Monterey Cultural Council
Minutes of meeting: January 23, 2008
Attending: Joe Baker, Maureen Banner, Dianna Downing,
Laurie Epstein, Neil McGinnis, Joel Schick, Julie Shapiro
1. We agreed to grant $300 to fund “A Quilt for Monterey-Cameroon Village Partnership,” a project of the Monterey-based Center for Peace Through Culture in conjunction with African Action on Aids. Our funding will pay for the materials; the Monterey quilters will create a large display quilt from drawings and paintings done by children in Cameroon. The quilt will be on display here in town, then shipped to Cameroon for various promotional purposes. A section of the quilt will be returned to Monterey, and will be on permanent display here. We decided to sponsor a public event, featuring African music and dance, to celebrate the completion of the quilt and to send it off to Cameroon with a bang.
2. We discussed the possibility of sponsoring a staged reading of a new play by Monterey resident George Packer. George gave a speech last year about his book Assassins'’ Gate; the event was well-attended and very well received. Laurie will go see the play, and then will contact George about our plan.
3. We set March 15 as the date for Wendy Jenson’s basketry workshop. The workshop will be a full day’s activity for twelve people. Each participant will pay a $25 materials fee (we will make scholarships available); each person will take home his/her own Yankee carry basket. Registration will be open to Monterey residents only, until March 1; if there are any unfilled spots, we will open admission to other Berkshirites. Dianna will write an article for the February Monterey News; Joel will design an ad for the News, and a poster to hang around town.
4. We set April 4 as the date for the pastel workshop. This workshop will be a two-hour evening event for fifteen people. Admission will be free, as for the 2006 pastel workshop. Joe will confirm the date with Greg Maitchak, and make sure we can use the church basement that evening.
5. We’d like to have the printmaking workshop in May. We’ll discuss the event at the next meeting. We’d also like to have Bonner McAllester lead a nature walk in early/mid May. Joe will check with her. We’d also like to sponsor a free concert: perhaps early music consort Calliope; perhaps an ensemble of master students from Yale. Julie will check on possibilities.
Next meeting: Wednesday, February 13. 4:00
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