HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-08 Cultural Council Minutes �• FR Town of Reading OwN EI
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Cultural Council
Date: 2021-03-08 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Version:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Mary Ann Kozlowski, Megan Fidler-Carey, Bharti Joy Paris, Nora Bucko,
Brian Kimerer, Katherine Lopez Natale, Kerr! Perry, lane Soloway, Michael
Duncan Smith
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Katherine Lopez Natale
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was conducted via ZOOM due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
Minutes from the February 1, 2021 meeting were approved.
Treasurer Jane Soloway reported that two grant invoices were paid in February and two
more grants have been submitted for payment. Jane believes that the town grant funds will
be fully expended by the June deadline. As of the March meeting, $8402 remained in the
main account and $6752 in the town account. RCC also received a thank you note from the
Reading Community Singers. The treasurer's report was approved.
Chair Mary Ann Kozlowski reminded the Council members of the need to take the State
ethics training as notified by the town clerk. She will follow up next month to ensure that
everyone has responded. She also asked and received approval for the latest press release.
The release will be posted on Facebook and future releases will contain the link to our social
media pages. Eventually the dates of performances should be posted on those sites as well.
Grant recipients will be asked to inform the council when performances are scheduled so
that our postings on Facebook can be kept up to date. To ensure that the latest information
is available, Council members will all assist in contacting recipients for updates.
With the terms of three current Council members expiring, a discussion.ensued about our
current associate members. Both were willing to become full members if needed and new
members will consider what role they are willing to fill the coming year. There is currently a
need for one person to take on the duties of the treasurer. The chair will contact town
offices to voice her support for current associates in seeking full membership if they so
desire.
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Brian Kimerer shared some preliminary results of the annual survey which was posted on
the RCC website and sent to our mailing list which includes the Select Board and the
Reading Art Association. A notice will also appear on our Facebook page. The Council also
briefly discussed possible access to cloud storage through the town. This might facilitate
mailings in the future.
Michael Duncan Smith delivered a report on social media options. He discussed the
advantages of sponsoring posts and targeting Reading residents who are interested in arts
and culture. He created Twitter and Instagram accounts for"ReadingMaCC' and suggested
that we use this handle for our Facebook and mail accounts to create consistency. The new
handle was approved by council members. Those receiving grants should be encouraged to
tag RCC. This linkage can help both the RCC and the cultural entities that we deal with by
promoting events and making participants better known in the community. Our media
pages can follow our agenda as it evolves throughout the year from the application period
to informing the public about upcoming events to highlighting performances with pictures
taken at events.
We should announce our social media presence on our page at the Massachusetts Cultural
Council website. Michael also pointed out four good websites that we might want to
examine as we develop our own: Arts Arlington, Medford Arts Council, and websites for
Cambridge and Watertown. He also suggested we look at direct mail possibilities.
The Council looked ahead to a visit from the town liaison, survey results, and further
information on our steps toward creating a better social media presence. In addition,
current full and associate members were asked to consider assuming the treasurer's duties
for the next grant cycle since the current treasurer's term is ending.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
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