Amherst Public Art Commission Opens Call For Two New Initiatives
The Amherst Public Art Commission opened submissions for two new public art initiatives this week, one of several administrative deadlines converging in town alongside continuing water restrictions and a raft of school leadership announcements.
TOWN HALL
The Amherst Public Art Commission is soliciting submissions for two initiatives, Electrify Amherst and the Town Hall Art Gallery, with a submission deadline of August 7, according to the town's website. Artists interested in either project have just over a week left to apply.
Separately, the town is asking residents to weigh in on a cable television survey, open through Friday, August 7, intended to gauge resident experience with local cable service; officials are encouraging participation from subscribers and non-subscribers alike. The town also continues to operate under Level 2 water use restrictions, and cooling centers remain available as the region's extreme heat persists.
Renovations at the Bangs Community Center are ongoing, with improvements planned for health and safety, accessibility, the Senior Center, and the area near Room 101; the building will stay open throughout construction, with completion expected in early 2027.
SCHOOLS
Amherst Public Schools announced several personnel updates in recent district news. Patrick Kapperman has been named high school principal, and Adam Wierbinski was named assistant principal at Amherst Central High School. Zoe Simonson was selected as the district's ex-officio student board member for a one-year term beginning July 1.
The district also touted honors this week: Julie Furlong received the 2026 General Music Educator of the Year award, and the district was named among the Best Communities for Music Education for a tenth consecutive year. Seventy-four students presented at the district's Seal of Civic Readiness Civics Fair, earning medals they'll wear at graduation. The district's Substitute & Jobs Expo is scheduled for August 12, with online applications due by August 5.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Jones Library, Inc. Board of Trustees meets Thursday, July 30. At the Amherst library, upcoming adult programs include a virtual talk on American Revolutionary painter Gilbert Stuart on Thursday, July 30 at 2 p.m., and Andy's Playhouse Kids Performance on Friday, July 31 at 10 a.m. The library's Summer Reading Program, "Plant a Seed, Read!", continues toward its August 7 finale, with a Friends of the Library Artist Reception set for Saturday, August 8 at 1 p.m.
Children's programming this week includes Little Listeners and Story Makers Studio on Wednesday, July 29, and Tots & Tunes and Creative Corner on Thursday, July 30.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"What Sione Laulea and Jahlil Florence Bring to Missouri's Secondary: The Read Option" — a Sports Illustrated piece referencing an October 2024 photo taken in Amherst, Massachusetts, unrelated to current local news, per Google Alerts aggregation of si.com (read it at https://www.si.com/college/missouri/football/what-sione-laulea-and-jahlil-florence-bring-to-missouri-s-secondary-the-read-option-brian3).
COMING UP
The Energy and Climate Action Committee, Planning Board, and Conservation Commission all meet Wednesday, July 29. The Jones Library Board of Trustees meets Thursday, July 30. A welcome reception for new Senior Services Director Daniel Garcia is scheduled for Friday, July 31, at the Inn on Boltwood. The library's Andy's Playhouse Kids Performance also takes place Friday, July 31, at 10 a.m. The Amherst Public Art Commission's submission deadline for Electrify Amherst, and the town's cable television survey, both close Friday, August 7.
Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.