Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

April 8, 2014 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPROVED DATE: April 8, 2014 TIME: 4:30 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois MEMBERS PRESENT: Robin Douglas, Barbara Hedlund, Eric Jakobsson, John Morrison, Pat Sammann, Ginny Waaler MEMBERS EXCUSED: Gregory Chew, Kevin Hamilton, Ilona Matkovskzi STAFF PRESENT: Lisa Hatchadoorian, Public Arts Coordinator; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Maya Bauer, Jean Breeze, Sheri Langendorf, Richard Andrew Miller, Joy Rust 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:34 p.m. by Ms. Sammann. Ms. Reid took roll, and there were initially not enough Commission members to make a quorum. However, as the meeting progressed, more Commission members arrived and a quorum was met. 2. CHANGES TO AGENDA Ms. Hatchadoorian stated that the Read Across America presentation would be moved to the first spot. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the March 11, 2014 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. With no changes proposed, Ms. Hedlund 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. 1  April 8, 2014 5. COMMUNICATIONS • Presentation by 2013 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Read Across America Ms. Sammann introduced Sheri Langendorf and Jean Breeze, co-chairs of Read Across America Planning Committee. They gave a slideshow presentation of the 14th Annual National Education Association Read Across America Day, held at Lincoln Square Mall that featured over 30 hands-on literacy related activities. The event took place on March 1, 2014 from 10am- 1pm. Celebrity greeters, rotary members, and professional storytellers participated in the event in which over 1000 children and families attended. They 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: Common Ground Food Co-op Ms. Sammann introduced Joy Rust, Marketing Manager and Maya Bauer, Education Specialist at Common Ground Food Co-op. The Food Co-op was founded in 1974, but moved to Lincoln Square Mall in 2008. It is currently owned by 5,500 members of the community. They gave a slideshow presentation of their project, Common Ground Food Co- op Art Gallery, in which they solicited and followed through with input from the owners to incorporate more art into the store. They stated that the art gallery was placed in the classroom which helped to engage a lot of people due to the high volume of traffic in that area. The gallery was promoted via shirts, postcards, social media, and a newsletter. They 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: Costas Ms. Sammann introduced Richard Andrew Miller, co-founder of the group Costas, which is a group that plays traditional Colombian & Ecuadorian music in Urbana. The group is comprised of a mixture of University of Illinois students, a few alumni, and local community members. He gave a presentation on his group’s project that consisted of 3 live concerts. The first took place at the Red Herring, on October 30, 2013 with 50-70 attendees. The second was on November 1, 2013 at Buvon’s Wine Bar with 50 attendees. Finally, the third one took place at the Iron Post on December 7, 2013 with over a 100 people in attendance. 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. Hatchadoorian 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. 2  April 8, 2014 For an update on current projects, she reported the following: • With regard to the Martin Luther King Jr. Park Project, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the sculpture dedication would take place on Saturday, April 19, 2014. She stated that a reception at Cinema Gallery would follow. • With regard to the Urbana Arts Grants Program, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that a reception to celebrate the 2014 Urbana Arts Grants Program awardees was held at Pizza M in Urbana on April 3, 2014. 32 grantees were celebrated. • With regard to the Boneyard Creek Public Art, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that Jack Mackie would be working with the design team and contractors as the last phase of the project progresses towards completion this summer. • With regard to the Fundraising subcommittee, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that there was nothing new to report on fundraising. • With regard to the Marketing Subcommittee, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the subcommittee was in the process of meeting, but that staff had been working to promote Public Arts along with other City programs through new avenues. • With regard to the Downtown Arts subcommittee, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the subcommittee was in the process of meeting and planning for possible Boneyard events this summer to coincide with the unveiling of the Jack Mackie installation along Boneyard Creek. • With regard to Annual Planning, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that as the Public Arts Budget was still under review, the budgeting discussion for FY14-15 would take place later in the meeting. • With regard to Art Now!, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the April episode featured artist, Sarah Keenan-Jones who uses ceramics and recycled items to create whimsical birds and decorative insects. She stated that episodes could be seen at: http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artnow. • With regard to the Artist of the Corridor, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that a new Artist of the Corridor exhibit by Jason Patterson featured portrait paintings of recent historical figures. She stated that the exhibition opened on February 28th and would be on display until May 4, 2014. • With regard to Art at the Market, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that staff had worked with the Director of the Market at the Square to reserve the following Art at the Market dates for the 2014 Market season: May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, and September 13. She stated that the call for artists and workshop leaders was successful and that the dates for all would be chosen and filled that week. • With regard to Marketing, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that City staff had been regularly updating the Public Arts Program’s Facebook page, which as of this meeting had 677 fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 825 followers. • With regard to Grants, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that staff had submitted the grant application for FY14-15 for general operating support in the local arts agency category from the Illinois Arts Council and was actively looking for other grant opportunities. She also stated that staff received a $1000 grant from the Local Arts Network of the Illinois Arts Council towards conference costs for the American for the Arts national conference in Nashville in June 2014. The conference will focus on public art and creative placemaking. 3  April 8, 2014 • For upcoming events, Ms. Hatchadoorian stated that the Preston Jackson exhibition at Cinema Gallery would run through April 26th. She stated that the gallery would be open from 10:00 am-5:00pm Wednesday through Saturday. Other events would be the King Park Sculpture Dedication on April 19th, Boneyard Arts Festival April 10-13th, Illinois Marathon Expo April 24-25th, Working Women’s Expo on April 24th, and start of Market at the Square on May 3rd. She also stated that the date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting was set for Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 6. OLD BUSINESS • Presentation by Staff: FY2014-15 Program Planning Process Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. Hatchadoorian briefly summarized the Program Plan items and their estimated expenditures. A discussion of the matter by members of the Commission and staff ensued. Following discussion, Mr. Jakobsson moved to approve the FY14- 15 Program Plan as presented. Ms. Douglas 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. Hedlund made an announcement about the premier of a new musical at the Krannert Center on April 29-30th. 9. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Sammann made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Jakobsson seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:31 p.m. Submitted, Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary 4