Artsy Box in Full Swing

May 10, 2023

As our artists have all had a chance to get to work on their boxes, we hope you continue to help us capture these incredible transformations. Please tag Franklin Culture on Facebook or #ArtsyBox23 on Instagram.

This week's Featured Artist is Jennifer Labollita. Jennifer is a Metrowest artist and teacher. Her design, Hummingbirds Nectar", is a focus on Franklin's beautiful collection of birds and flowers. This imagery highlights the beauty of watching a hummingbird sipping nectar.

Please continue to follow our weekly updates as we share information about our artists and their inspiration. The FCDC is grateful for the continue support of the Artsy Box Project from Mass Cultural Council and Town of Franklin.

We are so excited to share these beautiful pieces as the Artsy Box Project Artists continue to transform these boxes. Take a walk around the Cultural District and enjoy!

Franklin Senior Center Happenings

• Wednesday, May 10, 1:00 pm. Joe LandryPresents, Shoe Stores in Franklin
• Thursday, May 11, 4:30 pm. Pizza & Movie Night: A Man Called Otto. $3.00 per person. Call Senior Center to register 508-520-4945.

Select Senior for Franklin Senior Center contact information. 10 Daniel McCahill St.

FHS Jazz Concert



Wednesday, May 10, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. FHS Pops Night/8th Grade Side by Side Concert. Franklin High School, Auditorium. Select Music for information. 218 Oak Street.

Anti-Bullying Law

Thursday, May 11, 7:00 pm, Virtual. Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law. IEP and Schoolwide Strategies to Prevent Bullying of Students with Disabilities. Hosted by Mass Advocates for Children. Select Strategies for more information.

Franklin Public Library ... Activities for All Ages

• Thursday, May 11, 6:00 pm. Community Conversations. Folks of all ages are welcome to join us each month as we unpack, discuss, and engage with topics relevant both within our community and beyond. Come with an open mind, leave with food for thought. Contact: Caleigh Keating, 508-520-4941 or [email protected].
• Saturday, May 13 - June 24, During library hours. Love Letter exhibit by Franklin artist Amy Adams. The body of work is an accessible collection of art dedicated to our low vision and blind community using color strategies and texture. The works encourage feeling the art as a way to connect with others. This exhibit can be enjoyed by all and will be available to experience at the Franklin Public Library. You are welcome to view more of the artist’s works at www.PaintingVenus.Art 
• Saturday, May 13, 12:00 noon. Pen to Picture: A Graphic Novelist Panel featuring Scott Magoon, Matt Tavares and Maris Wicks, at Franklin Public Library. Books available for purchase at Escape into Fiction Bookstore.
• Monday, May 15, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. In the Newsroom with NBC10Boston/NECN's Susan Tran. This is a Virtual Program. We'll be discussing how Susan got to where she is, her experiences in TV media, especially as an Asian American woman, and how local news impacts our perceptions of the world around us. Bring your questions, this is sure to be a fascinating and enlightening conversation! Brought to you in collaboration with Ashland Public Library. Select RSVP to register for this program.

There are opportunities for all ages at the Franklin Public Library. Select Read to download the Public Library May activity newsletter. Franklin Public Library located at 118 Main Street.

La Cantina Winery ... on the Patio



• Thursday, May 11, 6:80 pm to 9:00 pm. David Penza, Live Music
• Friday, May 12, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Jamie Barrett, Live Music
• Saturday, May 6, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Emily & Nick, Live Music
• Saturday, May 6, 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Red Apron Charcuterie
• Sunday, May 14, 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. AK Cody, Live Music.
• Sunday, May 14, 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Cousins Maine Lobster
• Wednesday, May 17, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Wine & Charcuterie Experience. Ticketed event. Select LaCantina for ticketing.

Select La Cantina for their IG post. Located at 357 Union Street.

67 Degrees Brewing ... in the taproom

• Friday, May 12, 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Battuto
• Saturday, May 13, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The McCrites, Live Music
• Saturday, May 13, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. JK's Catering and Events
•  Ongoing. Artwork by Franklin artist, Amy Adams

Select 67 Degrees for more information. Located at 158 Grove Street.

EY Fundraiser and Rising Stars Cabaret

• Friday, May 12, 8:00 pm. EY "Fundraiser". EY "Funraiser" Featuring Motorboat with Phil Fox. Motorboat - 6X WMRC Local Music Award winning cover band (yeah we're as surprised as you are!) we guarantee a healthy dose of magical musical shenanigans covering everything you wanna hear! Bring your dancing shoes - you’re gonna need’m ;). Doors open at 7:30 PM. Select Fun for ticketing.
• Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 pm. Rising Stars Cabaret, THE BLACK BOX. A special cabaret revue spotlighting the talents of promising young singers! Select cabaret for ticketing.

Located 15 West Central Street.

Historical Museum .... Celebrating Horace Mann

Saturday, May 13, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Museum Open.

Sunday, May 14, 1:15 pm. Celebrating Horace Mann and his 227th Birthday at the Historical Museum. The Second Sunday Speakers Series will be The Life of Horace Mann. Coffee and cake will be served. Museum visitors are asked to bring a personal item for donation to the Food Pantry, Such items include shampoo/soap/ toothpaste Doors open at 1:00 pm. Always FREE. Select Historical for additional Museum information. Located at 80 West Central St.

5-K Road Race



Saturday, May 13. 12th Annual 5-K Road Race, Franklin Bellingham Rail Trail Committee. Select Race for the Tai-Valley Front Runners website with race details and registration information.

Calling All Middle Schoolers!  

Looking for something FUN to do this Summer?

Register Now! Lifelong Learning is offering STEM, ART, and MUSIC programs for students entering grades 6-9 in the fall. Why not try a class in Forensic Science, Engineering, Technology, Finance, Digital Art, Video Production, or Middle School Glee! Check out our website for more information and to register.

The Little Shop ... Wine and Food Pairing

Buy Tickets Now! Thursday, Happening on June 1, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Wine and Food Pairing. Back by popular demand!!! We're hosting a special event where you can join us for a sommelier-guided wine and food pairing experience. Learn More and buy tickets: https://www.shopevoo.com/products/tlsoo060123. While they last! Located at 5 Main Street.

Empty Bowls - 8th Annual

Purchase tickets now! Thursday, May 18, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Empty Bowls, FHS Empty Bowls Club and Franklin Food Pantry, 8th Annual Dinner and Auction Fundraiser."Somewhere, Someone's Bowl is Empty." Purchase tickets: bit,ly/EmptyBowls2023. Franklin High School Cafeteria. 218 Oak Street.

Disability Expo



Saturday, May 20, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, Disability Expo at the Senior Center. The Expo is Open to All, including individuals with disability, support persons, community partners, and more. Representatives will be on site to share a variety of resources regarding disability services. Select Expo for more information. FREE. The Senior Center is located at 10 Daniel McCahill Street.

Voices of Faith



Sunday, May 21, 7:00 pm. Voices of Faith. A community concert with the Franklin Interfaith Council. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Select Voices for information. Located at 91 Jordan Road.

Memorial Day Activities

Monday, May 29, 10:30 am. Memorial Day Parade. The parade starts at Dean College, then proceeds to Union Street and St. Mary's Cemeteries via School, West Central and Beaver Streets and concludes at the Town Common.

Monday, May 29 at 12:00 noon. Memorial Day Ceremony. The ceremony will be held on the Town Common by the War Memorial after the parade. Franklin Veterans who have passed since last Memorial Day, as well as Franklin's 45 fallen heroes wo died in our nation's combats will be recognized. Note: If it rains on May 29, please check the Veterans' Services web page for cancellation notice.

Movie Night in Franklin!

Tuesday, May 30,7:00 pm. Since the 2005 closure of the beloved Zeotrope Theatre, there has been an absence of steady programming for our local cinephiles.

With a generous Mass Cultural Council grant through the Franklin Cultural District, Town Councilor Cobi Frongilllo, in collaboration with THE BLACK BOX, is piloting a 3-film monthly series to assess the local appetite for more regular independent, arthouse, foreign, and classic film screenings! The films will show at 7pm on the last Tuesday of April, May, and June; all three will be screened at THE BLACK BOX (15 W Central St, Franklin, MA 02038).

Our second film, If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), will be screened on Tuesday, May 30th. The moving drama from Barry Jenkins, Academy Award winning director of Moonlight, is based on the acclaimed novel by James Baldwin. The film, which tells the story of a young couple in 1970s Harlem, received three Oscar nominations and earned Regina King a win for Best Supporting Actress. The novel will be in stock all month at Escape Into Fiction!

Popcorn and other refreshments will be available for purchase. This is a pilot program, so please provide feedback as we build out and improve the cinematic experience. Tickets will be sold at the door for a suggested $5 donation. All are welcome!

A Peek at June ... Details to Follow

June 1 - Wine and Food Pairing at The Little Shop

June 2 - First Farmers Market of 2023 with live music and food truck

June 2 - Commencement 2023, Franklin High School

June 3 - Backyard Swagger at 67 Degrees Brewing

June 8 - FPAC presents Violet at THE BLACK BOX

June 9 - Strawberry Stroll 2023

June 9 - Anna Freitas Trio at 67 Degrees Brewing

June 9 - FPAC presents Violet at THE BLACK BOX

June 10 - LiveARTS String Quartet at Franklin Public Library

June 10 - FPAC presents Violet at THE BLACK BOX

MCC Festivals & Projects Grant

Grant applications due June 8, 2023, Festivals & Projects grant program. The FY24 Festivals & Projects program offers awards of $2,500 to support public activities incorporating the arts, humanities, or sciences, taking place between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.

Full program guidelines and FAQs for potential applicants are available online now, and the online application can be accessed as well. The application deadline is June 8th. More information about this program is available on the Mass Cultural Council Power of Culture blog

Partnering with Franklin Matters @https://www.franklinmatters.org sharing information about arts and culture. Visit Franklin Matters for Franklin information.

Franklin's Cultural District Committee (FCDC) engages, promotes, celebrates, and collaborates with Franklin's artists and creatives, as well as organizations, institutions, and businesses. The Committee meets May 11 at 7 PM. Zoom link on Town of Franklin website, Boards/Committees.

Franklin Cultural District Committee

Amy Adams, Katherine Botelho,

Pandora Carlucci, John LoPresti, 

Roberta Trahan