News and Announcements

Monson Arts Council Launches Membership Drive

The Monson Arts Council has announced the launch of a major membership drive, the first in several years. The drive will kick off in September with a direct mail campaign which will reach every mailbox in the Monson area. The drive will also mark the beginning of a new schedule of membership fees, a new set of membership benefits, and will end with a social event open to all members.

The drive will invite residents of Monson and surrounding communities to become a part of something very special. It will focus on making people aware of how dramatically the council has expanded its activities in the past few years, and how many opportunities there are for members to become involved. The Arts Council is one of very few organizations in the area which encompass all the arts under a single umbrella.

There will be a new set of membership fees in place for 2013, as follows:

• Individual: $20/year
• Family: $25/year
• Patron: $40/year
• Business Patron: $60/year
• Benefactor: $100/year

There will also be an expanded set of benefits. Membership at any level will entitle the member to a free ticket to any Arts Council event for the year. Patrons and Benefactors will be listed in all arts council programs throughout the year. Finally, Benefactors will be entitled to one free ticket to all arts council events for the year (Free ticket vouchers not valid for the Cabaret Fundraiser). In addition, those who become members during this membership drive will also be members for the remainder of 2012, up to 16 months instead of the usual 12.

The finale of the drive will be a social event for all members, on January 11, 2013 from 6 – 8 pm at the House of Art, with a snow date of January 12. It will be a Meet and Greet with wine, cheese and entertainment, allowing members to mingle and make new friends. It will also be an opportunity for new members to acquaint themselves with the many opportunities to become involved in the activities of the council.

Monson Arts Council Scholarship Awarded

The Monson Arts Council is proud to announce the award of its fourth annual scholarship. The $1000 scholarship is available to a high school senior for at least two years, who has shown a long appreciation for and involvement in the arts. This year's award was presented to Rebecca Corsetti. The award will be sent to Pace University where Rebecca is enrolling in the Commercial Dance program. It was presented by Reed Coles of the Monson Arts Council scholarship Committee.

Of all the four recipients of the award, Rebecca has shown the most single-minded dedication to her art. She has been dancing continuously since she was eighteen months old, devoting the major part of her extracurricular time to improving her skills. She has performed in many competitions, and has been a regular participant in the Monson Arts Council's talent show, although conflicts with college tryouts prevented her from participating this year.

Rebecca, in her scholarship essay on the importance of the arts in her life and in the community, wrote "I've always known that I wanted to be a dancer. Unlike other kids, my goal never changed." Referring to the strong arts program at Monson High School, she says, "I think it is important to have a strong arts program because it gives kids the chance to try other things. Many times being involved in dance or acting enables children to really break out of their shells and find themselves."

The scholarship is funded through an annual talent show, "Western Mass Performs". This year's show was held on February 11 at the Granite Valley Middle School in Monson, drawn from a record field of candidates from throughout the valley. Information on next year's show will be released in the fall.

Monson Coffee House Unplugged

Coffee House Unplugged was once again an evening of great entertainment with proceeds benefitting the library. Below are some photos from the November 10th event:

Brent Northup and Barbara Keffer presenting Brent's original play reading, "My Mother-in-Law, Mrs. Barbeau"	Steven Riel in a poetry reading, "Sighted During a Whale Watch"	Jim Nothe giving a short story, "Quechee Dreams"	Barbara Keffer presenting her part of an original play reading by Brent Northup, "My Mother-in-Law, Mrs. Barbeau"
Audience members in attendance	Bunyan Road Players presenting Dr. Suess' "Green Eggs and Ham"	Reed Coles introducing Katie Krol (MFL Librarian and MC of this event)

Monson Arts Council Scholarship Awarded

On Wednesday evening, June 8, a combined senior awards night and graduation ceremony was held in Monson, one week after a devastating tornado swept through Monson on the day the awards night was originally scheduled. In a ceremony made memorable and poignant by the devastation on all sides, and highlighted by the appearance of Governor Deval Patrick, seniors received both their awards and their diplomas. It was in this context that the Monson Arts Council has awarded its third annual arts scholarship.

The scholarship, an award of $1,000.00, went to Jessica DiCristoforo, a graduating senior at Monson High School. Jessica combined admirably the qualities the council looks for it its applicants: an outstanding academic record combined with an active interest in the arts in her four years of high school. She has been active in local theatre since she was 10 years old. She will be enrolling at Boston University in the fall in the field of communications.

The scholarship is awarded "to any high school senior who has lived in the town of Monson for at least two years. The candidate should have a demonstrated interest and involvement in the arts." Applicants were asked to submit a portfolio or video/audio tape as appropriate, and were required to write a 250 word essay explaining the importance of the arts to their life and their community. The award goes toward their college expenses, and is contingent upon being in good academic standing after their first semester.

In her essay, Jessica writes "It wasn't until I discovered acting that my life suddenly had purpose…. Being onstage for me was like stepping into a new world, one where I could be anyone and conquer any fear." When as a high school junior she found that theatre had been cut in middle school, she went to the principal and offered to run a program for 5th and 6th grade students, producing a series of one-act plays. "It's an amazing feeling to know that I provided them with the opportunity to experience art at its finest—onstage."

The scholarship is funded by means of the Monson Arts Council talent show, Western Mass Performs, which will be presented for the fourth time next February.

Ten Minute Play Festival

Monson Arts Council will sponsor original 10 minute play shows and/or story dance later in 2011 or in 2012. MAC is still searching for additional writers/dancers to submit scripts for this event. Support for those who need help with directing will be provided by Brent Northup and Ray Surprenant. The writer must be a Monson Arts Council Member. To join the Arts Council, please click here. Single membership cost is $10.00. Plays may be performed as a play or a reading. The writer must recruit his/her own actors. It must be an original 10 minute play, never performed before. Download the 10 Minute Play Festival Application (PDF Format) by clcking here. Deadline for submitting this 10 minute, 1 act play will be announced. Submission of the script should be sent to Brent Northup, 206 Butler Rd., Monson, Ma 01057, or via email at bnorthup12345@aol.com

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