Dozens of ideas voiced at the second meeting of local painters, musicians, actors, singers, art students and interested folks held at the Cherry & Webb Gallery in Fall River on August 8, 2006. Jeff Carpenter, a local painter, photographer and filmmaker, convened the meeting as a follow-up to a meeting organized by Patrick Norton, District Representative for Congressman James McGovern, on July 27^th to discuss the concerns of the arts community in Fall River. Following discussion among the more than thirty participants, an eleven-member steering committee was formed charged with drafting a mission statement and developing an agenda for future meeting which are open to all local artists. A representative of the Narrows Center for the Arts, the Fall River Symphony, Spindle City Ballet, the Southcoast Opera Club and the Fall River Little Theatre will be joined on the committee by at-large members Eleanor Mayo, Judith Conrad, David Costa, Chris Bartley and Dave Jennings. “We all realized how important this organization is and how it has been lacking for years so we can collaborate,” summarized Richard Pelletier, chairman of the Fall River Cultural Council which allocates Arts Lottery funds for the Fall River Area.
 

(Top row, left) Local businessman Steven Camara chats with Jeff Carpenter prior to the meeting. (Top row, center and right) Jeff leads a discussion of the best way to organize an advocacy group of local artists in the community room of the Cherry & Webb Gallery on South Main Street. (Middle row, left) Southcoast Opera Club president Hazel Costa and Jackie William listen to some of the discussion. (Middle row, right) BCC student Tisha Williams listens to marketing consultant Doug Sutcliff. (Bottom row, left) Anne-Marie Levesque and Jackie William review some of the suggestions from the first meeting. (Bottom row, center) Jewelery designer Tiffany Peay Carpenter takes minutes as Narrows Gallery director Jim Bartley offers some suggestions to the newly-formed steering committee. (Bottom row, right) Fall River Cultural Council Chair Richard Pelletier and Fall River Childrens' Museum director Ray Gordon listen as graphic artist Dave Costa makes a motion.