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Minutes_Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission 11 24 09MINUTES ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Board Room, Carnegie Stout Public Library 360 W. 11 Street, Dubuque, Iowa Meeting was called to order at 4:35 p.m. following staff assurance of compliance with the Iowa Open Meeting Law. Commissioners present: Paul Hemmer, Ellen Henkels, Louise Kames, Paul Kohl, Sue Riedel, Geri Shafer, Julie Steffen. Staff Present: Jerelyn O'Connor, Jan Stoffel Approval of Minutes of October 27, 2009. Motion by Hemmer, second by Riedel to approve. Motion carried 7 -0. NEW BUSINESS 1. Review the Art on the River Committee Recommendations for 2010 Stoffel conducted a review of best practices for temporary public art programs through the Americans for the Arts' Public Art Network Best Practice Goals and Guidelines 2009 and Call for Artists Resource Guide 2009. She also researched 20 temporary programs throughout the country through Americans for the Arts' Public Art listserve. This research was presented to the Art on the River Committee on November 16, 2009. The findings were: All /Most of programs: • Supported by a percent of art or similar program • Do not charge an entry free for artists • Limit submissions to three from each artist, one piece from each artist in show • Have a permanent art program and purchase one or more pieces for that collection • Conduct the call and application process online. • Pay part of stipend at installation and the rest upon removal of the piece. • Include community members in jury panel • Establish clear artist eligibility (e.g. geographical, age, professional vs. student, emerging) • Collect a commission ranging from 10% to most with a range of 20% - 25% Many /some • Give cash awards for best of show, honorable mention • Establish a theme or special considerations each year ( e.g. functional, river related, recycled materials) • Begin a private sponsorship program if no dedicated funding stream is available or one exists and is threatened. • Temporary programs are every two years or every 18 months. Some were started that way and some have gone to that from an annual program. These recommendations were approved: • No entry fee charged for artists • Limit to three submissions from each artist. • Keep the commission on sales at 25% and do not offer another gallery a cut if they come forward with a buyer. • Conduct the call and application process primarily online. 1 • Give a $1,000 cash award for Best of Show, decided by the jury. A sponsor will be sought for next year; otherwise funds will come out of the budget. Award can be evaluated on yearly basis. • Seek a corporate sponsor for the Opening Celebration in July. Plan for an extended sponsorship or other funding program the following year. • Keep the jury process as is, e.g. seek one judge from the Dubuque -area community and two from regional public art experts. The Commission concurred with these determinations. 2. Review Grant Survey Results and Eligibility Stoffel sent surveys to 15 organizations who applied in the 2010 grant cycle. Seven responded. Results were presented to the Commission members. • Some applicants had trouble with the budget section. If they visited with staff during the application process, they were more likely to complete the section correctly. • Applicants would like to have the whole process done online. • Many applicants did not attend the grant writing workshops. Those who did found it very helpful. • Many contacted staff before submitting the application and found it very helpful. • Applicants were confused by the Commission review sessions. • General comments about other ways in which the City could support the arts included: having Commissioners visible at some of the funded events, more funding, assistance in publicity, and more advocacy • When asked to identify unmet needs of the Dubuque arts and cultural community most applicants cited: a centralized entity charged with coordination and promoting the arts /events from a city -wide perspective, a city -wide marketing campaign to cooperatively promote all of the organizations in the City, and more growth and promotion of Dubuque as a cultural hub. As Commissioners discussed the survey, they felt that many of the comments could be addressed by better communication on both sides. Many of the items that applicants questioned were already part of the application process and had not been utilized. Stoffel will examine the application for clarity. Commissioners urged applicants to take advantage of the workshops, contacting staff for assistance before applications are made, and attending the review sessions. Commissioners discussed the fact that they attend numerous events, but aren't identified or visible. Riedel and Steffen suggested it would be good for Commissioners to go outside the meeting table and be more visible at events. Stoffel will get name tags for the Commissioners. The general comments about unmet needs will be addressed on an ongoing basis and will be communicated to future Cultural Alliance discussions. One organization asked for clarification of the eligibility requirements for operating grants. Stoffel researched eligibility requirements of 16 other similar operating grant programs from cities throughout the country. The minimum eligibility was two years with most requiring three years. In the City of Dubuque, and all of these other cities, the intent of this requirement is to make sure that new non profits have a firm financial and planning footing, have focused their program offerings, and do not rely on operating grant support as they are developing. The Commissioners were adamant about keeping the two year rule but recognized that the language in the applications could be misinterpreted. In the new application for the next funding cycle, that eligibility requirement will read "Dubuque arts and culture organizations whose primary mission is arts and culture. Applicants must have been operating as a nonprofit, tax exempt under section 501c3 of IRS code, for at least two years before the application due date." 2 Nothing has changed as regards to intent, the language was just tweaked. Kohl moved and Kames seconded. Motion passed 7 -0. 3. Listening session planning. Commissioners decided to have the regularly scheduled meeting in January instead of a listening session because the grant survey results had given them an idea about unmet needs in the community. The Commissioners expressed the hope that discussions with the Dubuque Cultural Alliance groups would serve as another community listening forum in which to address needs. 4. Iowa Public Art Conference, Master Planning opportunities. O'Connor and Stoffel attended the Iowa Public Art Networking Conference in Des Moines on November 12 and 13. They heard how Des Moines was able to develop their world -class sculpture park in less than two years. International artist Jaume Plensa, whose Nomade is the centerpiece of the Pappajohn Sculpture Garden, spoke at a special presentation. He is also known for the Crown Fountain in Chicago's Millennium Park. Staff attended a presentation of Iowa Public Art in Review that illustrated public art projects incorporated into parking structures, sidewalks, building facades and lighting, not only in sculpture. Stoffel presented Art on the River at the review. Most places with sculpture gardens have the same challenges we do with climbing or touching the art. Stoffel reported on presentations made by the City of Clive and others on how those cities were able to introduce a percent of art or similar funding program and the impact it has made on the commissioning of permanent art within their communities. Members wondered if we could begin some budget neutral efforts, perhaps through a grant, to begin a City -wide study in order to develop a public art master plan, explore funding options, find ways for cooperative efforts within the arts community, to assess the permanent art already owned by the city, and build broad -based community support in recognizing the quality of life and economic impact of the arts in Dubuque. Since the Mayor and City Council have such a high priority with the arts right now, it might be a good idea to begin the development of a comprehensive plan. It was moved by Shafer and seconded by Henkels that staff should investigate grant sources for master arts planning. Motion Passed 7 -0. OLD BUSINESS 1. Ideas for Pyatigorsk Park Sculpture. Staff shared an idea from the Iowa Public Art Conference from another city who commissioned a sister city and local artist to work on the project together, with a sculpture ultimately placed in both cities. Commissioners will wait for more contact from the Sister City Committee to discuss the idea further. ITEMS FROM COMMISSION. O'Connor provided a report on the status of the budget review process since the Commission has a request for an increase in funding. Chair Shafer will attend the City Council's budget review session of arts funding, now scheduled for February 8. INFORMATION SHARING. 1. Iowa Cultural Coalition. Stoffel shared information from the ICC advocacy workshop she attended on November 9 in Cedar Rapids. 2. Live the Arts Iowa. Stoffel explained the State's new marketing logo and tagline. She will post the logo on our website. 3. Summer 2010 Art Market. The Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Dubuque Art Center are collaborating on a summer Art Market to be held for eight Saturdays from 1 — 6 p.m. for eight weeks between July 17 and September 11, 2010. The City is applying for a Vision Iowa grant to partially fund the marketing expenses. 3 Commissioners discussed ways in which Art on the River could be involved. Continued discussion will take place as the event is developed. 4. Mayor Buol Nomination. Stoffel nominated Buol for an arts leadership award through Americans for the Arts and the United States Conference of Mayors. The award decision will be made by January 1, 2010. ADJOURNMENT O'Connor reported that in past years, Commission meetings have not been held in December if there are no pressing agenda items. Staff and Commissioners decided to cancel the regularly scheduled December 22, 2009, meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for January 26 and will begin at 4:30 p.m. Motion by Riedel and second by Kohl to adjourn the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Motion carried 7 -0. Respectfully submitted, toffel <, 4 1 se minutes were passed and approved -of Sue Riedel, Secretary 4