Category Archives: Blog

Call for Board Director Positions

The Board of Directors for Miranda’s Hearth currently has two open Director positions which we are looking to fill by Fall 2020. We are seeking dedicated champions of creativity and community building with a diverse set of expertise and personal experiences.

The Board of Directors provides mission-based leadership, strategy, and governance to support the work of Miranda’s Hearth. While day-to-day operations are led by the Executive Director, the Board oversees the work of the Executive Director in carrying out the mission of the organization. 

Miranda’s Hearth is making an intentional effort to center access, equity, and inclusivity as we expand our leadership. Diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities cultivate the most creativity and therefore have the highest impact on our society.

Historical and instructional barriers have a significant impact on who has had access to creativity and the institutions that promote it. With this in mind, Miranda’s Hearth strongly encourages applications from members of marginalized communities, particularly voices which aren’t adequately represented on our board at this time. This includes people of color, intergenerational voices, people from working-class backgrounds, LGBTQ individuals, and people of varying abilities.

ABOUT MIRANDA’S HEARTH

Miranda’s Hearth is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to building community through creativity that is approachable, affordable, and accessible. Since July 2013, the Hearth has served over 25,000 people through a variety of creative community programs including weekly gatherings, monthly event series, and annual festivals and conferences. All of the Hearth’s programming focuses on elevating the arts as a profession and celebrating creativity as an innate human skill.

Miranda’s Hearth envisions a new approach to arts organizations, developing financially resilient spaces and approachable community programming where creativity is accessible to all. Currently, the Hearth is focusing on finding a physical location that will become the focal point for the community. 

The Hearth’s visionary goal is to develop a community art hotel, using tiny houses as hotel rooms, where everything from the food to the furniture is handmade by local artists with studios onsite. This unique concept creates a resilient social enterprise by combining for-profit and non-profit efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS

Dedication and commitment to fulfilling the strategic goals and mission of Miranda’s Hearth.

An understanding of the significant impact creativity has on our communities and a commitment to increasing access to creativity and to community building through the arts. 

A sincere and respectful attitude towards the importance of relationship building, both on the board and within our community.

Self-direction and initiative to identify opportunities for impact within the organization and to follow through on those opportunities

Knowledge and/or experience in one or more of the following:

  • Nonprofit Arts Operations 
  • Project Management
  • Fundraising & Development
  • Real Estate Development
  • Finance, Accounting, and Budgets
  • Legal
  • or other areas that would benefit the organization

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Vision & Leadership: Pursuing and expanding the vision of Miranda’s Hearth, acting with courage to set direction and stay the course towards our mission. Serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and staff as they develop and implement the Hearth’s strategic plan. 
  • Financial & Organizational Oversight: Reviewing outcomes and metrics created by Miranda’s Hearth for evaluating its impact and regularly measuring its performance and effectiveness using those metrics. Approving the Hearth’s annual budget, audit reports, and material business decisions; being informed of, and meeting all, legal and fiduciary responsibilities 
  • Equity & Inclusion: Ensuring the Hearth’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of the organization. Building an equitable board, staff, and programming to best serve our community and to counteract the historical and instructional barriers that have significantly impacted who has had access to creativity
  • Stewardship & Partnership: Representing Miranda’s Hearth to stakeholders; acting as an ambassador for the organization. The integrity to serve the interests and pursue the goals of Miranda’s Hearth as well as the interests of the public and our community. Facilitating new partnerships and maintaining on-going partnerships that strengthen Miranda’s Hearth and spread our reach.F
  • Fundraising: Miranda’s Hearth board members will consider the Hearth a philanthropic priority and make annual gifts that reflect that priority. So that Miranda’s Hearth can credibly solicit contributions from foundations, organizations, and individuals, Miranda’s Hearth expects to have 100 percent of Board Members make an annual contribution that is commensurate with their capacity.

COMMITMENT

Upon selection, applicants will be invited to serve as a Board Fellow for one preliminary year.

After a preliminary year as a Board Fellow, applicants may be elected for a full three-year term as a Director and will be eligible for reappointment for future terms.

Board meetings take place every other month and are scheduled based on the directors’ availability. Most board members also serve on committees that meet once in between board meetings. The total time commitment is estimated at 10-20 hours per month.

Service on the Miranda’s Hearth Board of Directors is without remuneration, except for administrative support, travel, and accommodation costs in relation to board members’ duties.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in joining our board, submit (1) a letter of interest and (2) a resume highlighting professional and/or volunteer experience to board@mirandashearth.com

A Decision on BevArt

We just received a call from Mayor Cahill letting us know that he did not choose the BevArt proposal. First and foremost, we’d like to say a heart(h)felt thank you to the many, many individuals and businesses who wrote letters of support for our proposal to create a hub for the artistic community in Beverly.Continue Reading

Behind BevArt: Mike Grimaldi

Get to know the artists, entrepreneurs, and organizers behind BevArt: The Beverly Arts Community Center. First up, Mike Grimaldi! Mike Grimaldi/GRIMDROPS was raised in Gloucester, MA. He holds his BFA in illustration from Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA. and has years of experience in the creative field. He’s held a number of positionsContinue Reading

Are independent bookstores the answer to disappearing music venues?

Are independent bookstores the answer to disappearing music venues?

As music venues across the city are disappearing, Porter Square Books and Miranda’s Hearth are teaming up to offer something new. The Hearth Concert Series @ Porter Square Books After Hours places local musicians among the bookshelves to serenade listeners while they browse. Two upcoming concerts pair local musicians with independent books after the bookstoreContinue Reading

Beverly Artist Spotlight: March 2019

Beverly Artist Spotlight: March 2019

The Beverly Artist Spotlight, presented by Miranda’s Hearth at Waring Downtown in The Cabot, continues with its second exhibition featuring Scott Mulcahey and Konrad Ellis from March 7- April 18, 2019. This new series features rotating six week exhibitions that pair a local, professional artist with a student artist from the Waring School to createContinue Reading

Beverly Artist Spotlight: January 2019

Beverly Artist Spotlight: January 2019

The Beverly Artist Spotlight is new exhibition series that features rotating six week shows highlighting a local, professional artist as well as a student artist from the Waring School. The exhibition is displayed at Waring Downtown at The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly. In our first exhibition, from January 17-February 18, 2019, our Student SpotlightContinue Reading

Become a Board Member for Miranda’s Hearth!

As our creative non-profit continues to grow, Miranda’s Hearth is looking for new board members with experience in strategic planning, development, business planning, municipal governance, and law. QUALIFICATIONS This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who is passionate about the mission of Miranda’s Hearth: to build a community through creativity that is approachable, affordable,Continue Reading

Meet Cissa!

Meet Cissa!

We’re excited to welcome Cissa Dieleman to the Hearth Board of Directors! Cissa’s experience in public relations, social media, political consulting, and fundraising will be essential as we continue to develop a proposal for Briscoe Middle School in Beverly, MA. ABOUT CISSA In May 2018, Cissa joined Tech Networks of Boston (TNB) as the CorporateContinue Reading

Miranda is heading to South Africa!

Miranda is heading to South Africa!

This August, Hearth Founder Miranda Aisling is heading to South Africa to assist with The Mama Project! The Mama Project works with women from Cape Town townships in South Africa, and female artists from Boston, inclusive of women from other nationalities and under-resourced communities, to create opportunities for women to meet, make art, share culture, develop relationships, and build confidence around whatContinue Reading

Introducing the Beverly Artist Spotlight!

Introducing the Beverly Artist Spotlight!

On Thursday, January 17, Miranda’s Hearth hung it’s first Beverly Artist Spotlight on the walls of Waring Downtown at The Cabot. This new exhibition series features rotating six week shows that highlight a local, professional artist as well as a student artist from the Waring School. Our first Student Spotlight is Sarah Malbeouf, a seniorContinue Reading

Interested in joining the Hearth community?

Sign-up for our weekly email with event info, project updates, and news about our members.