Arts Commission

Middletown Commission on the Arts Minutes of Meeting – Jan. 24, 2018 Middletown City Hall, Room 208 Present Also Present Absent Crystal Laffan Stephan Allison, Arts Coordinator Joe McCarthy Lee Godburn (chair) Franca Biales Marc Pettersen (vice chair), Susan Allison, poet laureate Cassandra Day (secretary) Carina Rosenbach Robert Santangelo, councilman Charlotte McCoid Joyce Kirkpatrick Barbara Arafeh Julia Faraci Sebastian Giuliano, councilman (arrived at 8:10) Call to Order Godburn called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. at City Hall Room 208. Public Session – No members of the public present Minutes Dec. 20, 2017: Motion by Kirkpatrick to approve minutes as written, seconded by Laffan; approved unanimously. Approval of Agenda Motion by Day to approve; seconded by McCoid; carried unanimously. Remarks from the chair Godburn wished the commissioners happy New Year and announced Bread and Water restaurant will be reopening Feb. 2 after being closed since last April’s fire. Old Business a) Budget Report – Allison reported the last grants were paid out to recipients and expenses for the calendar. i) Allison said he’ll be able to hire an individual to help in the Arts Office on a part-time basis. He received $9,358 total in grant money from the state arts office (approx. $100 less than last year) so he plans on hiring her on a temporary basis in March. b) Program Update i) Arts Stakeholders Group – no update. ii) Kids Arts update – Allison talked with the principal at Macdonough School, Marco Gaylord and Kristen Palmer of Oddfellows about moving the summer circus camp back there this year. Many of the children enrolled live in the North End, he said. Macdonough School has been confirmed. iii) Fireworks Festival/Summer Sounds – Santangelo asked if the skating rink at Harbor Park will be a permanent fixture so it would be up during the festival in July. Day said she wrote a story about it and understands the platform can be packed up and stowed away when not in use and public works officials had said popularity of the rink would determine if it will be up beyond the cold weather. Allison said all the Summer Sounds musicians have been notified. iv) Poet Laureate –Stephan Allison said Susan Allison is still at work on two poetry books despite not feeling well. She is still trying to maintain some level of activity. Susan plans another Poets Corner at the Russell Library Feb. 18 or 19. v) Municipal Building – Allison reported the lobby is cluttered again so he will be speaking with Kelly about it. vi) Facebook – No report c) Other – no report. Committee Reports a) Executive Committee – No report. b) Public Art Committee –  i) McCoid said the group tasked with finding a sculptor to make bronze statues of Bernie O’Rourke (football) and Bill Pomfret (baseball) at Palmer Field, which is undergoing a $2.5 million parks renovation, is looking to commission two busts instead of whole figures due to cost. The project is now at the RFP stage and the list of possible sculptors is being whittled down to five suggestions. The group is interested in finding a realistic portrayal of the sports players as they were in older age, said McCoid, who added she expect it will take a year to complete them because of the medium. McCoid said she’ll be conveying to Tina Gomes that the MCA would like to see public works invest more money into full figures in order to depict the men in action. Godburn said bronze figures of the men at their prime would more likely inspire young people, who wouldn’t recognize a mature portrayal. ii) Allison reported he’s looking for someone who can repair the Risley bench and screens in the City Hall lobby. The work of reaffixing a couple pieces and tightening up a portion of the screen will cost $600. He expects it will be done in the spring when the pieces can be brought outside. McCoid has been trying to reach MCAAAA winner Chad Pennington to no avail to secure his artwork for City Hall. Pennington was paid the $150 for the award but never turned over the artwork. Her last resort is to contact MHS principal Colleen Weiner and ask her to call him on behalf of the MCA. Day said she can’t imagine taxpayers would be happy with the situation and she’d like to see the MCA write a strongly worded letter to Chad at home/college to have the money returned if he won’t give the MCA the piece on loan. It was supposed to be given to us in June. Faraci suggested that if a letter is written, it be done by registered mail. iii) Allison said he’ll be finding out if Dmitri D’Alessandro at Middletown Framing will be able to clean the Wasicki painting. iv) Santangelo asked if the MCA has purview over any art in public parks, pointing out the Sgt. Stubby dog statue coming to the Connecticut Trees of Honor at Veterans Park. Allison said a 2002 ordinance mentions only South Green and Veterans Green as being under the MCA’s purview. c) Nominating Committee – No new business. d) Planning and Projects Committee – A vote was taken for Arts Advocacy Award nominees to be honored in the city March 12 or 13. Choices were among three groups (Vintage Players, Celtic Café radio show and Green Street Arts Center staff) and six individuals (David Schulz, Richard Kamins, Heather Scussel, Abby Carter, Betsy Morgan and Wendy Black Nasta). The commission chose Schulz and the Vintage Players. Godburn will notify the winners. e) Music Committee – Arafeh reported the last meeting was postponed to Feb. 5. Agenda items will include finding out if children in the public schools are being taught about local musicians over the city’s history who have made significant contributions to the genre. Also, the committee will be discussing how to honor Middletown musicians who have contributed work recognized on a national level. f) Public Relations Committee – No report. g) Jewett Center Board Residency Program – No report. h) Poet Laureate Committee – No report. i) Other -- none New Business a) Category 1 grants interviews will take place Feb. 7 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. for six applicants. b) Make Music Day: Allison reported there will be a planning meeting coming up for this local observance of a national celebration of music on the Summer Solstice, June 21, rain or shine. Musicians in Middletown can play on the street, on their front porches, downtown or other venues to spread the joy of music, taking part in this event that began in France. An app will allow for syncing performers with venues and track performances that day. Allison said he’s contacted The Buttonwood Tree, Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore, the Middletown Music Academy and others about providing space. Miscellaneous a) Arafeh reported The Greater Middletown Concert Association will host the Latin ensemble Sol Y Canto Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. at MHS. March 10 at 7:30 p.m., the GMCA will bring in The Modernistics to present song and dance from the American Songbook. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn by Day, seconded by Giuliano. Chair Godburn declared the meeting adjourned at 8:47 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cassandra Day, MCA secretary