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Home My WebLink About1994 Arts Council Annual ReportA1NWAL REPORT: JANUARY DECEMBER 1994 The Reading Arts Council serves as the agent for distribution of state arts fund- ing, allocated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. In compliance with statewide guidelines, the Reading Arts Council conducts it granting process once a year and awards funds to support cultural activities taking place at the local level. Funding for 1994 remained at about the same level as the prior year, with $5,342.00 to distribute. This year, the deadline for grant applications remained October 15th, as man- dated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. All local councils share the same deadline, making it simpler for grant applicants to apply to more than one municipality. In 1994, the Reading Arts Council received 31 applications for funding. Of that number, partial awards were made to 20 applicants. There were no fully funded projects. Awards were as follows: Applicant Project Award Barrows School Barrows School: Field Trip Birch Meadow School Colonial Chorus Creative Arts for Kids Creative Arts for Kids Joshua Eaton School: Field Trip Greater Stoneham Community Concert Assoc.. Killam School Judythe Evans Meagher New England String Ensemble Reading 350th Anniversary Reading Elementary Schools: Field Trip Reading Photographic Society Reading Public Library Friends of the RPL Friends of the RPL Reading Recreation Reading Recreation Bay Colony Educators $300.00 LMASS Lowell Center for the Arts $200.00 Carolyn Ingalls $300.00 "The Wizard of Oz" $300.00 Beethoven Festival $400.00 Summer Art Camp $400.00 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston $200.00 Boston Symphony Orchestra $600.00 Camera Club Lectures $145.00 Author William Sleator $250.00 Coffee Hour Series $ 75.00 4 Free Concerts $322.00 Summer Concerts at Memorial Park $300.00 Weekly Summer Musical/Theatrical Program for Children. $300.00 4 concerts at Stoneham H.S. $100.00 Beth Delforge Art Residency $400.00 Watercolor for Elderly at Senior Center $200.00 Concert at Memorial Hall $100.00 Concert made up of members of all church choirs in Reading $350.00 Town Manager's Office ■ 16 Lowell Street * Reading, Massachusetts 01867 THE READING ARTS COUNCIL Treble Chorus of New England Scholarship Funding $100.00 Total Amount Awarded $5,342.00 The Reading Arts Council convened a Community Input Meeting on September 21, 1994 in compliance with MCC requirements. The agenda focused around the importance of the arts in our local community, other grant funding available at the state level and review of the local grant process and the Reading Arts Council's philosophy. We invited four guest speakers to attend and share their views. Jack Cairl, President of the Reading Association of Fine and Performing Arts, discussed the hopes for the future Reading Arts Center. Lisa Hergenrother, LCC Program Coordinator, provided background on the MCC, discussed other funding available, and provided hand-out information. Barbara Mellin, former chair of the RAC, and publisher of the new magazine for the arts north of Boston, Pleiades, presented her magazine with a strong Reading influence. Judythe Evans Meagher, artist and grant recipient, discussed her experience with the grant application process. Invitations were sent out to all arts organizations and previous attendees of last year's Input Meeting, notice was posted on local cable bulletin. boards and we advertised in the two local newspaper. Only 17 people attended, but we had local live cable coverage, and the meeting was replayed twice during the two weeks following. This year saw the retirement of loyal and valued member and secretary, Diane Slezak, and the stepping down of the Chairperson, Alice Collins, and Treasurer, Bev McAleer. All gave many years of support to the Council and Reading Arts Community. We also welcomed new members Donna Callahan and Chris Twitchell. We also voted in all new officers, Karin Samatis as Chairperson, Jeanne Freeman as Secretary and Lee Selzer as Treasurer. Respectfully submitted, Karin Samatis (Chairperson) Donna Callahan Alice Collins Jeanne Freeman (Secretary) Bev McAleer Dave Mitchell Ron Morse Erline Robinson Lee Selzer (Treasurer) Chris Titchell Jane McKenzie