Icelandic Visual Artists) in Reykjavik.
2026 – Richmond Willis
Category: Literature & Creative Writing | Destination: Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Richmond Willis received funding to attend the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. The residency supported intensive generative workshops with faculty members Phong Nguyen and Jennifer McCauley, craft lectures, and peer critique sessions. During these sessions, Willis drafted the opening chapter for his novel-in-progress, Akata Boy—a work examining themes of migration, memory, family, queerness, and transit between Nigeria and the United States. The experience also fostered ongoing peer writing groups and concluded with a featured public reading of original fiction.