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Concord Cultural Council awards $15,000 in community grants, elects Leda Zimmerman chair
Summary
The Concord Cultural Council approved $15,000 in grants to local arts and community groups, confirmed officer roles and elected Leda Zimmerman as the council’s next chair. The council also recommended admitting Debbie Page to the committee pending Select Board approval.
The Concord Cultural Council on May 6 approved $15,000 in community grants to support local arts and cultural events and elected Leda Zimmerman to succeed Tooey Rogers as chair.
The council, meeting at the Concord Free Public Library, reviewed 17 grant applications and voted to distribute funds to multiple organizations. Mimi Graney, the town’s Economic Vitality Manager, noted that a $3,000 award to the Concord Conservatory of Music will designate one piano as the Concord Center Cultural District (CCCD) piano and place it on display in the district for a month. Anita Tekle, the council’s treasurer, confirmed most enhancement groups applied for funding; Zimmerman reminded members that applications should demonstrate partnership.
The awards approved included: Concord Conservatory of Music—Pianos, $3,000; Indie Press Prose Reading, $1,500; Living Concord, $2,000; Robbins House (African drumming), $1,500; The World’s A Stage Players, $1,037; Wright Tavern—PHI-Pi, $1,000; Pridefest, $750; Paper Crane Project, $450; several $500 awards to groups including the Library for Pride Fest (ice cream truck), OARS for Wild & Scenic Festival, Art for All Lantern Parade, Barrow Bookstore (Thoreau’s Birthday), Chamber of Commerce and others. Several applications were not funded, including Adeline Weinstock, Art for All (Block Printing), Sharka Studio and Tammy Rose. In total the council allocated $15,000.
Council members discussed how to communicate decisions to applicants. Jack Megan suggested providing a CCC contact; Tekle said award letters should be issued in writing and that the council should be honest about budget constraints. Graney will draft the award letter.
On governance, Tooey Rogers, whose term ends in May, nominated Leda Zimmerman as the next chair; the nomination was seconded by Anita Tekle and members voted unanimously in favor. The council confirmed Anita Tekle as treasurer and Barbara Ewen as scribe. Members assigned roles for outreach and programming: Laurie O’Neill and Barbara Ewen will handle marketing; Jack Megan and Jan Saragoni will investigate additional grant opportunities; Ronni Olitsky and (absent member) Hilary Taylor are to develop a new CCC logo; Ed Bernard volunteered for a Bruce Freeman Trail bridge task force.
The council voted to recommend that Debbie Page be admitted to the committee; Mimi Graney said the recommendation and applicant information will be forwarded to the Select Board, which makes the final appointment. Rogers asked Zimmerman to contact Mary Hartman, the Select Board liaison, about the recommendation.
Members reported event attendance plans: Rogers said 27 RSVPs had been received for The Gathering on May 28 and will reach out to those who have not responded. Members agreed to try to attend the events of recent grant recipients when possible; Tekle reported attending Elizabeth Nelson’s belly-dancing event.
The council agreed there was no need for an additional meeting in May, and Zimmerman asked that the June 10 meeting be held via Zoom because she will be recovering from surgery. The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
