Cultural Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Mar 18 10:06 am Fitchburg Cultural Council Monthly Meeting Monday, January 27, 2025 MEETING MINUTES In attendance: Joe Bowen(chair), Shara Osgood(secretary), Liz Murphy (treasurer), Catherine Healey, Mike Amadeo, Dan Dow, Jen Hemenway, Lily Gomez Fernandez, Tamar Russell Brown (view recording for details of meeting) CALL TO ORDER: Joe called the meeting to order at 5:08 p.m. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS: Joe spoke: Welcome, Mission, public meeting guidelines & protocols. Public Comments: No comments. No one online GRANT REPORT: 61 grants 2024. 4 funding issues. 2 pending final reports. 1 grantee unable to contact. Referring to collection. All 87 (corrected to 73) grantees notified. 1 grantee declined award. 86 (corrected to 72) grants awarded. Letters to grantees will be sent within next 2 weeks. VOTE: Grant Report Motion: Shara 2nd: Liz In Favor: 8 Opposed: 0 Motion Passes Unanimously VOTE: MEETING MINUTES: Motion: - Liz to accept meeting minutes from 1/6/25 2nd: Mike In Favor:8 Opposed: 0 Passes Unanimously VOTE: Treasurer’s Report No report tonight NEW MEMBERS: Currently 9 members on the council. Can have a max of 22. We would love to fill our seats. Members appointed by the mayor after letter of interest. New flyer draft made by Joe. Explains how to join, what is expected & what we hope to have from our members. Would like to have Lily translate it into Spanish. Ricardo: Can you speak to conflict of interest? Protocols. It is acceptable for members of the council to receive grant funds. Need to file a form and the rest of the council needs to sign papers stating that they will be unbiased. Hina Amin: What would be my direct role? What else can I do? Meetings are mostly administrative. Also discuss things we want to do as a council. We often host creative meet and greets, grantee receptions and public input meetings. Open to creating new events as interest calls. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: Tamar: I would like to do this the same as last time. Women’s Caucus for Art did interviews last time & are happy to do that again. They would like to do interviews online, as the caucus is all over the state. The details of the 2023 program was read to councilors. Tamar: Thanks to Women’s Caucus for supporting us in this way. VOTES Motion : Shara to approve this project based on 2023 program Second: Dan In Favor: 8 Opposed: 0 Motion Passes Unanimously Motion: Liz to give one scholarship for $1,000 Second: Dan In Favor: 8 Opposed:0 Motion passes unanimously Tamar: Thanks to Women’s Caucus for supporting us in this way. FY26 GRANT FUNDING PLANNNING: We came to an understanding, as a council, that the mechanism with which we fund grantees may not work so well. We have so many applicants now, that the current system does not allow us to grant larger awards. Joe would like us to form a sub committee of the council to discuss and develop a proposal to the larger committee. Interested: Mike, Shara, Lily, Liz. & maybe Jen. Joe asked Shara if she would serve as Chairperson for FY26 Grant Funding Planning Subcommittee. She said yes. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Joe: Ellen Daoust was thanked for her service to the Fitchburg Cultural Council as she ends her service this month. Joe: FCC meetings Liz: Creative Summit is happening on February 21 & 22. There will be a networking event at Fitchburg Art Museum on Friday 2/21 from 6-8:30 and a day full of workshops, lectures and hands on activities at the Armory/Senior Center on Saturday 2/22 8am-4:30pm. Lunch will be provided. The events are free. We are hoping to bring together creatives within the region to connect and boost the creative economy. ADJOURNMENT Motion; Liz to adjourn 2nd: Tamar In Favor: 8 Opposed: 0 Motion passes unanimously Adjourn @ 5:51 pm Submitted by Shara Osgood / Joe Bowen