This year, Franklin groups that support arts and culture will be featured as a new part of the Franklin Cultural Festival.

“It’s a new wing of the festival and it’s taking up one spoke of the wheel, the gazebo being kind of in the middle,” says Kaye Kelly, chair of the Franklin Cultural Council and event organizer. “One entire sidewalk is cultural makers or supporters in franklin—most nonprofits. We were careful how we chose those, it was by invitation only. We just are asked by so many people to have booths, but we wanted to showcase all the arts and cultural resources in Franklin.”

While the paid artist and crafter booths represent creative crafts from all over the region, the cultural booths strictly represent factions from Franklin, and those are free. 

Groups chosen include The Franklin Cultural District, Franklin Public Library, THE BLACK BOX and FPAC, , FHS Empty Bowls Club, FHS Music and Instrument petting zoo, Give Kids the Arts, Franklin Art Association, Dean College Performance Department, and Franklin TV, among others. 

Steve Sherlock spoke to Local Town Pages as part of that Franklin TV.

“What I think (Kaye) wanted to do was reinforcing what would be featured as part of the event, community alley would be nonprofits fitting within arts and culture,” says Sherlock, who as the head of FANN, the Franklin Area Nonprofit Network, has a handle on what groups in town fall into those categories. Sherlock has been reporting on Franklin town events through his blog, Franklin Matters, for some time now, and he has embarked on a partnership with Franklin TV and as part of that, his radio show on Franklin’s WFPR FM. Sherlock hopes Franklin TV’s booth at the Franklin Cultural Festival will spread awareness of resources available to Franklin residents and groups. 

“We offer livestream. We can market both ways, to nonprofits and help them tell their messages, and to the greater community. Franklin Matters is part of Franklin Cable operations. I also happen to be on the cable board, and my personal goal is to recruit additional members. We need younger members and a more diverse board.”

Sherlock notes that Franklin TV will not only spread awareness of its own mission during the Cultural Festival, but it will also work to broadcast the event.