Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

URBANA ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING DATE: Tuesday, April 13, 2021 TIME: 4:30 P.M PLACE: Online Zoom Webinar (Web ID: 859 1178 2006) MEMBERS PRESENT: Patricia Sammann, Barbara Hedlund, Jenelle Orcherton, Gonzalo Pinilla, Stacey Robinson MEMBERS EXCUSED: There were none. MEMBERS ABSENT: Frank Modica, Jared Miller STAFF PRESENT: Rachel Storm, Arts & Culture Coordinator; HeatherAnn Hicks- Layman, Office Specialist; Jason Liggett, UPTV Station Manager; Stepheny McMahon, Economic Development Supervisor; Darius White, Economic Development Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: Patricia Leon, Niki Hoesman, Leo Wiltfong, Lorena Falcon 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Arts and Culture Commission was called to order at 4:33 P.M by Sammann. Hicks-Layman took roll and a quorum was declared present. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Sammann moved to approve minutes from March 9th, 2021. Hedlund seconded. With no changes, all present were in favor and minutes were approved. 3. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA Storm announced that Karen Medina of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center would not be presenting their final report at this meeting. 4. PUBLIC INPUT There was none. 5. PRESENTATIONS a. Grant Presentations i. Patricia León presented the final report for their 2020 Urbana Arts Grant, Kindergarten in Isolation: Giant Book Art Project. ii. Niki Hoesman of the Urbana Park District presented the final report for their 2020 Urbana Arts Grant project, 21st Annual Read Across America. iii. Terrance Stevenson of Dance Music Therapy was unable to present their report for the 2020 Urbana Arts Grant project, Dance Music Therapy. The report will be re-scheduled for the May Urbana Arts and Culture Commission meeting.  All final reports presented at this meeting will be made available on the Urbana Arts and Culture Commission meeting page for Tuesday, April 13, 2021: https://www.urbanaillinois.us/node/9253 b. Strategic Visioning for Urbana Arts and Culture Before discussion, Storm took a moment to recognize interns Nancy and Lorena from the CU Scholars program from the University of Illinois. Interns will present what they have worked on over the course of their spring internships at the next UACC meeting. Storm was unable to send out the visioning survey mentioned at the last meeting. Storm gave an update on the Arts Grant program. The program has been able to continue offering support to grantees regarding special event permitting and COVID guidelines. Storm also mentioned the grant program was able to host workshops and orientation virtually, and that she would like to continue this hybrid model moving forward. Storm provided programmatic updates, which included categorizing what programs had been adapted virtually, were not affected, or needed to be temporarily cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic, as well as initiatives that emerged due to the pandemic. Storm mentioned the first in-person Arts and Culture Program since the pandemic began would be the outdoor Boneyard Chalk Art Contest, to be held during the 2021 Boneyard Arts Festival in June. The Arts and Culture program has also jointly applied for the Disability Aware Cities Program with Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, PACE, and AHS. 2021 priorities for the Arts and Culture program include: an Urbana Arts and Culture website and events calendar; a Public Arts directory (to include murals, sculpture, utility box murals, and poems on glass) accessible both in print and online; Imagine Urbana collaboration programming input; a collaborative quarterly meeting for activation and creative place-making; cross promotion of Arts and Economic Development Grant opportunities/relief programs. Storm gave an update on initial planning next steps. The Arts and Culture program is still awaiting permit guidance based upon the Governor’s Restore Illinois Plan, of which we are still in Phase 4. Outdoor events that are walkable, limited capacity, and required the use of masks, seem appropriate. Storm also hopes to collaborate with local businesses as they open for outdoor sales and events. Storm ended with an update on key citywide festival dates: Boneyard Arts Festival (June 17 – 20), CU Black and African Arts Festival (Sept 18), Pygmalion (Sept. 23 – 25), CU Folk and Roots (Oct. 21 – 23), Kwanzaa 365 (Dec 6 – Jan 1, 2022), Urbana Sweetcorn Festival (typically 3rd or 4th weekend in August). 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Approval of 2021 Regular Meeting Schedule Sammann introduced the agenda item and asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion, Sammann made a motion to keep the Urbana Arts and Culture Commission meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at 4:30pm online until such a time as it can resume at the City Building. Hedlund seconded. All present were in favor and the motion passed. 7. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Sammann reminded the commissioners to return their Economic Interest Statement form to the City Clerk by April 23rd. A question was asked if it could be completed online, and Sammann responded no, the form needed to be emailed to the City Clerk. 8. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:21 P.M. Submitted, HeatherAnn Hicks-Layman, Office Specialist Minutes approved May 11, 2021