Minutes

July 6, 2008

Members Present: Felicia Sullivan. Walter Wright

Members Absent:  Maryann Kearns, Jason Woodward, Setheyny Penn, Dan Adam, Steve Albert, Sam Smiley, John Craig Freeman

Guests: Alyshia Lien, to help Walter draft artist contract; Deby Baker, to help with marketing/branding effort; Jeffrey Lail, prospective board member; Josh Thomas, producer (fightthescene.com); Kitty Chick, of Kitty Chick’s Flicks.

Walter presented director’s report.  Recurring question during report: what brought last month’s audiences here?  Marketing efforts?  Connection to performer/artist?  We need to analyze and make better use of this type of info.

RE Walter’s request that the board formalize a policy for awarding gallery membership to volunteers:  it was determined that this can be done at the discretion of the director; no formal policy is currently required.

Education Program: To focus more on one-time master classes and artist talks, paying the guest instructor/artist, e.g., $250 (from grant money).  A five- to six-hour workshop for learning how to build an analog circuit device, led by Jessica Rylan, is scheduled for October 26.

CTC VISTA Worker:  Mira Allen, the gallery’s first full-time paid employee (paid through UMass Boston) will begin work this month, and is expected to be with the gallery for one year.  The initial focus of her work will be on creating a gallery database.

Fundraising Mailing Results:  Walter stated that the gallery had a 10-15% response to its last fundraising mailing.

Exterior Mural/Painting Project: The timing of this project was discussed – i.e., whether or not to postpone exterior graphics until the board has come to a decision about the gallery’s branding, name, logo, etc.  The board concluded that it would be fine to create an exterior piece prior to completing the 2- to 4-month decision-making process, if we present it as a show of the artist’s work rather than as the gallery’s permanent new look.  However, “119” must be clearly incorporated into the design and the proposed graphic must be approved by Maryann and the board before work begins.  Walter is currently talking with Frank Casazza about what might be developed for the first such piece.  Possible ways of using the project as a vehicle for publicizing the gallery and its mission were also discussed. 

General discussion followed about ways to broaden the audiences for gallery events.

Meeting adjourned at 1:30

submitted by Kitty Chick