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Home My WebLink About2025-09-03-ARTS-min.pdf Lexington Council for the Arts Mee4ng Wednesday, September 3, 2025 7:00 - 8:30 PM In Person: Parker Room, Town Hall, Lower Level Zoom Link: hOps://us02web.zoom.us/j/85640302944?pwd=K9V6t903ZtAMKf8zEvfupPgxNNPQAa.1 1. Call to order 7:08 Present: Alix Fox and Claudia Lach, Co-Chairs; Marie-Aude Hewes, Treasurer; Mamata Banerjee Thelma Goldberg, Lisa Hebert, Shalini Kakar, Jennifer Zacharis Absent: Eric Hellweg, David Hoose, Secretary Recording Secretary: Shalini Kakar IntroducLons with the new members and observers. 2. Secretary’s Report August 6, 2025 meeLng did not have a quorum, minutes were not recorded. MoLon to approve minutes for June 4, 2025 meeLng: Alix moved, Lisa seconded, approved unanimously. 3. Treasurer ’s Report: Marie-Aude Hewes Marie explained the three different accounts the Town holds for the Council: 1. State Funds for Gran4ng (FY 25): $10,617 Funds received from MCC for our annual grant cycle. Our 2025 allocaLon was received a few months ago. We sLll have a relaLvely large balance waiLng for grantees to request reimbursement. Any funds not used for reimbursement by the end of the year will rollover and be added to our 2026 grant cycle funding. 2. Tow n Budget Account: $6,000 The Town of Lexington gives LCA $6000 annually, which needs to be spent by the end of each fiscal year (June 30). Unspent funds are returned to the town. Porchfest expenses are being paid from here, likely some 2026 grants as well this coming year, and/or Lexington Laughs. 3. Local Account: $6,114t This is a local balance that the LCA can spend on any expenses incurred. Alix notes that we have been advised by our MCC liaison to spend this balance down. Lexington Laughs expenses likely to be mostly covered here. Other details noted: - $720 remains from a previous MCC FesLval Grant for last year’s Porchfest that we should use up with remaining Porchfest expenses this year. - We have a balance from an MCC Cultural Sector Recovery Grant that should be spent sooner rather than later. It is noted LCA can apply for a Cultural District grant for our own projects. Last year we approved ~$18,000 for our annual grant cycle. LCA voted to use ~$5000 to augment our MCC granLng allocaLon. 4. Porchfest: Lisa Hebert Porchfest is on Saturday, September 27 (rain date Sept 28), with 60+ host sites and 110+ bands. Most hosts have confirmed, deadline for hosts and bands to register was extended to September 10th. Bands and hosts have been mostly matched. Publicity: SLckers were applied to 120 lawn signs to update with this year’s date. We have 3 volunteers in addiLon to LCA members who will help distribute the signs around town in the coming week. Banners are being installed on the light poles in the town center tonight. Jennifer is distribuLng Porchfest posters downtown. Need to adverLse on Facebook, Mavens and personal groups. Claudia posted on the newsleher. Jennifer will make extra flyers by next weekend by September 13. Downtown Sites: Stone Building: Grand Finale is here from 5-6pm, cover band that plays all Beatles songs. Ken Karnofsky is managing the site and all of the bands playing there throughout the day. It is essenLally sub-contracted and everything is set. Cary Library: Children’s music from 1-2pm. Emery Park: Jay from Coffee & Cocktails will MC. Featuring acousLc music, Music Makes Me Happy, a special needs chorus group, and Jay’s band from 3-5pm., Visitors Center: Lisa gave a list of different bands playing here. No MC between acts, but Council members at the booth in Emery Park will go and check if the event is running smoothly. Lisa will arrange a site visit at the Visitor Center with someone from DPW. Regarding traffic on Baskin Road, where several bands are playing, Eric is going to be in touch with the Police department again. It was suggested that if police can supply a Drive Slowly sign, that could calm traffic. Lisa said we need a volunteer to manage traffic inflow and will print out placards for bands so that they can access the road. The Council discussed whether or not to use sandwich boards, but prinLng can be expensive and we do not have a design for it. It was suggested that we might be able to borrow sandwich boards from Munroe – have seen them at their Bikeway Block Party. Thelma will ask CrisLna Burwell if we can borrow them. Marie will handle the senng up and covering the booth/table at Emery Park and send a message to the group to assist with covering Lme slots. Alix and Marie will coordinate pick up and drop off of table, materials, etc. Jennifer will share the poster file with everyone. Lisa will get the map and schedule printed as hard copy – people like to have the schedule on paper. Marie will prepare a mailing list QR code. CrisLna from Munroe was looking for volunteers at the Bike Way party. Members decided not to sponsor prizes for bikers. Claudia is volunteering from 1-2 and she will share ChrisLna’s email. 5. Annual MCC Grant Cycle: Claudia Lach The grant cycle opened yesterday, applicaLons accepted through October 16. Grant readers will be Claudia, Maria, Thelma, and Mamata. We will have a spreadsheet that evaluates the merit of each applicaLon. Claudia summarized the process for the new members and observers. Claudia will be out of country Oct 16-26. We need to make final decisions by first week of December, to leave Lme for applicaLons that were not accepted to ask for reconsideraLon. Our MCC liaison was interested in our grant evaluaLon spreadsheet – sent him a template. EvaluaLon criteria is located on the website: lexartscouncil.org. MCC will send the Panel Book, a pdf booklet of all applicaLons to the LCA. 6. Lexington Laughs (Jan 2026): Claudia Lach Lisa has organized the Lexington Laughs comedy event in 2022. We were not able to plan it last year, but have decided to resurrect it. TentaLve date: January 24, 2026. Ajay Gallawale is an engineer-cum comedian from Lexington and has volunteered to help find comedians and coordinate the event. He also runs a monthly open mic night at the Lexington Community Center. Claudia proposed that Ajay will be the key person to hire for $2900 to cover headliner, two featured comedians, and the host. We need to find a venue – auditorium at Sconsh Rite Masonic Museum is $2200. We would need insurance to use this venue. Alix said we should be covered under the town, but we are working through some concerns the Town has about this arrangement. Other venue opLons considered: Alix suggested Clarke – Mamata will contact Lisa at Clarke. LHS was determined to be too big, esLmated audience is 250. Mamata will talk to Rev Ann at First Parish Church and Grace Chapel. We will start with Clarke and First Parish as potenLal venues. Approximate budget for the event is $4,500. We will plan to cover expenses with any remaining Town funds and Cultural Sector Recovery grant. Mo4on to adjourn: Alix moved, Jennifer seconded, approved by unanimous vote. Mee4ng Adjourned at 8:45pm Respecrully submihed, Alix Fox