Minutes_Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission 2 25 20 (plus Task Force)City of Dubuque
ITEM TITLE:
SUMMARY:
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION:
Copyrighted
April 6, 2020
Consent Items # 1.
Minutes and Reports Submitted
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission and Work
Group of 2/25; City Council Proceedings for March 16, 17,
23, 25; Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings
of 3/2; Proof of Publication for List of Claims and Summary
of Revenues for Month Ending 2/29.
Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission and
Working Group Minutes of 2/25/20
City Councl Proceedigns of 3/16/20
City Council Proceedings of 3/17/20
City Council Proceedings of 3/23/20
City Councll Proceedings of 3/25/20
Civil Service Commission Minutes of 3/19/20
Proof of Publication_City Council Proceedings of
3/2/20
Proof of Pubication_List of Claims/Summary of
Revenues for ME 2/29/20
Type
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
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ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION MINUTES
DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 2020
TIME: 3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Five Flags Center, Orpheum Room — 405 Main St, Dubuque, IA
Regular Meeting
Commissioners Present: Ali Levasseur, Nicholas Haider, Susan Riedel, Ryan Decker,
Gina Siegert, Paula Neuhaus, Susan Riedel, Tyler Daugherty (excused at 5 p.m.).
Staff Present: Jennifer Petersen -Brant
The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Neuhaus at 3:30 PM. following staff
assurance of compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Review of Minutes: Motion to accept minutes of January 28, 2020 as is by
Commissioner Decker, seconded by Commissioner Siegert. Commissioners Levasseur,
Haider, Riedel, Decker, Siegert, Neuhaus, and Daugherty voted to approve motion;
Motion passes.
Minutes / Reports from Working Groups: Notes submitted by Petersen -Brant on
behalf of various Working Groups reviewed by Commission with general discussion and
specific highlights as follows:
Public Art WG — Inquiry as to role of David Schmitz, departing Executive Director for
Dubuque Museum of Art and need to identify new chair of WG; Schmitz continues to
facilitate drafting of public art policy with significant progress on policy development for
review by City Manager and City Council in Spring.
AEI WG — Harlem Renaissance Project renamed The Dubuque Renaissance Project'.
All WG's — Review of action plans and identify of chairpersons to occur at next meetings
of all Arts & Culture Master Plan working groups.
Motion to accept reports by Commissioner Riedel, seconded by Commissioner Decker.
Commissioners Levasseur, Haider, Riedel, Decker, Siegert, Neuhaus, and Daugherty
voted to approve motion; Motion passes.
Five Flags Referendum: Official ballot language provided by staff and discussion on
involvement Arts & Cultural Affairs Commission can or can not have in advocating for or
against referendum. Commissioner Levasseur inquired if a letter of support to City
Council would be appropriate; additional clarification needed from City Attorney.
General discussion followed. Action regarding any potential proclamation or resolution
regarding the Five Flags referendum tabled to allow individual Commissioners to better
inform themselves on the project; Commissioner Levasseur to share links and
downloads of publicly available resources with Commissioners prior to March meeting.
Expectations and scheduling of Commission Goal Setting Session: General
discussion of 2018-2019 goals worksheet and the process for reviewing status of those
prior goals; Commission Siegert to forward digital version of 2018-2019 goals worksheet
to all Commissioners. Consensus to hold goal setting session after City Council
approves FY21 budget of Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs with intent to outline a two-
year goal calendar in the forthcoming session; suggested to look to May or June 2020
for session. Commissioners Neuhaus and Levasseur will convene prior to March 2020
Commission meeting to review 2018-2019 goal worksheet and meet with Jan Powers
as potential facilitator; staff has identified budget of $300-500 to pay facilitator.
Suggestion by Commissioner Riedel to review the priorities and mission of Commission
as outlined in the City ordinance as part of goal setting session; staff to forward current
ordinance to all Commissioners for their review.
Recap of Grant Workshop: Staff reported that grant workshops were held February 10
and 12; based on attendance, staff anticipates at least 18 Operating Support grant
applications and 9 Special Projects grant applications. Staff reported that overall,
workshops went well, minor technology issue with 2nd workshop, some attendees
displeased about the new final report requirements of Operating Support grants.
Commission reiterated that reporting was necessary to demonstrate outcomes and
impact to City Council. Staff noted that application deadlines are March 15th for
Operating Support and April 15th for Special Projects.
Art on River Update: Staff reported that AOTR planning committee will meet Friday,
February 28 to identify theme, review general program expectations, and finalize
timeline of activities in advance of call for artists to be released on or before March 7.
Only significant changes from prior years will be 1) increase of stipend to artists from
$1,500 to $1,800 if AOTR FY21 improvement package approved by City Council, and 2)
increase to expenses and diversification of promotion methods which are covered by
$5,000 Travel IA Tourism grant. Discussion on the juror vs curator, open call vs
invitation, and finding sponsors or fundraising followed. Request for update from AOTR
planning committee Feb 28 meeting to be forwarded Commission prior to release of call
for artists. Suggestion to add fundraising as goal setting topic with consideration of
Commission's role in pursuing sponsorships and possible need for a fundraising
subcommittee.
Current Event Reporting from Commissioners:
• Rock of Ages at Grand Opera House now playing
• Top Dog Underdog, March 5-8 at Clarke University
Motion to adjourn at 5:15 p.m. by Commissioner Haider, seconded by Commissioner
Siegert.
Next meeting: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Respectfully submitted:
Jenni Petersen -Brant
Arts & Cultural Affairs Coordinator, City of Dubuque
These minutes were passed and approved on , 2020.
Witnessed By: (signature)
(printed)
(officer position)
Arts & Cultural Affairs
Master Plan Task Force
Working Group & Task Force Updates
As of 2/25/2020 to share with Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission
Task Force
NEXT MEETING scheduled for Thurs, March 26, 8-9am at GDDC Boardroom
Accessibility, Engagement, and Inclusion
Met Mon., February 3, 2020 @ 3:30pm, McCarthy Center (2nd floor, CFGD)
Attending: Claudette Bees, Sharon Covey, Jeff Danna, Paul Duster, Michaela Freiburger, Ellen Henkels, Lovisa Hogstrom,
Ali Levasseur, Clara Lopez, Frank McClain, Jason Neises, Jenni Petersen -Brant, Geri Shafer, John Stewart
1. Professional Development session: Understanding Identity and Curiosity — essential components of DEI work (John
Stewart)
a. Working under the reality that many of our "normal" systems in the US are rooted in white supremacy
(beyond the narrow description of White Supremacy as an extreme or violent movement connected to
neo-nazis, et al).
b. Identity Wheel exercise: identifying your cultural commitment, how your identity is expressed in race,
gender, religion, class, ability, sexual orientation, age, other. How do these identifiers make us
advantaged or targeted?
c. Curiosity — focus outside ourselves in order to gain information
1. Asking questions.
2. Purpose, reaching, researching
3. Listening for responses — open to new ideas.
4. Setting aside preconceived notions — put them in "brackets" (can't erase entirely).
5. Some questions that AREN'T really curiosity:
a. Psuedo-questions: "Do you really believe that?"
b. Strategic interrogation: "But doesn't that make people uncomfortable?"
Questions to make your point.
c. "Objective" rather than engaged inquiry: "What data support your position?"
d. Cherry Picking —Selecting observations that reinforce your conclusions rather
than observing everything you can.
6. Benefits of curiosity:
a. Replaces defensiveness in yourself (one of the primary toxic elements of
communicating across difference — trying to protect our own egos)
b. Defuses defensiveness among others.
2. Work plan of AEI Working Group:
a. Harlem Renaissance project update —John, Jason, Geri, David
i. Next steps:
1. Project description being written by Claudette Carter -Thomas and Alanda Gregory.
2. Travel Dubuque has been engaged.
3. Letter of interest for major funding submitted last week to the Kresge Foundation.
Arts & Cultural Affairs
Master Plan Task Force
4. Next meeting on Feb 24th at 3:30pm
b. PechaKucha collaboration —Jason
1. Link to PechaKucha
2. Happens quarterly
3. We would help recruit include the email address
4. Jason will reach out to the organizers for more about the logistics. What type of coaching
is needed for participants?
c. Humanize My Hoodie opportunity —Jenni, Clara, & Jason
1. Need to follow up with Andre to get details about cost & timing.
d. Faces & Voices: During Spring Break there will be a Civil Rights Bus tour through the southern states. We
need more collaboration with this group to promote for 2021.
e. Black History Month performance honoring Mahalia Jackson on Feb 23rd. Free but you need tickets.
Presented by Peggy Jackson.
NEXT MEETING scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2020 at 3:30pm, McCarthy Center at GDCF.
Branding and Communications
Met Thurs, Jan 9 @ McCullough Creative, 3:30pm
Present: Gina Siegert, Pat McCullough, Miki Robinson, Temwa Phiri, Mallory Gardiner, Jenni Petersen -Brant
1. Review Action Items from January 9, 2020 meeting:
a. Jenni PB reported on potential survey platforms (Survey Monkey, Google Forms, Microsoft Forms) and
features/limitations of various ones discussed. City uses Microsoft Forms for surveys where more than 10
questions are needed and where higher number of responses (100+) are desired as both stipulations are
limitations of free Survey Monkey accounts; tentative survey questions put into a Microsoft Form prior to meeting
by Jenni PB and link provided via email to WG.
b. Review of survey as revised by Jenni PB
• Questions reviewed and suggestions provided regarding question language, order of questions, etc.
c. Discussion on maximizing survey reach
• No updates regarding non -arts partners but interest in following up voiced; revisit next meeting
• Suggestion to share link to survey amongst different sectors including sports (via Saints?), education, social
media, arts/culture (engage grantees), City, students and workforce (connect with Kristen Dietzel?); ask for
these sector partners to make available via their website, social media. Do we need a paper copy to handout
or a postcard with link / QR code to survey?
o Discussion on setting up copies of same survey to create different links/tracking with different
audiences
o ACTION ITEMS:
• Jenni PB to implement suggestions as discussed and share with WG for final review. Need to
email Jerelyn O'Connor regarding demographic question on areas of residency.
• Randy Gehl/PIO to do a final review and survey will then be made available to all volunteers
associated with Master Plan efforts before releasing publicly
2. Discussion on Communications Platform tabled for future meeting
Arts & Cultural Affairs
Master Plan Task Force
3. Fully revisiting Vision and Goals of Branding & Communications WG tabled for future meeting
o ACTION ITEMS:
• Pat McCullough to update 'Facilitating Communication between Working Groups' doc to remove
login and password per request from City IS department
• Jenni PB to locate and forward prior Action Plan of the Branding & Communications WG to all in
group for discussion in March
NEXT MEETING scheduled for Wed., March 4, 2020 at 3:30pm, McCullough Creative.
l l edLlve tconomy
Met Thurs, February 20 @ Smokestack, 6pm
Present: Tabitha Link, Shelby Fry, Jenni Petersen -Brant
1. New group member!!
• Shelby Fry — artist/graphic designer, works for Boyd Gaming, recently relocated to Dubuque from Denver, CO
2. Finalize name and copy Creative Economy Facebook networking group
• 'We Create DBQ' chosen as name for Facebook group. Selected from names suggested at prior meetings because
1) it spoke to the desire for the name to feature to the 'people' in the creative community and not just the
activities, or things they produce, and 2) it was brief and thus catchier, easier to brand, and lends itself to
hashtagging, logo creation, etc.
• In 'About' section of group, suggested edit from 'Dubuque -based individuals and collectives are invited to share
their artwork and artistic services, but are asked to refrain from noting sale prices or direct linking to e-commerce
listings' to 'Dubuque -based individuals and collectives are invited to share their artwork and artistic services. As
this group is not intended to serve as a marketplace, noting sale prices and linking to e-commerce listings is
discouraged. If interested in purchasing an artwork or procuring service estimates, please direct message
individuals for further details.'
o ACTION ITEMS:
• Shelby Fry to mockup logo ideas for consideration should the group what to move forward with
branding of the group, and use for other purposes
• Jenni PB to update the group name and copy, update cover image, and launch.
• Members of all Working Groups, Task Force, and Commission will be sent member
invitations and encourage to post early and often to set the tone of the group
• Members of Creative Economy and Branding/Communications WG to serve as admins as
necessary
3. Review and discuss pros/cons of artist directory examples
• List of 12 sample directories suggested by Tab Link and Stormy Mochal presented for discussion
• All directories viewed and pros/cons related to searchability, features, aesthetics, etc discussed. Two directories
that rose to the top in conversation were www.artskcgo.com/artist and www.tallahasseearts.org/artist - easy to
navigate, highly searchable by genre/medium, lists local events as well as artists. Similar template/platform via
service called Artsopolis Network; noted that having an Artsopolis platform provides connections to artist
networks in other communities.
o ACTION ITEMS:
• Jenni PB to request pricing quote from Artsopolis prior to next meeting.
4. Review priorities and work plan of Creative Economy WG for updates
Arts & Cultural Affairs
Master Plan Task Force
• Hardcopy of prior work plan distributed. Discussion tabled for March meeting.
NEXT MEETING scheduled for Tues., March 10, 2020 at 6pm, Location TBD.
Public Art Infrastructure
Met Mon, February 17 @ Dubuque Museum of Art, 3:30pm
Present: David Schmitz, Mary Anderson, Louise Kames, Tim Olsen, John Anderson -Bricker
1. City of Dubuque Public Art Policy
• Jenni PB presented copy extracted from draft public art policy originally included as appendix in Arts & Culture
Master Plan drafted by LORD's Consulting, overall Master Plan adopted by City of Dubuque in 2016
o Immediate focus area on addressing concerns related to City's current public art collection, especially
in regard to works at Five Flags and Avery Dicycle
o Temporary public art exhibits, like Art on the River program, should be incorporated as potential
feeder for collecting by public and private
o Funding mechanisms
1. Percent for Arts
a. CIP projects — facilities vs. infrastructure projects, do they all contribute to Percent
for Art? If infrastructure projects, like underground water mains, contribute to
Percent for Art, need to have other sites identified for art placement. Define
magnitude of projects to contribute, set maximums of investment, consider sliding
scale
b. Portion to go to actual art purchasing / commissions, portion go to fund for
installation / maintenance / staff / other needs of public art program
o Scope of initial art policy
1. Discussion around whether to focus on immediate needs related to current collection
2. Further discussion
o Additional questions / areas of concern:
1. Management — need to consider staffing capacity and role of a registrar, curator, staff
(program protector); necessary for effective program, look to other communities for
structure of programs
2. Conservation
3. Collecting Philosophy — What is it based on? Where does the City want to go when it comes
to acquisitions? Does Dubuque want to view/present itself historically, in the present, future -
focused?
a. Suggestion to look at County Historical Society for collecting statement example
4. Inventory — reach out to Five Flags, Marie Ware, Ellen Henkels to assess status of
inventorying efforts
5. Methodology regarding calls for artists / reviewing work to be included, standard best
practices to be followed
6. Once policy is ready for council review, vocal support of policy by Arts Task Force needed,
especially business owners / developer
Arts & Cultural Affairs
Master Plan Task Force
o ACTION ITEMS:
• David Schmitz to collaborate with Jenni PB on revising draft to immediate address areas of
concern related to current collection, incorporate past WG discussions, with menu of options
in various areas for consideration by City Manager prior to City Council review
• Jenni PB meeting with Assistant City Manager Cori Burbach to review expectations and
process regarding Policy vs Ordinance; will report back to WG next meeting
2. Public Art Programming Ideas
• For future conversation, Jenni PB mentioned several program ideas that have been brought up in
conversations that she has been part of including but not limited to:
o Art at the Airport —Airport Director interested in exploring Art on the River model for airport, longer
display times (maybe 2-3 years)
o Art in Transit — Ideas including Art on River model for Intermodal have been brought up as well as
commissioned art wraps for Jule, sidewalk murals as public bus shelters (if funding awarded from
Bloomberg Foundation)
o Art at Five Flags — Percent for art investment cut from budget of hybrid option that will be on the
ballot in September, HR has noted to Commission that art is a necessary component of future facility
but how that will be funded and structure of collecting needs consideration, temporary installments
mentioned by HR
o Acknowledgement of need for additional staffing to manage new programs, where will the funding
come from?
o Concerns for feasibility and practicality of multiple 'temporary' programs noted, would we be making
real investments in artists by continuing to explore programs that 'rent' the art vs purchasing the art
3. Establish regular meeting schedule of WG
• Mondays at 3:30pm work well for those attending February meeting. Jenni will follow up with group to
schedule a March meeting.
Capacity and Investment
NOT MEETING AT THIS TIME