Burlington City Arts Board of Directors — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-09-16
Time: 14:00

BCA Board of Directors Annual Meeting Minutes

 Community Room, 405 Pine Street

 Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Present: Michelle Buswell, Kelly Butts-Spirito, Joyce Cameron, Livia DeMarchis, Heather Ferrell, Billi
Gosh, Rachel Kahn-Fogel, Sara Katz, Doreen Kraft, Hannah Lebel, Lisa Lillibridge, Carrie McCabe, Laura
McDonough, Meara McGinniss, Ted Olson, Bryan Parmelee, Kristina Pentek, Barbara Perry, Elena Rosen,
Lori Rowe, Parker Silver, Melissa Steady, Colin Storrs, Dana vanderHeyden, Deb Wilkinson, Zach
Williamson, David Zacharis, Rachel Zellem

Absent: Ryan Moritz, Robin Pierce, Sarah Rogers, Patrick Shank

Lori Rowe called the meeting to order at 2:02

 1. Parker Silver moved to accept the minutes of the June meeting and the agenda for today’s
 meeting as written. This was seconded by Michelle Buswell. Vote: all were in favor.
 2. Lori Rowe introduced new board member Carrie McCabe. Carrie gave a brief summary of her
 career, including her years in finance. Introductions were made around the table.

 3. Livia DeMarchis moved to accept Bryan Parmelee, Lisa Lillibridge, Lori Rowe and Billi Gosh as
 Honorary Board Members. This was seconded by Laura McDonough. All were in favor.

 4. Billi Gosh moved to accept a new slate of officers: Sarah Rogers: President, Laura McDonough:
 Vice President, Michelle Buswell: Treasurer, Hannah Lebel: Member-at-Large, Billi Gosh:
 Secretary, and Lori Rowe: Past President. This motion was seconded by Lisa Lillibridge. All were
 in favor.

 5. Billi Gosh moved to enter executive session to discuss a personnel matter under the provisions
 of Title One section 313.1. A . Parker Silver seconded the motion. All were in favor.

 6. The board came out of executive session. Billi Gosh moved to accept David Zacharis as a new
 member of the Board of Directors. Laura McDonough seconded the motion. All were in favor.

 7. Lori presented a memo from Emmett Wood, Assistant City Attorney, suggesting a language
 update to the Board of Directors Bylaws to clarify board members’ fiduciary responsibility and
 insurance coverage. Hannah Lebel made a motion to review and accept the changes to the BCA
 Board Bylaws as recommended by Assistant City Attorney Wood. This motion was seconded by
 Deb Wilkinson. Carrie McCabe suggested that any language referring to the board as “advisory”
 be clarified by the City Attorney. The board voted to accept the changes presented by Assistant
 City Attorney Wood. All were in favor.

 8. Lori introduced new board member David Zacharis and introductions were made all around.

 9. Directors Report: Doreen Kraft (Executive Director) presented the Director's Report and
 welcomed the board to the new Community Room at 405 Pine Street. Billi Gosh asked about the
 rental rate for the community room. Zach Williamson outlined the rental rates, announced that
 the first rental is coming up at the end of September, and explained that the acoustical
 challenges would be addressed. Doreen said that a fundraising effort will be undertaken to
 create a fund that will subsidize affordable access for those who need it, possibly with corporate
 underwriting. Sara Katz described the ambitious revenue goal.

 Doreen then discussed a recent safety incident that occurred at 405 Pine Street during the last
 day of camp. The incident involved an individual who had entered the BCA facility, used violent
 language and refused to leave when asked. Staff called 911 for assistance. Melissa Steady
 described some details of the incident and answered board questions.

 Doreen emphasized that city resources responded well to the incident, and the police
 department, Parallel Justice, and Community Justice have been supportive in providing mental
 health support, training and security assessments. DC Young has conducted a walk-through of
 the facility to suggest security enhancements and pointers for personal safety for staff and the
 public.

 Doreen also noted a positive change in police response under the new interim police chief, Chief
 Burke, explaining that the department has shifted its approach to prioritize 911 calls with
 significantly improved response times compared to 2-3 years ago.

10. Staff members provided updates on their respective departments:
 a. Colin Storrs (Public Art and Grants Program Manager) discussed current public art projects,
 noting that over the next 12 months, BCA would be installing or reaching the culmination of
 almost a million dollars worth of public art contracts.
 b. Zach Williamson (Festival and Event Director) reported on events from FY25, including
 Festival of Fools and Highlight, which attracted approximately 55,000 people and supported
 about 130 artists. He discussed scaled-back programming for FY26 due to budget
 constraints, mentioning that the Festival of Fools was originally canceled, but was able to be
 presented as a scaled-back two-day festival produced with downtown business support. He
 identified challenges including safety concerns in City Hall Park and Main Street. He
 explained that the Winter Market will likely be moved inside this year. Zach and Assistant
 Development Director Rachel Zellem are working together to find corporate support for BCA
 events.
 c. Heather Ferrell (Curator and Director of Exhibitions) provided an overview of exhibition
 programming, highlighting two upcoming shows: "Do We Say Goodbye? Grief, Loss, and
 Mourning" opening soon with eight artists, and "Human Impact" opening in March. Both
 shows are very relevant to current community concerns. She discussed challenges including
 downtown safety perceptions affecting attendance, staffing constraints, and the need to be
 nimble regarding facility issues like HVAC repairs. Heather expressed pride in the gallery
 learning tours program despite staffing challenges. She added that although attendance has
 been affected by community issues, it is still comparable to other cultural institutions
 statewide.
 d. Melissa Steady (Education Director) described success in FY25 including continuing to
 increase revenue in our education programs. The new studio access add-on option
 increased revenue without increasing staff time or expense. Scholarship funding and equity
 presents an ongoing challenge. Melissa has redesigned the camp structure to make
 registration easier for families. She has been collaborating with Heather Ferrell to ensure
 that gallery learning programs continue, despite the loss of a position due to budget cuts.
 e. Elena Rosen (Communications Director) presented her goals, including establishing a
 communications plan for BCA to tell the story of who we are and what we do. She
 mentioned a recent brand strategy workshop with Tim Volk of KSV (donated pro bono).
 Elena addressed challenges regarding downtown Burlington's public perception issues and
 declining digital reach due to reduced resources and staffing turnover.
 f. Joyce Cameron (Director of Philanthropy) discussed how charitable contributions sustain
 our programs. The fundraising team has expanded and is fully staffed allowing the focus to
 remain on expanding our constituent base, increasing grant opportunities, and advancing
 major gifts. The many challenges can be met, especially with the wonderful philanthropic
 culture of BCA supported by the board and staff.

5 minute break

 11. Board and Staff Working Session, Board Engagement

 Lori Rowe led a discussion on board engagement. She noted that over the past year, board
 members had expressed a desire to participate more actively and feel more useful. The board
 was challenged to select areas of interest from BCA's activities to become more involved with,
 including education, public art, communications and development, events, or exhibitions.

 The board and staff divided into small groups (3-4 board members per group) based on interest
 areas, with each executive committee member participating in a conversation. The groups spent
 approximately 45 minutes brainstorming ways board members could be more actively engaged
 without crossing into operational roles.

 After the brainstorming session, each group reported back:

 Events (reported by Hannah Lebel): Discussed potential events including winter programming,
 pursuing a partnership with Nectar’s Presents, creating opportunities for young musicians,
 developing stronger connections with New York City arts communities, evaluating the calendar
 to potentially focus on fewer but more impactful events, and exploring nightlife arts events.

 Public Art (reported by Sara Katz): Identified several potential initiatives including ongoing
 awareness and advocacy for public art, developing a neighborhood watch for public art projects,
 fundraising around public art through sponsorships, researching how other cities recognize
 sponsors/donors, and building a roster of community members for public art review
 committees. Kristina Pentek volunteered to act as chair of the Public Art Committee. Barbara
 Perry asked about a brochure that included all the public art pieces in Burlington. Sara
 responded that this information is on our website but there is not currently resources to
 produce a printed piece. There is desire to develop an effective online walking tour when
 resources allow.

 Exhibitions (reported by Dana vanderHeyden): Focused on the board becoming a conduit to
 engage artists and interested community members. Board members could act as docents,
 inviting in community groups and leading tours, without relying on staff time. The group had a
 discussion of the themes of upcoming exhibitions.

 Development and Communications (reported by Laura McDonough): Discussed public
 perception issues and the board's role in making new connections for BCA. They identified three
 tangible asks: board members bringing 1-3 names of potential donors, making introductions to
 business owners, and sharing BCA content on personal social media channels. They suggested
 creating "Ask me about BCA" buttons for board members and developing profiles of board and
 staff members for social media.

 Education Committee (reported by Lori Rowe): Focused on department engagement through
 idea generation and appreciation without overstepping operational boundaries. They discussed
 challenges including the absence of a gallery learning position and engaging existing staff
 without adding burden. Solutions included developing strategies for maximizing staffing
 capacity, engaging staff in problem-solving, and concrete ways to show appreciation to staff.
 Deb Wilkinson was identified as committee chair.

 Lori Rowe suggested that ad-hoc working groups meet on a regular basis on months when the
 full board does not meet, and report back at the next board meeting.

12. Development Committee: Billi Gosh presented the Development Committee Report, discussing
 board giving. The committee is looking for 100% participation in pledges by the end of
 September, with flexibility on fulfillment timing. The annual Board and Friends dinner will take
 place on Tuesday, December 9th in the Community Room. Save the dates will go out.

13. Billi Gosh made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Lisa Lillibridge. Vote: All were in
 favor. 4:43pm
FY2026
ANNUAL MEETING
Mission
​
BCA’s mission is to nurture a dynamic environment through the arts that makes
quality experiences accessible regardless of economic, social or physical constraints. ​
			We do this by: ​
			 Supporting and promoting Vermont artists and advancing the creation of new work ​

			 Offering a wide spectrum of arts education and engagement opportunities ​

			 Presenting exhibitions and events that place Burlington in a global context, promote critical dialogue
			 and encourage local participation ​

			 Serving as the City of Burlington’s cultural planner by making the arts integral to the area’s economic
			 and civic development, urban design, and livability ​

			 Fostering partnerships among the arts, education, human service and business communities​


Vision ​
​
Artists are key contributors to a healthy, equitable community ​

Arts programs and experiences that foster social connections, well-being and learning opportunities should
be accessible to all, especially to youth/intergenerational constituents, and to those who experience social
and economic barriers to participation.
Three Year Strategic Plan Goals
​
				 Foster artistic excellence and development of artist sector​

				 Ensure broad community access to arts education, learning and engagement activities​

				 Preserve and expand artist space in Burlington for creating, exhibiting, rehearsing and performing​

				 Strengthen organizational sustainability and build resilience
PUBLIC ART
FY25 ACHIEVEMENTS

Lake Champlain Mural: Juniper Creative Arts and 8 youth
apprentices. Research, archives, and expert interviews. 20ft x
8ft mural at 405 Pine Street. Paired with Vermont Folklife
audio stories. ​$40,000 LCBP grant
​
Dance in Place: Sculpture by Christopher Kojzar. Bank and St.
Paul Street. Celebrates queer joy, Black identity, and Burlington
history. ​Total City Funds: $96,500 ​​
​
Artist Support: $383,619 as direct artist payments through
public art projects, including $291,660 to Vermont Artists ​​


​Community Fund Grant gave out $59,327 to support
community-oriented art projects and organizations ​
FY26 OVERVIEW

Dance in Place Unveiling: October 2nd, 2025 ​​


Lydia Kern, Anthology: October 2025​
12-foot resin archway with community-donated dried flowers.​


​Airport: January 2026 ​​
3 new commissions at Leahy BTV Airport. Final selection
scheduled for Oct 10th, 2025. ​Projects will total $357,033 in
artist fees slated for three new BTV spaces. ​​


​​Abenaki donation of public art for Battery Park ​​


​​Main Street Summer Installations (2026) ​​
Nancy Winship Milliken, Oasis ​​
Noa Younse, Block by Block
Wowhaus, Magnus ​
FY26 GOALS

Manage the installation of nine permanent
pieces of Public Art ​​
4 on Main Street, 2 on CityPlace, 3 in BTV ​​


​​Successfully navigate the nuanced landscape of the
Vermont Abenaki discussion ​​
Acceptance of a donation to replace Chief Greylock ​​


​​Support the multidepartmental effort to change the
narrative that has negatively effected Burlington ​​
Promotion of public art as a welcoming and accessible asset
for connection and learning through community partners and
broader BCA and City communications initiatives ​​


​​Get more comprehensive and consistent artist feedback to
capture the impact of the program ​​
Artist Survey ​
FY26 CHALLENGES
Vandalism ​
Banner project at Memorial Auditorium halted due to
damage. Other works are vulnerable to tagging and damage ​


​BTV Funding Restrictions ​
FAA grants restrict the scope of selection of the work ​


​Resource Allocation ​
Most Public Art Projects are multidepartment efforts and
the larger City budget has implications that are often out
of our control ​


​Maintenance ​
Ensuring new works are durable and maintainable long-term,
existing work is protected and maintained to ensure they last,
and addressing any damage as it arises ​


​Bandwidth ​
Small team, wide range of programming
EVENTS
FY25 ACHIEVEMENTS

Produced and presented two large Festivals: the Festival
of Fools in Summer 2024 and Highlight on New Year’s Eve,
2024. Welcomed over 55,000 people, and supported over
130 artists


​Produced and presented a successful summer in City Hall
Park, featuring the Summer Concert Series, Splash Dance,
the Twilight Series, Market Music, and Sunday Classical​


​Worked with Love Burlington to produce the summer
BTV Market and Winter Market in City Hall Park


​Managed community rentals of the BCA Center, Contois
Auditorium, and City Hall Park
FY26 OVERVIEW

Fools Block Party (Fools on a shoestring).
2 Day, scaled back Festival


​Summer in the City– collaboration with Love Burlington.
83 Events for all ages from Splash Dance to Sunday Classical​


​A/V design and installation for the Community Room
at 405 Pine Street​


Highlight still planning events on the waterfront and in
downtown with scaled back budget


Winter Market collaboration with Love Burlington,
reduced scale, indoors​


​Series of smaller events and marketing to promote
downtown experience
FY26 GOALS


Meet rental revenue goal of 50K for Community Room
on top of 40K in existing rental spaces by June 30


​Collaborate with Development to retain new presenting
sponsors for Festival of Fools and Highlight and meet the
Highlight fundraising goal of $120K​


​Design an annual events schedule for downtown and
405 Pine Street that aligns with resources and supports
artists and civic needs
FY26 CHALLENGES

Managing change while we reduce the scale of events
to align with resources but still strive to meet community
expectations​


​Shrinking sponsorship support​


​Ongoing public safety issues and downtown reputation
affecting attendance​


​Continued construction on Main Street​


I​ncreasing number of events with the same staffing level
in Events and Communications divisions of BCA
EDUCATION
FY25 ACHIEVEMENTS

Increased earned net revenue by $29k with the
 BCA STUDIO REVENUE TREND
creation of Student Membership Add-on​

 STUDIO CLASS
​Ran 74 camps and sparked joy for 533 campers MEMBERSHIPS REGISTRATION

ages 6-17. Provide 165 scholarships. 31% campers
 $19,995
received a partial or full scholarship (Summer 2024)​
 2021 $145,067

​73 Adult classes provided hands-on studio learning
to 511 adults (60% Burlington residents)​ 2022 $52,111 $257,380


​510 studio memberships sold (40% Burlington 2023 $46,092 $297,916
residents, 207 student memberships)​
 2024 $63,010 $336,985
​Art from the Heart engaged with 11,550 children and
adults at UVM Medical Center, through volunteer visits
 2025 $91,748 $350,749
and art kits
FY26 OVERVIEW

BCA Studio programming:​
 - 8 weeks of summer camp​
 - 3 sessions of adult classes in clay, printmaking, jewelry,
 painting, darkroom and digital photography​


Youth, family, and teen drop ins, workshops and
vacation camps​


Studio membership with access to 7500 square feet
shared studio facility​


Art From the Heart 7 days a week at UVMMC includes
new bereavement support projects and a collaboration
with upcoming gallery exhibition​


Gallery school tour coordination with teachers from
Burlington and the state
FY26 GOALS


Meet another year of increased revenue goals for
class registration and studio rental fees​
​
Ensure budgeted scholarship funding is available for all
requests and especially to the most vulnerable users
through revised scholarship application and messaging​
​
Improve FY26 Summer Camp design and registration
process based on parent feedback and post covid
enrollment trends


Collaborate with BCA Exhibitions to support
30 gallery school tours
FY26 CHALLENGES


Balancing need to meet increased revenue expectations with
accessibility, with continuously increasing program costs​


​Scholarship requests increase but we have the same budget
as last year​


I​ncorporating coordination of gallery school tours into
team workplan post the elimination of FT Gallery Learning
Coordinator as part of FY26 Budget cuts. Union and
logistical challenges
EXHIBITIONS
FY25 ACHIEVEMENTS
Organized 9 original, curated exhibitions at BCA Center
and 17 external exhibitions including UVMMC, BTV Airport,
and City Hall


Distributed $60,767 in stipends and $18,500 in commissions
to 12 Vermont, and 8 regional and national artists​


Organized 11 exhibition-based public programs that served
1,082 participants in person (26 online) ​


Provided inquiry-based tours and art-making activities to
1,019 visitors, through 133 school and adult visits to BCA
Center that explored exhibition themes and artmaking​


Implemented the artist residency program (and exhibit)
Becoming / Vermont—a collaboration between BCA, Burlington
High School, and Burlington Technical Center. Funded by the
NEA, Becoming / Vermont served 408 students through
gallery tours, and 64 students working with ​6 artists
FY26 OVERVIEW


Do We Say Goodbye? Grief, Loss, and Mourning​
Friday, September 26, 2025 – Saturday, January 24, 2026​


​Human Impact: Contemporary Art and Our Environment ​
Friday, March 13 – June 20, 2026 ​


New partnerships and collaborations:​
Vermont Association of Psychoanalytic Studies (VAPS)
and Middlebury College


Art Services
Showcases local artists at UVMMC, BTV and City Hall
FY26 GOALS
Support more than 60 artists through original curated,​
thought-provoking exhibitions at BCA Center and
external spaces ​
​
Diversify and potentially increase attendance over last
FY by identifying new or innovative partnerships, programs,
and resources​


Collaborate with BCA Education to support 100+ annual
tours for students and adults​
​
Sustain positive and supportive relationships with artists ​
(direct feedback, studio visits, professional development)​
​
Enhance assessment of audience engagement with BCA
exhibitions, artists, and ideas through evaluation—artist,
program, and tours
FY26 CHALLENGES


Reduced staff positions in Gallery Learning (1 FT and .5 PT)​
​
Facility maintenance that impacts exhibition scheduling​
​
Downtown safety and construction environment
and reduced tourism impacting exhibition attendance
and program delivery
FY22-FY25 Attendance GALLERY LEARNING TOURS

 FY22 110

BCA CENTER GALLERY FY23 127

 ADULT FY24 246
FY22 28,754

FY23 19,752 FY25 164

FY24 21,687
 FY22 202
FY25 17,485

 YOUTH
 FY23 534

 FY24 794

 FY25 855
COMMUNICATIONS
FY26 GOALS
Establishing a BCA Communications Plan ​
Building a foundational structure to support evolving
programming needs and fundraising goals


​Fostering Collaborative Initiatives with City Partners ​
Maximizing audience reach and marketing spend by working
with other City organizations such as the Church Street
Marketplace, CEDO, the Fletcher Free Library, and more ​


Evaluating Marketing Spend ​
Analyzing marketing budgets to find efficiencies and new
channels that will support meeting programmatic goals


Increasing Earned Media and Public Recognition
Identify and pursue opportunities for BCA to receive
national and statewide recognition for arts excellence
across programming disciplines
FY26 CHALLENGES


Countering Increasingly Negative Perception
of Burlington’s Brand ​
As public perception of struggles in downtown has
grown both within Burlington and in the surrounding
areas, traditional marketing techniques are increasingly
less effective at driving visitation and event attendance.


A documented drop in tourism also means fewer people
regularly downtown. We’re working on growing BCA press
placements and collaborating with other organizations
and businesses to highlight the positive.
FY26 CHALLENGES
 BCA DIGITAL REACH FY21-FY25
 FACEBOOK REACH INSTAGRAM REACH WEBSITE
 (ORGANIC) (ORGANIC) VISITORS

Declining Digital Reach ​
Reduced resources have led to a declining numbers in 800k
impressions and reach, particularly with digital content,
which had previously been on a growth trend. ​ 700k


​We’re prospecting for efficiencies and new channels to 600k
keep our reach robust and ensure we’re reaching all of
our audience segments in multiple mediums. 500k


 400k


 300k


 200k


 100k


 0
 FY21							FY22						FY23						FY24						FY25
FUNDRAISING
FY25 ACHIEVEMENTS

Acquired 132 new donors ​


Digital appeal gifts increased by 20 individual donors​


Major Gifts and General Donations (<$499) gifts increased
by 13 and 128 gifts respectively​


Expanded the capacity of the development department to
include a Director of Philanthropy and Assistant Director of
Development through administrative reorg​


Raised $2m for capital campaign renovation of
405 Pine Street ​
FY26 GOALS

 UNIQUE DONORS & DOLLARS RAISED
 TOTAL DOLLARS RAISED UNIQUE
 BCA OPERATIONS DONORS
Raise $1 million plus for operations and $1 million for
capital campaign ​
 1.2m 700


Move donors to a higher giving level through stewardship​
 600
 1.0m

I​dentify new presenting sponsors and increase opportunity
 500
pipeline at all sponsorship levels for corporate giving to 800k
meet target​
 400
 600k
Increase the number of unique donor constituents 300
through cultivation ​
 400k
 200

 200k
 100


 0 0
 FY20				FY21				FY22			FY23			FY24			FY25
FY26 CHALLENGES


Navigating external economic pressures and the
changing philanthropic landscape ​


Competing with other social service non-profits​


Burlington’s brand and public perception issues​


Branding BCA to enhance community support for arts
Thank You