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We’re postponing… but! In response to the Massachusetts’s Governor’s guidance in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, we’re postponing this event. In the meantime, however, we’re still thinking about these important issues, and know you are, too. We invite you to sign up here to receive occasional emails on this and related topics. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to being in touch!
How might creative acts of remembering and imagining in public help us reframe the past and present–and see more inclusive futures?
Join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) for a conversation that explores the power of public art to catalyze critical dialogue around public memory, representation, and belonging, and to transform public life. You’ll hear from artists, curators, and organizers who use creative strategies to reframe public memory and imagine future possibilities for more inclusive, thriving spaces and communities.
Guest Speakers:
Paul Farber – Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Monument Lab and Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Public Art and Space at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design (keynote speaker and moderator)
Erin Genia (Dakota/ Odawa) – Multidisciplinary artist, educator and cultural worker specializing in Indigenous arts and culture
Kate Gilbert – Executive Director of Now + There
Stephen Hamilton – Artist and educator, based in Boston
This event is part of a series organized by the MAPC’s Arts and Culture Department and NEFA’s Public Art Department in conjunction with MAPC’s MetroCommon 2050 planning process. This unique, cross-sector initiative brings together artists and creators, planners, and policymakers to discuss the evolving relationship among public art, public memory, and public policy and to explore how artists can envision and shape more inclusive, thriving spaces and communities in Greater Boston.
We’re postponing… but! In response to the Massachusetts’s Governor’s guidance in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, we’re postponing this event. In the meantime, however, we’re still thinking about these important issues, and know you are, too. We invite you to sign up here to receive occasional emails on this and related topics. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to being in touch!
What can municipal staff working in the areas of planning, open space and recreation, and public arts do to address untold histories, engage with controversy, and leverage the power of public art and public memory in these discussions?
Join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and New England Foundation for the Arts for a professional development workshop designed for municipal staff on new approaches to public memory and public art in Greater Boston.
In this workshop, you’ll learn about best practices for facilitating dialogue about controversial monuments and memorials in your community, and about inspiring examples of public art and public history projects that are transforming public memories of places around the country. You will also engage in small group discussions where you’ll have an opportunity to learn about lesser-known historic and cultural stories in our region and how those stories and experiences can be actively engaged in place-based planning and programming related to public art, creative placemaking/placekeeping initiatives, and more.
Facilitators and Speakers: To be announced
This event is part of a series organized by the MAPC’s Arts and Culture Department and NEFA’s Public Art Department in conjunction with MAPC’s MetroCommon 2050 planning process. This unique, cross-sector initiative brings together artists and creators, planners, and policymakers to discuss the evolving relationship among public art, public memory, and public policy and to explore how artists can envision and shape more inclusive, thriving spaces and communities in Greater Boston.
How do monuments and memorials shape our understanding of place—and what we choose to forget? And how might we reframe public memory to address the harmful legacy of colonialism in our region? This artist panel will consider how remembering and forgetting of Indigenous peoples and colonial history shaped the landscape and collective consciousness of Greater Boston—and the necessary role of Indigenous artists in shaping more just public spaces.
Reclaim? Recontextualize? Relocate? Remove? What should we do with monuments that no longer reflect our shared history and collective values (or never did to begin with)? This conversation among artists, designers, and educators will explore how creative commemoration can help us see the past and present in a new light—and chart a path toward more just futures.
Solar Remote Permitting & Inspection Best Practices: COVID-19 Impacts and Long-Term Potential
Please join MassCEC, MAPC, and SolSmart to learn about best practices on remote permitting and inspection during COVID-19, and the long-term potential of those practices. The webinar will feature guest speakers from three Massachusetts communities; Gardner, Brockton, and Lowell. If you have questions regarding registration, please contact solar@masscec.com.
Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7565282524044732684
Municipal Webinar
Economic Development Administration American rescue plan act programs and funding
The Economic Development Administration received $3 billion in supplemental funding to assist communities in their economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
EDA is making funding available through six innovative “challenges.” This webinar will review those funding categories and provide guidance about eligible projects, submitting applications, and developing partnerships.
Read more about EDA’s ARPA funding and the six challenges here.
After you register for this webinar, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Municipal Webinar
How Municipalities can make meaningful investments with ARPA dollars
Massachusetts cities and towns have received $3.4 billion dollars through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. These dollars present an opportunity to make critical investments in communities and especially those that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. This federal funding can help set the stage for an equitable and resilient recovery.
Join us for a discussion with Doug Howgate from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation on how cities and towns can make these strategic investments for a more prosperous and equitable region.
Speakers include:
- Lizzi Weyant, Director of Government Affairs, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
- Doug Howgate, Executive Vice President, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
MAPC is holding an additional information session on Tech Hubs opportunity.
MAPC’s aims are to respond to questions and serve as a resource to those interested in pursuing funding available through the Tech Hubs Program. This session will provide a more detailed understanding of the application process, eligibility criteria, and connect you with other interested parties.
This opportunity is for government entities, higher education institutions, tech industry groups, economic development organizations, workforce organizations, and other potential consortia members.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Raul Gonzalez at rgonzalez@mapc.org.
Join the MAPC Economic Development Team for this webinar to learn more about three funding opportunities available now through the Commonwealth.
The presentation will provide insight into how MAPC can support your municipality to prepare and apply for grants available through the Commonwealth.
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Julie Pierce, Economic Development Director, Town of Acton
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Patrick Shannon, Community One Stop Coordinator, Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development. (EOED)
Register to join us for this webinar
We will discuss the following grant opportunities:
- EEA Planning Assistance Grants – Coming in April, due in May
- Community One Stop for Growth – Now open, due June 5th
- Community Compact Cabinet Best Practices Program – coming in August, due on a rolling basis until all funds run out
Questions? Please contact Gurdeep Kaur (gkaur@mapc.org)