Arts and Humanities Council of Falls Church

Page 1 MINUTES OF the Arts and Humanities Council (A&HC) of Falls Church Approved 7-18-24 PURPOSE OF MEETING: To discuss arts and humanities matters across the City of Falls Church. DATE OF MEETING: June 20, 2024 (Next Meeting: July 18, 2024 at 9:30 am) PLACE OF MEETING: Dogwood Room, City Hall 1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: Laura Connors Hull at 9:35 am 2. THOSE PRESENT: NAME LIAISONS Member: Laura Connors Hull, Creative Cauldron Justine Underhill, City Council Member: Elise Bengtson, Chamber of Commerce Ed Henderson, Historical Commission (virtual) Member: Ron Anzalone, Victorian Society Keith Thurston, CATCH Foundation Member: Katharine Stewart, Friends of Cherry Hill Jessie Labukas, MRSPL Member: Lapha Havan, VLAC Member: Nikki Graves Henderson, Tinner Hill Staff Member-at-Large: Ari Autor Holly Irwin Member-at-Large: Mary Sellers Member-at-Large: Russ Mardon Guest ABSENT Cindy Mester Member: Maureen Budetti, Falls Church Arts Member: Ellen Gross, VPIS Regan Davis, Liaison from FCCPS TOPICS OF DISCUSSION: . 3. Organization Round Table Members or liaisons representing Friends of Cherry Hill, VLAC, Chamber of Commerce, VPIS, Victorian Society, World Art Day, CATCH Foundation, Creative Cauldron, and the Historical Commission gave updates. 4. Minutes for Approval For the May 16, 2024 meeting minutes, there were no corrections needed, Ron moved to accept the minutes; Elise seconded. Unanimously approved. 5. Ongoing Business A. City Boards and Commissions Process and Procedures (Holly) This item was moved to later in the meeting. B. EDO Tourism Website (Holly) The Council discussed the new Falls Church tourism website, VisitFallsChurch, being developed by the Economic Development Office (EDO). Cindy told us that Mary Catherine Chase has started as the new Communications Director. We discussed how the City website relates to the new tourism site and to websites maintained by member organizations; and issues related to marketing, who the audiences are, integration with businesses and non-profits, and keeping data current. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703 248-5014, (TTY 711). Page 2 Becky Witsman is the staffer in the EDO whom we send ideas to. There are time constraints because this project is funded by grant monies. Becky may be able to attend our next meeting. Laura pointed out that we have been disappointed in our lack of involvement in developing the site. We decided to delay work on the “CATCH” website because we learned that this was coming. The A&HC organizations generate the content and events that draw people to the City and we feel passionately that our programming is integral to attracting tourists and tourism dollars. The Council discussed ideas for describing our organizations on the site, attending the EDA meetings, and having a visitor’s center, either brick and mortar, or virtual. Katharine offered to take suggestions from each member and send one email to Becky in the next week. C. City-Initiated Public Art Projects Update 1. Art Wraps – Production is almost complete. Keep a lookout for the ribbon cutting. Art in City Council Chambers - Our subcommittee met Tuesday, and reviewed the 6 proposals. Cindy wants to unveil concepts for the art work in mid-September. 2. Cindy reported on other City-initiated public art projects, including The new LOVE sculpture will be at the corner of Park Avenue and Little Falls Street. It will be a large metal version of the state of Virginia logo. Each letter will be wrapped like the electrical boxes. City employees are invited to submit proposals with the goal of getting a design concept by mid-September 15. They are planning for a Welcome to Falls Church sign on the west wing of City Hall. 3. City Council Strategic Plan – Cindy reported on the City Council’s five overall goals and how the work that A&HC does (such as reviewing public art proposals, ongoing programming, and the art wraps) supports the Council’s strategic objectives. City Boards and Commissions Process and Procedures – Holly proposes that the Council consider a public art committee. She discussed the challenges of meeting deadlines when proposals are brought to the full body but the full Council meets once a month. Holly is trying to make the process more timely, effective, constructive and more responsive to City officials and developers. Laura pointed out that we were very thorough in our review of art proposals for Founders Row II and sent comments as to why we recommended several proposals. We felt that one proposal in particular would not work for the space, as it was explained to us, but that was the one that got approved. We hope that a subcommittee would help avoid that kind of situation in the future. Cindy said that we need to have a better process before the next private development comes along. One change that’s been made recently is for Holly to be on the Development Review Committee so she is notified ahead of new private developments that will need the A&HC review. Ari and Mary volunteered to be on the subcommittee. Katharine moved that we establish, on a trial basis, a Public Art Committee for the purpose of reviewing developer- and City-initiated proposals for public art and that the Committee may act on behalf of the full A&HC. The Public Art Committee’s first project will be to review proposals for the Council Chambers art. Ron seconded. Unanimous approval. We also discussed that we would revisit this in a few months, and that the chair or vice chair could serve on the committee ex officio if we were concerned about bypassing the full Council’s authority. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703 248-5014, (TTY 711). Page 3 6. New Business Justine mentioned her recent email calling for people to come up with ideas for painting storm drains. Holly said that the A&HC grants will close next Friday, June 28 and asked that we please inform our organizations or others that may be interested. 7. Adjourn Elise moved to adjourn, and Ron seconded. Unanimously approved. MEETING ADJOURNED AT: 11:25 am SIGNATURE OF RECORDER: Katharine Stewart The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703 248-5014, (TTY 711).