Cultural Council

RECEIVED By City Clerk at 11:34 am, 1/25/22 Saturday, January 9, 2021 9AM-12PM Usually Meets 1st Tuesday of Every Month Remote Meeting via GoToMeeting https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/256310181 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (872) 240-3412 Access Code: 315-653-525 Pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitations on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the Amesbury Cultural Council on January 9, 2021 is being conducted via remote participation. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort is being made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings as provided for in the Order. The public can dial-in to this meeting, and to submit a public comment, you may do so by emailing the Chair at ​amesburycc@gmail.com ​or by dialing into the meeting and speaking at the appropriate time in the agenda. All public comments will be added to the public record. WELCOME 9:00AM​ Shannon reads the open meeting law. RW does the roll call: ​Members Present: Susan Wagner(sw)-treasurer, Shannon Carroll(sc)-co chair, Laura Kozlowski(LK)-secretary Rachel Wood (RW), Bonnie Brady(BB), Stephanie Martin(SM),Cheryl Desjardin(CD), Brooke Lambert,(BL) Shannon will share her screen now to see the calendar for meeting dates for 2021 Any motion or discussion about keeping the first meeting of the first Tuesday of month SC:Motion to approve meeting to keep meeting on the first Tuesday each month, second RW, Unanimous. Motion Passes. Art At City Hall: BB proposes Chain bridge art for next show and leave it up in Feb until we can say, with confidence, city hall is open again and there is access. CD agrees. SC says the website is outdated and we need to update with the next art exhibit. BB recommends that the current show goes through Jan 28 which means Feb 1 would be the start of Chain Bridge, then leave it up indefinitely until we determine a new schedule when people can visit in person. SC:Motion to hang Mon Feb 1 to leave up indefinitely BB. Second cd unanimou​s Assign Poet Laureate​: 9:24 First meeting of the season, is a remote once a month. This Monday evening we need a new poet liaison to attend the meeting and to answer any questions. Ellie is in her second year and it is important for us to support them beyond providing a stipend. We are there for questions and to help relay these questions to ACC, especially when poetry month comes up. SC: Do we have any volunteers? RW and SC have meetings the same time and day. SW has this Monday available but can’t do it in the future. BL volunteers is the new poet laureate liaison. 2021 Grant Cycle 9:36:​ SC shares the spreadsheet and panel book with the meeting. Light Bright Art​: ​SC makes a motion to just fill in the full grant amount if it has a high vote if anyone is against the vote, BL seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Note: we were allocated $9500 against $12,000 in grant applications. Aperture on Amesbury​:​ ​BB has to abstain any discussion about this grant because she submitted it. SC: any questions or concerns regarding this grant? Motion to approve(sc) : CD seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Generation of Fun​: They apply every year. It's for a senior center performance. ​SC:Motion to Accept, CD seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Historical Scavenger Hunt​:​ BB has to abstain on voting since she submitted the grant. Motion to Approve(SC) Second: CD:Unanimous. Vote Passes. Family Maker Day:​ ​BB has to abstain on voting since she submitted the grant. Motion to fulfill(SC) Second: CD, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Wonderland Spectacle Co: Art and Nature Video for Kids​ ​BB rated it low, because it is important to have a real venue for an event. LCC criteria will have a venue. Chair recognizes BL. Also rated it low. Read at the bottom of the packet there are new rules about the venue with Covid here. Doesn’t think it holds its own against the other. CD was an exception to this, rated it higher because the video would bring attention to the trails and the forest here in Amesbury. Liked the video because of Covid. Maybe we can go back to the applicant to be more specific with ACTV before we apply grant money. Chair recognizes SC. From my mom groups, we rely on videos that can fit out schedules, always looking for kids and community connections. Don’t have a lot of those family events, maybe three for kids. Feel like this has flexibility for parents and fits the covid guidelines. In the packet there is a letter from Malden tv where we can go back and ask for a commitment with ACtv but we can move forward with approval. Chair recognizes RW: Agrees with the group, but was confused at how it is interactive. Will there be a video and a map? How do you connect this with real life? Further explanation on how people will use it. SC asks if we leave this blank and come back? Chair recognizes BB: There are a few grants that say Actv but there are no efforts to have talked to Actv. Is it realistic at all? Feels like there should be more effort shown and doesn’t see that here. Chair recognizes RW: No one has a letter of support from Actv. Maybe we need to be a little loose with this and go back to them and ask if we can see a letter from Actv. Most people will be using this with Youtube which would be a stronger venue. Chair recognizes SC: Agrees why she rates it higher since they already stated a platform, youtube which would be a public way to access which makes it different from the other. Chair recognizes CD agrees with SC. Asks the council if the lower scores are on the lack of a venue, filming locally is a higher value to Amesbury. SC made a good point that Youtube is already part of their plan. Actv is a more passive watching, watching from home. Chair recognizes BL: rated this on quality, being swayed by what people are saying and how it is valuable to kids but initially. Yes I voted on the venue and felt like this could be another good video but didn't see how it is interactive. Watching is a passive process. Chair recognizes BB: had both venues: Actv, but Youtube is a good option. Agreeing with BL that it isn’t clear on the interactive part. Summer recreation is still doing outdoor programs, would kids do a video? Wants to do a conditional approval. Needs to engage kids. Ties into activities, take a walk and see the sites. SC leave this blank for now?​. RW:Motion to table, SC second unanimous. Vote Passes. Chainsaws, Cheeseburgers and Rock and Roll: Chair recognizes RW: Said this would be a lecture to middle school students, no evidence of talking with the school. Doesn’t think we can fund this without approval with the school. Chair recognizes SC: Agreed with RW, it is bottom of the pile, sounds interesting but it is a big risk with knowing when kids will be back in school, if we go back with can you secure a date, not sure schools can figure this out. Chair recognizes BL: rates it low because it was not polished and poorly written, and if you don’t put the effort in then it loses her respect. Chair recognizes RW: She agrees. Her issue was the generic conversation about “ chasing your dreams”, not so much concrete language. Advertising done through the school so relying on the school to support and advertise for him. Chair recognizes BB: She doesn’t want to spend too much time on this. But wants to say one of the 5 criteria is : quality and this doesn’t scream quality to her. Chair recognizes SC: I read this differently, since I am not a very good writer myself. but I felt like there is no school support- but he did cover all the bases, had letters of support, seems highly acclaimed, lots of experience, rough around the edges but it is maybe part of his thing, why do I see this so differently? Chair recognizes BL: I also grappled with this because I think writing matters. Time and dedication for a finished product is important and don’t explain your idea articartly, his passion is there and he would be great with kids, but I think it always has to be a well written thing and this application seems like he did it in 30 min. Chair recognizes BB: Another thing about the venue. We don’t know if this will be virtual or in school due to covid. That would be if the venue isn’t set, but not having the school not in this at all. Why would we give money to someone who didn’t engage with the school system? We would love you to do this for next year and re-submit Chair recognizes RW: It’s a cool idea. The Middle school would love it, but the roughness of the application didn’t bother her but doesn’t understand the substance of the talk. Too vague. Wanted to see the information in his application and not make us go search down the supported videos/websites. A more formal explanation of what this show is about. Chair recognizes SW: Doesn’t know what this is really about either. Looking at his credentials, highly acclaimed but by who? SC Makes a motion to DENY this grant and will site reason to look for firm cooperation with the school and how he will motivate? Second: BB, Unanimous Motion Passes. Newburyport Chamber Music Festival:​ ​SC: usually a popular event, Rachel: do you have anything why you ranked yours low? No, now She is supporting this. ​Motion to approve. CD second. Unanimous. Vote Passes. X Duo Piano​: ​Chair recognizes RW : This is the lowest of my rankings, there seems to be more of a South Shore/ Cape Cod group, a pre-recorded concert that they are also throwing out to a huge portion of the area. Worries about lack of connections here and it would be a smaller audience with ACtv. Chair recognizes SC: looking into the details, they would need some more coordination with Actv, loves piano music but with so much involved with the live zoom ahead of time, don’t see how the support/details with ACtv would work here. We have a lot of surrounding area resources that have music and this is why she rated it low. SC Motion to DENY this request-CD Seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Jumping Juba​: a good venue for senior centers. High rated. Chair recognizes SW: She has been to this and it's packed so she is behind this one, anything for the seniors right now. They are struggling. SC: In the past, what we should be doing is attending these events so we can see it in person to see attendance, and quality. Good to hear that Stephanie has been to this one. Any other motions, discussions? (SC) SC Motion to approve, CD Second, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Color Blind: Chair recognizes RW: sounds really cool, but is this a finished play or a workshop? Chair recognizes BB: her understanding is that they will be testing out a finished play. Sounds very creative and a theater in the mix of the grants, and the historical educational component is great for Amesbury. Whittier home has a great track record with the productions they do. They are excellent. Chair recognizes SW: agrees that everything at whittier home is great. Looks like it is two scenes and a post discussion. SC Motion to approve- CD seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes. A Christmas Carol:​ Another senior center performance. Chair recognizes SC: would love to hear other people’s opinions on why this is not rated high. Wouldn’t seniors would love something like this? Chair recognizes RW: What is the connection with the Ipswich LCC for more funding? Chair recognizes BB: Good with it but wondering about the content of a Christmas Carol...more entertainment or cultural. Art or history, or humanities, is it to respect the literature, or is a fun event? Chair recognizes CD: Where is the artistic element here? It did get a good score, and it is a respected theater company. Is it art or is it entertainment? Is it subjective. Leans more towards approving but not super excited. Chair recognizes SC: Agrees, but wondering what would make this more cultural ? It is an historically loved American story. Seniors might love it, but how many things do they have to look forward to at the senior center?. If we had a lot more grants and weighing the pros and cons here, then not sure if this would make the cut. Chair recognizes SM: Anything we can do for the seniors- but maybe not support the full grant amount? Chair recognizes BB: Maybe not approving full grant, but does like this one. Would like to see which ones for the senior center would be the strongest. CD: Says to approve this because we can and the value for the seniors. SC:motion to grant the full amount of 580. Second: RW Unanimous. Vote Passes Newburyport Film Festiva​l​: Chair recognizes BB: We supported this last year, has attended and it is fabulous for the variety and content. Last year it was virtual so they are already Covid ready. Some of the films are the greatest she has. Chair recognizes CD: Rated it high because it is Covid ready. Supporting film is really a good idea right now because it is suffering- so having the opportunity to support this is a good thing and the 500 is a fair amount to support this. SC: We should strive to attend these so we can get our firm stamp of approval behind. SC Motion to approve in full: CD seconds Unanimous. Vote Passes 10;30- 10;40 Break 10:44 Roll call Again RW : ​Members Present: Susan Wagner(sw)-treasurer, Shannon Carroll(sc)-co chair, Laura Kozlowski(LK)-secretary Rachel Wood (RW), Bonnie Brady(BB), Stephanie Martin(SM),Cheryl Desjardin(CD), Brooke Lambert,(BL) Outdoor Sculpture Maudslay​:​ we usually grant this every year, it's a great event, well attended Chair recognizes CD: speaking in support, it benefits Amesbury residents. It's well done, a great value, accessible to all, great during Covid since it's outside, lots of local artists participate. Chair recognizes RW: It is a geo interactive event, all the sculpture is on an app, for location specific activity. SC: surprised they are requesting only 500, wondering how many other LCC they request money from. We are one of the communities that benefit the most. RW: The application does say 1950 from other LLC. SC Motion to approve. Second: CD, Unanimous. Vote passes. Gothic Ghost Tales by Candlelight​: Chair rec BB: She is very passionate about this one. The applicant is a performer with historically accurate shows. She designs the costumes and the shows and has been at the Whittier home. BB has attended. Says this show sounds clever and is highlighting gothic women writers, history and literature. Does it through one woman show/ theater. Also a resident of Amesbury. She is creative and it would be good to support a local artist. Chair recognizes CD: After listening to BB she would raise her score. To have something for the Towers in Amesbury is also a plus for her. Chair recognizes RW: Does she have a back up plan for Covid? Chair recognizes SW: This is her concern too, it is for next fall, so maybe we will be safe? Rated it so low trying to figure out there were others she liked more, this didn’t make it into my list. Thought the seniors had a lot of other things to choose from. The Towers is not the senior center, so no qualms with the program, just liked other events more than this one. Chair recognizes BL: A question that maybe this is one where we can send back” what are your plans for Covid?” It is a great idea but she has been to other events like this and based on what BB says it is more elderly but can incorporate a larger section of the community. Chair recognizes BB: She understands the Covid question, then we need to ask this question to all the grants and we shouldn’t count this against this grant Chair recognizes RW; some have this Covid plan put into their application, but with this being an elderly housing complex we should have a condition if needed an explanation for a virtual or Covid back up plan. She thinks there should be a clause in there. Chair recognizes SC: all this seems like valid points, and falls into the category of “Wonderland” lets come back to this, but maybe just posing this question to her? Just wonder if this goes virtually does this mean the towers would broadcast this for the people who live there we don’t know what kind of technology they have there. RW motion to fund, Second: BB Unanimous. Passes ​Henry the Juggler: (SC) does not have a letter of support looking for the ACC for support. Thinks that the application wasn’t strong Chair recgnizes RW: the ACC to support his show, giving us a plan and then where is the location, local sponsors will get the word out. Relaxed expectation of support. Lack of a strong plan. RW: subjective criteria if we had more applications for culture then we can make them higher than entertainment but we are looking for more themed things. His examples on line were a bit too broad Chair recognizes BB: no criteria specific, personal viewpoint: I put under quality creativity. Gradations on each category. Chair recognizes BL: Just wanted to be clearer on this “entertainment” Thank you. SC: Motion to DENY, second(CD) Unanimous. Vote Passes​. Salisbury Art Stroll: Motion to approve(SC) (CD) Second, Unanimous Musical Baseball Show: Chair recognizes SC: Something seniors are familiar with, outdoors, something different and liked the idea of being outdoors. Has support from the senior center, so many people love baseball, ticking a bunch of different boxes. Chair recognizes RW: Sounds fun, agrees. Example of someone saying that they have a Covid backup plan. Gives it a level of consideration with their application Chair recognizes BL: Also support this one. Not a huge baseball fan but loves a lot of other fans who love trivia and agree outdoors is good during this uncertain Covid time. SC: music, trivia, sounds interesting. SC motions to fund it in full.(RW )seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes. Bach Again, New Body Old Soul: Chair recognizes RW: Confused by this, is it specific for Amesbury? Throwing this out to a lot of other councils. Could do this without us if we didn’t support this one. Chair recognizes BB for the same reasons. No indication of discussion if this is feasible to work with ACTv. Not unique to Amesbury. Chair Recognizes SC: Agree with BB, already funding great musical initiatives and to have this as a recording on ACtv doesn’t tick any of the boxes for her. We have so many other in person or great back up plans for streaming, so this is why she votes no on this one. SC: Motion to Deny. Second: CD Unanimous, Passes. 2021 Spring Panto SC:We did fund this last year. If we fund this it would be out 4 or 5th year of funding Chair recognizes BB: Only seen one of these when the Rec department had this at the kids day, at the bandstand, they did Aesops Tales, families enjoy this. Chair recognizes SW: Loves everything the Theater in the Open does! Chair recognizes RW: Are these paid actors? Or is this with kids? Chair recognizes SW: A couple of staff that run this program are in the performance, you do see the same few adult cast members. SC: yes SW is right, they run classes for kids throughout the year it's a combination of kids and staff. The head of the Theater from Amesbury? BB: yes and he always comes to the networking events we have for the Grants. A local community family. This show isn’t a one time thing, it goes throughout June. SC: Motion to Fully Fund CDSeconds, Unanimous, Motion passes. All Together Drumming Another one looking for the ACC to help dictate when and where it shall be. Chair recognizes BL: believes drumming circles could be good to bring music to kids for educational purposes and is more diverse. Chair recognizes SC: agrees but didn’t have a formulated plan and correct me if I am wrong BB, it is usually family day where there are other opportunities in Amesbury for drumming circles. This is why she chose to not fund. Chair recognizes BB: did like what they have to offer but didn’t have any plans for it. Suggest we deny it. Could hook up with the rec department for kids day or other ways for him to sponsor this Not a complete application. Chair recognizes CD: Agrees with BB. What he does would help the community and likes that it would bring ethnicity to the community but not well planned so supports BB suggestion of coming back next year. Chair recognizes BL: Taking in consideration the poor planning sees why it would be denied but says it should be supported. Happy to hear that there are other events like this here in Amesbury Chair recognizes RW: her problem with this is that he expected us to support and plan for him. Giving money to an older white man may not be the best to bring the experience of ethnicity to Amesbury. Chair recognizes BB: a really good point. Kathy from the rec department is great at doing this, always includes diversity in this. Not only on the music but also the performers for authenticity. Chair recognizes BL: you are totally right RW, forgot he was caucassion . The theme and the idea remains the same, bringing music from other parts of the world should be supported. Chair recognizes RW: should have said this earlier, one of the council of aging said this, but thinks it’s a red flag, the “generations of fun”, what does this mean, ethnicity?. SC: we had the same question with Hip Hop Around the World, some similar questions who is presenting, is it actually coming from the roots or rehashed? We want to make sure that since we don’t live in a diverse community we want to make sure we can support more diversity. Chair recognizes BB: We should update our council priorities- first look for this in content and performers in order to enrich our community. SC makes a motion to DENY Second: RW . Unanimous. Motion Passes. Equipment Upgrade Byfield: This grant was also part of the application for last year since we didn’t fund. We did give them some funding a few years ago. Some Amesbury students go here and it does fit the requirements. Chair recognizes RW: She does support but wants them to specify what equipment they are upgrading. Chair recognizes SM: as a “theater mom” says they do need this. Chair recognizes SW: it is a low cost performance venue, the theater is in need of a lot of things Chair recognizes BL: They should write the grant more specifically because she has never been there and expects a list would have been more convincing. Chair rec CD: how does the Byfield CC benefit the Amesbury community?. Their application should be more specific. Happy to hear that others support because of experience but need to explain how this should be more specific when you apply. Chair rec SC: Completely agree, ignored that part that they didn’t fully explain these things since she knew more about the center. Other times when they have applied, they have explained, is to fund it but to be specific about how they need to put in more details. Could approve but have them tell us more about what they are looking for. Chair rec RW: There are a couple we are funding that we all want to add more conditions to them for more information. Do we just add a motion to ask them to add conditions to each grant ? Chair rec BB: I gave it a zero. In previous years families went there. Need the application to be complete and compelling. Wants it to be a conditional approval. Need equipment plan. What is it, what is it for, and how do they support the Amesbury community? How does this benefit us? SC Wants to approve with conditions. SC: Motion to Approve with Conditions, Second: RW, Unanimous. Motion to Pas​s. Amesbury Heritage is Alive- Puppet show: All in agreement, checks all the boxes. RW: little worried about 10 shows in 5 days, we are butting up against our allotment for 1000 but they did say they can scale the money proportionally to the shows. Do we want to consider to scale this one since it is the easier one to scale to partially fund? SC: how about we put the 1000 in there and then go back to the top and see how partially funding Wonderland and how this affects things. Some did not agree to partial funding. Motion to Approve, fully fund but revisit: SC Second: RW, Unanimous. Motion Passes. SC: Leaves us with 950 to give to Wonderland or we can change something else? Chair recognizes BB: While SC is scrolling through the grants, this could be our second conditional approval where we ask them for some conditions. Clearer on interactivity capabilities to be more engaging.(wonderland) and then play with the puppet grant Chair recognizes CD: agrees with BB. Think it's a good opportunity to bounce some of these considerations, the show will still go on with the puppet show. And the same for Wonderland, they already started working on the video. Agrees with BB. Chair recognizes SC; looking and it doesn’t look like they won’t be going to anyone else for funding, so how much we give gravely affects how much they do. Who else is funding puppet one? Ethnic arts annual fund. They 1000 from this fund. We can reduce their funding Chair recognizes SM: Proposes 400 to Wonderland and 800 to Puppet show. Both are valuable to the community. Chair recognizes RW: Scale 8 shows, 800 to puppet show. Agrees with SM. SC: would be then left with 395, sounds like a good solution. Is there anyone who has other ideas, scenarios, recommendations? Chair recognizes BB: Wondering if we could give Wonderland a bit more, that is a bit low 400 to their 600 ? Can we give them a bit more so that it is more feasible for their project? BB: could take 50 off each of her grants, Maker Day and Aperture in Amesbury $50 off each would not be a problem. SC: why don’t we do a raise of hands to reduce ​ACM ​funds by $50 or reduce the cost of Generations of Fun​? Lets vote BB says maybe 500 for the ​Wonderland ​grant, wants to have it be viable. RW looking for 100, 105 to be clear. 105 from ​Generations of Fun​? Or 100 from ​ACM​? Chair recognizes BL: not against this but why ​Generations of Fun​ and not another grant ? RW: It says it in their application, they are ok with a bit less. SC: Motion to take $35 from Generation of Fun, Aperture/Makers $35 from each to apply to Wonderland RW seconds. Unanimous. Motion Passes. Modifications: 665 for ​Family Maker 565 ​Aperture 440 ​Generations of Fun 500 ​Wonderland​- Clarify their commitment to ACTV/ would like them to specify how children are going to use this video? Indoors or can it be outdoors as well? Chainsaws​: ​Deny​: ​no partnership with school system​. RW: can he re-apply this year? SC: yes in 15 days but we should be encouraged to re-apply next year but they do have the right to come back in 15 days. BB: disagree with this process. We have three choices, accept, deny or conditionally accept with modification. For this one we have rejected. As a kind gesture we give him ideas for coming back next year. He can appeal in 15 days. RW: school partnership, lack of content specificity, but if he comes back with these fulfilled...what do we do BB: Option to ask questions of the grant submitters if we do this with all of the applicants. SC; appeal can happen but haven’t had many people in the past, maybe 1. RW: thank you for clarifying the appeal process would be re-application but this doesn’t mean that they can’t change, add or enhance their application for this grant year. BB: Yes that is correct. But there is one other conditional approval which we will have this year. Dual Pianists : Denial ​:​ lack of local connections Christmas Carol​: curiosity of connection of Ipswich LCC, for point of clarity. Not conditional of getting the funding. Gothic Ghost Tale​: ​If pending covid, reschedule. Maybe make this a condition for all grants. Options to reschedule Face to face events not able to take place, there is a process to push out grant money for the following year. There is always a clause that they can do this with or without covid upon request/review. Henry the Juggler: (Deny) ​needed more clarification Bach Again: (Deny) ​Not specific to Amesbury: lack of specific details, talk with Amesbury Rec Department Equipment Upgrade(Approved) just needed a list of equipment, more details, who is it benefiting .​RW motion to approve changes/reasons for denial letters, SC seconds, Unanimous. Vote Passes SC will write up the denial letters this week so we can hear back from anyone who might contest it. We need 15 days. Then award letters RW: reminding us to do the city hall training. BL: Send some information on Poet Laureate meeting. 12:20 SC Motions to adjourn. Second: RE Unanimous