Fine Arts Commission

Minutes Skokie Fine Arts Commission January 10, 2024 7 p.m. I. Call to Order at 7 p.m. by Chair Garbarini Present: Chairperson Garbarini, Vice Chairperson Rhodes, Staff Liaison Gioia, and Commissioners Beatrice, Blum Barish, Chander, Hatchett, Joshi, Levan, Liberman, Sloan, Thomas, Vasevski, Vicker, and Waxberg. II. Board Member Update Commissioner VanOsdol has resigned from the Commission. III. Excellence in the Arts Awards Update a. The awards presentation has been moved to the February 20th meeting of the Village Board due to full agendas at previous meetings. b. Staff Liaison Gioia will send notification of awards this week. c. All Commission members are encouraged to attend the meeting and to wear their name tags. A reception will be held after the presentation in the lobby of Village Hall. IV. Artists’ Happy Hour Networking Event at Sketchbook a. Commissioner VanOsdol was handling the arrangements for this. Gioia has reached out to Sketchbook to finalize details b. Plan is for the event to be an open house that will occur in late February (not 28 or 29). Commissioners will be notified as soon as it is set. c. There will be a sign-in list to collect names and emails of attendees. Nametags will be available. d. This event is open to anyone who lives or works in Skokie and considers themselves an artist. We are not “vetting” their credentials. e. Next meeting, we will brainstorm different questions/conversation starters. V. SOAR student art exhibit in March at Oakton College a. Setup will occur on February 29 from 3-5 p.m. #616856  i. Volunteers – Garbarini, Thomas, Lieberman, Chander, Levan and Vasevski ii. Needs – step stool, push pins, Velcro b. Reception will be on March 11 from 4 – 6 p.m. i. Mayor will attend. ii. Garbarini will contact junior high schools to arrange for musicians iii. Gioia will see if Village photographer can attend c. Take down will be during the work day on April 1. Thomas has volunteered to assist. VI. New Business a. Gioia will be meeting with a representative for Art Alliance Illinois about an arts initiative between them and the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development. Will bring back more information. b. Three grant evaluations have been returned thus far. c. Excellence in the Arts Awards group recipient “the gallery at a+c architects” has recently been in the news for their exhibit featuring the work of local artist John Wangendo. d. Commissioner Hatchett has been asked to work on a tented art exhibit at Devonshire in the parking lot. Discussion about the Skokie Art Guild and other local tented art exhibits was held. VII. Adjournment – Meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Upcoming meetings and important dates: February 14 – Commission Meeting at 7 p.m. Preparation of teacher materials for SOAR February 20 – Village Board Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in Counsel Chambers Presentation of Excellence in the Arts Awards & Reception February 29 – SOAR set-up 3 – 5 p.m. at Oakton College March 11 – SOAR Artists’ Reception 4 – 6 p.m. at Oakton College March 13 - Commissioners Dinner 6 p.m. at Holiday Inn Skokie NO MARCH MEETING #616856