Arts and Culture Commission Meeting

URBANA ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING DATE: Tuesday, October 12, 2021 TIME: 4:30 P.M PLACE: Online Zoom Webinar (Web ID: 872 2098 6801) MEMBERS PRESENT: Lori Fuller, Barbara Hedlund, Frank Modica, Gonzalo Pinilla, Heather Rose, Howard Schein MEMBERS EXCUSED: Sarah Buckman MEMBERS ABSENT: Blair Ebony Smith STAFF PRESENT: Rachel Storm, Arts & Culture Coordinator; Jason Liggett, UPTV Station Manager; Stepheny McMahon, Economic Development Supervisor; Darius White, Economic Development Coordinator OTHERS PRESENT: Ashanti Files, Cindy Ogwal, Susan Ogwal, Patrick Singer 1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM The Urbana Arts and Culture Commission was called to order at 4:30 P.M by Hedlund. Storm took roll and a quorum was declared present. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The vote to approve minutes from September 14th, 2021 will be held during the commission meeting on November 9th, 2021. 3. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA Grant presentations from Fein-Bursoni Inc. for the Pygmalion 2021 Festival and CU Black and African Arts Festival for the 2021 CU Black and African Arts Festival will be presented today. Presentations from Leslie Smith for Black Voices Theater Production and Ja’Naca Modest for She Spins Urbana will happen at the next meeting on November 9 th, 2021. 4. PUBLIC INPUT There was none. 5. PRESENTATIONS a. Staff Report Storm reported that the Arts and Culture Program continues to work in a hybrid format. Storm then introduced new commission members, Blair Ebony Smith, Sarah Buckman, Heather Rose, and Howard Schein. Commissioners Rose and Schein briefly introduced themselves. Storm provided staffing updates for the Arts and Culture Program including a search for a temporary program specialist, two student interns from The University of Illinois Community Learning Lab, and one student intern from Urbana High School’s Executive Internship Program.  Storm Provided updates for current projects including the 2021 Urbana Arts grant applications, Growing Community Public Art Initiative, Young Artist’s Studio, Art Show and Tell, Art Now, Murals on Glass, Urbana Utility Box Mural Program, The Great ARTdoors, Juxtapositioned, Urbana Sculpture Project, Urbana Street Pole Art Banners, and collaboration with Imagine Urbana. Storm also provided updates on Poet Laureate’s recent activities. Storm concluded her presentation with a list of key citywide festival dates. b. Grant Presentations i. Ashanti Files presented the final report for the 2021 Urbana Arts Grant, Writers of Oya Phase III ii. Patrick Singer of Fein-Bursoni Inc. presented a report for the Urbana Arts Grant, Pygmalion’s 2021 Festival iii. Cindy and Susan Ogwal presented a report for the Urbana Arts Grant, C-U Black and African Arts Festival All final reports presented at this meeting will be made available on the Urbana Arts and Culture Commission meeting page for Tuesday, October 12th, 2021: www.urbanaillinois.us/node/9498 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion of a Proposal to Establish a Youth Commissioner Seat The commission lead a discussion of the proposal to amend the Urbana Arts and Culture Ordinance to establish a youth commissioner seat. 7. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Hedlund declared the meeting adjourned at 6:09 P.M. Submitted, Emily Luna, Arts and Culture Intern