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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-07-10-ARTS-min-copy Lexington Council for the Arts Meeting Wednesday, July 7, 2024 7:00 - 8:30 PM Location: Hybrid In Person: Parker Room, Town Hall (Lower Level) Via Zoom: h9ps://us06web.zoom.us/j/6475390473 Attendance Present: Alix Fox, Lisa Hebert, Claudia Lach, Steve Poltorzycki, Ashley Rooney, Elsie Xu Absent: Eric Hellweg, Marie-Aude Hewes, David Hoose, Shalini Kakar Recording Secretary: Alix Fox Meeting Start Time: Call to order 7:20pm (following some technical difficulties) Secretary’s Report (Alix) Minutes from June 5, 2024 meeting were distributed via email for review prior to this meeting. Motion to approve: Steve moved, Elsie seconded. Approved by unanimous vote. Treasurer’s Report (Steve in Marie’s absence) Marie updated Steve since she was out of town. • Town money for 2024 budget was fully spent • MCC Fes[vals & Programs Grant: Steve confirmed with MCC that we can use our award for this grant from FY2024 (originally allocated to Lexington Laughs) for Porchfest 2024 – MCC will allow us to roll the funding over to FY25. This does preclude us from applying for the same grant for FY25. This works out fine since we had applied for FY25 to use that grant for Porchfest, and this way we already have the funds in place. • Grantee reimbursements are trickling in. • Steve will confirm with the town finance office that the $6000 allocated to the Council in the Town Budget for FY25 is coming. • Steve will help Elsie get reimbursed for the Immigra[on Story event. Funding is coming from the town via the Economic Development Office’s Cultural District grant. Officers ElecSon As discussed at last month’s mee[ng, Steve has met with Alix and Claudia to discuss their becoming co-chairs of the Council, effec[ve at the end of his term, September 30. Motion to elect Alix Fox and Claudia Lach as Council Co-Chairs for 2024-2025: Ashley moves, Steve seconded. Approved by unanimous vote. Grant Cycle Planning • Will prepare to discuss this at our August mee[ng. Between now and then, we should hear from MCC with all the details regarding dates and deadlines. We will need to review our local guidelines and priori[es, discuss how best to publicize the grant cycle, and form a grants commi9ee. • Ashley notes that if LCA events are connected to Lex250, there is free publicity as part of the 250th celebra[on. Hopefully we can integrate some of what we do with them. • August mee[ng will also cover Porchfest. USlity Boxes Project • Discuss possible unveiling of the new box in the town center, which should be done at the end of July, perhaps in conjunc[on with Associa[on of Black Ci[zens of Lexington (ABCL). It is noted that there is one black member of the Ba9le of Lexington reenactors, and If possible, it would be great if he could be part of this event. • Steve will pass on info to Ashley, and she will get more informa[on on the two African American soldiers represented on this u[lity box from the Lexington Historical Society for use in publicity. • Future u[lity box pain[ng: We might be running out of town owned boxes, but there are poten[ally more. Eversource owns a bunch of boxes, and while Laurie has received permission to paint one of those in the past, geing the approval was involved and lengthy. Recent Proposals for Grants • Sarasa’s proposal is for a concert of music that would have been performed in various ci[es in 1775, as part of the 250th celebra[on. The total event cost submi9ed with their proposal is $2950, venue is TBD, two dates in December being considered. • There was some discussion about grant proposals received outside of the MCC grant cycle versus proposals that come in during that annual process. How should we consider proposals for which we use Council funds? In general, Council funds should be used for events that engage as wide an audience and community as possible. • The proposed December dates seem challenging. In order to reach a larger audience, the Council will ask Sarasa to re-submit their proposal as part of the grant cycle, and ask them to consider moving the concert to early 2025, include a pre-concert talk and possible listening list for the audience. Would be great to have LexMedia to record it. Porchfest Planning • Update from Lisa: We have 51 bands, 48 porches, work on consolida[ng those lists is happening soon. The flags for light pole banners were denied by the Town, feedback was that the design with the guitar in Captain Parker’s hands was not well received. Discussion of ordering lawn signs, posters, sandwich boards. Alix will borrow sandwich board frame, does not seem like the flags will work out. • Steve will get permission from the town for placing the sandwich board in Depot Square. FY25 Projects • U[lity Boxes Scavenger Hunt – Alix’s idea, asks Council to think about how to format it, how to incen[vize kid par[cipa[on. Should we ask a ques[on about each box, do you have to get them all or just a certain number, do we give out prizes, etc. Would also like to look into geing QR codes on each box to link to the ar[st’s website, LCA website, etc. • Elsie men[ons the Boston Chinese film fes[val in September, featuring films by famous Chinese directors. Is LCA interested in doing something in conjunc[on? CAAL would probably be interested in joining. There is some discussion of adap[ng the exis[ng film about the Ba9le of Lexington for a Chinese audience. Steve asks Elsie to put together a proposal that we can discuss at the next mee[ng. New Business Claudia suggests that geing an interview with Steve in the Lexington Times as outgoing chair to highlight his and the Council’s accomplishments in the last few years. Motion to adjourn: Ashley moved, Steve seconded. Approved by unanimous vote. Meeting Adjourned at 8:30pm.