Cultural District Subcommittee

Cultural District Meeting October 13, 2021 Roll call Lennie, Pat, Pasqualina, Juliette, Beth, Elizabeth, Dan Public speak Beth- open studios at eastworks food trucks etc Pasqualina- Update on spot lot series. Not as well attended as the spring series. Sundays were not as busy saturdays. Will reserve Saturdays much more in advance next year. Last one was cancelled due to rain. In a total of 9 shows, it was a success. Would like to continue the spot lot series. Lessons were learned. Spring 4-6pm was great. Fall maybe noon-2pm. Cultural chaos update. We would need to start planning for that. The latest is Feb 1st to decide if we are having it. Dec-Jan Pasqualina usually fundraises for it. A couple of options. How COVID rates go for Thanksgiving and the holidays and New Years. Mid January we need to make a call. That’s one approach. The Other option, say we will plan to move forward and we start fundraising and planning. Then make a call in mid Jan if it’s happening. We could tie in the spot lot series with cultural chaos. Possibly extend the hours. We could have a concert that night at the spot lot. Music could run all night. Maybe a beer garden. Pat’s thoughts. How does an early decision effect Pasqualina on fundraising? Pat would like to plan to move forward. What do we see the event looking like that day? Lennie, talk to others for input on how their festivals went. GRF, ARCADIA, MILLPOND ETC. Pasqualina, no announcements yet until Jan. We should make the call then. Dan- COVID safety soon they will allow vax for kids 5-11. We should have things in much more control by summer. We should plan for it happening, then adjust if need be. Juliette echos Dan’s thoughts. Vaccinating the young group will help things along. Beth, same thought. We need to get out and start living. Lennie, planning chaos is an awesome idea. Make adjustments as/if needed make it bigger including side streets and the spot lot. Elizabeth oxbow gallery moved into local gallery. If chaos is happening, then we are on the road to recovery. Let’s navigate the holidays then make an announcement. We are hopeful to move forward with chaos but will make the decision after the holidays. We are 100% on the same page. Let’s all get dreamy about ideas. The spot lot will be a loud stage! Ideas to program the green lawn on the back side of the pond. Parking at the high school. An acoustic stage would be nice. A quieter space. Side street in use. More like places to exit that corridor feeling. Give a feeling of spaces. Lennie maple school playground for a quiet area kids puppets crafts etc. Maybe some food trucks up near maple as well. Art walk city sanctioned indoor functions are being held off until February. Eca will start Art walk the first Friday in February. Next month’s agenda will include a cottage street merchants association report. Possibility of creating a second cultural District in Easthampton for the mill district. 2023 is when we renew our title of Cultural District. We don’t want them to feel separate. We don’t want the districts divided. Beth - Tiffany from the pond committee. They are looking for members. We are looking for members. We are in flux. Potential for partnership. Complimentary competitor districts. Adjournment 10:01 Next meeting nov 10, 2021 at 9am