Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

February 12, 2013 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPROVED DATE: February 12, 2013 TIME: 4:30 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois MEMBERS PRESENT: Barbara Hedlund, John Morrison, Pat Sammann, Ginny Waaler, Mary-Ann Winkelmes MEMBERS EXCUSED: Greg Chew MEMBERS ABSENT: Ilona Matkovski STAFF PRESENT: Tom Carrino, Economic Development Division Manager; Christina McClelland, Public Arts Coordinator; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary; Julianne Heuel, Public Arts Intern OTHERS PRESENT: Benjamin Montalbano, Eric Jakobsson, Rachel Lauren Storm 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:32 p.m. by Ms. Sammann. Christina McClelland took roll and a quorum was declared present. 2. CHANGES TO AGENDA Ms. McClelland stated that one additional Arts Grants Report, Urbana Composers Orchestra, would be added during the Communications section of the agenda. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the January 15, 2013 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. Ms. Sammann noted that on page 4 of the minutes, it was stated that she adjourned the meeting, when in fact she was not present at that meeting. She requested that the name be changed to the person who actually adjourned the meeting, which was Ms. Winkelmes. Ms. Waaler moved to approve the minutes as corrected. Ms. Hedlund seconded the motion. All Commission members present were in favor of approval and the minutes were unanimously approved. 1  February 12, 2013 4. PUBLIC INPUT There was none. 5. COMMUNICATIONS • Presentation by 2012 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient Report: Outta the Mouths of Babes Ms. Sammann introduced, Rachel Storm of the Outta the Mouths of Babes Radio Project. She gave a slide-show presentation on her project, titled Outta the Mouths of Babes in which around 20 youth were recruited to participate in a youth radio program that yielded 12 episodes. Youth ages 5-11 years old, from all different parts of Urbana-Champaign, participated in this 12 week project that sought to bring together youth to become youth correspondents in a radio show. She thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard. • Presentation by 2012 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient Report: Urbana Composers Orchestra Ms. Sammann introduced Benjamin Montalbano of the Urbana Composers Orchestra. He gave a presentation on his group comprised of about 60-75 musicians dedicated to the performance of new orchestral music by Urbana-Champaign composers. For their project, they gave a free concert on April 22nd at Foelinger Auditorium at the U of I, a string quartet performance at Lincoln Square Mall on October 12th, a lecture in November about the grant and how the orchestra was put together, and a recording session during the second week of January 2013 in the Great Hall at Krannert Center. He thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard. • Presentation by Staff: Monthly Progress Report Ms. McClelland presented the City staff’s monthly progress report to the Commission, outlining projects in process, recent requests and recommendations from the public, staff activities, and upcoming events. For an update on current projects, she reported the following: • With regards to the Martin Luther King Jr. Park Project Subcommittee, Ms. McClelland reported that updates on this project would be provided during the Old Business portion of the meeting. • With regards to the Urbana Arts Grant Program, Ms. McClelland reported that the 2013 Urbana Arts Grants Applications Cycle received 57 grant applications for funding. She stated that juries would meet on February 16th and 23rd to review the applications. • With regards to the Boneyard Creek Public Art, Ms. McClelland reported that Jack 2  February 12, 2013 Mackie was working with the design team and contractors as the construction phase of the project progressed. • With regards to Fundraising, Ms. McClelland reported that a new fundraising initiative, “Keep It or Change It,” would be introduced during the New Business portion of the meeting. • With regards to Annual Planning, Ms. McClelland reported that staff was coordinating meetings with each subcommittee to begin planning programming and budget for FY 13-14. She stated that a draft program plan based on these meetings would be presented in April. • With regards to Joseph Royer Arts and Architecture District, Ms. McClelland reported that a Royer plaque for the Urbana Landmark Hotel had been received. The Royer subcommittee held an annual planning meeting on February 6th. • With regards to Art Now!, Ms. McClelland reported that the February episode featured a re-broadcast of Pat Sammann’s 2011 interview with painter Suzanne Keith Loechl. She stated that episodes could be seen at: http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artnow. • With regards to the Artist of the Corridor, Ms. McClelland reported that the February- April Artist of the Corridor exhibit featured photographs by Wiley Elementary school fifth grade students. She stated that a public reception would be held on March 1st from 6-7 PM, featuring the students singing and a photo demonstration. • With regards to Marketing, Ms. McClelland reported that City staff had been regularly updating the Public Arts Program’s Facebook page, which as of this meeting had 550 fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 516 followers. Ms. McClelland reported that a monthly e-mail newsletter had been sent to 521 subscribers on January 14th, January 16th, and January 23rd. • For upcoming events, Ms. McClelland stated that the Boneyard Connect meeting was scheduled that day, February 12th from 5:30-7:30 PM at 88 Broadway in Lincoln Square Mall. She also stated that the date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting was set for Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 6. OLD BUSINESS • Update on King Park Public Art Project Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. McClelland reiterated that Douglas Kornfeld had decided to resubmit his original concept. She stated that the Selection Committee met on January 22nd and decided that they were still not happy with the “Dreamers” concept and that they would work within the selection process and return to three finalists from April. One of the three finalists could not complete the project, but the other two were interested. Preston Jackson ranked highly with the committee, and thus the committee recommended him as the artist to work with on the project. Ms. McClelland stated that the City was still in negotiation with Douglas Kornfeld to see if some of the $5000 that he was awarded could be returned to the City. She then handed out an update to the recommendation which stated that Staff recommended that the Commission reject Douglas Kornfeld’s design, “Dreamers”, and approve Preston Jackson as the new selected artist for the project. Ms. Winkelmes made a motion to approve the recommendation. Ms. 3  February 12, 2013 Hedlund seconded the motion. With no further comments or questions from the Commission, Ms. Sammann called for a voice vote. All Commission members were in favor of the approval and the motion carried unanimously. 7. NEW BUSINESS • Discussion of Public Art commemorating Professor Carl Woese Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Eric Jakobsson, Professor Emeritus at University of Illinois and City of Urbana Councilman, addressed the Commission. Mr. Jakobsson gave a brief background on Professor Carl Woese and presented different ideas he had for using public art to commemorate his memory. A brief discussion of the matter by members of the Commission and Staff ensued. • Fundraising Concept: “Keep It or Change It” Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. McClelland presented a new fundraising concept called “Keep It or Change It” that would allow citizens to donate money toward the purchase of the sculptures installed on temporary lease around town, or possible renewal of sculpture leases. Citizens could also donate towards the lease of new sculptures. Ms. Heuel gave the Commission members a demonstration of how the online system enabling donations through Wufoo.com would work. Ms. McClelland stated that the Staff recommendation was for the Commission to approve the launch of the “Keep It or Change It” fundraising campaign, including the use of $5,000 originally budgeted to the Downtown Arts subcommittee for fundraising matching funds and $259 from the 2013 FY13 Illinois Arts Council Grant received by the Urbana Public Arts Program for the Wufoo.com online system. Ms. Waaler moved to approve the recommendation. Ms. Winkelmes seconded the motion. With no further comments or questions from the Commission, Ms. Sammann called for a voice vote. All Commission members were in favor of approval and the motion carried unanimously. 8. ANNOUNCEMENTS There were none. 9. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Hedlund made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Ms. Winkelmes seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:46 p.m. Submitted, Christina McClelland, Public Arts Coordinator 4