Minutes_Artes and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission 8 28 12Minutes
ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION
August 28, 2012
Lacy Board Room
Carnegie -Stout Library
The meeting was called to order by Chair O'Rourke at 4:30 p.m. following staff
assurance of compliance with the Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners present: Paul Hemmer, Ellen Henkels, Louise Kames, Marina
O'Rourke, Sue Riedel, and Julie Steffen.
Staff Present: Jerelyn O'Connor and Jan Stoffel.
Approval of Minutes of July 24, 2012. Motion made by Hemmer, seconded by Riedel
to approve minutes as read. Motion carried 6 -0.
NEW BUSINESS
Commissioner Resignation
John King has resigned from the Commission because he has relocated out of town.
Applications for the open position will be publicized. The position is for a business or
professional person who lives or works in the downtown cultural district. The
Commissioners were disappointed that the newly appointed King, a newcomer to
Dubuque, would not be able to serve. They discussed the proscribed make -up of the
Commission. Most Commissioners felt that getting a person new to the community was
an asset, showing the community to be welcoming and opening up possibilities for new
ideas and perspectives. Hemmer wanted to go on record as supporting that new
Commissioners live in the community for at least a year before being considered for a
commission position and that they have longevity in the local arts community.
Election of Officers
Henkels moved and Steffen seconded to accept the slate of officers for the coming
year: Marina O'Rourke, Chair; Ellen Henkels, Vice Chair; Sue Riedel, Secretary.
Motioned carried 6 -0.
Review and Update of Goals
Past Commission goals were updated. The City Council has just completed the annual
goal setting session and arts and culture strategy has been deemed a top priority for the
second year. Commissioners received materials describing arts engagement idea for
other communities. The City manager has challenged us to incorporate community
engagement, inclusivity the celebration of cultural and heritage. The Commission will
consider how to include these goals into the grant support programs at successive
meeting. Commissioners also recommended that a one -page statement be presented to
council to explain progress at meeting Council goals at the October 1 Council meeting
when a proclamation for Arts and Humanities Month is presented. Commissioners
Steffen, O'Rourke and Henkels will formulate the comments. Updated goals and a
consolidated document of City, Council and Commission goals is attached.
Arts Means Business Marketing Plan
Commissioners discussed the ways in which information from the Arts and prosperity
IV economic impact study can be disseminated.They started to formulate a year -long
marketing plan by identifying key audiences and messages for each audience.
Key Audiences and Messages:
• General Public: Return on Investment (ROI), job support, explain path of an arts
dollar throughout the community by highlighting local employees.
• Elected Officials, local and statewide: ROI, number of attendees, total economic
impact, Arts creates livability and attracts and retains residents, methodology of
study sound
• Arts Organizations: use the data to show donors ROI, calculate your own
economic impact, use data in program development and benchmarking, increase
board awareness of economic impact issues and understand audience spending
habits
• Chamber /Convention and Visitor's Bureau: Reinforce RIO message to all
business, audience impact of spending at event critical, all arts money stays in
the community, arts tourists stay here longer, the arts support community jobs
and buys community products and services
• Businesses, Corporations, Economic Development: ROI, arts worthy of business
investment, methodology of study sound, find ways to connect arts to your
mission and employees, provide a calculator to show the impact support of the
arts has or could have, the arts are resilient businesses, the arts support
community jobs and buy community products and services, adds cultural
vibrancy to attract and retain a creative work force.
• Service organizations: Find ways to connect arts to your mission; use arts as a
network of interconnectedness, spread the word, general public messages.
• Foundations: ROI, explain path of an arts dollar throughout the community by
highlighting local employees, find ways to connect arts to your mission.
At the next meeting, Commissioners will identify low cost and budget neutral strategies
for each audience.
Adjournment
Motion by Paul Hemmer, seconded by O'Rourke to adjourn. Motion passed 6 -0.
Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Next meeting is Tuesday, September 25, 4:30 p.m.
/Respectfully submitted,
Stoffel,
•
As and Cultural Affairs Coordinator
These minutes were passed and approved on
Sue Riedel, Secretary