Medway & Millis May 2019

May 2019 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com Page 27
Local Cultural Councils Looking for Volunteers
By J.D. O’Gara
Attention Medway and Millis
residents! How would you
like to help decide where valuable
funding for arts in your
community will land? Each
year, the Massachusetts Cultural
Council awards funding to local
Cultural Councils in each of the
Commonwealth’s 351 cities and
towns, including yours. What
they don’t provide is the volunteers
who choose where that
money goes—and your Cultural
Council needs your help!
Members of the Millis and
Medway Cultural Councils have
limits to their terms. That means
that volunteers are often needed
to fill the shoes of those at the
end of their terms. Each group
is expected to have a quorum
of five members, but in small
towns, that number can be hard
to reach.
Carla Cataldo, Chair of the
Medway Cultural Council,
chose to get involved in 2017. “It
was a natural fit for me, because
I’m a professional development
consultant – I help nonprofits
raise more money. I felt I had
the skills to offer, and stepped in
to help.”
Winnie Nayak got involved
around 2017 in the Medway
Call for Artists!
The Millis Cultural Council is hosting its 3rd Annual
Millis Community Art Show on Sunday June 9,
from 1- 3 p.m. at the Historic Niagara Hallg, on Exchange
Street in Millis. The show is non-juried and
artwork of all mediums is welcome. Artists may drop
off their work between 1-3 pm. on Saturday June 8,
or the morning of June 9th, starting at 11 a.m. Questions
can be directed to the council at millisculturalcouncil@gmail.org.
Our Ad & Editorial Deadline
is the 15th of the month, for the
following month’s issue
Cultural Council as well. “I saw
it as an opportunity to get involved
in the community,” says
Nayak, who wanted to contribute.
“I’m also from India, so I
wanted to bring that culture into
the community, and I thought
this was a good way to start. “
In Millis, Cultural Council
Chair Stephanie Copice got involved
“because I was looking
for a way to be involved in local
government but in a way that
embraced my love of the arts.”
Dove Grace, who’s been a
regular member of the Millis
Cultural Council since 2016,
joined, she says, because the
members just seemed like fun
people.” The commitment, she
says, is not a big one. The group
meets just once a month, “and it
contributes to the arts in Millis,
which is a lovely thing. Being an
artist myself and a writer, it’s a
nice fit. I really enjoy it and I really
enjoy the people.”
Each cultural council receives
appropriation from the Massachusetts
Cultural Council each
year and accepts grant proposals
once a year, which they review.
The committees decide which
proposals promote access, education,
diversity and excellence
in the arts, humanities, and interpretive
sciences; directly affect
their local residents and;
achieve the greatest community
benefit; and cultivate the arts
through participation and appreciation—and
they grant the
money accordingly.
“We got a lot of grant proposals
this year,” says Cataldo,
“more than we usually do.”
Some of her favorites that the
Council funded include “Ballooniverse,”
a play that took
place at the Jacob Eide House
about early abolitionist Abby
Kelly Foster, and this year, “Introduction
to Bollywood Dancing.”
Currently this month, the
Medway Cultural Council is
promoting Medway Art Week,
a local celebration that is part of
an annual statewide celebration
of culture, filled with free and
affordable arts-related activities.
See the calendar for details.
In Millis, Stephanie Copice
is excited about some of the
funding proposals this year, especially
the “Mini Comicon” to
take place at Millis High School.
Other items funded were the
several music programs and an
Art in Bloom program at the
Millis Public Library, a theatre
group production of Annie,
and more. The Millis Cultural
Council itself is promoting a
local art show to be held at Niagara
Hall in Millis on June 9th.
Both Medway and Millis
Cultural Councils agree volunteers
are key.
“We’re at the absolute barest
minimum in terms of the number
of people on the council,”
says Copice. “We really need
more people to be involved to
become a more effective organization.”
You can find out more information
about local cultural
councils and details on your own
cultural council at https://www.
mass-culture.org. Both Medway
and Millis have information
about their cultural councils on
their town websites, and each
has its own Facebook page.
Your Vision;
Our Mission
Michael T. Damon
Financial Adviser*
Damon Financial, LLC**
45 Milford Street, Suite 3
Medway, MA 02053
(508) 321-2101
Mike@DamonFinancial.com
DamonFinancial.com
Michael is a Registered Representative
offering securities through NYLIFE
Securities LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), A
licensed Insurance Agency & Agent, New
York Life Ins. Co.
*Financial Adviser offering investment
advisory Services through Eagle Strategies
LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser.
** Damon Financial, LLC is not owned or
operated by NYLIFE Securities LLC or its
affiliates.
Eagle Strategies LLC and NYLIFE
Securities LLC are New York Life
Companies.