Arts and Culture Commission

MEMBERS Ashley Desrochers (Chair) 7/1/27 Marie Lejeune 7/1/28 Shawn Pierce 7/1/26 Nicole Lee 7/1/27 Kristin Ebbeson 7/1/26 Elyssa Moyer 7/1/28 Nathan Moyer 7/1/28 Debby Thompson 1/28 MINUTES ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION Wednesday, January 28, 2026 (6:00 pm) Council Chambers City Hall, 31 Wakefield Street ______________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order Shawn called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. 2. Roll Call Members Present: • Shawn Pierce • Nicole Lee • Kristin Ebbeson • Elyssa Moyer • Nathan Moyer 3. Approval of Minutes Motion by Kristin to approve the minutes. Seconded by Debby. Approved by general consensus. City of Rochester, New Hampshire 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867 (603) 335-7500 — www.rochesternh.gov  MEMBERS Ashley Desrochers (Chair) 7/1/27 Marie Lejeune 7/1/28 Shawn Pierce 7/1/26 Nicole Lee 7/1/27 Kristin Ebbeson 7/1/26 Elyssa Moyer 7/1/28 Nathan Moyer 7/1/28 Debby Thompson 1/28 4. Public Input No public input. 5. MEMBERSHIP UPDATE – NEW CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE Debby was introduced as City Council representative. She’s a local business owner and property owner. Current members introduced themselves as well. 6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Shawn suggested delaying the election until the next meeting. General consensus approved. The item will remain on the agenda until the next meeting. 8. LOCAL ART INITIATIVE DISCUSSION - MAYOR GRASSIE Mayor Grassie discussed the future of the old downtown Post Office building, noting the courthouse will move to Rochester Hill and expressing interest in having RMFA, RHS, and a city office occupy the space to keep it open daily for arts and history rather than housing. He said the idea is in early stages, requires public input and support, and encouraged members to promote it in the community. Matt shared RMFA’s perspective, supporting the concept while emphasizing the need for positive public feedback. Nathan suggested comparing similar cities, Nicole asked about forming a subcommittee, and Grassie said he is interested in exploring that option. Grassie reiterated his focus on supporting the arts and promoting Rochester as a destination, and Matt recommended keeping the topic on future agendas. Shawn expressed interest in serving on a related committee, Kris supported the idea to avoid additional downtown housing, Debby supported it and noted it could free space in the Community Center while mentioning a resident interested in cultural events, and Nicole suggested inviting the resident to a future meeting, which Matt agreed could be added to the agenda. City of Rochester, New Hampshire 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867 (603) 335-7500 — www.rochesternh.gov  MEMBERS Ashley Desrochers (Chair) 7/1/27 Marie Lejeune 7/1/28 Shawn Pierce 7/1/26 Nicole Lee 7/1/27 Kristin Ebbeson 7/1/26 Elyssa Moyer 7/1/28 Nathan Moyer 7/1/28 Debby Thompson 1/28 9. ANNUAL ARTS AWARDS UPDATE Matt handed out a printed nomination that was received. 10. ARTIST LAUREATE SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATE Nathan reported that the Artist Laureate subcommittee met and is considering how to select the laureate, with a focus on community engagement as a key factor. Matt reviewed the work of previous laureates, and Nathan asked for input on criteria before creating an application. Nicole recommended a process similar to grant approval and suggested developing a general application for consideration. Kris emphasized selecting an artist or project with the greatest community engagement and proposed using grant applications as a model for requirements. Debby clarified the role’s definition and responsibilities, Shawn suggested beginning with the application and planning the approval process in future meetings, Elyssa noted the need to consider how applicants would use funding, and Mayor Grassie encouraged seeking candidates with significant impact. Kris and Nicole volunteered to serve on the committee. 11. OTHER Kris talked about upcoming exhibits with Nick Paradis and Ross Batchelder at The Franklin Gallery Matt talked about Beth Wittenberg and an upcoming exhibit to honor her life and work. Shawn mentioned keeping Casino art ribbon cutting on next agenda. 12. Adjournment Motion by Nicole to adjourn at 7:28 p.m. Seconded by Kris. Approved by general consensus. City of Rochester, New Hampshire 31 Wakefield Street, Rochester, New Hampshire 03867 (603) 335-7500 — www.rochesternh.gov