Lawrenceville Arts Commission

LAWRENCEVILLE ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Third Floor GwMA Conference Room 6:00 PM 70 S. Clayton St, GA 30046 Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:05pm Approval of Agenda Motion to approve the agenda was made by Commission Member Sanders, Seconded by Commission Member Stone-Collins. Voting Yea: Commission Member Spinks, Commission Member Hammonds, Commission Member Stone-Collins, Commission Member Sanders, Commission Member Walden Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes 1. Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes Motion to approve prior meeting minutes was made by Commission Member Walden, Seconded by Commission Member Sanders. Voting Yea: Commission Member Hammond, Commission Member Stone-Collins, Commission Member Stone-Collins, Commission Member Sanders, Commission Member Spinks General Discussion 2. Budget Update No budget update provided. 3. Subcommittee Updates Outreach Committee has confirmed the order of 900 stickers along with sweatshirts and T- shirts. Casey noted that she will attempt to clean the canopy and is looking into ordering a new one for the spring in a different color. She is also exploring potential involvement in the Christkindl Market. Casey Spinks will contact Jasmine Jackson to determine whether they  will have their own tent or use an existing structure built for the Christkindl Market event. An email will be sent to notify the Arts Commission when a booth becomes available so they can plan accordingly. Casey reported that Harvest Fest (November 1, 2025) was great! The volunteers were amazing and plan to continue participating in as many events as possible while spreading the word to their classmates. Casey will research new swag options for next year but will wait until the event schedule is posted for the year 2026. Casey is seeking independent artists to participate in Christkindl and is considering hosting a raffle for their artwork. She already has a list of potential participants and is waiting for them to submit their designs and applications. A meeting with Wesley Brooks will be scheduled to review everything and ensure smooth coordination. Casey is also looking into purchasing an “Art-Vend” machine (a vending machine for small art items such as stickers and keychains) to make events more interactive for guest. The lowest quote received so far is $500, and they are considering custom tokens for the machine as well. 4. Lawrenceville Blooms Mural update: Discussion was had about the Lawrenceville Blooms Mural. Artist, Teresa Abboud would like to revise her contract to state that she will not be responsible for future damage once the mural is repaired without extension to five-year agreement. Commission member, Alice Stone-Collins expressed concern with this request, noting that Teresa should be knowledgeable about the appropriate materials and techniques to withstand exterior conditions. There is uncertainty regarding responsibility for the drainage issues behind the wall. It remains unclear whether GDOT or the City is responsible for correcting the drainage. The committee agreed to observe how the wall reacts after Teresa completes the repainting. Jasmine will contact Teresa to gather details about the products she used originally, including paint type and number of layers, to determine whether the issue stems from materials or environmental factors. The committee currently believes the damage was more likely caused by the quality of the paint rather than environmental conditions. The artist’s new charges include costs for sealant, anti-graffiti paint, and hiring a contractor to repaint the base layer ($5,000), as well as anti-graffiti coating ($1,000), with contractor work anticipated in April or May. Aura will send an email with the artist’s original budget, contract, and related documentation so the committee can review and evaluate the updated pricing.  This will also allow for comparison with the materials used by other artists, such as Angela Bortone and Leah Abucayan from previous projects for the city. Other Projects 5. Project Updates A retreat for the Master Plan and Arts Commission needs to be scheduled, with potential dates being considered around the regular meetings in February or March. Possible locations include the LAC or the new library. The February 10, 2026, meeting date will be confirmed, and the final retreat location will be determined before the end of December. Aura Leigh motioned for the Arts Commission to approve a 4:00–7:00 PM time slot for the retreat; Amber Walden seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. The final Creativity Fund Grant report is due December 1. Aura Leigh is finishing it and is on track to submit it on time. The grant also requires video submission, and Aura Leigh is currently in discussions with multiple people to coordinate this. Other Business 6. Project Task Force The group discussed each member taking on responsibility for heading up one project each. Some of the projects discussed were temporary and permanent sculptures, wrapping or painting of utility boxes, repurposing of decommissioned fire hydrants, and updating dog park. Additional mural locations were discussed. Jennifer shared that a film class is coming to Lawrenceville and is seeking a space similar to the LAC. She will follow up with Jasmine to discuss details and touch base again. The class is expected to have 15–30 participants. Jennifer will also speak with Lisa Anders at Explore Gwinnett. This will be a new sponsorship opportunity, so pricing and guidelines will need to be reviewed. The group is considering whether the class would be treated as a vendor or if tickets will be sold. For now, they are specifically looking for a donated space. The plan includes an assistant director team workshop and the potential to create a film festival. Citizen Comments Citizen comments will be limited to two (2) minutes per person. Arts Commission members will not respond to comments. There were no citizen comments Final Adjournment Motion to adjourn was made by Commission Member Stone-Collins, Seconded by Commission Member Hammonds. Voting Yea: Commission Member Stone-Collins, Commission Member Hammond, Commission Member Sanders, Commission Member Spinks The meeting adjourned at 7:20pm Minutes Signature ___________________ Aura-Leigh Sanders, Chairman ___________________ Jasmine Billings, Secretary