Fine Arts Commission

Minutes Skokie Fine Arts Commission February 14, 2024 7 p.m. I. Call to Order at 7:05 p.m. by Chair Garbarini Present: Chairperson Garbarini, Vice Chairperson Rhodes, Staff Liaison Gioia, Trustee Klein, and Commissioners Beatrice, Blum Barish, Chander, Joshi, Levan, Liberman, Osseny, Sload, Vicker, and Waxberg II. Excellence in the Arts Awards Update a. The awards presentation is scheduled for next Tuesday, February 20. All members are encouraged to attend and to wear their name badges, b. Staff Liaison Gioia will pick up the awards and arrange for food for the post- presentation reception. c. Raffi Arzoumanian of a+c architects will not be able to attend so Joanna Zywczyk will be accepting the award. III. Artists’ Happy Hour Networking Event at Sketchbook a. Tuesday, February 27 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. i. There will be a sign in sheet for name, email and “genre” ii. There will also be nametags iii. We will send out a survey to all attendees asking for feedback iv. Staff Liaison Gioia will order food and prepare the table signs (see below) b. What information do we want to learn from artists? i. Instead of us having a list of questions and risking attendees being asked the same five questions over and over again, it was suggested that we have questions on signs at each table to get conversations started. How did you get started in the arts? What difficulties do your run into? Why did you choose Skokie? What does Skokie do right for the arts? What could we improve? c. What are the Fine Arts Commission talking points? i. Founded in 1966. The first municipality in Illinois to have a Fine Arts Commission ii. Mission is to support the arts in Skokie #617497  iii. SOAR, Grants, Awards, Arts & Humanities Month, Storytelling Events iv. Important not to promise anything. All ideas will be brought back to the commission for discussion in April IV. SOAR student art exhibit in March at Oakton College a. Chairperson Garbarini will not be able to attend the set up so someone needs to bring a step stool. b. Other needs: 7 rolling boards need to be delivered to site ahead of time. Display signs for new participating schools need to be ordered. c. Commissioners prepared the supply bags for the teachers V. New Business - None VI. Adjournment at 8:30 p.m. Upcoming meetings and important dates: 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 #617497