“Many times in history, when the world is crumbling, things are happening. The artists come out. The artists speak out. Art Flourishes.”
Alison Wells, New Bedford Artist
About the Film
Three New Bedford artists rise above the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and create artwork that inspires hope and healing to the Southcoast.

Film Credits
Director: Drew Furtado
Assistant Director: Chris Gauthier
Music Composer: Jeremy Young
Artists Featured:
Awards
- New England Regional NATAS Documentary Emmy Nomination 2020
- Selected Screening Woods Hole International Film Festival 2021
- Selected Screening Arlington International Film Festival
- Selected Screening SENE Film Festival 2021
- SENE Film Festival New England Documentary Award
- SENE Film Festival Audience Choice New England Documentary Award
- Selected Screening New Haven International Film Festival 2021
- Selected Screening Massachusetts Independent Film Festival 2022



About This Film
Originally this film wanted to explore the origins of New Bedford’s art and culture renaissance. In the early 2000’s the city and state invested millions of dollars to revitalize the crumbling and defunt Star Store, and move UMASS Dartmouth’s College of Visual Performing Arts to downtown New Bedford.
The addition of the UMASS CVPA introduced the city to hundreds of student artists from across the globe, and transformed New Bedford’s downtown forever.
However, that story wasn’t the story we ending up producing. In the Spring of 2020, New Bedford, Massachusetts, became shut down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the city.
While the city shut down, artists continued to work through the pandemic, and provided the community with hope and inspiration.
More Documentary Films
Summer in the Seaport
This commercial features the sounds of summer as they fill New Bedford, Massachusetts during the Whaling City’s reopening after the 2020 Pandemic.
Ghost Light Theater
Sixteen students collaborate virtually to produce a theater performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Whaleman
Statues and monuments occupy public spaces across America. As people go about their busy days, are monuments becoming forgotten?



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