Arts Commission

Minutes of the Meeting Middletown Commission on the Arts PLANNING AND PROJECTS SUBCOMMITTEE Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:30 pm Virtual Meeting by WebEx PLANNING AND PROJECTS SUBCOMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting In attendance: Anthony Pandolfe (Chair), David Wolfram, Sari Rosenblatt, Domenique Thornton Also in attendance: Staff: Kisha Michael, Arts Coordinator 1. Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 4:33 pm. 2. Public Session: No members of the public present. 3. Approval of Agenda: Thornton moved to approve, Rosenblatt seconded. No discussion, approved unanimously. 4. Approval of Minutes January 9, 2024 Rosenblatt moved to approve, Wolfram seconded. No discussion, approved by Pandolfe, Rosenblatt, Wolfram; Thornton abstaining. 5. Remarks from Chair – None. 6. Old Business a. Music Ambassador See 6.b.: Music Ambassador and Arts Advocacy were addressed jointly. b. Arts Advocacy The Arts Coordinator said that everything is in place for the Music Ambassador and Arts Advocate Awards. The documents have been on review for some time, and Michael suggested that the Committee move forward with codification. Award events have been implemented. Music Ambassador takes place at the beginning of the year and Arts Advocacy takes place in October. Pandolfe plans to reformat the notes he has on both documents before presenting to Planning and Projects again. c. Poet Laureate Chair Pandolfe and the Arts Coordinator met with Stephan Allison in April. The Arts Coordinator read a March 6, 2020 letter to the MCA from Allison, of the Susan D.E. Allison Fund, announcing the establishment of the Susan D. E. Allison Poet Laureate Honorarium, created in honor of Susan Allison, the City’s inaugural Poet Laureate, the purpose of which is to “aid the Poet Laureate in fulfilling her/his duties as Poet Laureate during the funded year“. The Arts Coordinator stated that the Poet Laureate post will remain as it was originally created. The Poet Laureate documents regarding qualifications and application process were set in place by previous Commissions, and are posted on the City’s website. A rubric and confidentiality statement for judges is in place as well. The current Commission needs only to give the green light to start accepting nominations.  Minutes of the Meeting Middletown Commission on the Arts PLANNING AND PROJECTS SUBCOMMITTEE Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:30 pm Virtual Meeting by WebEx Discussion of the timeline for selection process followed. Michael suggested opening the applications process for a period of two months starting May 15. Nomination forms will go out with the Call to Poets, publicized with a press release or Facebook post. Vetting and judging will follow in August and September. The announcement of the new Poet Laureate would take place with a ceremony on October 30, Susan Allison Day. Pandolfe will report to the Commission at the meeting this evening. d. Open Air Market The Arts Coordinator has a check for $85.00 ready for MCA approval to pay for the Commission’s booth at the Market. Booth details to be discussed at a future meeting. 7. New Business a. Middletown PRIDE The Arts Coordinator noted that repeating the $2,000.00 PRIDE sponsorship this year would deplete the MCA checking account. She suggested that the MCA pay for a $500.00 sponsorship, entitling the Commission to a booth and participation in the parade. She further proposed that the Arts Office supplement the MCA sponsorship by paying the DJ, bringing the contribution to PRIDE to $2500.00. The Subcommittee will vote for the MCA expenditure of $500.00 for the sponsorship at the MCA Regular Meeting tonight. In 2023, the Arts Office paid for the Funky Dawgz band. The MCA’s checking account paid for the stylist and other activities at the MCA PRIDE booth. The Arts Coordinator stated that MCA should consider how best to promote arts and culture at their booths with activities and giveaways in an enjoyable, low-labor day. Discussion included hiring a face painter or makeup artist and setting up a backdrop where participants could take selfies. Rosenblatt offered to run the haiku station again; the haikus gathered in 2023 could made into lawn signs. Wolfram offered to design a backdrop suitable for repeated use; it will be ready for the next Planning & Projects meeting. At tonight’s Regular Meeting Pandolfe will present these plans and solicit input. Subcommittee will continue work on the PRIDE booth at the next Planning & Projects Meeting on May 15th, bringing it for necessary notes at the May 22nd Regular Meeting. 8. Adjournment Rosenblatt moved to adjourn the meeting; Thornton seconded. Meeting adjourned at 5:18 pm. Next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 4:30pm, and will be hybrid. Respectfully submitted, Julia O’Halloran Faraci Admin. Secretary III, Arts & Culture Office CC: Mayor’s Office  Minutes of the Meeting Middletown Commission on the Arts PLANNING AND PROJECTS SUBCOMMITTEE Wednesday, April 24, 2024 4:30 pm Virtual Meeting by WebEx Attachments: Letter to MCA from Stephan Allison, Susan D.E. Allison Fund, dated March 6, 2020, concerning establishment of the Susan D. E. Allison Poet Laureate Honorarium Arts Advocacy Award Criteria (PDF) Music Ambassador Criteria (PDF)