Recognition of Significant Accomplishment

Dec 4, 2017 

To: Franklin Cultural District Committee, Jeff Nutting, Town Administrator, Jamie Hellen, Deputy Town Administrator

CC: Bryan Taberner, Director, Planning and Community Development, Representative Jeffrey Roy

From: Franklin Cultural Steering Committee

RE: Recognition of Significant Accomplishment

We want to take a moment to recognize the significant accomplishment that has occurred over the past several years. What started as an idea for a cultural district was nurtured, tended to, and brought to reality through hours of dedicated service by numerous individuals. It began on November 21, 2013 when several of us, joined town and school officials, Ms. Anita Walker, Executive Director of the Mass Cultural Council, and Jeff Roy, State Representative, on a tour of the high school (which was under construction) and the downtown area, including THE BLACK BOX (also under construction). During this tour, the seeds of the proposed cultural district were planted.

We set out to create a Cultural District, conduct a Cultural Festival to showcase the wealth of cultural assets in Franklin, and prepare an application for Cultural District status for the town. We did this work over the past four years. The Franklin Cultural Festival began in July 2015, highlighting the visual, culinary, performing arts, music, dance, and the talents of the many individuals and organizations within Franklin. The Festivals continued in 2016 and 2017 demonstrating the importance of cultural events and encouraged the inclusion of the arts within other town events. By way of example, the Franklin Downtown Partnership has consistently elevated its inclusion of the fine and performing arts within its community events.

The seven member Franklin Cultural District Committee was formally approved by the Town Council on Wednesday, Nov 29, 2017 by unanimous vote. The formal application for Cultural District status can now be submitted.

The Cultural District Steering Committee, which brought this to fruition, has achieved this through much hard work, many hours of planning, collaborating, and executing. We want to thank the Town leadership, Franklin businesses, and institutions, and the numerous individuals and organizations that helped to advance Franklin along the pathway to Cultural District status.

Our work as a Cultural District Steering Committee and as the coordinator of the Cultural Festival is complete.

Sincerely,

Pandora Carlucci
Alan Mercer
Jim Schultz
Susan Sheridan
Steve Sherlock
Roberta Trahan


PDF version of this letter can be found here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v1DvlJpoHOXSb_jGm9fad92R66v1Gnlo/view?usp=sharing