Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

July 8, 2014 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPROVED DATE: July 8, 2014 TIME: 4:30 p.m. PLACE: City Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois MEMBERS PRESENT: Kevin Hamilton, Barbara Hedlund, Eric Jakobsson, John Morrison, Pat Sammann, Ginny Waaler MEMBERS EXCUSED: Robin Douglas, Ilona Matkovskzi STAFF PRESENT: Lisa Hatchadoorian, Public Arts Coordinator; Teri Andel, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Maria Lux, elizaBeth Simpson 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:30 p.m. by Ms. Sammann. Ms. Andel 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 June 10, 2014 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. Mr. Morrison asked that Ms. be changed to Mr. in front of his name on page 4, under the Adjournment section. Ms. Waaler moved to approve as corrected. Mr. Jakobsson seconded the motion. All Commission members present were in favor of approval and the minutes were unanimously approved as corrected. 4. PUBLIC INPUT There was none. 1  July 8, 2014 5. COMMUNICATIONS • Presentation by 2013 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: elizaBeth Simpson Ms. Sammann introduced local artist, elizaBeth Simpson. Ms. Simpson thanked the Commission and gave a brief presentation on her project titled, “Urbana: Art from the Streets”. This project consisted of a photo scavenger hunt, a stencil workshop, postcard design, hand- screened posters, slides on UPTV, silkscreen workshop, 2-month gallery show at Common Ground Food Co-op, and a call for photos during the Boneyard Arts Festival. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard. • Presentation by 2014 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Maria Lux Ms. Sammann introduced local artist, Maria Lux. Ms. Lux gave a brief presentation on her project titled, “Magnify” which was a multi-stage project using images of water bears, that ended in a public art installation in the storefront window of Art Coop in Lincoln Square Mall. The project included a 2-week pop-up studio component that took place in the front space of [Co][lab] in downtown Urbana where she worked on parts on the installation right in front of the public, and was able to use their input to promote the final installation. Ms. Lux 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. For an update on current projects, she reported the following: • With regard to the Urbana Arts Grants Program, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the 2013 grantee projects were finishing up. She stated that one project received an extension to October 2014 and that she is waiting on two final reports and one more presentation and then 2013 would be complete in terms of reporting, accounting and grant funds expended. She also stated that the Grants Subcommittee would meet soon to go over survey results from 2013 and 2014 grantees and plan for 2015 grants process. • 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 progressed towards completion at the end of August. She stated that Mr. Mackie was scheduled to do a final on-site walk-through and sign-off of the project on July 23rd. • With regard to the Fundraising subcommittee, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that Staff would participate in a conference call in a week on Technology and the Evolution of Giving in America. She stated that the focus of the call would be crowdsource funding models for the arts. Staff had been looking into Citizinvestor.org as a crowdsource model for municipal organizations. She stated that it is a viable model, but Staff needs to find the right project to promote through their platform. 2  July 8, 2014 • With regard to Marketing, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the Summer 2014 classes brochure was finished and distributed. She also stated that City staff had been regularly updating the Public Arts Program’s Facebook page, which as of this meeting had 721 fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 1,097 followers • With regard to Downtown Arts Subcommittee, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the subcommittee was in the process of reviewing new sculptures for 2014-16 for the Urbana sculpture program as well as 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 Art at the Market, Ms. Hatchadoorian reported that the July 12th workshop and performances would be Makerspace Urbana with Tee-shirts to Tote Bags and Aduki Jazz Quartet. • For upcoming events, Ms. Hatchadoorian stated that the Sweetcorn Festival would take place August 22nd-23rd and that the date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting was set for Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers • Presentation by Staff: 2014 AFTA Conference Highlights-Public Art Ms. Hatchadoorian gave a brief summary on the Americans for the Arts Conference she attended from June 11th-June 15th in Nashville, TN. She shared a snapshot of public art projects from around the Country, stimulus projects and public art, and public perceptions of public art. A discussion of the matter by members of the Commission and Staff ensued. 6. OLD BUSINESS There was none. 7. NEW BUSINESS • Acquisition of Fanfare as part of the permanent collection on the City of Urbana Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. Hatchadoorian gave a brief report on the opportunity for the City to purchase the Fanfare sculpture, installed at the corner of Elm & Race Streets by the Iron Post, at a reduced price of $4,500. Questions and comments from the Commission were addressed. Following discussion, Mr. Morrison moved to approve the acquisition of the Fanfare sculpture by the City. Mr. Jakobsson 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. Ms. Hatchadoorian stated that this agenda item would now have to go to the City Council for approval. 8. ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Hatchadoorian made an announcement regarding two 2014 Grants Projects. She stated that the Rhizome of Ixil Launch Party would take place on July 19th at the UCIMC from 12-2pm and that 3  July 8, 2014 the Amasong Conference and Performance would take place from July 23rd-27th. Ms. Sammann announced that Urbana artist, Bonnie Switzer would have a collection of her paintings shown at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center from July 7th- December 17th. 9. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Hedlund made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Jakobsson seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m. Submitted, Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary 4