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Minutes_Arts Commission 9 30 08MINUTES ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION Tuesday, September 30, 2008 Board Room, Carnegie Stout Public Library 360 W. 11th Street, Dubuque, Iowa Meeting was called to order at 4:10 p.m. following staff assurance of compliance with the Iowa Open Meeting Law. Commissioners present: Ellen Henkels, Paul Kohl, Louise Kames, Sue Riedel, Geri Shafer. Paul Hemmer Staff Present: Jerelyn O'Connor, Liz Willems Approval of Minutes of July 22, 2008 Motion by Kohl, second by Shafer to approve minutes as corrected. Motion passed 6-0. Approval of Minutes of August 26, 2008 Motion by Henkels, second by Kohl to approve minutes as corrected. Motion passed 6-0. OLD BUSINESS: Review and approve Annual PlanninglGoal Setting Report (attached) Commission members expressed that they were very satisfied with this year's goal setting session and appreciated having a facilitator from outside the community who was very well versed in arts advocacy issues. The Commission appreciated the recommendations and perspectives Anne Katz provided. Commission reviewed the Annual Planning/Goal Setting report and suggested some edits. There was discussion on developing talking points on how the arts impact the community. Commissioners discussed the value of utilizing local data for reporting the economic impact of the creative industries and will explore the possibility of requesting Greater Dubuque Development Corporation to undertake the study. Riedel moved to approve the Annual Planning/Goal Setting Report and to forward to the report City Council. Second by Hemmer. Motion passed 6-0. Sue Riedel suggested that the commission review the report's recommendations at the next meeting and develop a specific prioritized action plan. The Commission plans to use the report as a working document. It was suggested to send Anne Katz a thank you note. Ellen Henkels agreed to do this. NEW BUSINESS: Cultural and Entertainment District Application for Warehouse District: Approve resolution and letter of support. Cultural and Entertainment District Application for Warehouse District was discussed and motion to approve the Resolution by Kames, second by Riedel. Motion carried 6-0. The Commission would like clarification of the role of the Arts Commission. Motion to send to City Council a letter endorsing the Warehouse District Cultural and Entertainment District Application by Riedel, second by Shafer, Motion carried 6-0. Jerelyn O'Connor will prepare a letter for the chair's signature. Arts and Humanities Month Activities: Kames will accept the City Council Proclamation on Arts and Humanities Month on October 6th and will make brief comments. An article was submitted to the Julien's Journal by Louise Kames for October Arts and Humanities Month. The Arts Commission Annual Report will be submitted to the City Council in October. Commission would like current photos and excerpts from letters from recipients of some of the Operating Support funds included in the report. Other suggestions to heighten awareness of Arts and Humanities Month would be to have entertainment before the Council Meeting such as a musical performance. Sue Riedel will work on this. ITEMS FROM COMMISSION: Paul Hemmer attended Arts Midwest Conference and handed out materials. Sue Riedel reminded the Commission of the play going on at Bell Tower Theater. Paul Hemmer will talk on his Radio Program about Arts around Dubuque. The production of "I Love a Piano" is now going on in Dubuque Jerelyn O'Connor attended a Public Art Conference in Council Bluff and presented a power point on the Art on the River program. INFORMATION SHARING: -City Journal (Channel 8) is airing an Art on the River Program. -Reminder of the Dubuque Cultural Alliance Reception on October 17tH -Shared correspondence from the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra on the free community concerts "Classical Madness" made available by the Special Project Grant. -Reminder of the Fall into Art Downtown Gallery Tour, October 3~d Motion by Riedel to adjourn meeting at 5:25 p.m. second by Kohl. Respectfully submitted; Liz Willems These minutes were passed and approved on October 28, 2008 Ellen Henkels, Secretary THE CITY OF DUBUQUE Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque All-American City 2007 TO: Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission FROM: Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist SUBJECT: Cultural and Entertainment District Application for Warehouse District -Clarification of Commission Role DATE: October 24, 2008 At the last meeting, there were some questions regarding the Commission's role in managing the Cultural and Entertainment Districts. I discussed this issue with Planning Services Department Manager Laura Carstens and Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser. The application was revised to delete the reference to the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission being a governing body for the district. The Commission will serve as an advisory body to Dubuque Main Street Ltd. which will manage the Warehouse Cultural and Entertainment District as the City's non-profit partner. Encl. THE CITY OF DUBUQUE Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dubuque All-American City 2007 TO: Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission FROM: Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist SUBJECT: Annual Planning/Goal Setting Session Report DATE: October 24, 2008 At the last meeting, Commissioners agreed to review the recommendations Anne Katz provided and to develop an action plan. I have enclosed both the full report, and an abbreviated report with the recommendations for your review prior to our meeting. If you have any questions, please contact me. Encl. Report to Dubuque's Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Annual Planning/Goal Setting Session 8/26/08 Facilitated by Anne Katz, Executive Director, Arts Wisconsin The City of Dubuque and its Arts Commission build the community through arts and culture programs by developing visibility, funding, audiences, information, and partnerships. City grants fund special projects and operating support for arts organizations. Art on the River, one of the Commission's signature projects, is an annual rotating display of outdoor art sculptures in the Port of Dubuque. At the meeting on August 26, the Commission reviewed its accomplishments since its establishment at the end of 2004, strengths, areas to work on, opportunities, goals and plans, as well as the environment that informs the Commission's work. The Commission's top priorities in 200-2008 were i. Complete another funding cycle for special projects and operating support grants. 2. Provide a grant writing workshop to promote quality of grant received and to assist arts organizations with writing and budgeting skills. 3. Serve the Dubuque community as arts advocacy group. 4. Prepare the case for why arts are important to economic development and to quality of life in Dubuque. The Commission members felt that much progress had been made to act on those priorities. At the planning meeting, the Commission members addressed these questions: • What does Dubuque need that the Commission can address? • What are the Commission's strengths? How will it work on Dubuque's issues? • What does the Commission need to work on, to best serve the community? • What are the opportunities ahead for Dubuque and for the Commission? • Who are our partner agencies and organizations? Based on the questions and the past priorities, the Commission developed a set of action steps, with a timeline and assignments, to establish principles, priorities and actions for 2008-2oog: Advocacy and visibility Guiding principle: Actively continue to confirm and expand access to the arts for all and Commission's role as Dubuque's leading action/policy/networking organization for the arts • Advocacy for increased arts funding from city o Recommendations: ^ Develop talking points about economic impact, arts value to education and quality of life, for use by Board members, business leaders, city officials, etc. Sources: Americans for the Arts, Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Cultural Alliance, Arts Wisconsin ^ Create electronic and print media campaign to showcase the arts and arts education in Dubuque. ^ Contacts with elected officials and media as part of overall advocacy campaign (targeted op-eds and letters to the editor, etc.) • Attract media attention to the arts and arts education in Dubuque, concentrating on ways to relate the arts to economic development, education, quality of life issues o Recommendation: promotion, public relations and publicity included in job description for staff to begin fall or winter 2008-2009 Provide more ways to bring Dubuque's arts community together. o Recommendation: Present annual or bi-annual listening sessions with grantees and other arts and community constituents, to learn about their concerns and provide information on Commission's work on their behalf Seek more ways to bring Dubuque's civic leaders together for education and action on arts issues o Recommendations: ^ Create Power Point or video presentation on Dubuque's arts community for service clubs, to be presented by board members and staff ^ Present meetings and forums on economic development, education, community issues to bring elected officials, business community, tourism, civic leaders together to plan solutions that include the arts ^ Commission to review partner list to generate ideas for partners and projects Catalyst for visibility and promotion of the arts throughout community, region, state o Recommendations: ^ Present educational/networking event with Dubuque Cultural Alliance, to celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month in October. ^ Investigate need for and logistics about city-wide arts calendar ^ Continue annual report as major way to showcase the arts and the Commission's work ^ Provide ongoing education for arts community and arts supporters to be pro-active about importance of arts investment ^ Seek ways to actively participate in Iowa Arts Council "chats" as an important way to partner on and be involved in regional arts initiatives Grant making Guiding principles: • Appropriate criteria exists and policies and procedures are in place to ensure that grantmaking is unbiased and above board. • Thoughtful and pro-active policies and procedures are needed to uphold the Commission's role and responsibility as a public decision-making body overseeing the expenditure of public tax dollars. • Commission has the information it needs from grantees to be knowledgeable about funding programs and impact o Recommendation: establish ongoing subcommittee to meet as needed to review current policies and procedures, and establish and evaluate measurements, rubrics and policies to help individual Commission members make decisions and Commission to make decisions as a whole Access to the arts for all Guiding principle: that everyone in Dubuque has the opportunity to participate in the arts. • Recommendations: o Education and outreach for general community through partnerships with fenders and social service agencies on issues of access to the arts for all Dubuque residents (i.e. Work with Dubuque Community Foundation to integrate the arts into Every Child/Every Promise program.) o Liaison with Cultural alliance o Education and outreach programs for grantees, providing: ^ Encouraging professionalism ^ Education about best practices ^ Grant writing assistance before grant deadline 2 Technical assistance after grant deadline • Get feedback and structure from applicants • Policies and procedures manual • Encourage more cultural tourism in area promotion and marketing grantwriting Note: these activities are components of the job description for new staff member. Notes from the planning session ' Commission accomplishments • Have generated impressive amount of funding in relatively short period of time: o More arts and arts education opportunities for Dubuque residents o More resources for arts and civic organizations to make opportunities available for their audiences and constituents • City funding has leveraged significantly more private and other public funding than was previously dedicated to the arts • Has generated more awareness in the community about what's available in the arts • Have established a credible, responsive and pro-active funding program o Growing diversity of organizations applying for and receiving funding o The quality of grant applications keeps improving o Criteria for funding is thoughtful and professional • Provided technical assistance for grant-seekers • Promoted "National Arts and Humanities Month" in an advocacy partnership with Dubuque Cultural Alliance • More education available about the importance of the arts, so that the arts are seen as more "relevant" and closer to peoples' lives • Gathered and promoted research on economic impact of the arts in Dubuque • Commission had the stature to take a position on an issue of importance to the community, as advocates (Curtis Collection) • Commission has been visible as advocacy/promotional organization • "Art on the River" has been a successful and visible project • Successful grant-seeking for additional staff • Has encouraged more business involvement in the arts • Public officials have gotten more involved in arts activities, including attending arts events • Have done a lot to make the arts a part of the public conversation • Seeing a more diverse constituency at arts events Commission strengths • Stability -vitality -credibility • Commission represents revitalized Dubuque • Commission has the support of civic leaders -the right leaders at the right time • Able to affect exciting projects • Commission is developing relationships with grantees (presentations about projects) Dubuque's strengths • Dubuque has become a "revitalized" place in the past twenty years, and the arts are a big part of that development o Focus on asset-based development o Diversified economy o Changing demographics o Authentic/unique qualities Issues to address • General feeling that the arts are not worth funding • Overextended group of people involved in the world of the arts • Grantees and constituents have a growing need for funding; expenses are going up • "Every Child/Every Promise" -getting arts integrated into the program and implementation • Arts organizations already working in schools -community centers and schools need more arts involvement for kids • PreK programs need arts integration • Ways for everyone in Dubuque to be part of the arts • Evolving leadership cohort/fresh leadership • Partnerships with business community Goals • Increase funding for arts grants • Access to the arts for everyone in Dubuque • Incorporate the arts into Every Child/Every Promise • Create aPercent-for-Art program • Continuing education and stronger partnerships with grantees • Encouraging professionalism o Education about best practices o Grant writing assistance before grant deadline o Technical assistance after grant deadline o Get feedback and structure from applicants o Policies and procedures manual o Encourage more cultural tourism in area Opportunities • Getting more funding from city and more private and other public funding to match that funding • Celebrating America's increasing diversity and changing demographics through the arts • Being part of the efforts to help Dubuque achieve its economic, educational and civic priorities and goals • Supporting arts integration into economic development, education, civic engagement programs, services and efforts • Encourage professionalism 4 Partners • Citizens/taxpayers • City of Dubuque • Mayor • City Council • Chamber of Commerce • Greater Dubuque Development Corporation • Dubuque Main Street Limited • Educational Institutions • Dubuque Cultural Alliance • Dubuque arts and cultural organizations • Grantees and potential grantees • Business community/service clubs • Young Professionals of Dubuque • Individual philanthropists • Dubuque Community Foundation • Area foundations 5