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HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts Commission - 01/10/2011 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MONDAY,JANUARY 10, 2011 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER PRAIRIE ROOM 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Ann Rorem, Chair; Farida Kathawalla, Vice Chair; Gina King, Tonja Bivins, Elizabeth Petry-Lee, Julia Ramos CITY STAFF: Laurie Obiazor, Recreation Services Manager Lindsey Danhauser, Recreation Coordinator—Arts STUDENT MEMBERS: Keegan Everett and Cameron Mingo RECORDING SECRETARY: Jan Curielli I. ROLL CALL King and Everett were absent. Kathawalla, Petry-Lee and Rorem arrived late. Obiazor started the meeting at 7:10 PM, noting she would act as facilitator until the Chair or Vice Chair arrived. She said the open position on the Commission resulting from the resignation of Ana Armstrong will be filled in April. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Ramos moved to approve the Agenda, seconded by Bivins. Motion carried 2- 0. Kathawalla arrived at 7:15 PM. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —October 11, 2010 & November 8, 2010 Meetings (Taken out of sequence following Item V due to lack of a quorum.) IV. EDEN PRAIRIE PLAYERS AND COMMUNITY BAND A. Community Band—Springy & Summer Update Danhauser reviewed the concerts scheduled by the Community Band for the spring and summer months. She said they are looking for some additional players for the tuba and trumpet. ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES January 10, 2011 Page 2 B. EP Players—Branding & 2011 Season Danhauser said the Communications Department is working on a brand for the EP Players and there should be something to show in February. They will be able to use the brand on the roadside signs around town and just change out the name of the show they are doing. She said their winter show is "Philadelphia Story" and the summer one will be "Bye Bye Birdie." They are meeting on January 16 with a group of teens to plan workshops for teens who are interested in theatre and who want to learn about such things as auditioning. Ramos asked if there will be a charge for that. Danhauser said there will be no charge for the meetings. Obiazor asked if they approached us about this. Danhauser said a lot of the Advisory Committee members have kids in the High School, and there are many teens that are interested in theatre but are not able to get parts in the regular performances at the High School. They would like to do one show a year, such as a variety show, that could have everyone involved. Kathawalla said there are other kids who are in private or charter schools who aren't involved in the High School productions and they might also be interested in this. V. ART CENTER A. Operatin! Budget Overview—2009-2010 Obiazor said the 2010 year-to-date budget is unaudited but she thought it was important to let the Commission know what the budget looks like and how it compares to 2009. Danhauser reviewed the budget spreadsheet, noting the budgeted revenue was $38,000, but the actual revenue was $66,000. She said the increase had a lot to do with birthday parties and the popularity of the classes. She noted there were 76 birthday parties held at the facility in 2010. Obiazor said that indicates access to the Center for a wide variety of people. She noted the revenue doubled without any kind of donation as there was in 2009. Danhauser said the instructor service fees went up along with the class revenue increase. There is an assistant at the Art Center now who works about six to nine hours a week for the open studio, birthday parties and in the summer. Obiazor said the assistant is a program assistant, not an administrative assistant. Kathawalla asked if the assistant is paid through the City. Danhauser said the assistance's wage is part of the Art Center budget. Obiazor said the overall story is a good one. We have high usage and the revenue coming in indicates success in operating the Art Center. We will have to submit the proposed budget for 2012 and 2013 in May as the City does a two-year budget process. Kathawalla asked if the reduction in wages represented a cut in pay for Ms Danhauser. Danhauser said they redistributed part of her wages to the Special Events budget. ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES January 10, 2011 Page 3 Rorem and Petry-Lee arrived at 7:25 PM. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —October 11, 2010 & November 8, 2010 Meetings (Taken out of sequence) MOTION: Petry-Lee moved, seconded by Kathawalla, to approve the October 11, 2010 minutes as published. Motion carried 5-0. Bivins noted she was not present at the November 8 meeting, and the minutes should be changed to reflect that. MOTION: Kathawalla moved, seconded by Ramos, to approve the November 8, 2010 minutes as amended. Motion carried 4-0-1, with Bivins abstaining. VI. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATION None. Danhauser left the meeting at 7:35 PM. VII. OLD BUSINESS A. Review & Discuss 2011 Work Plan Rorem said she met with Danhauser and Obiazor last week to discuss the work plan. She said the first five items on the work plan could be grouped together. Those items are: 1. Light Rail Transit station art and design ideas 2. Art Center exterior and landscaping art and design ideas 3. Parks, trails, and open spaces art and design ideas 4. Indoor gathering spaces art and design ideas 5. Identify funding mechanisms for all public art and design Rorem said we have applied for a grant through MRAC that would help fund the consulting service needed for these items. She thought we should set the remaining five items earlier in the year while we wait grant approval. The remaining five items are: 6. Be a part of the Art Center open house 7. Discuss vending opportunities at the Art Center 8. Redesign of International Festival into a community festival 9. Examine the list of all community events to check their relevance to current community needs and trends. 10. Develop art competition(s) ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES January 10, 2011 Page 4 Rorem said Nicole White and Lindsey Danhauser talked about spreading the International Festival event out over the summer. She suggested we work on that in January/February in order to get it in place by May/June. Obiazor said we are proceeding under the direction of scaling back, and we want to meet with the Human Rights & Diversity Commission to talk about the International Festival from their perspective. She said we are looking at bookings and performances with an international flavor throughout the concert season in order to build on diversity and cultural inclusiveness. Ms Danhauser has been researching the types of groups we could have access to. The budget for that was not cut so we have $500 available per date. Rorem asked if tying in the international flavor to the concert series has already gone in. Obiazor said we can play with that and we can also work with the Communications Department on rebranding the message. Obiazor said staff would like to have a month or a season on the timeline for each event so we know how we should be spending our time in 2011. Refer to the 2011 Commission work plan. She recommended that funding mechanisms should be identified in April/May because of the 2012/2013 budget process. Ramos said the International Festival should be January/February. Examining the list of community events should be January-March, and developing the art competition should perhaps be April/May. Rorem thought it would be nice to advertise the art competition at the Art Fair. Ramos asked if the funding for the first four items is on hold. Obiazor said we should know by mid-January if we are approved for the grant under the Public Arts Funding money. Rorem said we can resubmit the grant request every month until we receive it. Petry-Lee asked what was meant by vending opportunities at the Art Center. Rorem said Ms Danhauser has received requests for tee shirts, and we might consider selling special bags for supplies as well as the supplies needed for the classes at the Art Center. Ramos said the plan would be eventually to sell actual art pieces like an art gallery would do, but we would need display space for that. Obiazor thought we could do something on a seasonal to get it up and running. The Commission discussed when the Art Center open house should be scheduled and where it should be placed on the item timeline. Petry-Lee thought we should put that in March/April. Obiazor asked if there was a priority for the first four items. Rorem thought the order should be the Art Center, parks, indoor gathering spaces and the LRT station. Obiazor asked for a motion from the Commission to accept the proposed work plan. MOTION: Rorem moved, seconded by Ramos, to accept the ten-part work plan for 2011 for the Arts and Culture Commission with the timelines as discussed. Motion carried 5-0. ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES January 10, 2011 Page 5 VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. 2011 Commission Appointments Rorem agreed she would serve as Chair again. Kathawalla suggested Ms Bivins as Vice Chair. Bivins asked about the duties of the Vice Chair. Obiazor said she would act as a substitute for the Chair in her absence. MOTION: Kathawalla moved, seconded by Petry-Lee, to appoint Ann Rorem as Chair and Tonja Bivins as Vice Chair of the Arts & Culture Commission for 2011. Motion carried 5-0. B. 2011 Meeting Schedule—Park Tour-Monday, July 11, Joint Meeting with PRNR-May, and No Meeting or Holiday Gathering-December The Commission discussed how to handle the February meeting which is currently scheduled for February 14 and will conflict with Valentine's Day. The consensus was to move the meeting to February 7. MOTION: Kathawalla moved, seconded by Bivins, to move the February meeting to February 7. Motion carried 5-0. Ramos said it might be difficult to meet with the Parks Commission in May because we have so much going on that month. Obiazor said she would recommend a fall date for the joint meeting. C. 2011 Photography Contest Danhauser returned to the meeting at 8:05 PM. Danhauser said they requested a total of$250 or$300 to be split in three different categories with two competitions, one for kids and one for adults. Kathawalla asked what age the kid category would be. Danhauser said it would be kids up to 17 years old. She said she is meeting with the Communications Department on Wednesday to come up with a plan for the contest and the date. Submissions will be accepted for two months. Obiazor said the prizes would be in the form of gift cards or Recreation Bucks that can be used at the Art Center or the Community Center. We are not able to use taxpayer money to give out cash awards. Ramos stated other funding sources should be considered if we develop other competitions. Obiazor said the Friends of the Art Center want their funds to go towards capital items. Petry-Lee asked about corporate donations. Rorem noted the Commission would be the ones who would have to go ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES January 10, 2011 Page 6 out to get donations if we do that. Obiazor said we could use those or MRPF if we get that funding. Kathawalla asked how a decision will be made on the winner. Danhauser said staff will narrow it down and people can then vote on Facebook or in person at City facilities like the Community Center and the Art Center. Petry-Lee asked who will be voting and who can participate in the contest. Danhauser said anyone can vote. City staff would not be able to enter the contest. D. 2011 Arts in the Park Art Fair Danhauser said this will be held May 14 and applications are due by March 7. The Commission will be jurying at the March meeting. The entry fee is $50. If the applicant is not chosen, their entry fee will be returned. E. 2011 Artist Network-Schedule Meetings Rorem said she would like to see more Commission members attend this because it is a Commission-sponsored event. Rorem asked if the next one will be in March. Danhauser said we can do March or April. Rorem suggested April 19 or 20. Kathawalla said she could do it on April 20. Rorem said it is held at the Art Center at 7:00 PM and the first half is an introduction with an artist. Danhauser said they are trying to get Kim Odekoven will lead a textile project. Rorem said there was one complaint about having one in December; however, it was more relaxed and more new artists came to that event. IX. REPORTS OF STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS A. Scaling Back 4th of July Celebration Obiazor said the 4h of July celebration was scaled back as part of the proposed budget reductions. She said we cut the cost of the event in half by focusing on the fireworks and not having an all-day event. We have booked the band Synergy and will also have the Community Band perform. It will be a great celebration, but not to the same scale as in the past. Kathawalla suggested we could add an international flavor to the vendors for the event. That would be of no cost to the City and the vendors would have a larger audience. Obiazor said we will have to figure out how we approach the concept of having vendors. They will be getting their team together in the next week or two to start planning the event and she will report back on the progress. Ramos agreed with Ms Kathawalla's suggestion to have an international flavor because last year's crowd included a diverse demographic. We should make those people feel part of the community and appreciated. X. NEXT MEETING ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MINUTES January 10, 2011 Page 7 Next Meeting —Monday, February 7, 2011, City Center at 7:00 PM. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Ramos moved, seconded by Kathawalla, to adjourn the meeting. Rorem adjourned the meeting at 8:30 PM.