The Wellesley Cultural Council wants to hear from YOU!

The Wellesley Cultural Council (WCC), the local presence of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), is eager to learn what residents of Wellesley think of the state of their cultural lives in town. We on the WCC are conducting a survey of Wellesley residents to we can learn what sorts of programs and events in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences we might help fund that could possibly enrich the quality of your life in Wellesley. We would be very grateful if you would take just a few moments to complete this brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NLNM2VY. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

Fun fact: Mrs. Swellesley was a 2016 recipient of a Wellesley Cultural Council grant. I called my project “Wellesley Dump Art.”

The idea behind it was simple: to create still-life arrangements on-site at the RDF using exclusively items that came into the Give-and-Take area and flowers from my yard. I then photographed the completed arrangements. The project was part temporary installation, part performance art, and part photography shoot. It was community participation, cool tunes in the air, and a sense of fun. There were strange looks, some nervous laughter, and requests to take some of the props home (the answer: but of course!).

“A Bit Disheveled,” by Deborah Brown. This Wellesley Dump Art photographic gem currently hangs in my shed, guarded closely by chipmunks and brought out only for very special occasions.

To make it all happen, I applied to the WCC and asked for a couple hundred dollars for supplies. From there I got my approval, got the various permissions I needed from town agencies, and later turned in my receipts for reimbursement. It was easy and fun and just thinking about it again makes me want to cook up another idea. I highly recommend you unleash your inner artist, too.