Arts Commission

Middletown Commission on the Arts Minutes of Meeting – November 28, 2018 Conference Room, Senior/Community Center, 61 Durant St. PRESENT ALSO PRESENT ABSENT Barbara Arafeh Kisha Michael Bob Santangelo David Bauer (arrived 7:06pm) Franca Biales (arrived 7:06pm) Cassandra Day Julia Faraci Lee Godburn Joyce Kirkpatrick (left 7:30pm) Crystal Laffan Charlotte McCoid Councilman Sebastian Giuliano 1. Call to order Day called the meeting to order at 7pm at the conference room at 61 Durant Terrace. 2. Public Session No members of the public present. 3. Minutes Minutes approved by Godburn, Kirkpatrick seconded. It passed unanimously. 4. Agenda Agenda approved by Godburn, Kirkpatrick seconded. 5. Remarks from the Chair Day welcomed everyone to the meeting. No further remarks from the Chair. 6. Old Business a) Budget Report: No updated to report. b) Program Update: Kisha Michael reported she’s in the midst of working on housekeeping for the Artist Stakeholders Group, and organizing information. Ongoing discussion on potential locations for Stakeholder meeting. Kisha Michael met with Sara Mendillo of the Mayor’s office and Eric Dillner of the Shoreline Arts Alliance to discuss the benefits of the Shoreline Arts Alliance’s website for growing Middletown’s involvement in the regional arts community through their digital calendar feature. Kisha Michael also reported a good turnout for the Holiday on Main Street celebration, which seemed well-received by the public. Grants resolution passed out, and is listed as 9A on agenda for Common Council. 7. Committee Reports a) Executive Committee: No report. b) Public Art Committee: Kisha Michael contacted requestor regarding the proposed Fran Patnaude sculpture, and advised him to attend the Building Committee meeting on Nov. 27th where he could discuss the proposal with them, as it would need to go through them. McCoid reported that they have honed artists down for the Palmer Field sculpture, and are in process of reviewing potential artists.  Middletown Commission on the Arts Minutes of Meeting – November 28, 2018 Conference Room, Senior/Community Center, 61 Durant St. c) Nominating Committee: No report, but Kisha Michael & Cassandra Day requested names of candidates for potential commissioners to fill the two current vacancies on the MCA. d) Planning and Projects: Godburn requested everyone to bring names & info for nominees for the 2019 Arts Advocacy Award for the December meeting. e) Music Committee: Arafeh reports next meeting will be March 10th. Arafeh also reports Carmen was a successful performance. She also mentioned the sultan of Yogyakarta attended the music & dance performance on Nov. 9th at Wesleyan’s Cromwell Concert Hall. f) Public Relations Committee: No report. g) Poet Laureate Committee: Laffan reported that Cheryl Hale has been selected for the new Port Laureate, contingent on Mayor Drew’s approval, with an official reception in her honor tentatively scheduled for late January. 8. New Business a) Window Wanderland event assigned to the Public Relations subcommittee for them to investigate. b) 2019 MCA Meeting schedule was adjusted so Nov. 2019 meeting to fall on Nov. 20th. Bauer made motion to approve revised schedule, seconded by Godburn. Passed unanimously. c) Michael reported that her predecessor, Stephen Allison, told Neelly Bruce he would be the 2019 Music Ambassador, but this was not officially approved or announced yet. 9. Miscellaneous Arafeh has a singalong event at the Senior Center on the 3rd Tuesday of December and invites all to attend. Bauer spoke with Michael Harris of Public Works Department to see if there are any plans to get better lighting for the City Art Collection, but was told there are no plans. 10. Adjournment Laffan made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Godburn and unanimously passed. Meeting adjourned at 8:17pm. Respectfully Submitted, Crystal Laffan