GLOCESTER – An effort that unites the love of nature and outdoor spaces with appreciation for the arts continues to bring visitors to the woods of Glocester, with the latest initiative on track to showcase musicians on a trail in the Sprague Farm Town Forest.
The Glocester Land Trust is collaborating with the nonprofit SENE Film, Music & Arts to offer “Trek & Tunes,” a chance for guests to discover both the beauty of the town’s open space and some talented local musicians.
Organizers are now seeking local performers to take part in the event, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m.
The dual effort came about through one member of the GLT’s involvement with the New England arts scene. Trust Vice Chairman John Pitocco has been the official SENE photographer since the festival began in 2008, and has worked on several events and projects with SENE Co-Founder and President Don Farias.
“SENE’s mission is to support and promote local musicians, filmmakers and artists, and we are always looking for opportunities to share their talents with our local communities,” explained Farias.
Pitocco is also the president of the Wickford Art Association and oversees the Wickford Art Festival, and the pair brought a similar idea to that event last year. SENE was a sponsor for musicians who played along a trail that connected the village of Wickford to Wilson Park during the festival last summer.
“We did a little research to learn what others have done and found that there are similar events being held around the country and world,” Farias noted.
Pitocco and the trust have laid out a 1 mile trail in the Sprague Farm Forest featuring areas appropriate for performers. The trust owns the 985 acre forest, and the vice chairman was among those to create the woodland’s many walking paths. He notes the trail selected is fairly level, but visitors should be prepared for some uneven terrain.
“We’re hoping to highlight different features along the trail, such as old foundations or stone walls, where each musician will be playing,” Pitocco said.
The event is just the latest in trust’s ongoing effort to make public lands more inviting and interesting by merging art and nature. An ongoing collaboration with Listen to Your Art has brought a scavenger hunt to another land trust property, Steere Farm Trail, where hikers can search for decorative frogs painted by young artists. Last year, artists decorated bird houses to mount along Hawkins Pond.
At Trek & Tunes, attendees will follow the trail with stops to enjoy music that also highlight the forest’s unique features and history.
“We are really hoping to have families come out together and discover not only the fantastic trails and the talented musicians, but also Glocester,” Pitocco said. “We feel this is a great fusion between nature and art that many people will appreciate.”
The organizers put a call out for potential performers last week with a deadline of Monday, May 26. Musicians may perform alone or as a group, but all performances must be acoustic with no amplification allowed. Performers will be compensated through funding split between GLT and SENE.
Farias noted that as of this week, ten musicians/acts had already expressed interest. Ten spots are available and the two groups will evaluate all requests with hopes to showcase different instruments.
“We are hoping that local high school students will consider performing,” Farias said.
Those interested are asked to email [email protected] by May 26 with performer information and a video link if available. Performers will be notified by the end of June.
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