Minutes_Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission 11 23 10MINUTES
ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Library Auditorium 3 Floor, Carnegie -Stout Library,
360 W. 11 Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
Meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. following staff assurance of
compliance with the Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners present: Paul Hemmer, Ellen Henkels, Louise Karnes, Marina
O'Rourke, Sue Riedel, Geri Shafer and Julie Steffen. Staff present: Jerelyn
O'Connor, Jan Stoffel.
Approval of Minutes of October 26, 2010. Corrections were submitted. Motion
by Riedel and seconded by Henkels to approve the minutes as corrected. Motion
carried 7 -0.
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Vision Statement. Hemmer submitted the following Vision statement for
the consideration of the Commission: "By supporting our stated values the
Dubuque Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commissioners will continue
to support and encourage an ever expanding, energetic, vital and creative
arts community." Henkels thought the proposed statement did a good job
of stating what we actually do. Kames suggesting moving "vital" as the first
word in the series to read: "...to support and encourage a vital, ever
expanding, energetic and creative arts community. " It was moved by
Henkels and seconded by O'Rourke to accept the Vision Statement as
amended. Motion passed 7 -0. Shafer suggested that the Mission, Values
and Vision Statements be included in correspondence from the
Commission and published on the Arts Commission page at the City of
Dubuque website.
2. Commission Priorities Updates. Shafer reported that in December she
will be meeting with Molly Grover and Keith Rahe from the Dubuque
Chamber to discuss the establishment of a Business Arts Committee.
Steffen, O'Rourke and Kames will serve as the Grant Review
Subcommittee to meet with staff during December 2010.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. It was moved by O'Rourke and seconded by Hemmer to cancel the
December 28, 2010, Commission meeting due to the date being in such
close proximity to the holidays. Motion passed 7 -0.
ITEMS FROM THE COMMISSION
Shafer reported that Americans for Arts is offering a free webinar for members,
How and Why Business Supports the Arts. Stoffel has arranged to offer the
seminar to Commissioners and members of the art community on December 8,
2010, at 2 pm in Conference Room II in the City Hall Annex. Shafer reported that
the Election Overview report from Bob Lynch, president of Americans for the
Arts, was very good. The central idea was that arts aren't about subsidies, but
that the arts really help to drive the economy. She will email the Zink to
Commissioners, send out some key talking points, and she encouraged all
commissioners to be as active as possible. Hemmer will try to arrange a Rotary
presentation advocating for the arts.
Prescott School Mural.
Hemmer and O'Rourke questioned the proposal from Prescott School regarding
the location of the mural on the 8 street side of the Iowa Street parking ramp
and wanted the record to reflect that while they were supportive of the project in
general, they were opposed to locating it on 8t street. Hemmer mentioned that
as a representative of the Grand Opera House, they would prefer to see a
commissioned mural featuring all of the arts. Hemmer felt that the images on the
proposed mural did not have anything to do with Dubuque and that Clarke
University students, working with Prescott art teacher Scott Lammer, on the
project should advise the elementary students on more appropriate and artistic
images. Kames stated that its connection to Dubuque is that it's an artistic
expression of children from Dubuque. It is a second grade project dealing with
second grade interpretations. It would not be appropriate for Clarke students to
change that interpretation. Kames suggested that caution should be exercised
in censoring locations of public art. For example, adjoining property owners are
not consulted about the locations of Art on the River sculptures. Riedel noted
that the city has had many successful public mural projects over the years
without input from the Arts Commission. She also noted that the project
establishes a sense of community, will be a source of pride for the young artists
and fits well with the City's priorities of supporting the goals of Every Child /Every
Promise. Hemmer reported that his Board was opposed to locating the mural on
8 Street because it was not in keeping with the historical importance of the
buildings in the area. Hemmer, as a private citizen and Director of the Grand, will
take his concerns to the Parking Division. His concerns did not reflect the
Commissions' thoughts as a whole.
Henkels, Steffen, and Stoffel attended the Eastern Iowa Cultural Corridor
Development Eat -n -Greet in Maquoketa on November 11. Henkels reported that
arts advocates from Dubuque, Davenport and Maquoketa attended. Bob
Osterhaus from Maquoketa suggested forming an Eastern Iowa Cultural
Corridor, similar to the successful Iowa City /Cedar Rapids Cultural Corridor. The
Eastern Iowa version could be based upon a "Grant Wood trail" and Mississippi
River theme, and how that could be branded. The primary purpose of this entity
would be for marketing, advocacy and to encourage artist programming among
the communities of the Quad Cities, Dubuque and every organization in between.
The group will meet again and perhaps have a presentation from the Iowa
City /Cedar Rapids group.
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INFORMATION SHARING: Commission members noted the wide array and
excellent artist offerings during the holidays in Dubuque, including the Chapter
SIX Christmas at the Grand on November 28, the Nutcracker Ballet starting the
11 of December, the play Another Night Before Christmas at the Bell Tower
starting December 3, and the Symphony's Holiday Pops Concert on December
3 -5.
Adjournment
O'Rourke moved and Henkels seconded to adjourn the meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Motion passed 7 -0. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 25, 2011,
at 4:30 p.m., at the Carnegie Stout 3rd floor Auditorium.
Respectfully submitted,
Stoffel, Arts ,T 1 Cultural Affairs Coordinator
ese minutes were passed and approved on
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