Got a fun idea for an arts event in Franklin? Now’s your opportunity to apply for an ArtWeek grant!
The Franklin Cultural Council (FCC) announced today that it has been named a collaborator for the upcoming ArtWeek festival happening April 27 – May 6, 2018. Applications for the festival are now available at artweekma.org. The early bird deadline to submit an ArtWeek event is January 8, 2018 and the final deadline is February 28, 2018.
“As a Cultural Council, with the formation of the Franklin Cultural District Committee, we thought this was a really good time and way to highlight the arts in Franklin,” says Stacey David, Franklin Cultural Council chair and member of the Cultural District Committee. “The nice thing about ArtWeek is that it’s a true partnership, and it takes a lot off our plate in terms of marketing, creating a unique webpage for any single event, all in a searchable database. ArtWeek is the same 10-day period all across the state. It started as ArtWeek Boston, and this year it’s expanded to statewide. Our job is basically to get people interested in creating and hosting an event.”
ArtWeek, begun in Boston in 2013, is an award-winning innovative festival featuring hundreds of unique and creative experiences that are hands-on, interactive or offer behind-the-scenes access to arts, culture, and the creative process.
“Franklin has one of the most vibrant arts scenes in MetroWest,” says David. “Our role as a collaborator is to help artists, performers and venues partner together to create a really memorable ArtWeek festival showcasing their amazing talent and resources to the rest of the region.”
A number of groups have stepped forward to brainstorm creative and fun activities, says David, who’s hoping others might want to give it a shot. Right now, most of these ideas are in the very beginning stages. Some of those planning to participate have definite plans for the week, such as The Franklin Public Library. On April 28th, the library will host its monthly book sale and launch “1,000 Cranes for Franklin,” in which visitors can come in and fold paper cranes, writing a wish for their community upon it. “They will hang the cranes throughout the library,” says David. “Stories will be read, and they’re working on getting music groups.”
A live Figures in Motion event at the library on April 28, coordinated with the Franklin Arts Academy and sponsored by the Franklin Cultural Council, the event will feature groups of dancers, musicians and actors, and exhibiting artists will be on hand to paint them. The public will also be provided with their own sketching supplies to join in.
Although specific classes have not been decided upon yet, the Franklin Recreation Department has also committed to offering a special set of classes for ArtWeek. At the time of publication, they were considering such classes as Zentangle, cooking, pottery, mask making, book making or other STEM offerings.
Temple Etz Chaim has committed to offering a night of Israeli dance, baking, photos of individuals’ trips to Israel and are working on some sort of art component to their program.
Franklin Public Schools has gotten into the mix, with a number of offerings for ArtWeek.
“The schools are doing a bunch of things,” says David. “Their Empty Bowls fundraising dinner will be that week, and they will add a hands-on component to it. They’re applying for an ArtWeek grant for supplies for kids to make their own bowls on May 1st.”
Carolann Tebbetts, the new director of the Franklin Arts Academy at Franklin High School as well as the Director of Art for the district, has a couple projects, says David. The high school students will be involved in High Art, at the Attleboro Arts Museum in May, creating fiber felted pods this year.
“Basically, they’re hand-sculpted vases out of fiber, and you can mix and match colors,” says David. “It’s the kind of thing you can get super complicated and intricate if talented – the high school students are doing it as high art—but also these students will have a day of directing the public/community.”
David says the group is looking to perhaps partner with Franklin SEPAC or Best Buddies, for an event on April 27th.
The Franklin High School music department will also take part in ArtWeek. On April 30, at the high school, Airmen of Note, a USAF band, will perform at 7 p.m.
“The thing they’re trying to coordinate right now is an open rehearsal jazz clinic workshop,” says David. “They’re still working out the details and working on getting some middle school and elementary school (involvement).”
David says other groups, such as the Franklin Downtown Partnership and the Franklin Historical Museum have committed to presenting some events for ArtWeek, but are still deciding upon what they will offer.
“We’re still trying to get people involved,” says David. “It could be any group, anything that could fall under the arts, performing, visual, literary, STEAM, anything in the humanities. It’s not just art, it’s anything creative. We would love to get restaurants and retail involved. Any organization that is offering a free event can apply for an ArtWeek grant.”
Presented by Highland Street Foundation and produced by the Boch Center, ArtWeek offers new ways to experience art, culture, and creativity. This year, Mass Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism have joined ArtWeek as Lead Champions in this unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on the state’s creative economy.
“We are thrilled to have organizations like the Franklin Cultural Council partnering with ArtWeek this season,” said Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr., President & CEO of the Boch Center. “ArtWeek is an innovative festival that works to spotlight how the creative economy is thriving in Massachusetts. Each year ArtWeek showcases unique experiences spanning dance, fashion, media arts, spoken-word, poetry, writing, culinary, visual arts, music, opera, theater, design, film, and more. And the best part is that many of the events are free, making it affordable and accessible to everyone!”
The Franklin Cultural Council is offering ArtWeek grants of up to $250 each for programs that are offered free of charge to the public. Grant applications are open now and close Jan. 9, 2018. If you are an interested artist, educator, performer or venue that would like help creating an ArtWeek event, or for information on ArtWeek grants, please email FCC Chair Stacey David at franklinculturalcouncil02038@gmail.com.
For more information on ArtWeek, visit www.artweekma.org.
Issue Date:
January, 2018
Article Body: