Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

May 14, 2013 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPROVED DATE: May 14, 2013 TIME: 4:30 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Chew, Barbara Hedlund, John Morrison, Pat Sammann, Mary-Ann Winkelmes MEMBERS ABSENT: Ilona Matkovski MEMBERS EXCUSED: Ginny Waaler STAFF PRESENT: Tom Carrino, Economic Development Division Manager; Christina McClelland, Public Arts Coordinator; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Tim Bartlett, Sarah Dolinar, Jeffrey Farlow-Cornell, Brett Hayes, Robin Kearton, Robert Lewis, Suzanne Linder, Lucas McKeever, Ian Middleton, Andy Miller, Nick Peterson, Scott Rhodes, Chris Ritzo, Maggie Thomas, Kelly White 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:28 p.m. by Ms. Sammann. Christina McClelland took roll and a quorum was declared present. 2. CHANGES TO AGENDA There were none. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the April 2, 2013 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. With no changes proposed, Ms. Hedlund made a motion to approve the minutes. Mr. Chew seconded the motion. All Commission members present were in favor of approval and the minutes were unanimously approved as presented. 4. PUBLIC INPUT There was none. 1  May 14, 2013 5. COMMUNICATIONS • Presentation by 2012 Urbana Arts Grant Recepient: UC Makerspace Ms. Sammann introduced Sarah Dolinar and Suzanne Linder, Co-organizers of the UC Makerspace Mini Maker Faire. They gave a slide-show presentation on their project which consisted a one day family-friendly event called the Mini Maker Faire. Mini-maker faires encourage a do-it-yourself spirit in the community and include the making of things such as technology, knitting, fabric, paper, instruments, and more. Ms. Dolinar stated that they had been able to put on two mini-maker faires so far. Ms. Linder stated that 150 community members attended the first faire, and 431 community members attended the second faire. This event also brought in people from around the regional area. She stated that the next maker faire was scheduled for September 21st. They 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 Recepient: Costas Ms. Sammann introduced Ian Middleton and Andy Miller, members of the band Costas. They gave a presentation on their project in which they formed a group to play and teach music from the coasts of Columbia and Ecuador. The group consisted of 7-10 members. They were able to put on three free concerts and went into two schools to demonstrate and teach about the music in its cultural context. Mr. Middleton stated that they were able to increase awareness of cultural diversity in the Americas through these performances. They 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 Recepient: CUSO Ms. Sammann introduced Jeffrey Farlow-Cornell, Executive Director of CUSO. She gave a slide-show presentation on their project which consisted of a series of in-school concerts. The musicians of the CUSO split into four groups to perform the concerts. Ms. Farlow-Cornell discussed some of the timing issues encountered with getting into the schools to do the concerts. She thanked the Commission for the grant received. 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 Recepient: CU Film Society Ms. Sammann introduced Brett Hayes of the CU Film Society. He gave a report on his project in which he and a partner got together 8 other film-related people and created an interim board to promote film literacy in Urbana-Champaign through different programs. They brought in a filmmaker named Cory McAbee in January 2012 to put on four events which were a screening of his film American Astronaut at Krannert Spurlock Museum in which 50 people attended, a 2  May 14, 2013 Meet-and-Greet at Crane Alley with over 50 people, a screening of his new movie “Crazy & Thief” at the Art Theatre in Champaign for 200 people, and discussions and workshops at King School for over 60 students. All four of the events were free. The CU Film Society also hosted a free production sound workshop with Chicago Sound professional Mario Coletta at Shatterglass Studios. He 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: The UP Center of Champaign County Ms. Sammann introduced Maggie Thomas, Vice President of the Board of Directors at The UP Center of Champaign County, and Nick Peterson, Administrator for The UP Center. They gave a presentation about the third annual C-U Pride Festival. The Festival featured two headlining acts and 52 other artists with performances in music, dance, etc. There were also more entertainment options offered for youth and families. 2,900 people came to Lincoln Square for the Festival. Ms. Thomas stated that Pride Festival for 2013 would take place on September 14, 2013. 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: Midwest Zine Fest Ms. Sammann introduced Chris Ritzo, a volunteer at the Independent Media Center. He gave a presentation about the Midwest Zine Fest, a one day event that brought together artists, self- publishers, speakers and the general public to celebrate zines and zine culture. Mr. Ritzo stated that over 20 self-publishing zine-makers and approximately 200 members of the community attended the event. He 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: Community Center for the Arts Ms. Sammann introduced Robin Kearton, director of the Community Center for the Arts (C4A.) She gave a slide-show presentation on their project in which they presented music and multi- discipline summer programs for children including dance, theatre arts and multimedia. Each week’s program ended with a free concert. The grand finale was a larger showcase of live musical & dance performances, and multidisciplinary interactive workshops. There were at least 400 members of the community in attendance. Ms. Kearton 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: 3  May 14, 2013 • With regard to the Martin Luther King Jr. Park Project Subcommittee, Ms. McClelland reported that a contract with Preston Jackson, a budget amendment for additional funding for the project, and a mutual release with Douglas Kornfeld were approved by City Council on April 15, 2013. She stated that more information on Preston Jackson’s visit to Urbana and preliminary concept for the project would be provided during the old business portion of the meeting. • With regard to the Urbana Arts Grant Program, Ms. McClelland reported that written final reports for 2012 Urbana Arts Grant projects were due by May 30, 2013. She stated that 2013 Urbana Arts Grant projects were in progress. • With regard to the Boneyard Creek Public Art, Ms. McClelland reported that Jack Mackie was working with the design team and contractors as the construction phase of the project progressed. • With regard to Fundraising, Ms. McClelland reported that the Keep It or Change It fundraising campaign launch had been moved to mid-September. • With regard to Annual Planning, Ms. McClelland reported that the FY 13-14 Program Plan was approved by City Council on April 29, 2013. • With regard to Art Now!, Ms. McClelland reported that the May episode featured an interview with painter Judy Jones. She stated that episodes could be seen at: http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artnow. • With regard to the Artist of the Corridor, Ms. McClelland reported that paintings by visiting Chinese artist, Liu Jungang were displayed from April 15-25, 2013. A public reception was attended by 55 people on April 20, 2013. A dinner followed at Silvercreek. She stated that the current Artist of the Corridor show featured photos of Urbana’s Market at the Square and would be on display through July 2013. • With regard to Art at the Market, Ms. McClelland reported that the schedule of five Art at the Market workshops and performance events is available at: http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artworkshops • With regard 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 600 fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 617 followers. Ms. McClelland reported that a monthly e-mail newsletter had been sent to 533 subscribers on April 8, 17, and 29, 2013. • With regard to Grants, Ms. McClelland reported that staff had not yet been notified of the status of the application for FY13-14 general operating support in the local arts agency category from the Illinois Arts Council. She stated that the grant application from the Efroymson Family Fund Cultural Tourism Development for additional resources for the Performance at the Market series was not selected for funding. • With regard to Public Arts Intern, Ms. McClelland reported that Julianne Heuel, the spring Public Arts Intern, had her last day on May 7th. She stated that Ms. Heuel would be working with the Elmhurst Arts Museum’s summer art camp as a camp counselor. She also stated that Yoojin Hong would assist the Urbana Public Arts Program in July and August as the summer Public Arts Intern. • For upcoming events, Ms. McClelland stated that the date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting was set for Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 4  May 14, 2013 6. OLD BUSINESS • King Park Public Art Project Design Concept Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. McClelland gave an update on the progress of the King Park Public Art Project. She stated that the agreement between the City and Artist Preston Jackson was approved by the Urbana City Council on April 15, 2013. The additional $30,000 for the project was also approved. Ms. McClelland reported that on April 25, 2013, Preston Jackson & his assistant visited Urbana and the King Park site. A neighborhood meeting was also held where Mr. Jackson showed images of his work and sketches of his proposed concept to those in attendance. Ms. McClelland stated that should the Commission approve Mr. Jackson’s concept, the next step would be for him to create a final design and that would be reviewed and approved by City staff. Tim Bartlett of the Urbana Park District spoke briefly about this project and expressed the Park District’s support of Mr. Jackson’s concept. Comments and questions from the Commission were addressed. Robert Lewis of the King Park Public Art Project selection committee, as well as former City Council member and former Public Arts Commission member, addressed the Commission and shared some of his thoughts and insight in support of Mr. Jackson’s concept. Kelly White, Executive Director of 40 North | 88 West: The Champaign County Arts Council, also addressed the Commission to express her support of the sculpture concept. Ms. Winkelmes made a motion to approve the King Park Public Art Project Design Concept. Mr. Morrison 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. 7. NEW BUSINESS There was none. 8. ANNOUNCEMENTS There were none. 9. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Winkelmes made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Chew seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m. Submitted, Christina McClelland, Public Arts Coordinator 5