HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-11-30 Cultural Council Minutes Town of Reading ; t -EIVEUTC',I/N CLERK
Meeting Minutes R '- A ' ' `, , MA
W21 OU 29 PM 2: 32
Board - committee - commission - council:
Cultural Council
Date: 2020-11-30 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Version:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Mary Ann Kozlowski, Nora Bucko, Megan Fidler-Carey, Brian Kimerer, Kathy
Natale, Megan Fidler-Carey, Kern Perry, Bharti Joy Paris, )ane Soloway
Members - Not Present:
, Michael Duncan Smith
Others Present:
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Katherine Lopez Natale
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was conducted via ZOOM due to the Corona Virus Pandemic restrictions for
social distancing.
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Minutes of the October meeting were reviewed,
amended, and approved.
The treasurer reported that, in addition to the $8000 given by the town for cultural grants,
the total remaining in the RCC account that is encumbered for previously approved grants is
$4173.73. An additional $3968.23 in interest remained in the account as well, accounting
for a total of $8141.96. The town grant must be used by June 30 2021 or returned to the
town. The Reading Community Concert Band is the only outstanding grantee that has not
submitted a revised completion deadline.
A wide ranging discussion ensued about grants, interviews, and other needed actions for
next year's grants. The Massachusetts Cultural Council representative expressed optimism
to a council member that the state budget would be passed soon and that grants awarded
to local councils should be similar in amount to those of last year.
The number of local grant applications submitted is lower than last year. Brian Kimerer has
sent out an email to our mailing list notifying all that the deadline has been extended for a
second time, now to December 14'h. Nora Bucko has also been able to post the new
deadline on the town common.
The MCC is encouraging potential applicants to think creatively about grants. The Reading
council discussed how to encourage citizens to submit more applications despite the
limitations imposed by COVID. Among the suggestions that might be given to tentative
applicants were: use of Zoom for art lessons or one-act plays for a drama day, art supplies
for an online exposition, speakers for English or history classes for example who could
supplement or provide the foundation of a unit, classroom materials to support such a
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presentation, costs related to a potential Juneteenth history walk in Reading, notifying
organizations that long-desired capital expenditures are currently permitted, etc. Several
council members offered to reach out to schools, artists, and others to encourage them to
file an application.
The council will look into inviting Select Board member and RCC liaison, Vanessa Alvarado,
to the next meeting. The RCC will meet on December 28th to talk about the applicants.
Meetings with applicants will be scheduled on January 4th, and if necessary, January V.
Meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
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