WHAT'S HAPPENING 

   Join us for Porchfest on Saturday September 28.    Signup website for bands and hosts will be active by May 30. 
Visiting lexingtonporchfest.org/ for detail!

LCA Chair to Retire 

​Having served six years on Lexington Council for the Arts (LCA), and four years as the chair,Steve Poltorzycki will be retiring to write and to return to his photography. 
 
Looking back over his tenure, he says he is proudest of the bikeway sculpture show “A Sense of Place,” probably because it was the only show that no other town had done. My philosophy had been to piggyback on other towns’ successful efforts- we did that with utility boxes, haiku, even Porchfest, but the sculpture show was all ours.”
 
Steve believes there’s a hunger for art in Lexington. “For decades, our distinguishing feature has been our history as the town where the first shot was fired. “I think,“ he says, people want some other things to be proud of.”  
 
As for the future, he would like to see more permanent work. “Most of our grant work has been ephemeral. We have that one mural by Jill Strait, on the back of the Music Emporium facing the Minuteman Bike Path. You have to work hard to find people who are capable of doing that.“
 
He has found Lexington easy to work with. “The Selectboard is most supportive as is Economic Development ‘s Sandhya Iyer, who was instrumental in establishing the Lexington Cultural District. Ours was a long time in coming. It is good to have champions such as these. I have no complaints.”

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Lexington's Cultural District

The Mass Cultural Council approved Lexington’s application for cultural district designation. “A cultural district encourages greater collaboration among cultural organizations, expands awareness of cultural assets, and leverages cultural and business resources to brand Lexington as a cultural destination,” said Lexington Town Manager Jim Malloy. “As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the historic Battle of Lexington in 2025, this designation will help bolster the cultural and economic development of the Town.”

Lexington community leaders, including our chair Steve Poltorzycki, WANTED this designation to encourage greater collaboration among cultural organizations, expand the general knowledge of the Town’s cultural assets, and utilize  reative and business resources to stamp Lexington as a cultural destination. The Lexington Cultural District will help foster arts and cultural initiatives and bring economic benefits to our institutions and local businesses.
The boundaries of the Lexington Cultural District encompass Mass Ave with its historical sites, restaurants, shops, and public spaces. From Hastings Park to Pleasant Street, it spans just over three miles. 
​
This designation will only enhance our vibrant local economy,” said Jill Hai, Select Board Chair, Town of Lexington. “It signifies a commitment from the Town to nurture our community’s present and future arts and cultural initiatives and brings positive economic benefit to our cultural institutions and local businesses.”

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Lexington: A Sense of Place

 The Lexington Council for the Arts has once again brought public art to town this summer. Lexington: A Sense of Place, curated by Laurie Bogdan, consists of six sculptures, created by local artists and architects. The show will be on view along the Minuteman Bikeway behind the Lexington Visitors Center until November. These imaginative, creative pieces take aspects of Lexington's architectural styles, past and present, as their source of inspiration.

BFE Architects who have been part of the Lexington community for 30 years, jumped at the opportunity to participate. They created their piece, Frames of Time (pictured right). As Joshua Engel shared, “The experience gave our entire office a chance to contribute.” He explained, “Windows are more than a component of buildings. They are a functional ornament that connects us with our surroundings and provides a frame of reference as time goes by. Sunlight passes through the installation, highlighting the variety of suspended windows and backlighting translucent imagery placed within select windowpanes. Among the images, visitors will find a series of historical moments captured within the windows that continue to frame views of the present-day surroundings.”

Sculptor Paul Angiolillo created a piece he named Mélange. He said, “It was fun trying to capture Lexington, with its mix of historical periods and cultures. I decided to do it by combining a dozen or so elements of salvaged wood, stone, copper, and other materials, to fashion a playful sculpture of architectural styles."

Additional pieces include Bird House a 3D printed creation designed by Joseph Barbato, a member of the Feinmann Inc. design team. Home Sweet Homes by sculptor Silvina Mizrahi, Lex-icon 2023 by Artist and Educator David Ardito, and Latchkey Federalist by sculptor Liz Helfer.

​Next time you bike or stroll by the show, check out what inspired the artists and architects. Read more about the project ​here!

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Immigration Story and Art Exhibition

As a prelude to Lexington’s 250th anniversary celebration, and to kink off May AAPI Heritage Month, the Lexington Council for the Arts (LCA) and Chinese American Association Lexington (CAAL) are inviting residents to submit writings and paintings depicting the immigrant experience – an important part of the town’s history.

This celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion by providing a platform for powerful stories of courage, resilience, and pursuing the American dream.
Submission categories are: Children (12 and under), Youth (13-17), and Adults for both writing (under 2000 words) and painting (11×14, 12×16, or 16×20 inches).

A panel will judge all entries due by May 10. Winning works will be featured at a public exhibition and storytelling event in late May during AAPI and Jewish American Heritage Month.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Xu ( [email protected] ) or visit the website 

Check back frequently for the latest announcements and updates on this event celebrating Lexington’s immigrant history and culture.

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More Utility Boxes Assume New Garb!

​This year, LCA will continue its effort to transform some of the town’s utility boxes into unique works of art. Utility boxes sit on street corners and sidewalks, holding all the equipment that keeps our town ticking. They hold traffic light controls, cable connections, electric transformers and more. 

We invited interested artists to submit up to three original designs to be considered for this year’s jury. Artists will be compensated $500 per box.​

To find out more details, and for a submission form, email [email protected]

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View Boxes

FUN UPCOMING EVENTS

February-March Events and Happenings

LexArt:
     Feb 10 - Mar 17   Annual Regional High School Exhibit ​
     Mar 23 - Apr 21   IC3 Artists Exhibit

Lexington Historical Society:
     Weekends: Hands-On History at Buckman Tavern
     Feb 1, 7 PM: John Quincy Adams: Reluctant Abolitionist
     Feb 14, 12 PM: Frederick Douglass Day Transcribathon
     Feb 20, 10 AM: Lighting the Way (Grades 3-5)
     Feb 22, 10 AM: Science and Medicine (Grades 6-8)
     March 9, 5 PM: Irish Tavern Night
     March 19, 7 PM: Book Chat on Ida B. The Queen by Michelle Duster
     March 28, 7 PM: Conservation Night

Munroe Center for the Arts:
     Creative Art Lab  Grades 1-5 on Fridays from 2pm-3:30pm
     Delve into mixed media expression and explore a variety of projects. 
     You will have fun creating a collection of unique, craft based projects that can be used for gifts, or just to have plain fun!  

​ Go to www.munroecenter.org/classes for a more detailed description, and to register!

DISCOVER ARTS IN LEXINGTON

Dream of being a musician, painter, dancer, or writer?

Discover all the incredible Arts organizations in Lexington. 

Learn more

Past Newsletters:

• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022

Turbocharge your music + art.

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Surprises on the bike path.​

Art and Nature getting Lexingtonians Out Doors.
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