Attendees:
Stephan Anstey, Billy Perrault, Kate Hemenway, Elaine Seidel, Janet Stevens, Judy Bissette
1) Regarding poetry scroll boxes:
- LPN will be working with Jerry Beck of the Revolving Museum
- we’ve been asked to organize the acquisition of 100 poems to fill the boxes.
- Jerry asked Stephan to choose poems for the boxes and also contact the Mass Poetry Festival Committee to make sure this is all on track.
2) Lowellpoetrynetwork.org & com
- we own both domains.
- initial work has been done to install a calendar, blog, and link pages.
- notice will go out soon to let members know about this
3) “The Body Says Know” exhibit at the ALL Gallery
- we need for sitters on weekends. No one available last Sunday.
- Stephan and Billy will be there on Saturday 8/16
- Stephan on Sunday 8/17.
- We have no one for September 6 & 7.
- Much positive feedback, someone told Billy that she watched his videos for two hours.
4) Gallery Reception
- We are organizing for our reception on the 24th, we do have a little money for refreshments,
- We may have members talk about their exhibits.
- So far for food, we have no meat, we have napkins, soda water, bottled water and ice, cut up fruit, cheese and crackers, table cloth and vase.
- Invite people
5) ALL Healing Arts Exhibit
- On the 13th, there will be a reception at Saints for the Healing Arts Exhibit in the cafeteria.
- Someone may have wine and paper goods.
- Elaine Seidel is part of Exhibit and invited LPN members to attend.
6) Ideas
- Someone suggested poetry and quilt sometime in the future Oct. or April maybe.
7) Organization
- We need to organize ourselves as to what we are, where we stand, what are our boundaries, etc.
- We seem to be learning toward a closer association with the Arts League of Lowell.
- It appears that the Flowering City of Lowell is no longer. Is there any fallout left from the league of the flowering city? Walter B. will be reading in October at the Arts League? We need more information for some of our questions. We noticed that the LPN has changed a lot this year. Most of the LPN is new and we seem to be heading in a different direction than in the past. Those who exhibited at the All Arts Gallery were mainly those who attend the meetings.
- We are clearly a branch of the arts. It might make logical sense for us to become more closely associated or perhaps part of the Arts League of Lowell. More to come. No one represents UML at the LPN meetings anymore. We are not as connected as we used to be. The connection to the “Arts League Of Lowell” might offer an umbrella so that we can create a budget (with associated accounts) to fund the endeavors of the LPN, and increase the reach of the network.
- Another group we should consider closer ties to is the “Friends of poetry”.
- Arts League has dues. If members cannot pay, then perhaps they can be asked to do specific chores/tasks for the LPN.
- We should have a jar at our events for whatever people want to give.
Workshops
- Tom Daly may be interested in doing another workshop in 2009.
- Just one at a time next year, not two together as we did last year is the consensus.
- We don’t have any money reserved for this.
- Is it time to consider dues? How about 24 dollars a year, 2 dollars a month. What do you think?
9) Calendar
We should start putting together a calendar for next year.
10) Paul Marion has approached the network about supporting Tom Sexton Reading in November.
- Tom Sexton, a Lowell native from Alaska, was Poet Laureate of Alaska.
- What would it cost? We have no money? Where could we get some?
- What facilities could we use for this event?
- How many people would come? Put it out to the network? Could we have it at UML?
- Paul may be able to help us with this event?
- We would need help with advertising? No money?
- Let’s lay it all out to the LPN for ideas? Thoughts? Budget? Lecture? We need feedback for this event.