Cultural Commission

CITY OF DANBURY CULTURAL COMMISSION 256 Main Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810 203 797 4508 June 26, 2023 Minutes of the Meeting Meeting called to order by Chairman Harvey Center at 6:30 pm with Commissioners: Alma Faham, Cheryl Hill, Ed Moore, Deepti Nagaraja, Perry Price, Gregory Smith, and Coordinator Gregory Wencek. Absent: Mary Burke, John Cherry, and John Cooke. Attending from the public: Siubhan Fallon. Welcome Deepti Nagaraja, appointed to the Cultural Commission by Mayor Esposito and the Common Council June 6. Presentation of Minutes The Minutes of the May meeting were presented. A motion by GSmith to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by PPrice. Passed by unanimous voice vote. Correspondence EMail: various Commission projects (literary contest, poet laureate, make music day, field work archive) Mail: Thank yous from Scholarship recipients Reports on DCC sponsored events ● Make Music Day June 21 GWencek: The day was a success. More than 8 venues and dozens of performers through Main Street. The day concluded with an open mic night at Los Rivera cafe on Ives Street until 9 PM. John Fazio Jr. is a good coordinator of the project. He hopes to continue for at least the next 2 years. The grant will be spent on marketing and advertising items. An additional $150 may be available. ● S.L. Richter Association for the Arts - Richter Arts Spring Series and Art show ○ Catoonah Street Jazz & Blues Society June 4⋅3:00 – 5:30pm HCenter: The concert was outside, and the day was hot. The bass player was 95 years old and very good. ○ Roger Post Quartet Sunday, June 11⋅3:00 – 5:30pm Danbury events not sponsored by the Commission ● Danbury Music Centre ○ Danbury Concert Chorus Saturday June 17 ● Mad Hatters Chorus A Little Bit Country… A Little Bit Rock & Roll - Saturday, June 3⋅7:00 – 8:30pm ● Greek Experience Festival June 9 – 11, 2023 ● Juneenth - June 24 Western Connecticut State University ● Fireworks - Candlewood Town Park June 24 ● Danbury Museum ○ Guided Tours of 4 Danbury Museum Historic Buildings on our Main Street campus ○ Guided Tours of the Ives Homestead ● Music at the Ridge ● Danbury Railway Museum ● City Center Danbury ○ Street Festival Saturday, June 3 Minutes of the Meeting Page 1 of 6 Approved: July 24, 2023 NOTE: Additional and supporting information can be found in the files at the Commission office.  CITY OF DANBURY CULTURAL COMMISSION 256 Main Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810 203 797 4508 HCenter and EMoore: took turns at the Commission office until 6PM to showcase the Federer mural to the public. Everyone who came in said they were impressed with the work. ○ Farmers’ Market ● Palace Theater Danbury ● Galleries ○ Gallery of the Visual and Performing Arts Center WCSU Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension ○ Gallery at Still River Editions 128 E Liberty St. ■ The Ladies: Leslie Singer, APRIL 8 - JUNE 30, 2023 ○ in VIEW project Main Street Danbury ■ A Storefront is available near Main and White ● WCSU Upcoming events See addendum. There is at least 1 event every weekend day to November. Coordinator’s Report 1. Budget finalized a. Did not add additional funding for the Concert Association or Deepti Nagaraja’s art project. The Finance Department showed a smaller balance than the Commission showed. b. Museum project in ‘flux’. The final accounting is not required until September. The coordinator is continuing to work with Finance, the Mayor’s office, and the Museum to resolve the issues. 2. Setup for FY 2023/24. Budget reports and project worksheets are being updated. 3. Project development a. Jane Jacobs walk in August not a lot of progress as I am working on the budget b. The Poet Laureate selection committee still has to be named. 4. Meeting with Glen Segger, Music Director at Saint Peter. a. They are working on a series of events over the next 12 months. This includes another “Silent Movie Night” with organ accompaniment. 5. Archive project ended for the summer. a. Noone came to the office to be recorded. Derek was able to obtain recordings at the Greek Experience. Ater the summer Music Centre programs the recordings could return. 6. Make Music Day a success. (See the note in the Events section.) a. Supplemental grant of $150 offered b. The final Report on the grant received is due in July. 7. Reminder: Website renewal due June 23. $242.48 which I pay and get reimbursed. 8. Sidewalk Chalk art festival needs chalk at $1.99 per box of 4 from Michael’s craft stores. Commission projects a. Sidewalk Chalk Art with CityCenter in July b. Poet Laureate selection begins Minutes of the Meeting Page 2 of 6 Approved: July 24, 2023 NOTE: Additional and supporting information can be found in the files at the Commission office.  CITY OF DANBURY CULTURAL COMMISSION 256 Main Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810 203 797 4508 Appeals from Community groups: 1. Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra $4,000 Laurie Kenagy, President The festival, now entirely produced in Danbury, July 31st-August 14th. This request is for a portion of the overall program: Charles Ives Music Festival at the WCYO Orchestra Concert. The orchestra concert will feature 55 youth participants of the CIMF Chamber & Orchestra Performance Program (the second week of the festival). Musicians range in age from 10-20 years of age and come from 26 towns in Fairfield County, including seven from Danbury. The youth musicians will be joined in concert by 12 professional musicians. The WCYO receives grants from other places. 2. Danbury Concert Association $7,500 Kathryn Taylor Kloss, Executive Director The 2023/24 Season: A four-concert classical music series featuring professional musicians of the highest quality, presented by the Danbury Concert Association, a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers who are committed to enriching the cultural life of the Danbury community. We will host Cecile Licad, pianist - 9/10/23, The Great Necks, classical guitar ensemble - 10/15/23, David Shifrin and Friends playing the Schubert Octet - 3/10/24, and Neave Trio, violin, cello, piano - 5/19/24. The last season was good, with 155 subscribers. To increase additional subscriptions, lapsed subscribers will be contacted. The selling of individual tickets, rather than subscription series only, will continue. Students are always free. Old Business 1. Designs for Danbury AFaham: What does the City want for this project to go forward? GWencek: the Corporation Counsel advises that the ownership of the submissions is in question. He does not counsel to stop the project, merely that for his office to obtain clarity on how “Creative Commons” licenses work will take a large expense for outside counsel. AFaham: what if the solicitation for plans is dropped in favor of simply asking for ideas? Scale back the project and solicit from the entire community without focus on ‘professional’ designers. GSmith: asks the coordinator to send an editable copy of the rules to the committee for revision. Under this revised project the Commissioners could become the judges and the prizes would be lower than previously proposed. 2. Poet Laureate for the City a. Poet Laureate selection committee: Harvey Center and Dr. Clements (WCSU) are willing to severe. Still need 5 more members. Work will begin in September. Applications will be accepted from July 15, 2023 through September 15, 2023 3. Budget a. Confirm $242.48 which the Coordinator pays and then gets reimbursed. This process is approved by the Director of Information Technology. - Yes. b. Confirm Grant spending of $1,000 to Entertain My Crowd for Make Music Day - Yes. Minutes of the Meeting Page 3 of 6 Approved: July 24, 2023 NOTE: Additional and supporting information can be found in the files at the Commission office.  CITY OF DANBURY CULTURAL COMMISSION 256 Main Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810 203 797 4508 New Business 1. Coordinator request $25 for washable Sidewalk chalk. (10-ish boxes to give away) Moved by EMoore to approve no more than $25 to purchase washable chalk to be given away at the Sidewalk Chalk festival July 15. Seconded by CHill. Passed by unanimous voice vote. Action on Grant Requests: Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra $4,000 for the Charles Ives Music Festival at the WCYO Orchestra Concert August 10, 2023. This concert is a part of a larger music festival. Moved by GSmith to grant $2,000 to the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra for the proposed concert. Seconded by CHill. DISCUSSION: GSmith The overall project has little to do with Danbury. HCenter How many other groups have primarily Danbury participants? AFaham How much of the audience is made up of Danbury residents? Other discussion included that the program is held in Danbury, includes Danbury citizens, and brings out-of-towners into Danbury. CHIll likes that the program offers a chance for students to work with professionals. CHill would ask to amend the grant amount to $2,500. GSmith withdraws his motion. CHill moves to grant $2,500 to the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra for the proposed concert. Seconded by AFaham. CALLED: Motion to grant $2,500 for Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra passed by voice vote. Danbury Concert Association $7,500 for the 2023/24 season. Moved by CHill to grant $3,500 to Danbury Concert Association 2023/24 four concert season. Seconded by PPerry. DISCUSSION: HCenter this series is a great value. EMoore asked to amend the amount to $4,000. Request to amend is accepted by CHill and PPerry. CALLED: Motion to grant $4,000 to Danbury Concert Association for the 2023/24 season passed by unanimous voice vote. Other Business 1. EMoore: Saint James Church will hold their Carillon concert series each Wednesday at 1:00 PM Starting June 28 and running through July 26. The events are free. Motion to adjourn at 7:39 Made by PPrice. Passed by Unanimous voice vote. Minutes of the Meeting Page 4 of 6 Approved: July 24, 2023 NOTE: Additional and supporting information can be found in the files at the Commission office.  CITY OF DANBURY CULTURAL COMMISSION 256 Main Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810 203 797 4508 NOTE: Corporation Counsel has provided the Clerk's office with the following... Current as of 3/16/20: Effective with Gov. Lamont's Executive Order No. 7B issued on 3/14/20, the requirement of public attendance at all meetings of public agencies is suspended. Meetings are to be held remotely by conference call, videoconference, or other technology, provided that (in summary): 1) the public has the ability to view or listen to each meeting or proceeding in real time by phone, video or other technology. Therefore the Commission office had set up a video conference call which started at 6:15 on Monday evening. Commissioners and the public connected to Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 884 9691 1512 Passcode: 816120 One tap mobile: Dial by your location +19294362866,,88496911512 # US (New York) +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) Meeting ID: 884 96911 512 Passcode: 816120 Meeting ID: 884 9691 1512 Passcode: 816120 If the Zoom video connection is lost, call the backup phone conference at 1 605-475-4120 Access Code: 816120 The meeting started at 6:30 and was not recorded by the Commission. Available Grants: Walmart Community Grant Program February 1 – December 31, 2023 State of CT Summer at the Museum Grants To facilitate free admission for all CT children aged 18 and under and one adult caregiver between July 1, 2023 and September 4, 2023. Minutes of the Meeting Page 5 of 6 Approved: July 24, 2023 NOTE: Additional and supporting information can be found in the files at the Commission office.  CITY OF DANBURY CULTURAL COMMISSION 256 Main Street Danbury, Connecticut 06810 203 797 4508 Upcoming events Addendum Downtown Chowdown - CityCenter Music at the Ridge Thursday, June 1⋅11:30am – 3:00pm Sunday, July 2⋅4:00 – 6:00pm Weekly on Thursday, until June 30, 2023 Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury 24 Clapboard Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT Concert on the Green - CityCenter Danbury Saturday, July 7⋅7:00 – 10:00pm * Danbury International Festival - CityCenter Danbury Bi-Weekly on Saturday, until July 8, 2023 July 29 – 30 Ives Street Danbury, CT Carillon concert series Wednesday June 28 - July 26 1:00 PM Trailer Box Gallery Saint James Church West St. Danbury Juan Bordes ​Sculpture 12 Francis J Clarke Circle- Bethel Ct. Dancing Under the Stars - CityCenter Danbury Thursday, June 29⋅6:30 – 8:30pm, until Sep 30 Still River Editions Rooftop of the Patriot Garage (21 Delay St) The Ladies: Leslie Singer APRIL 8 - JUNE 30, 2023 Farmer's Market - CityCenter Danbury 128 East Liberty Street, Danbury, Connecticut Saturday, July 1⋅10:00am – 2:00pm until Oct 29 Music in the Museum - Danbury Museum & Historical Society Friday, June 3⋅5:30 – 6:30pm Friday July 28 & Aug. 25 6:00pm – 7:00pm Main Street, Danbury, CT 06810 Western Connecticut State University * Addams Family - Musicals at Richter *Events sponsored by the Commission July 7 – 11, 2023 Weekends until July 22 100 Aunt Hack Road Danbury, CT *Sidewalk Chalk Art - Cultural Commission Wednesday, June15 Ives Street Danbury, CT Minutes of the Meeting Page 6 of 6 Approved: July 24, 2023 NOTE: Additional and supporting information can be found in the files at the Commission office.