Greenfield artists launch GoFundMe for building purchase

Greenfield artists Sarah Adam, 43, and Fardeen Chowdhury, 42, are prospective buyers of the 9 Mill St. building to create a rentable artist and music space.

Greenfield artists Sarah Adam, 43, and Fardeen Chowdhury, 42, are prospective buyers of the 9 Mill St. building to create a rentable artist and music space. STAFF PHOTO/ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Greenfield artists Fardeen Chowdhury, 42, left, and Sarah Adam, 43.

Greenfield artists Fardeen Chowdhury, 42, left, and Sarah Adam, 43. STAFF PHOTO/ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Staff Writer

Published: 05-29-2025 2:02 PM

GREENFIELD – Greenfield artists and couple Sarah Adam and Fardeen Chowdhury want to create a rental space for artists to host creative workshops, co-working sessions, concerts and rehearsals, and are seeking community support to bring “The Creative Branch” to life.

“This community has done so much for us,” Adam said about Greenfield. “I’ve done the public art projects here, and I’ve done shows here, and I just feel very connected here. I want to keep that going.”

As Adam was moving from her current studio — Madsahara Art and Design in Sunderland — to her home in Greenfield, she was told about an open 1,500 square-foot building at 9 Mills St. that used to be an art gallery and retail space, currently owned by Jack Golden.

Rather than moving into that space for a private art studio, she and Chowdhury had the idea to expand upon the art scene in Greenfield with the idea to open space to artists in different mediums through an art gallery and performance space.

Adam said they would also like to create space for a community garden or gathering area, as the land on the right side of the building would be part of the purchase.

Fardeen, a musician, wants to host concerts within the gallery that can cater to musicians, local bands or school groups who want to rent a few hours to perform and sell tickets and merchandise. Additionally, he’d like to create a permanent space in the building for drummers to rehearse, expand into recording music and provide in-house equipment for people to use.

To help get this idea off the ground, Adam and Fardeen have created a GoFundMe with the intention of raising $40,000 to put a down payment on the Mills Street building, conveniently located next to Artspace Community Arts Center. The total cost is $155,000. Adam said they have plans to update the inside of the building to make the space multi-use for art displays and music space. 

To get the GoFundMe started, Adam said the donation platform recommended an initial goal of $5,500, of which $2,594 has been raised, with the highest donation being $500. The goal with ownership of the space is so they can have a location for their personal art, but also rent the gallery space to local artists.

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As they move closer toward their $5,500 benchmark, Adam said the plan is to purchase the building through a local lender.

Moreover, Adam and Chowdhury are enlisting the feedback of Greenfield residents. They hosted a feedback session at The LAVA Center in Greenfield on May 23 to share plans for The Creative Branch, and also explore ideas for the business.

Some of the feedback they received on Friday expressed the need for an accessible space that allows for youth and adult creatives to gather and make art, and extend the growing artist scene in Greenfield. They said they plan to host another feedback session, but thus far, they are hearing positive feedback.

While the specifics on rental costs, hours and indoor construction of the space still in progress, Adam and Chowdhury are hoping to open the space in the fall.

“We just want to be able to not only provide a space for ourselves, because no one else is doing it, but for others as well,” Chowdhury said about the idea for the space.

A link to the GoFundMe for The Creative Branch is available at https://www.gofundme.com/f/build-the-creative-branch.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.