Cultural Council Meeting

The Amesbury Cultural Council met to review financials, programming, and public-art activity. The Treasurer reported roughly $23,000 in the gifts account (with about $6,300 encumbered for the Cultural Center MCC grant and the poetry program), $600 in Cultural Center rentals for May, and $3,725 in the grants account. Members discussed use of the $4,500 MCC Cultural Center grant for gallery wall lighting, a large LCD monitor and speakers on a wheeled cart, supplementing speaker stipends, and possibly a PA system; an electrician quote and Purchasing review are pending. The Poet Laureate confirmed 2026 poetry events are on the calendar and noted funding the DJ for Poetry Karaoke from the laureate stipend. Marketing updates covered new coroplast signs from Red Mill Graphics, a website homepage graphic, and a social storytelling plan (including consideration of paid boosts and building a content library); the council voted to reimburse a small $27 expense for mural markers.

Under matters not reasonably anticipated, the council heard from Kate Slater of the Newburyport YWCA and voted unanimously to provide $500 to support the jointly run 2026 Juneteenth event to cover speakers' fees and a band. Public art work included a successful community “faces” mural project (50+ participants), efforts to place a temporary mural in a vacant storefront, and a pledged $1,500 donation from a developer toward a future mural with a planned RFQ process in spring 2027. Open Studios planning continues pending Rec Center auditorium availability; members will replicate the previous event plan for 2026. The Cultural Center anticipates a ribbon-cutting, upcoming markets and workshops, and emphasized a need for increased promotion; room capacity was noted at approximately 100. No public comment was recorded. The meeting adjourned unanimously.