Athens Cultural Affairs Commission

Agenda for ACAC Commissioners Meeting DATE: March 8, 2020 TIME: 6 to 8:00 PM PRESENT: Executive: Chair: Andrew Salinas Vice Chair: Holly Alderman Treasurer: Darcie St. Onge Secretary: Madeline Blankenship Members-at-Large: Beatrice Brown, Donna Brumby, Misha Cahnmann-Taylor, Linda Ford, Patrice Green, Montu Miller, Helen Kuykendall Ex-officio: Jan Bush Advisors: Didi Dunphy, Stephanie Raines, Marilyn Wolf-Ragatz Staff: Tatiana Veneruso Guests: Diana Jackson (Project Mgr. with SPLOST for the Clayton St. Project) ABSENT: None. Approve Previous Minutes:  Motion to approve minutes with changes: Patrice Green. Second: Holly Alderman. Passed with one change. Chair’s Report: ● Full time Coordinator Position - Pending ● Local artist liaison for Clayton? Local call? o We have one precedent for a local artist liaison with a SPLOST project: Broderick Flanigan working with Elio Mercado on the Hot Corner Mural. Broderick was invited to participate by ACAC.  o For now, we will table arranging an artist liaison for the Clayton St. project because the opportune time has passed. The new Public Art Coordinator can assist the artist with the research/administrative tasks in lieu of a liaison. o The funds that might have been used to pay the liaison may be diverted for educational/professional development opportunities related to this project led by the artist closer to when the artwork is unveiled. ● Eco stations (ACC solid waste) o Opportunity to have artists create designs that would be laser cut into metal, like the Type 2 bus shelters. o Contact is Suki Jensen. Opportunity is for five designs at $1,000 each, open to local artists only in the call. o Andrew will move forward with pursuing this project out of ACAC’s discretionary budget. ● New member call posted, deadline March 29 Treasurer’s Report: We have more money than we thought last month in our operating budget for the rest of the fiscal year. Any administrative payments from January on is being reimbursed to us. Project Reports: Clayton (contract executed), Greenway (finalists pending), Fire Hall #2 (March), Cooperative Extension (In Progress), Dudley Park (Contract pending), Firefly Trail (Tour/User Group TBD), Whitehall Roundabout (contract executed), Poet Laureate (call closed, 10 applicants, review pending), Music Walk of Fame (phase 2 selections complete), Intersection Improvements project - Bishop Park (site visit? bike racks?) - Whitehall Roundabout: Trees will be moved soon. The artwork should be installed within 90 days after the structural review. Press release has been published. - Dudley Park: Costly insurance delayed the contract but the issue was resolved; the artist is getting a deposit in order to purchase insurance. The deposit method may be adopted moving forward in future contracts. Press release has been published. - Fire Hall #2: Installation tentatively this month. No other updates. - Cooperative Extension: No major updates. - Clayton St: Artist is remaining engaged in the process. There is still active work on the utilities on Clayton St. Estimated project completion next spring. No other updates. 2  - Greenway: Final selection round will take place tentatively on March 15. Tatiana reached out to Commissioners Thornton & Parker about involving their districts’ residential stakeholders in this selection phase. Phase 2 call for art is forthcoming. - Music Walk of Fame: 5 nominees and 2 alternates have been identified for round 2; the list is with the Mayor’s office for approval, then the nominees will be contacted. Installation tentatively to occur in summer or early fall (between June and August). - Poet Laureate: Call closed; 10 applications were received. The first selection committee meeting is this Friday. Planned virtual reading will be held on April 27, tentatively viewable by the public in a YouTube webinar. - Hawthorne & Oglethorpe intersection improvement opportunity for art: Diana will email the city attorney’s office to clarify whether the 1% for art from the intersection improvement funds could be used for art at Bishop Park. We need clarity on exactly where in Bishop Park would be appropriate related to the intersection improvements. - Commissioners should begin to document the “non-art” elements of projects to be able to analyze how much project funding is being used for ancillary things like insurance, concrete foundations, etc. for future reports and budget requests. - No other major updates. - AICA: ● Arts in Community: Resilience Awards: o 47/49* paid out (*one awardee declined award, 1 contract at city hall, 1 pending.) o No other updates. New Business: ● Holly’s Project ○ The 1-year anniversary of COVID-19 crisis is approaching. Opportunity to recognize this moment through something like the AIDS Quilt, perhaps in digital form showcasing reflections in visual or audio form. ● Turnout gear, smaller SPLOST projects ○ We need to consider ways to increase our budget to create new opportunities for artists such as the professional development opportunities in an artist liaison position, a bike rack project, the Eco Stations, etc. ● Commissioners should begin to consider how we can spend discretionary dollars to create more professional development opportunities for local artists in the future to prepare for our Fiscal Year 2022 budgetary request. Other: Thank you to Holly and Misha for your service as commissioners! 3 Art happenings around town: virtual live theater through Leisure Services on March 25; exhibitions around town at Lyndon House, UGA’s Special Collections library, and more. Next Meeting Date: April 12, 2021 4