Easthampton City Arts Coordinating Committee

Present: Pasqualina, Steve, Felicia, Tracey, Cindy, Ted Public members present: Louise Friedl Approval of August Meeting Minutes motion to approve by Steve, seconded by Felicia, all in favor Public Speak: no Programming Updates Art Walk ● Great Art Walk last weekend, in conjunction with River Roads Festival. Fewer venues than typical but very well attended. ● People know this happens on the first Saturday now ● ECA Gallery show is up ● Marketing assistant hiring update: person we had in mind unable to do this now. Pasqualina has reached out to another prospect (Olive). Olive has worked with Pasqualina and ECA before. Proposal to hire Olive for next 3 months, then reassess. 20 hrs a month, $1500 total. Motion to hire Olive proposed by Tracey, all in favor. Porchfest ● Pasqualina applied for a festivals grant from MCC ($2500), which we received ● Capacity grant has also been applied for, if we get this then the festivals grant will go back in the pot. Funding is covered either way. ● 12 locations, 25-30 performers ● On the note of MCC funding– they’re doing a deep dive reassessment of cultural districts. ○ There may be a pause on funding indefinitely for cultural districts. ECA has received $15K the past few years. ○ Cultural Chaos this year cost $18K, and costs have risen over the past few years. ○ Pasqualina has met with cultural district manager, the good news is they are keeping the $15K grant for this year. ECA Invitational ● Maude, Tracey and Pasqualina met with artist Jeff Kasper. Title this year: ‘In each other we trust.’ ● Programming will be added: 10/28, 6-7:30 PM panel discussion in Cityspace. Looking at different models in Easthampton and surrounding communities where artists are active Easthampton Futures Project Public Sharing ● We are in the 5th year in this 10 year vision/plan ● Trouble with finding dates to present this at Cityspace in October. ● Reserved Tuesday 12/3 6 PM (6-8 PM) for Easthampton Futures Project public sharing  ○ Showcase materials (drawings, boards, documentation, etc.) from the futures project. ○ Pasqualina will present the report and talk people through it ○ Updates on what we have done, highlight what still needs to be accomplished ○ Opportunity to ask and engage with public (what they want to see happen next, from the document) ● Plan is to announce 20th anniversary programming at this event, along with materials and handouts (calendar of events). New logo with tagline something like, ‘Easthampton City Arts, Celebrating 20 Years’ in the works Art Floats Easthampton ● Based on timing, we decided not to hold a celebration right now ● Plan to hold this event in Spring 2025 (May or early June) ● Exhibit will be up for Cultural Chaos ● Should have people register to pre-make the boats ● Connect with schools? (Cindy teaching middle school right now) ● Reminder that ECA can not fundraise for a non-municipality, we are also not allowed to encourage anyone to give money to a separate group ● We have approval from parks dept and mayor’s office. Next step to talk to Valley Peddler and the Nashawannuck Pond Committee ● Search and rescue plan if boats go down? Yes Easthampton Cultural Council ● FY 25 grant cycle is open til 10/16 ● 9/19 ECA Gallery, 6-7:30 PM event to help people fill out their applications ● Encourage people to think of ECA events as ways to promote/present their programming (Art Walk, Cultural Chaos, etc.). Lots of built-in stuff that they are welcome to leverage Cottage Street Discussion/ECA Letter ● 9/1 was deadline for current tenants to make decisions on whether or not they would stay. 30+ tenants are leaving (over 30%, a significant number). ○ Lease included some unusual clauses including things like tenants were not able to use the name ‘Riverside’ in any way, etc. (things not typical for real estate leases) ○ There are some tenants who are paying for this year and are planning to leave after this year ● Paragon is now increasing rents too ● Pasqualina in regular contact with Ellen Koteen and Amy Bennett (Art Stays Here) ● Artists want ECA to write a letter ○ Could be an opportunity for us to highlight the value of arts to our community ○ Pasqualina has been in touch with Mayor who gave her approval for this ○ Pasqualina proposes to write a letter on behalf on the ECA board, publish in Gazette, share on our socials  ○ Focus will be on the value of art in the city, call to action from community to get more involved in the future ■ Potential to loop in the Chamber as well? ○ Vote: all in favor ● Louise mentioned that a third left, and a third may leave next year ○ Ceramicists, bookbinding, painters, woodworking, etc.-- around 10 different mediums are represented ○ Many people in building are small businesses, and will have to close/shut down ○ One of the businesses that is closing is a co op ○ 30-80 people need to find new locations, most people don’t want to leave Easthampton ○ Per Pasqualina, we have looked into buildings here but there aren’t many if any buildings that are large enough– there are some possibilities in Holyoke however ○ A lot of people moved to Easthampton because of the artist space (from across the country), and also because of Open Studios ● Could we include some data collection related to this in the Easthampton Futures event? (e.g. ‘what is affordable for artists?’) ● What are the qualities needed in a new building? ○ Windows, natural light ○ Affordability ○ Location ● Pasqualina reached out to Keystone ○ Have an owner’s meeting every 2nd Wednesday, and they will be discussing this topic (2 days from now) ○ Right now, they don’t have any spaces ready to go. But, they are working on some spaces that they are looking to have open at the start of the year ○ Could be an opportunity for our artist residency program ● % for art programs? Can we as a city come up with a way to plan long-term on this topic? Incentives for building owners to provide art space, long term lease, etc.? ○ Portfolio of buildings? (Massage School is not big enough for all artists from Cottage st, but could be big for some) ○ School buildings? 2 were bought by Wayfinders (?) ○ Live and work space owned by city, subsidized - you have to be an artist to live there (ex of Bridgeport CT) ○ Inventory of open space? ○ Pasqualina proposes setting up a meeting with Koni Denham to talk about these topics ○ There is supposed to be new economic development funding (per Louise) Future Programming ● See comments above New Business ● Public art updates  ○ Public art committee raised money through Have a Heart for Public Art event to restore the mural on Cottage Street, and that project is starting now (next week or two) ■ Tutorial with members of the Public Art Committee, welcome to all (in two weeks) ■ Unveiling of updated mural on Saturday 10/19 2 PM ○ New murals in town ■ New mural on wall next to Hide n Sneaks ■ Landlord of building wants a mural in Mission Taco courtyard (also, new owners of Mission Taco) ● Oxbow celebrating 20 years! ● Future agenda item– December party at Cityspace (could be way to do this for our 20 yr anniversary, December 2025) ● 20th anniversary ○ Should have a fundraising campaign all year long ○ Fundraising subcommittee Meeting adjourned 6:33 PM