Public Art Committee
Regular MeetingDurham, NC · August 8, 2023
Minutes
Public Art Committee
Meeting Summary Minutes
August 08, 2023
5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
In person at General Services Department, 2011 Fay Street Durham, NC 27704
For more information on how to join, visit:
https://durhamnc.gov/453/Public-Art-Committee
Committee Members Present
Mya Castillo-Marte, Chair JP Trostle Student Members:
Molly Matlock, Vice-Chair Lana Dennis Bren Vienrich-Felling
Doreen Jakob Michelle Smith
Eliza Redmann Lee Nisbet
Laura Ritchie
Committee Members Absent
David Ojo
Myra Weise
Patricia Harris (excused)
Ann King
City, County, and Guests Present
Rebecca Brown, City of Durham E'vonne Coleman, Durham Cultural Advisory Board
Stephanie Minor, City of Durham Margaret DeMott, Durham Arts Council
Annette Smith, City of Durham Alecxis Harris-Kelly, Artist and Durham resident
Ajani Anderson, City of Durham
I. Call to Order and Guest Introductions
a. The meeting was called to order at 5:50 p.m. by Mya Castillo-Marte.
b. All guests, members, and new members of the Public Art Committee introduced
themselves.
II. Approval of June Meeting Minutes
a. MOTION: To approve the minutes from June 2023 meeting (Ritchie, Trostle 2nd).
b. ACTION: Approved (5-0, with 3 abstentions by Castillo-Marte, Matlock, Ojo, and
Redmann).
III. Adjustments to the Agenda
a. The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Review of the artwork proposal put forth by
Melody Dawkins from ROI/REDEV and artist Taylor White on the W. Morgan St.
Overpass Bridge, 601 W. Morgan Street, Durham, NC 27701, has been delayed. A new
UDO review date is TBD, but it was noted that the artists and developer are within the
six-month period to submit their proposal to the planning department and receive
approval and they’re still within that six-month period.
IV. Announcements
a. Festival Funding: festival and special events RFP was released in July, 2023. Applications
are due this Friday, August 11, 2023.
b. Cultural Roadmap: Annette Smith shares gratitude for PAC members sharing the
Creative Community Partner opportunity with networks; Cultural Roadmap received 37
applications for artists. Selection committee will meet on August 18, 2023 with AMS
consulting to select Creative Community artist(s).
c. The Cultural Roadmap Planning process kicked off in June, 2023 -with 30 internal
stakeholder interviews. More interviews will be conducted with stakeholders (I.e.
artists, healthcare workers, LGBTQ Center in Durham, developers, and local businesses),
along with focus groups and large-scale community engagement. DCAB will present the
final plan to City Council and County Commissioners for approval.
For reference:
a. Cultural Roadmap - Cultural Roadmap | Durham, NC (durhamnc.gov)
b. Creative Community Partner Call for Artists - Call-for-Interest---Creative-
Community-Partners (durhamnc.gov)
V. Old Business
a. Discuss UDOs: What are they? How do they happen?
b. Discussion: how can PAC advocate for more decision-making power about whether
developers’ proposals work in the best interests of Durham.
c. PAC to work on establishing guidelines for developers.
VI. New Business and Presentations
a. There is one full member vacancy left in PAC and student member vacancy.
b. Discussion: PAC has had trouble recruiting members of color.
c. MOTION: To recommend existing applicants (Tom Viemont & Dan Ellison) from
previous PAC application cycle (Castillo, Veinrich-Felling 2nd).
d. ACTION: Denied (5-4, 1 abstention). Application for full members and student members
will be re-opened and further discussion of how to induct new members into PAC will
happen at the PAC September meeting.
e. E’vonne Coleman shares that the focus of DCAB is similar to that of PAC regarding
emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as bolstering operational
procedures to lay the foundation for future work. DCAB’s focus for FY 24 is to prepare
for the new cultural plan. DCAB asks that Public Art Committee members respond to
invites to join focus groups and opinion meetings; and to leave room on monthly
agendas for more discussion as more developments come out of the cultural plan.
f. Orientation Review & Feedback
• Future orientations could clarify rules and regulations around sharing out
opportunities for artist workshops and other extracurricular opportunities with PAC
– currently the Cultural & Public Art Program newsletter.
• Suggestion to add a sensitivity training for PAC member.
VII. Updates
a. City staff share various updates on public art projects, including the completion of
Merrick-Moore park fabrication stage, as well as the completion of the Fire Station 18
photography exhibit. More information on current public art projects can be found on
the City’s website here: Current Public Art Projects | Durham, NC (durhamnc.gov)
VIII. Public Questions
a. No questions were submitted by the public.
IX. Adjournment
a. Final Thoughts and other reminders.
b. The meeting was adjourned by Castillo-Marte at 6:50 p.m.
Durham County Public Art Program:
https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/engineering-and-environmental-
services/durham-county-public-art-program
City of Durham Cultural & Public Art Program:
https://www.durhamnc.gov/450/Cultural-Public-Art-Development
Durham Cultural Advisory Board Agenda Center:
https://www.durhamnc.gov/AgendaCenter/Cultural-Advisory-Board-6
Respectively submitted,
Ajani Anderson
Agenda
Public Art Committee
AGENDA
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
In-person at
2011 Fay Street, Durham, NC 27704
For more information on how to join, visit: https://durhamnc.gov/453/Public-Art-Committee
Committee Members
Mya Castillo-Marte, Chair Molly Matlock, Vice-Chair JP Trostle
Jaime Chaves Lee Nisbet Myra Weise
Lana Dennis David Ojo Student Members
Patricia Harris Eliza Redmann Oliver Hess
Doreen Jakob Laura Ritchie Bren Vienrich-Felling
Ann King Michelle Smith
I. Call to Order and Guest Introductions (5:45 – 5:55 p.m.; 10 minutes)
II. Approval of Minutes (5:55 – 6:00 p.m.; 5 minutes)
a. Action: To approve the June 2023 meeting summary minutes.
III. Adjustments to the Agenda
IV. Announcements (6:00 – 6:10 p.m.; 10 minutes)
a. City of Durham
i. Festival Funding
ii. Cultural Roadmap
b. Durham County
V. Old Business (6:10 – 6:30 p.m.; 20 minutes)
a. (Tentative) Planning UDO Review, W. Morgan St. Overpass Bridge – 601 W. Morgan
Street, Durham, NC 27701
i. Background: The City/County have a Unified Development Ordinance that
includes requirements for public art, if public art is included in the building
process. See below for the UDO section, which outlines that builders can
provide public art in lieu of trees, benches or other public facing amenities. As a
part of the UDO requirement, the Public Art Committee is a part of the review
process and votes to provide a recommendation of approval for the presented
design, if the majority of the PAC members are in favor. If PAC is in favor, then
City/County staff provide a letter to the Planning Department of PAC’s
determination. In the event that PAC is not in favor, the presenter may be asked
to re-present amended public art designs addressing the committee's concerns,
or PAC may issue a letter of decline that will be presented to the Planning
Department. The Planning Department makes final determination for all
approvals for the build owner. This is the second presentation for the following
group.
ii. Presenters: Melody Dawkins from ROI/REDEV and Taylor White, artist
iii. For reference, the UDO section regarding public art requirements:
1. UDO Sec. 16.4.2E.3.b.(3)) b. Alternatives
2. Street tree alternatives specified below shall be used, individually or in
combination, and shall comply with the associated standards.
a. (1) Spacing and location requirements shall be consistent with
those required for street trees.
b. (2) Maintenance of alternatives shall be the responsibility of
the property owner(s) of the development site.
c. (3) Table of Alternatives. Shall provide a minimum of 100
square feet of public art along the street frontage for each
required street tree. Additionally:
i. Public art shall be permanent and include a
maintenance agreement.
ii. All-weather materials shall be used.
iii. Public art shall not include advertisements, but can
include a placard indicating the name of the artwork,
the name of the artist, and information about the
artwork.
iv. Public artwork shall require a recommendation of
approval from the Public Art Committee of the Cultural
Advisory Board.
v. https://durham.municipal.codes/UDO/16.4.2E.3.b
VI. New Business and Presentations (6:30 – 6:40 p.m.; 10 minutes)
a. Membership
i. PAC has one vacancy following the resignation of Christina Perkins, and one
student vacancy. PAC members will review and discuss the two PAC member
applications submitted in Spring 2023 and decide to either recommend the
applicants in ranking order for DCAB’s August/September meeting, or open
applications for 30 days. The PAC student member application will open for 30
days, and staff will get in touch with the City’s Office on Youth to share the
student vacancy opportunity.
b. PAC Orientation Review & Feedback (6:40 – 6:50 p.m.; 10 minutes)
i. PAC members will review prior to the meeting the orientation materials and
share their recommendations and feedback for improving the process of on-
boarding new members.
c. City Public Art Project Updates (6:50 – 7:00 p.m.; 10 minutes)
i. Celebration of Black Artistry in Neighborhoods - Bragtown
ii. Fire and EMS Station 18
iii. Merrick-Moore Park Public Art
iv. South Ellerbe Restoration Project
v. Durham Station Benches
d. Task Force Goal Updates (7:00 – 7:10 p.m.; 10 minutes)
i. Cultural Roadmap
ii. Capacity Building
iii. Implicit/Explicit Bias
VII. Public Questions (7:10 – 7:15 p.m.; 5 minutes)
a. Questions submitted by the public prior to the meeting will be shared.
VIII. Adjournment (7:15 p.m.)
a. Final Thoughts and other reminders by Chair/Vice Chair.
b. September meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, from 5:45
p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
c. October Meeting
i. South Ellerbe Restoration Project Design Review (15 minutes)
IX. Documents
Public Art Committee goals:
1. Support the Durham Cultural Advisory Board’s planning process for the Cultural Roadmap.
2. Review and recommend training opportunities based on the results of the Capacity Building Survey
and input from the Public Art Committee members. Identify capacity building solutions for local
artists. Develop mentor and mentee guidelines/opportunities and other artist resources to address
local artists' needs.
3. The Public Art Committee will develop the skills needed to assess, identify and address where
implicit and explicit bias may impact or affect arts and culture in Durham, in order to develop a set
of best practices for public art with a focus on anti-racism, community accountability and equity,
and to uplift intergenerational, gender diverse, racially diverse, and LGBTQIA+ artists.
For updates on City of Durham’s Public Art Projects, visit:
https://durhamnc.gov/3319/Current-Public-Art-Projects
For updates on Durham County’s Public Art Program, visit:
https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-a-e/engineering-and-environmental-
services/durham-county-public-art-program
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