Every Monday, we spotlight the town government meetings, and cultural, recreational, and athletics events that caught our eye. Read on and mark your calendars!

Lecture with Artist Shahzia Sikander – Monday

Amherst College hosts award-winning artist Shahzia Sikander for this lecture, open to the public, on Monday evening. Sikander’s major project, an 8-foot bronze female sculpture, currently is on the roof of the Appellate Courthouse in Manhattan. An accompanying 18-foot female sculpture was exhibited in Madison Square Park in 2023 and travels to the University of Houston this spring. Sikander will discuss her practice and how her paintings led to sculpture, with a focus on these major projects. 5:30-6:30 pm at Mead Art Museum. Free. MORE

Finance Committee – Tuesday

The Finance Committee will review budget planning and discussions around schools and other Town services, including Community Preservation Act allocations and the ARHS track and field project. 2:00-4:00 pm on Zoom. MORE

Planning Board – Wednesday

At its meeting on Wednesday, the Planning Board will continue its discussion about an overlay zoning district for University Drive to allow more housing with a mix of apartment buildings and mixed-use buildings and ideas for streetscape design. The Board will also discuss plans for developing design guidelines for downtown. 6:30 pm on Zoom.  MORE

Science on Screen®: Ammonite – Wednesday

Head to Amherst Cinema Wednesday evening for Colossal Fossils: The trailblazing contributions of Mary Anning in the Heroic Age of Geology, part of the Science on Screen series. The film Ammonite showcases life and love as a woman scientist (Mary Anning, played by Kate Winslet) and her companion (Saoirse Ronan) comb the cliffs of southern England looking for fossils and evidence of ancient life. Before the film, paleontologist Sara Pruss (Smith College) reviews some of the paleontological contributions of Mary Anning, and explores what aspects this film gets right and wrong about women paleontologists in early 1800s England. 7:00 pm at Amherst Cinema. $ MORE

ARHS Varsity Athletics at Home – Wednesday, Thursday

Catch Amherst Hurricanes varsity action at home this week! Boys Ice Hockey (11-6-1) faces off vs. Agawam (11-7), Wednesday at 3:00 pm at Orr Rink. Girls Basketball (4-14) tips off at home vs. Southwick (10-8) on Thursday at 5:30 pm at ARHS. $ MORE

Zoning Board of Appeals – Thursday

A proposed solar array on Shutesbury Road and a housing development on University Drive will be taken up by the Zoning Board of Appeals at its meeting on Thursday. 6:00 pm on Zoom. MORE

The Blue Note Quintet – Thursday

Iconic and influential Blue Note Records is celebrating its 85th anniversary with a “traveling birthday party” that hits the stage at UMass on Thursday. The Blue Note Quintet features five “stellar current-day exponents” of American jazz: six-time Grammy nominee Gerald Clayton on piano, Joel Ross on vibraphone, Emmanuel Wilkins on saxophone, Kendrick Scott on drums and Matt Brewer on bass. 7:30 pm at Bowker Auditorium. $ MORE

Staycation Amherst – Monday through Sunday

It’s February break in Amherst public schools and the Amherst Recreation Department has compiled a list of free and low-cost activities for a “staycation” in Amherst. Options include a free, friendship bracelet making activity for all ages at the Mill District Local Art Gallery (all week, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm) and all-ages cornhole games with snacks at Bangs Community Center (Friday, 9:00-11:00 am). Find something to do, indoors or out, HERE.

GET INVOLVED

You don’t have to run for an elected office to contribute to the future of our community and government. There are multiple Town boards and committees looking for new members, including the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Jones Library Building Committee, and the new 2024 Charter Review Committee. See the complete list of committee vacancies and apply, HERE.

This post was updated to include a newly-scheduled ARHS Boys Hockey game on Wednesday.

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Have an event you’d like us to spotlight? Email us TheAmherstCurrent@gmail.com.