Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

February 10, 2015 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPROVED DATE: February 10, 2015 TIME: 4:30 p.m. PLACE: Executive Conference Room, Urbana City Building 2nd Floor, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois MEMBERS PRESENT: Kevin Hamilton, Barbara Hedlund, Ilona Matkovszki, John Morrison, Jason Patterson, Pat Sammann, Ginny Waaler MEMBERS EXCUSED: Robin Douglas, Eric Jakobsson STAFF PRESENT: Pauline Tannos, Public Arts Coordinator ; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: None 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:36 p.m. by Ms. Sammann. Ms. Reid 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 January 13, 2015 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. With no changes proposed, Mr. Morrison made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Hedlund 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  February 10, 2015 5. COMMUNICATIONS • Strategic Planning Discussion Ms. Sammann introduced local artist and facilitator, elizaBeth Simpson. Ms. Simpson introduced herself to the Commission and gave a brief background on her experience. She then turned the floor over to Pauline to state the main objective for the evening. Ms. Tannos announced that she had recently been promoted to Public Arts Coordinator and introduced new Commission member, Jason Patterson. She then went over the present structure of the Public Arts Commission, and stated that the meeting that evening was to help redefine the main goals and gain a clearer direction for the Commission. Ms. Simpson regained the floor and began the strategic planning process which consisted of the assessment of vision and values; assessment of the current initiatives; and assessment of structure. Following the planning session, Ms. Simpson summarized the information gathered that evening. She stated that Ms. Tannos would compile a draft proposal for FY15-16 based on the input received, and present it at the next Public Arts Commission meeting. If approved, the proposal would be presented to the City Council in April. • Presentation by Staff: Monthly Progress Report Ms. Tannos 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. Tannos reported that forty-four applications total were received by the January 16th deadline. Two groups of jurors will meet on February 14th, and February 21st to review applications and make recommendations. Members of the February 14th jury, who will evaluate the Here and Now and Envision 365 categories, have been confirmed; they are David Hays (Architecture), John Morrison (Art & Design), Austin McCann (Film), Kelly White (Arts and Community Engagement), Kirstie Simson (Dance), and Tom Faux (Music). Staff is currently finalizing the list of jurors for February 21st, who will review the other two categories, Creative Mix and Urbana Festivals. • With regard to Marketing, Ms. Tannos reported that City staff had been regularly updating the Public Arts Program’s Facebook page, which as of this meeting had 772 fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 1,287 followers. She stated that the Program’s Instagram account, which was created last month with the username @urbanapublicarts, has 20 followers. A new template for the program’s e-newsletter, which currently has 650 subscribers, will soon be signed, and will be ready before the April newsletter. In January, the program purchased an ad space in At Home magazine, and around Valentine’s Day, the program will place ads in the News-Gazette, Accent, and www.news-gazette.com. • With regard to Artist of the Corridor, Ms. Tannos reported that the Artist of the Corridor has officially expanded to the Urbana Free Library. The current exhibition, which 2  February 10, 2015 started on February 2nd and will end on May 1st, features work by students from Wiley Elementary School. Rusty Clevenger, Wiley’s art teacher, installed the students’ costume design sketches on February 2nd, and will add photos of the costumes on February 13th. On February 27th, the City will host a fashion show in the Council Chambers for the students to showcase their creations • With regard to Art Now!, Ms. Tannos reported that the January episode of Art Now! interviews Sandra Batzli, an Illinois Artisan and past president of Krannert Art Museum Council. Episodes can be seen at: http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artnow • With regards to Boneyard Commemoration Event, Ms. Tannos reported that Staff had launched a naming contest for the site of this event, which will be juried on February 12th by local business owners Mike Hosier and Allen Strong, journalist Drew Wilder, Urbana School District Superintendent Don Owen, Representative Carol Ammons, and Mayor Prussing. Ninety-eight ideas were submitted. The jurors will select three finalists for a final vote by the public. Staff is also organizing a call for entries to fill the street pole banners on Broadway Avenue with artworks. Art teachers in Urbana elementary schools have been invited to submit works by their students for the street pole banners on Race Street. All works will be acknowledged at the commemoration event • For upcoming events, Ms. Tannos stated that the date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting was set for Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 6. NEW BUSINESS There was none. 7. OLD BUSINESS There was none. 8. ANNOUNCEMENTS There were none. 9. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Hedlund made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Morrison seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:36 p.m. Submitted, Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary 3