Arts Commission

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Arts Commission Contact: Stephanie Johnson 360.709.2678 Thursday, April 11, 2024 6:00 PM Online or via phone Register to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H0GeF245RUeLHuoI3BBkvA 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Dorgan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 1.A ROLL CALL Present: 8 - Chair Kathryn Dorgan, Vice Chair Jacie Hoag, Commissioner Jim Burlingame, Commissioner Christen Greene, Commissioner Katherine Ransom, Commissioner Andrew Repcik, Commissioner Tracy Schreiber and Commissioner Jay Spivak Absent: 1 - Commissioner Coral Garey 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 24-0289 Approval of March 14, 2024 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT - None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS - None 6. BUSINESS ITEMS 24-0290 Update on Olympia Indie Music History Project Kelsey Smith provided an overview of the Olympia Indie Music History Project, a project funded by the Olympia Heritage Commission. In 2022-2023, Kelsey and Elaine Vradenburgh of Window Seat Media worked to create an overview of the Olympia music scene from 1980-2002 for the first phase of this project. They developed a team of community oral historians, and trained them to record and transcribe 25 oral history City of Olympia Page 1 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes April 11, 2024 interviews with 30 people integral to Olympia music. They also completed an 80+ page report with a timeline, locations of significance, and over 300 citations, and began collecting images and ephemera. In late 2023, Kelsey, Markly Morrison, and Mariella Luz formed a new nonprofit, the Olympia Music History Project. They received some additional funding from the City of Olympia's Economic Development Department. Together with August Creative, they are developing a website to share the edited interviews, transcripts, images, and information collected during the first phase of their project. The report was received. 24-0291 PUBLIC HEARING - Grass Lake Nature Park Public Art Concept Design Ms. Johnson provided a brief overview to the Grass Lake Nature Park Public Art Project, including the locations identified for art in the park redevelopment plans, and images of project artist Abe Singer's previous work. Mr. Singer shared his concept design for the bird blind and two entryway sculptures for the park, project goals, community engagement and insights. His proposal takes a frog's eye view of the space with two larger than life sculptures of giant mushrooms and decorative cuts on the bird blind in the form of mushrooms, ferns, dragonfly and snail. Commissioners appreciated the proposal, with Commissioner Ransom particularly noting that Mr. Singer took the community input to heart. Vice-Chair Hoag was looking forward to seeing the project come to life and she appreciated Abe's discussion about safety regarding the size of the viewing windows in the bird blind. Ms. Johnson noted the individual sculptures also function as rain shelter as there are no other structures in the park plan. Chair Dorgan opened the public meeting. Of the public in attendance, no one had signed up to speak. When asked if anyone wished to speak, Teresa Martinelli noted it was nice to see the plan to bring life and beauty to the area. Chair Dorgan closed the public meeting. Vice Chair Hoag moved, seconded by Commissioner Burlingame, to accept the concept design as presented and recommend to City Council for consideration. The motion passed unanimously. 7. REPORTS Chair Dorgan spoke about her experience on the review committee for the Cultural Access Impact Grants, Ms. Johnson noted that art installation would take place the following week for Art Crossing #3, with a dedication planned for Wednesday, May 1, at 3:30 p.m. Installation of "Woman with Graves at Her Back" will also take place, with a dedication to be scheduled. She invited Commissioners to stop by and visit the Procession Studio at the Armory, and reminded them that Arts Walk was coming up April 26 and 27. City of Olympia Page 2 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes April 11, 2024 8. OTHER TOPICS - None 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:26 p.m. City of Olympia Page 3