Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

URBANA ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES DATE: Tuesday, February 9, 2021 TIME: 4:30 P.M PLACE: Online Zoom Meeting (Web ID:864 0912 3013) MEMBERS PRESENT: Patricia Sammann, Courtney Becks, Barbara Hedlund, Jared Miller, Frank Modica, Angela Williams, Stacey Robinson MEMBERS EXCUSED: Jenelle Orcherton MEMBERS ABSENT: Gonzalo Pinilla STAFF PRESENT: Rachel Storm, Arts & Culture Coordinator; HeatherAnn Hicks- Layman, Office Specialist; Stepheny McMahon, Interim Economic Development Supervisor; Jason Liggett, UPTV Station Manager OTHERS PRESENT: Natalie Wess 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Arts and Culture Commission was called to order at 4:34 P.M by Sammann. Hicks-Layman took roll and a quorum was declared present after the joining of commissioners Becks and Robinson. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Sammann moved to approve minutes from January 12th, 2021. Modica seconded. With no changes, all were in favor and minutes were approved. 3. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA 4. PUBLIC INPUT There was none. 5. PRESENTATIONS • Staff Report – Rachel L Storm, Urbana Arts and Culture Coordinator Storm presented the monthly staff report. This report included staffing and intern updates as well as updates on upcoming and ongoing program initiatives. Storm announced that applications for the Youth Poet Laureate are still open and provided a brief update on the 2021 Urbana’s Poet Laureate current schedule and upcoming activities. Storm also updated the commission on the status of the Public Art League and the selected sculpture “What is the Good”. The full staff report can be viewed on the February 9th, 2021 Urbana Arts and Culture Commission meeting website: https://www.urbanaillinois.us/node/9155 • Annual Visioning Session for Urbana Arts and Culture Program Storm presented four questions to use as grounding for the Annual Visioning Session. These questions were: o What do you see as the strongest support our program offers towards advancing arts and culture in the City of Urbana? o Given our circumstances with COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on our programs, how might we re-focus how we advance public art in Urbana? o Given our commitment to culture, how would you like the program to amplify cultural work and cultural workers in Urbana? o Evaluating our own commitment to diversity and inclusion, what populations are we serving and who is not yet being met by our arts and cultural programming? How do you want to see us grow in our commitment? The session began with a brief history presentation of the program by commissioners Sammann and Hedlund. There was a discussion following the presentation about younger generational involvement with the commission, what has helped maintain participation and enthusiasm of returning commissioners, direct teen involvement with the commission, and development of partnerships within the community. Storm then shared a presentation from last year’s visioning meeting. The presentation highlighted the commission’s vision for 2020 and how even during a pandemic the Arts and Culture Program had taken steps to meet those goals. Storm brainstormed with the commission using the four questions shared at the beginning of the visioning session, and commissioners discussed. The full discussion can be viewed on the Urbana Arts and Culture Commission meeting website: https://www.urbanaillinois.us/node/9155 beginning at 52:30. Storm ended the discussion by asking any commissioners who made comments to also send them to her to be incorporated into the next month’s meeting, part two of the Annual Visioning Session. 6. NEW BUSINESS There was none. 7. ANNOUNCEMENTS There were none. 8. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 6:37 P.M. Submitted, HeatherAnn Hicks-Layman, Office Specialist Minutes approved February 16, 2021.