Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

June 11, 2013 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPROVED DATE: June 11, 2013 TIME: 4:30 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Chew, Kevin Hamilton, Eric Jakobsson, John Morrison, Pat Sammann, Ginny Waaler, Mary-Ann Winkelmes MEMBERS EXCUSED: Barbara Hedlund MEMBERS ABSENT: Ilona Matkovszki STAFF PRESENT: Christina McClelland, Public Arts Coordinator; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Martha Churukian, Kate Insolia, Sheri Langendorf, Carol McKusick, Elizabeth Nicol, Jonah Weisskopf, Kelly White 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:31 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 May 14, 2013 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. With no changes proposed, Ms. Winkelmes made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Waaler 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. 5. COMMUNICATIONS 1  June 11, 2013 • Presentation by 2012 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Urbana Dance Company Ms. Sammann introduced Kate Insolia, Artistic Director of the Urbana Dance Company. Ms. Insolia gave a slideshow presentation on their first performance, The Urbana Dance Company Presents, which focused on racism. She stated that the audition for the performance was open to anyone who wanted to dance in the community. There were 11 people, ranging from ages 19-mid 60’s, out of 19 who auditioned that agreed to dance for the performance. Ms. Insolia reported that over 200 people attended the final performance which took place in the Urbana Landmark Hotel Ballroom. She thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard. • Presentation by 2013 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Turn it UP! No one was in attendance to give a presentation. • Presentation by 2012 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Read Across America Ms. Sammann introduced Sheri Langendorf, Co-chair of Read Across America Planning Committee. Ms. Langendorf gave a slideshow presentation of the 13th Annual National Education Association Read Across America Day, held at Lincoln Square Mall that featured over 30 hands-on literacy related activities. This yearly event takes place on or near Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Celebrity greeters, rotary members, and professional storytellers participated in the event in which over 1000 children and families attended. 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: 40 North | 88 West Ms. Sammann introduced Kelly White, Executive Director of 40 North | 88 West. Ms. White gave a brief slideshow presentation on the Boneyard Arts Festival, an annual arts event that links businesses with artists for exhibitions and takes place over 4 days. This was the festival’s 10th year and it took place from April 19-22, 2012. 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: USD 116 Ms. Sammann introduced Martha Churukian, Art teacher in Urbana School District #116. Ms. Churukian gave a slideshow presentation on their project, in which 4 third-grade classes were given a tour of the Wandell Sculpture Garden. Students were encouraged to see the sculptures from different viewpoints, identify surface qualities, look for 3-dimensional forms, find negative space, analyze how they were made, get a sense of scale, and interpret sculptures looking for meaning beyond obvious forms. She thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard. 2  June 11, 2013 • Presentation by 2012 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: The World Stage Homeschool Theatre Company Ms. Sammann introduced Elizabeth Nicol, Director of The World Stage Theatre Company, which is for home-schoolers. She gave a slideshow presentation on her project, which was a performance of Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ms. Nicol stated that the purpose of her company is for the cast to learn, appreciate, and understand Shakespeare, to present Shakespeare to the community, and to connect the home school community with the rest of the community. The project consisted of two 30-45 minute performances at the Urbana Free Library, and five at Stratford Park Bible Chapel in Champaign. All of the performances were free. A portion of the play was also shown on CI Living and Live and Local. She 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: • Ms. McClelland welcomed two new Commission members, Eric Jakobsson and Kevin Hamilton. • With regard to the Martin Luther King Jr. Park Project Subcommittee, Ms. McClelland reported that an addendum to the contract with Preston Jackson to commission his design would be presented to the Commission 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 subcommittee met on May 28th to plan for the Keep It or Change It campaign, to be launched in early September. • With regard to the Urbana Arts Grants subcommittee, Ms. McClelland reported that the subcommittee met on May 28th to evaluate the 2013 Urbana Arts Grants cycle and to plan for the 2014 cycle. She stated that the Urbana Arts Grants applications for 2014 are planned to be released in late September and would be due in early December. • With regard to Murals on Glass, Ms. McClelland reported that the application for the 2013-2014 display cycle was released on June 7, 2013. She stated that the display sites for this cycle would be the south tower of the downtown Urbana parking deck, the Urbana Business Association office windows, and the east windows of the Urbana Civic Center. • With regard to Art Now!, Ms. McClelland reported that the June episode featured an 3  June 11, 2013 interview with assemblage artist, Melissa Mitchell. 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 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 May Art at the Market event featured a printmaking workshop with Lisa Kesler, music by Desafinado, and was attended by 142 people. She stated that the June 22nd Art at the Market event would feature a “T-Shirt to Tote Bag” workshop by Makerspace Urbana and music by Los Guapos. The full schedule of this summer’s 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 606 fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 659 followers. Ms. McClelland reported that a monthly e-mail newsletter had been sent to 531 subscribers on May 22 and 25, 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 she had been asked to serve as a reviewer for the FY14 Illinois Arts Council program grants in the Visual Arts Category. • With regard to Public Arts Intern, Ms. McClelland reported 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, July 9, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 6. OLD BUSINESS • King Park Public Art Project Addendum Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. McClelland gave an update on the progress of the King Park Public Art Project. She stated that Preston Jackson had submitted a final design, which was reviewed by a few employees of the Urbana Park District, as well as City Staff. Ms. McClelland reported that the Urbana Park District had committed to assisting with installation and site preparation for the project, which is an in-kind contribution of about $10,000. That gesture would allow for the budget of this project to be used more for the fabrication of the larger piece. She stated that after reviewing the final design, the Community Development Services Director approved it, and Staff has worked with Mr. Jackson to negotiate an addendum which commissions the piece. The addendum agrees that the artist will fabricate the sculpture as outlined in the final design, and that the artist will deliver the artwork to the City. It also includes a payment schedule, warrants that the artwork shall be a unique and original project, and that the title of the artwork shall be transferred from the artist to the City. Ms. McClelland stated that Staff recommends that the 4  June 11, 2013 Commission approve Exhibit C, the Addendum to the King Park Public Art Design Services Agreement. Upon this approval, the addendum would be presented to the Urbana City Council for final approval on June 17, 2013. Comments and questions from the Commission were addressed. Following discussion, Mr. Morrison made a motion to approve the King Park Public Art Project Addendum. Mr. Chew 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 Ms. Sammann announced that it would be Commission member, Mary-Ann Winkelmes’ last meeting that day. Ms. Sammann stated that she had asked Ms. Waaler to serve as vice-chair in her absence, and Ms. Waaler accepted. Ms. Winkelmes was presented with a plaque for her service and contributions to the Commission. 9. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Waaler made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Jakobsson seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:32 p.m. Submitted, Christina McClelland, Public Arts Coordinator 5