YES! Magazine Highlights O+’s ‘Quietly Radical’ Mission

The Big Takeover photo by Kevin Godbey

The “quietly radical” mission and work of O+ is featured in a story for YES!, which aims to provide rigorous reporting on the positive ways communities are responding to social problems.

“The Unique Arts Festival Where Performers Play for Their Health Care” includes interviews with a number of underinsured or uninsured musicians for whom access to the health and wellness services in the O+ Artists’ Clinic “was paramount.” It also features insights from some of O+’s on-the-ground providers, including Dr. Mark Josefski, Dr. Tom Cingel, Cynthia Kim, LCSW-R, and nurse Shannon Light, who directs the Artists’ Clinic.

The article looks back at the nonprofit’s yearround efforts in Kingston, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh and ahead to the May O+ Festival in North Adams, MA, where organizers aim to replicate the impact of O’s work and mission with a locally-based team of activists, artists and providers.

Art, Music, Volunteer Submissions Open for Inaugural O+ North Adams

Art and music submissions are now open for the first O+ North Adams, which takes place May 10-11, 2019. The festival theme is “Home.”

Creatives chosen to install artwork or play a concert during the festival will receive health and wellness care at an Artists’ Clinic staffed by art-loving volunteer providers. O+ (pronounced O Positive) calls this exchange: the art of medicine for the medicine of art.

Bands, ensembles and solo artists should apply for music here.

Artists: submit here to propose a public mural. For other art-related work such as community conversation, exhibition, film/video, installation, performance or workshop, submit here.

O+ North Adams organizers are also seeking general festival volunteers and EXPLO+RE wellness class teachers.

North Adams building owners who have a wall that would be the perfect canvas for an O+ mural should submit here.

Submissions for music and mural art / other art proposals close on the evening of Jan. 5, 2019. The O+ North Adams curatorial team looks forward to reviewing them!

O+ North Adams is sponsored by Berkshire Health Systems. The growing list of festival partners include: Common Folk, City of North Adams, Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Golden Paintworks and MASS MoCA.