The Summit and Beyond

For those just tuning in, WindhamARTS hosted a meeting on Friday afternoon, 2/26, to explore the potential of sharing space for arts and cultural organizations in our region. Representatives and members of WindhamARTS, Swiftwater Artistan Cooperative, The Co-op Hub, Wrench in the Works, WAMH, the Young Poets, Artists Open Studios, Artists in the Country, Whispering River Gallery, EastCONN, UCONN Public and Community Engagement, Willimantic Advocates Make it Happen (WAMH), Cafemantic, and individual artists and community members were present, as well as Roger Adams from the Windham Chamber of Commerce and Neal Beets, Windham Town Manager.

We discussed the needs and resources of each group, reviewed what we know about space available, and explored the potential and challenges of sharing a location. Several groups acknowledged a current or upcoming need for retail, gallery, performance, meeting, and/or office space. These groups also expressed interest in further discussion about collaborative space. Each will gather details about their current resources, and the desires and concerns of their constituencies. A second meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10th at 6 PM at WindhamARTS. (This will replace the regularly scheduled WAC member meeting for that week and is again open to the community. Feel free to spread the word).

Bottom line: it seems clear that there is real potential for collaboration, and that the group that meets next week will likely work toward a proposal to lease 866 Main Street. Please click "comments" below to read and post questions, additions, ideas, and corrections. Your perspective is valued.

PS. A note from Amy: I had intended to bullet-point a list of important information coming from the meeting, but, to be frank, time is short and I'd rather spend it scheduling meetings in order to move forward with this idea. If there is something you feel is important to share, please post it in the comments section below.

Possibilities!

Thanks to all who came out for this evening's Summit, it was great to see so many faces, and so much commitment to the vitality, diversity, and potential of our area. Very inspiring! I will work to get a comprehensive update about the meeting posted here by the end of the weekend. In the meantime, please click on "Comments" directly below this paragraph to post any thoughts, questions, requests, additions, etcetera. Also, put it on your calendar: We meet again, same place, different time: Wednesday, March 10th at 6 PM.

WEATHER UPDATE

Poetry Slam at WindhamARTS scheduled for 6 PM tonight is CANCELLED due to weather concerns for this evening. 

This afternoon's Community Arts Center Summit at 4 PM is NOT CANCELLED. Hope to see you there!

Report: This Wednesday's Meeting

Another four-parter, check out item #3 for breaking news:

1. Board co-chair Kim Radda and I (Amy Kalisher) reported on our meeting with John Cusano: 

The good news: we are on track to receive LAA funding from the state for the upcoming fiscal year. Hard work ahead to be in shape to reapply the following year, with passionate support from those who fund us. More on this in the previous post. (See item 2. Transition Planning.)

2. Kim reported on her meeting with Greg Lewis and Alta Lash of the CEDF: 

Potential good news: We should receive a response from them within a month's time regarding an outstanding grant application for $20,000. This would not be money to be used for operating expenses, but for advising, mentoring and assistance with organizational planning, grant writing, marketing and fund-raising, as well as web site overhaul.

3. Discussion about space: where we'll be after February 28th:

BREAKING NEWS: Camp Horizons has withdrawn from negotiations with WAIM about renting the 866 Main Street space, deciding that the modifications of the space necessary to meet their clients' needs do not fit their budget at this time. No decision was made regarding WAC's presence in the building. More on this after Friday's meeting.

4. Planning for the Community Art Center Summit:

(1) Brainstorming to make sure we've invited everyone relevant. Feel free to spread the word!  
(2) Reviewing an agenda proposed by Jean deSmet and I (with input from Erbin Crowell of the Cooperative Fund of New England). The hope is to foster discussion & collaboration between organizations exploring the potential of sharing space, in whatever form works best for everyone involved. Erbin will be with us to lend support in this discussion.


Next WIndhamARTS meeting: Wednesday, March 3rd, 6 PM

Four Things

Greeting WAColytes, WACmongers, friends, and passersby. Here's your friendly neighborhood update on all things WAC, in four part harmony.

1. The Community Arts Center Summit : 4PM Friday, February 26th

WindhamARTS is inviting all arts and culture organizations in our area that desire office, presentation, studio, performance, and/or meeting space to come to The Community Arts Center Summit at 866 Main Street in downtown Willimantic, at 4pm Friday, February 26th to discuss the potential of shared space. There is exciting potential for collaboration, plus the benefit of shared overhead (printers, copier, insurance, utilities, etcetera). WAIM , SWAC , Horizons , and the Wrench are being contacted, as well as member organizations of WindhamARTS, but any individual or group in our region who feels they belong at the table are encouraged to introduce yourselves and to know that you are welcome. Contact WindhamARTS by leaving a message at 860-450-1794 or via email at director@windhamarts.org. The meeting will be facilitated by Erbin Crowell of the Cooperative Fund of New England.

This plan comes out of Wednesday's meeting (2/17) where discussion focused entirely on the question of space, namely, do we accept the town's offer of office space? Those present agreed, we may want to say yes to the town's offer of office space, but we aren't ready to give up on 866 Main Street as a multifaceted center for arts in our community.

2. Transition Planning

Last night (2/18) John Cusano of the CCT met with Board co-chairs Kim Radda and Karl Norton, and yours truly (Amy Kalisher) to discuss the transition WIndhamARTS is undergoing and how we can begin to tackle big questions about the structure of our organization and how we can best support the arts in our community. Some good news: Our recent crisis does not jeopardize grant funding for the coming fiscal year. Consensus was clear: transitional planning needs to happen, the sooner the better. We will have help and guidance from John and the Peer Advisory Network.

3. Taking Care of Business: Career Strategies for Visual Artists

Have you heard about this statewide workshop series? It's $20/workshop (there are three) and it includes lunch. Excellent speakers flying in from all over. Check out the flyer, go ahead and register for a workshop. Anybody want to go? Want some company? Comment below, maybe there's a group who'd like to go together!

Career Planning: Saturday March 6th

Business Strategies: April 10th

Marketing and Promotion: May 1st

4. Romantic Willimantic

In case you didn't make it downtown last Saturday: with four vendors in our galleries and lots of foot traffic downtown, it appears that the Romantic Willimantic Chocolate Festival was again a big success. Big thanks to Lynn Duval and all who worked hard to make this event happen.

What's up with WindhamARTS?

Good question!

There will be much more to share after Wednesday's meeting (February 17th, 6pm, upstairs at WindhamARTS), but in the meantime, a couple of updates gathered by me, Amy Kalisher, your friendly neighborhood communications volunteer...

About our space on Main Street: Kim Radda (board Chair) and Nat Brown (most recent board Treasurer) met with representatives of WAIM and Horizon, another local nonprofit, this past Thursday, February 11th. Nat sent me a brief update from the road (he's been traveling this week), with promises to elaborate ASAP. Here is the nuts and bolts of our communication thus far:

NAT: The REALLY short version is that Horizons is interested in the space but needs to decide if it can make it work. WAIM has had the market rental assessed and would like to receive more rent because it needs to make repairs - such as fixing the heat in the downstairs galleries. Current artists should expect that they could stay, even if Horizon comes in. But there are nuances that my poor thumbs on my [Blackberry] can't sustain. Probably more questions raised than answers.

AMY: When you have time, the burning question for me is: how much is WAIM hoping to get for the entire space (or how much is Horizons offering, and for what parts?)

NAT: WAIM is starting at 800 for the first floor. The bigger issue is that Horizon - if it decides it likes the space - is able to rent the whole thing and make improvements too.

Programs and daily operations: As we transition to an organization run entirely by volunteers, we need to be very clear about obligations we have to fulfill regarding grants we've received and our intentions and abilities regarding sustaining our status as a state-designated Local Arts Agency. As things stand, this is important both in terms of fulfilling our mission as an organization and because the state helps supports us financially in doing so. On that front, here's a tidbit from an email from Kim Radda:

KIM: We are an LAA and have been funded as such through this year and, hopefully next as the grant we submitted was for 2-year funding. I am in touch with John Cusano, the LAA director at the Commission on Culture and Tourism, and someone who knows WAC well and is very supportive of us as an organization, and of the transitions/changes we are going through. I'll be meeting with him next week and will talk with him about expectations and responsibilities re: WAC, as we work through these next several months of planning, restructuring, reorganizing. He continues to offer to come to Willimantic and meet with our group. He has a tremendous amount of experience and a lot that he can offer.

As I see it, there's a lot of exciting work ahead of us. What happens next — priorities, vision, strategic planning — is entirely up to us. All of us. Come to the meetings, it would be great to see you there, and, speaking personally, I'd love to meet more people who are passionate, or even simply curious, about this process! Share your ideas, hopes, questions by clicking on "comments" below this post.

Romantic Willimantic Chocolate Festival

Just a reminder to everyone that WAC is on the "Downtown Stroll" as part of the Romantic Willimantic Chocolate Festival, 11-3 on Saturday. C'mon down!

Tom Salter graciously placed some artwork in the front galleries to provide atmosphere.

There will be food for sampling from the University Club (the golf course), and perhaps vegan samples, and perhaps another food vendor.

Donnelly/Colt will be vending Fair Trade Chocolate and chocolate baskets (this makes Valentine's Day shopping a breeze!) and other goods.

I'll bring a chocolate fondue pot, with some fruit and cookies for dipping. I'll also be staffing a table with Romantic Willimantic T Shirts for sale. They are a reprint of the 1980's shirt that was well beloved.

Those are all the confirmed people, so far.

The butterfly making project won't happen this time, but Amy, Bette and other members have expressed a desire to do more "community" art, so I'm sure we'll do more in the near future, and perhaps work together with the Temple on the butterfly project.

Feel free to come up with a creative interactive activity for Saturday if the spirit moves you. About 4-500 people wander thru the stores, looking for food and fun.

Or if someone else would like to sell, there is still room on the first floor. Let me know, just so we don't overbook. Jean 456-2188, j.desmet@charter.net