Arts Commission

Meeting Minutes Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 7:00 pm Room 208, Municipal Building Middletown, CT Present: Also present Absent: Cassandra Day, Chair Kisha Michael, Pamela Steele, Secretary Charlotte McCoid, Vice Chair Arts Coordinator Ed Ford, Council Member Barbara Arafeh Ed McKeon, Council Member John Basinger Members of the Public: Cheryl Hale, Poet Laureate David Bauer Stephan Allison Franca Biales Julia Faraci Lee Godburn Joyce Kirkpatrick Crystal Laffan Meeting was called to order at 7:05pm Approval of Agenda: Bauer made a motion to move items 8a and 8b to the beginning of the agenda. Seconded by Laffan, approved unanimously. Agenda approved as revised. Public Session: Susan D.E. Allison fund, presented by Stephan Allison Stephan Allison announced that a memorial fund in the name of the late Poet Laureate Susan Allison has been started with an endowment through the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, with proceeds intended to be used to fund the current Poet Laureate. The award will be announced either in April, National Poetry Month, or June 12, Susan Allison’s birthday. Allison will follow up with the Poet Laureate Subcommittee after approval by Common Council and the Mayor. Bauer moved that the Arts Commission charge the Poet Laureate Subcommittee with finding the proper process to award the proposed gift from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County for the Poet Laureate. Faraci seconded, approved unanimously. GOS/PSG Grant Award Recommendations Godburn moved that the Commission accept panel recommendation to award grant funding as follows, Bauer seconded, approved unanimously: $12,000 Oddfellows Playhouse $15,000 The Buttonwood Tree $11,000 Greater Middletown Chorale $10,000 Greater Middletown Concert Association $ 5,465 Center for Creative Youth  Meeting Minutes Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 7:00 pm Room 208, Municipal Building Middletown, CT Approval of Minutes Kirkpatrick moved to approve the minutes of January 27, 2020 meeting; seconded by Biales, approved unanimously. Remarks from the Chair – no remarks Old Business a. Budget report – Discussion of recent small expenditures; balance of $24539.83 remains in MCA checking account. Budget meeting with Mayor and Finance Manager is tomorrow (February 27). b. Program updates i. Arts calendar – March/April is in production. ii. Grants – covered above iii. KidsArts – signups continuing Committee Reports a. Executive – no report b. Public Art – McCoid reported that Poet Laureate Hale approached the events supervisor at Wadsworth Mansion, who greeted a proposal to host a poetry reading at the Mansion enthusiastically. c. Nominating – no report d. Planning and Projects – Godburn reported that the Arts Advocacy Award event will be on March 31 at 5:30pm; location to be announced. Awardees are Noah Baerman and Richard Kamins. The Arts Coordinator asked that a representative of the Commission speak at the ceremony. Godburn moved to allow Planning and Projects to spend no more than $500 from the MCA checking account toward the event. Laffen seconded, passed unanimously. e. Music – Arafeh reported on several Middletown events, including Beethoven Bash and an original student opera, both at Wesleyan, and a performance of the new Middletown Music Ambassadors, House of Moses, at the Buttonwood Tree. f. Poet Laureate – no report New Business Make Music Day will be celebrated on Sunday, June 21 (the day before Pride Parade). Announcements – This Sunday, March 1st, Greater Middletown Chorale’s Alchemy will be performing at Bethany Lutheran Church at 4pm. Invitations to the annual Middletown Public School art show have gone out. There will be a public hearing about the City Budget on April 23 at 6pm. Michael said that she had connected with Jennifer Calienes, the new interim director of Wesleyan’s Center for the Arts. Faraci mentioned that she had written a paper about the use of the Garibaldi Building for a class at the University of Hartford, and asked whether it was appropriate to offer a copy to Dennis Carroll as a  Meeting Minutes Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 7:00 pm Room 208, Municipal Building Middletown, CT resource for his proposed development of the building as Museum of Culture and Arts. The Commissioners agreed that the paper could be a useful resource for Carroll. Adjournment: Faraci moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Laffan. Meeting adjourned at 8:21pm. Respectfully submitted, Julia Faraci Commissioner, Middletown Commission on the Arts