MEETING MINUTES

Arden Artisans Collective
January Member Meeting (Front-loaded with a most excellent potluck) 

·     Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

·       Time: 7:00–9:00 PM

·       Location: Buzz Ware Village Center

1. Welcome & Framing the Evening

A brief welcome and overview. Reading of the mission statement: The Arden Artisans Collective nurtures artists/artisans at all levels (professional/hobby/student) through educational activities and events; uses the arts to enhance community-building within the Ardens; and magnifies the visibility of Arden artisans outside of the Ardens community.

2. Looking Back: What We’ve Built Together

A snapshot of AAC activities over the past 3+ years — exhibits, programs, communications, and community efforts. We grounded the conversation in a shared understanding of the scale of work involved. We took a moment to thank our event champions from the past year’s work.

3. The Big Questions Before Us

·       What do you value most about the Arden Artisans Collective?

·       What role do you want the AAC to play in your artistic life?

·       How visible or outward-facing do we want the AAC to be?

·       What feels energizing, realistic, and sustainable?

4. Leadership: What Is Needed to Carry This Forward?

Jill is stepping down in her leadership role and from the steering committee. An open and transparent conversation about leadership — both formal and informal. This is not about filling positions on the spot, but about naming what kinds of leadership and shared responsibility are needed for the AAC to thrive.

·       What leadership roles are essential (coordination, communications, programming, membership)?

·       Is leadership best shared (co-chairs, rotating roles, project-based leads)?

·       What level of commitment feels possible for individuals?

·       What happens if leadership emerges — and what happens if it does not?

5. Structure & Support Options

An overview of possible structural paths for the AAC, discussed in light of leadership capacity:

·       Continuing with a pay-as-you-go model (website listing + show fees/commissions)

·       Moving toward an annual membership model with shared benefits

·       Choosing a lighter year with fewer programs

·       Exploring partnerships or legacy-focused models

6. Small Group Conversations

Breakout discussions to allow more voices to be heard. Each group may focus on one guiding area:

·       Leadership & shared responsibility

·       Membership value and structure

·       Programming priorities (more, less, or different)

·       What the AAC should protect at all costs

7. Sharing Back & Identifying Themes (This doesn’t represent all that was discussed—but where we had consensus and where we landed.)

·       Leadership & shared responsibility:  Steering committee that is staggered in two year terms. A Chair (2-year term) A Vice Chair (2-year term that turns into Chair) This could be amended to say that the chair is a one-year term and the vice-chair is one year with the promise of filling the chair position the following year.

·       Membership value and structure: For 2026 we settled on dues of $35 to be collected online. Membership for Under 21 is free. Hardship scholarships available upon request to Chair or Treasurer. Couples who share a creative entity e.g. Double Spiral Chocolate can come under one membership. Artisans who have two separate and distinct enterprises requiring multiple listings. New Listings must still pay to have page set up (unless their listing is a link to a site that they maintain separately—could even be an Instagram Page)

·       What the AAC should protect at all costs: Artisan Socials 2-4 per year, Member meeting 2 per year (one can be virtual) Andrew offered up space at The Mill for 2nd member meeting, Newsletters 4 per year, Studio tour, one member show, Group show at Buzz, presence at the Fair (Linda Celestian offered up the Backstage Gallery for 2026)

·       Other Programming: Field trips, professional development workshops

8. Next Steps

Steering committee was pegged for 2026, but they will have to meet to decide on Chair, co-chair. Jill will help transition and get membership and dues collection up and running on website. The 2026 Steering Committee includes: Will Ramirez, Cookie Ohlson, Annette Hearing, Shay Seaborne, Linda Toman, Megan Murphy King, Jeanne Orr (treasurer).