Franklin Cultural District: Announces the Investment Fund Grant Awards

January 2, 2025

Volume 5, January 2, 2025 Congratulations! Cultural District Investment Fund Grants Awarded In fall, 2024, the Massachusetts Cultural Council awarded the Franklin Cultural District Committee a $15,000 Cultural District Investment Grant. This grant, one of several awarded to state-sponsored cultural districts, is intended to infuse new arts and culture activities and to attract creative businesses to the cultural districts. The Franklin Cultural District Committee voted to reserve a portion of the grant funds for FCDC-directed work and offer the remainder, in the form of grants,  to Franklin arts and culture organizations.  The Franklin Cultural District Committee (FCDC) is honored to announce the grants made possible by MCC Cultural District Investment Grant funds. The FCDC, in concert with the Town of Franklin Department of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, offers its sincere congratulations to all who received a grant. The FCDC looks forward to seeing these grant-funded initiatives come to life through performances, events, and more. The FCDC gratefully acknowledges the MCC and its generous grant that made these local grants possible, appreciates the leadership of the Franklin Department of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, and recognizes the continued support of the Town of Franklin. Below, please find a list of funded grants and a link to the organizations' websites. Some of these events will take place in the late spring or early summer. As a result, information pertaining to the grant-funded activity may not appear on the website until closer to the date. However, many of the organizations have other events and activities that may be of interest at this time. FY25 Cultural District Grant Awards Franklin Art Association: To contribute toward the cost of "Fakes and Forgeries" event during June 2025. ($400) Children's Museum of Franklin: To add a mural to the back wall of the Museum, currently under construction. The mural will be created by a local artist. ($600) Select Museum to learn more. Franklin Farmers Market: To provide entertainment at the Franklin Farmers Market during June 2025. ($1,100) Select Market for information.  Franklin Historical Commission: A second and expanded presentation of "A Community Rediscovery of Ideas, Literature, and the Shared Gift of Language. " This month-long presentation celebrates the life and many contributions of Franklin's namesake, Dr. Benjamin Franklin. Select Ben for event information. ($1,100) The Ben activities begin Saturday, January 4 at the Historical Museum. Franklin LGBTQ Alliance: To subsidize a small portion of the costs associated with the June Celebrate with Pride festival. ($1,030) Select LGBTQ for information about this organization. Franklin Performing Arts Company: To subsidize a small portion of the costs associated with the June 6 – 8, 2025 performance of Little Women at THE BLACK BOX.($1,100) Select FPAC for ticketing and performance information. Franklin Public Library: A concert by the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, April 2025. ($750) A concert by the Blackstone Valley String Quartet, performing the music of Taylor Swift. ($600) Select Library for event information. Franklin Public Schools, JFK and Parmenter Elementary Schools: To bring music, dance, the arts and more cultural diversity to JF Kennedy and Parmenter Schools (where Ms. MacMurray is the music faculty member). ($1,000) Select FPS Music for more information.  Franklin Public Schools Music Department, and the Franklin Public Schools: To contribute toward the purchase of needed quality string instruments to rebuild and strengthen middle school string program. ($2,120) Select FPS Music for more information.  In addition to the funds associated with these ten grants, the FCDC reserved $5,200 to fund three projects to be overseen by the FCDC. The committee-directed projects are: Porchfest 2025, to contribute to the cost of the Porchfest website, police detail and insurance. ($3,500) Artsy Boxes, to provide for maintenance of the artwork of current Artsy Boxes. ($1,200) Collaborative Musicians, to compensate musicians performing at community events. ($500) Information about these and other and Culture happenings is shared weekly in the Cultural District Newsletter. Partnering with Franklin Matters @https://www.franklinmatters.org sharing information about what matters in Franklin. Visit Franklin Matters for Franklin information. Franklin Cultural District Committee Amy Adams, Katherine Botelho, Pandora Carlucci, Sue Cass, Patrick Conlan, John LoPresti, Roberta Trahan Next meeting: January 9, 2025 at 7:00pm at Franklin Senior Center

Town of Franklin Franklin Culture District | 355 East Central Street | Franklin, MA 02038 US

Voices of Franklin: 4 Franklin women among crowd rallying to support women's rights

On Saturday, November 2nd, thousands of concerned citizens gathered across the nation to show their collective power.  Several hundred people gathered in front of the Massachusetts Statehouse to join forces in support of women’s rights, women’s health and well-being, and to support the strong women who are running for public office.  The event was especially focused on electing Kamala Harris, as the first woman president of the United States.  

Four Franklin women attended this Boston event to show their support for Vice President Harris as she heads into the last few days of the campaign. Our own Senator Becca Rausch was an honored speaker at this event. Senator Rausch has been a champion in Massachusetts for women’s reproductive health care, women’s rights, transparency in government, free childcare, public education, and many other social issues.  

The Franklin women who attended this event agreed that it is time to march forward into the future without looking back.  We hope that many others agree with us and vote accordingly.   

Karen Landers, Mara Downie, Sue Cass, Paula Gross 

4 Franklin women among crowd rallying to support women's rights (courtesy photo)

Additional photos submitted can be found in this album ->

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rco9LgBuwoH3LTAh6

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Talking Franklin Arts, Culture, & Economic Development (audio)

FM #1301 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1301 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen in the 3rd floor Training Room on Thursday, October 24, 2024.  

Jamie and I were joined in the roundtable discussion by (in order of appearance):

• Cory Shea, Town of Franklin Director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy

• John Ristaino: Franklin Cultural Council Chair

• Sue Cass: Franklin Cultural District Committee member

• Lauren Kloos & Roger Trahan: Franklin Farmers Market

• Raye Lynn Mercer: Artistic & Executive Director at Franklin Performing Arts Company

• Kayla Nisbet: Franklin Artist; graphic designer, muralist & new Franklin Cultural Council Member

The recording runs about 62 minutes. Let’s listen to this conversation on the new & exciting cultural happenings in Franklin. Audio link -> https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Talk-Franklin--A-Podcast-from-the-Town-Administrators-Office---October-24--2024-e2qcr9o/a-abjusse

--------------

Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/ 

Cultural District page  https://www.franklinculture.org/ 

Cultural Council page  https://www.franklinma.gov/cultural-council 

Franklin Farmers Market page  https://www.franklinfarmersmarketma.com/ 

Franklin Performing Arts Company page   https://fpaconline.com/ 

A Wreath of Franklin sign up page  https://form.jotform.com/242634718318056 

Community calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar 

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Talking Franklin Arts, Culture, & Economic Development (audio)