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Home My WebLink About2024-04-03-ARTS-minLexington Council for the Arts Meeting Notes April 3,2024 7:00 PM–8:30 PM Location:Remote only via Zoom link below Attendance: Present:Claudia Lach ,Shalini Kakar,David Hoose,Lisa Herbert,Marie Hewes,Eric Hellweg,Steve Poltorzycki Absent:Alix Fox,Ashley Rooney,Elsie Xu,Sue Benson Guests: Recording Secretary:Marie Hewes Meeting start time:19:11 PM •Call to order :The meeting was called to order at 7:11 PM •Secretary’s report (Marie) ➢Motion to approve the meeting notes of March 6th,2024 Motion :David Seconded:Lisa •Treasurer ’s report (Steve) State funds for granting :$10,410.00-This sum will be used up when grantees submit their reimbursement requests. Town Budget :$4,325.00-Must be used by June 30th-Currently $2,000.00 is earmarked for the Utility box Project.The expenditure for the Grantees Reception will also come out of that account.The remainder (around $1,000.00) should be spent by June 30th-please share your ideas MCC Projects/Festivals:$2,500.00-Earmarked for Lexington Laughs-Lisa will confirm that.The money should be used by June 30th but the project can happen after June 30th. Local Account:$6,740.00 For any purpose.Rolls over. MCC Cultural Sector Recovery Grant :$6,000.00-can be used for any purpose.Rolls over from year to year. Cultural District Grant :up to $3,000.00-Elsie applied and is receiving funding for the Immigration Story Project.Funds must be spent by June,30th,2024. Budget for Future Projects -Porchfest :We can pay from several accounts.We will get another $6,000.00 dollars in the Town Account by July 1st.We could and should apply for the next iteration of the MCC Project/Festival Grant-( application deadline is May 24th,2024.Steve and Marie will apply and whoever else would like to learn).We could also pay off the Local Account or Cultural Sector Recovery grant. -Shalini Indigenous Culture Project could also be paid out of any account once we have a budget and a schedule. -Other projects :we have enough funds to fund more projects. •Updates on LexLaugh Lisa will suggest a new comedian.This person would be an upgrade from last year and a good match to the audience. Confirmation and more details to come after April 20th. •Grantee and artist reception recap The Grantee and Artist Reception took place in the Community Center on March 28th from 4PM to 6 PM.Many members of the Council attended as well as about 40 grantees and artists.We shared our impressions. Overall,we all agree that this reception has been a great opportunity to connect with the grantees and the artists.The Reception was very well organized : Beautiful slideshow-Great food-Great energy from everyone.The grantees sent very positive feedback.The room was full and it allowed for great exchange of ideas.Overall,not much to change for the next reception. •Discovery Day planning Discovery Day :May 25th,2024-10 AM to 3 PM ❖We need to staff the table ➢The following members offered to cover a shift:Lisa,Shalini, David. ➢Eric will first check his schedule ➢Claudia will not be able to staff a table but could probably be able to come for a short time.Marie has a potential conflict. We will ask Elsie to suggest an activity for children. •Calendar year 2024 projects Document with list of projects (see bottom of page).Here are some of the projects we discussed at the meeting. ❖Porchfest (Eric -Lisa ) ➢Lexington had its first Porchfest in 2023.-90 musical groups attended-it was very successful. ➢Porchfest 2024 would take place on September 28th -Rain date October 5th . ➢Budget :$3,225.00 -$4,000.00 (the latter amount is more realistic).$4,000 was approved by those in attendance. ➢Organization -Timeline: ■April 30th :Relaunch of the project. ■May :Start promotional efforts. ■June :LCA volunteers roles assigned,Porchfest designs finalized.Promotion/Press begins. ■July V2 of map,House culled. ■August :Promotional efforts in full gear,v3 map finalized-staffing required ➢Topics discussed: ■Could we have a large banner in the center of town?Who should we contact at town hall? ■Questions about yard signs :Could we reuse them?Yard signs were not collected after the events.Also,if we spend money on signs we should have a different type of design.Plus the sign could come from the website.Some of the cost came from last minute reprinting.With QR code. ■Capstone :Band to play to close the event:Budget? ■Lisa got a 1099 G for reimbursed expenses for porchfest submitted to Steve then to town.It did not affect her taxes but can we plan that differently? ■Claudia is offering to make a special newsletter to advertise porchfest and explain how it works. ■Staffing :many people helped but Lisa and Eric put in a lot of hours.With more bands and houses,Eric is suggesting a developer.The many tools offered would help with the matching of bands and houses,which has been very time-consuming and also with scheduling and mapping. -A Porchfest Committee would help lighten the work Volunteers should reach out to Eric and lisa-So far: Eric-Lisa-Claudia-Marie. ➢The Bikeway event is two weeks before-Should we combine both events? ■Claudia feels strongly that the two events should separate.■Lisa feels that more festivals is better for the town.There will be bands all along the bikeway (Arlington/Lexington). ■From a promotional point of view,it is better to have them separate. ➢Motion to set the date of Porchfest as September,28th,2024 Motion by Lisa Seconded by Eric All in favor. ❖Utility Boxes :All set (Laurie is the curator-application extended to april 12th. ❖Shalini Indigenous Project:Shalini has been in touch with several artists. We also received some support from Max Evrard (Lexington Pop Chorus) and we are investigating musical groups and artists-The tentative date for this project is the Fall of 2025 and Shalini and Marie will be working on a budget. ❖Projects suggested by Grantees/artists during our Grantees Reception: ➢Max Evrard :Commission a piece from John Tarrh for the 250th.➢ Sarasa ensemble :plan a Chamber Music concert. ➢Medwinds :Lexington Theme concert. ➢Christine:Lexington Recreation can run period Children’s games/crafts ■Claudia offered to contact these 4 grantees to ask for a page proposal and the cost associated. ❖Other ideas suggested during the meeting: ➢Many interested in Murals (eric showed us the work of Mona Caron-Very big scale-probably too expensive. Motion to adjourn Motioned by Marie Seconded by Lisa Meeting adjourned at 8:28 Copy of Potential projects (2024) Grantee/Artist Reception Annual event to recognize and celebrate our grantees and artists Porchfest Annual fall event Will need to further develop website functionality to match performing artists and porches and to host a map and schedule of events Lexington Laughs Annual comedy event Local professional/semi-professional performers Possibly involve high school improv performers Utility boxes Paint three more utility boxes in 2024,at least one to have a Lex 250 theme Murals Community Center (to beautify a particular wall,involve the community) Side of Michelson’s building Privately owned alleyways Annual Arts Festival Annual two-day community event celebrating arts and culture in their myriad forms. Live dance performances,music concerts,theater,art shows,etc. Like a family-oriented mini-Spoleto festival Outdoor sculptures Series of (large)outdoor sculptures in parks (temporary (2-3 year)installations, then replaced by new sculptures) Would be a tourist attraction Small (outdoor)concerts Community Center (“Concerts at the Mansion”) Partner with Lex Symphony Partner with LHS musical groups Resident Stories Store owners -Temporary murals celebrating independent small businesses and the stories of their owners Prominent residents -Celebration of the life stories of prominent residents Murals?