Minutes Arts Commission 7 5 07
MINUTES
ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, May 16, 2007 3:30 p.m.
Board Room, Carnegie Stout Public Library
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360 W. 11 Street, Dubuque, Iowa
Meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m. following staff assurance of
compliance with the Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners present: Sue Riedel, Ellen Henkels, Louise Kames, Amy Weber,
Geri Shafer, Paul Kohl, Mark Wahlert (via speaker phone).
Staff Present: Jerelyn O’Connor, Liz Willems
Others present: Miki Robinson, Laura Carstens, John Sutter
Approval of Minutes of April 24, 2007
Motion by Shafer to approve. Second by Henkels. Motion passed 7-0.
NEW BUSINESS:
FY 2008 Arts and Culture Grants Program for Special Projects
Review/Rank Application.
Riedel suggested that commissioners discuss each application and then provide
time for each commissioner to review/finalize their rating sheets.
Commissioners’ Review of Applications
Bell Tower Productions
Project: I Left My Heart: A Tribute to Tony Bennett
Kohl: Expansion of program, questioned whether project will be done whether
funding is available or not. Kames: Strong history of programming, just targeting
audience over 65. Henkels: strong organizational capacity. Shafer: Expansion,
address several goals of plan, is not reaching as many ages, but is good to reach
this age group. Audience is somewhat limited. Wahlert: Good application,
extension of existing season, operating based.
Applicant comments – Miki Robinson: Program will go ahead, special funding
will include a fourth position, choreographer and costumer, rental of baby grand
piano. Tony Bennett is wide reaching to all different ages. Adding entire
production is a new undertaking for Bell Tower.
Mines of Spain
Project: Trade Silver Cultural Exhibit
Kames: Audience planning seems solid, would like to know more about the
silver objects that will be exhibited. Input was good. Educational impact to local
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4 grade local history classes. Strong focus for EB Lyons. Henkels: Interpretive
exhibitions. Will staff be available to answer questions? She would like more of
an interactive presentation. Family orientated. Historical exhibit – one more part
of our history. Shafer: Expansion more that exhibition – project depends on the
expansion. Weber: Heritage of Native Americans, what does it show.
Questioned whether cabinetry is equipment, and therefore not eligible. Riedel: Is
this all done by volunteers since no in-kind services listed in the application.
Marketing – who is going to market the program, especially to the schools? Is
this an on-going program. Wahlert: Just one component of a larger campaign or
is it just for exhibit construction. Kohl: has questions on the relationship between
City and Interpretive Center. Kames: City own a portion of the land. O’Connor
stated that she did not see any conflict since the City owns the land. City owned
projects are eligible. Also, cabinetry is not equipment.
Applicant comments – Laura Carstens: The silver collection includes jewelery
and other apparel. She said the grant would allow them to exhibit this collection.
The $1.5 million expansion/improvement project is to make facility accessible,
new well and septic – would like to have an interactive link from outside of center
to inside center. They plan to show the link between early settlers and Native
Americans. The exhibit will require a security system. Exhibit does include a
budget for educational material. There is significant volunteer commitment. They
plan to develop an overall marketing program and website. They are creating a
program to tell the settler’s story and will utilize a web based narrative.
Dubuque Historical Society
Project: Dubuque at 175: History Comes Alive
Henkels: Some of the aspects in the proposal have been done before, too many
from previous years, although there is some expansion and new programs.
Shafer: Some questions on new vs expansion, do like plan is over 13 month
time period. Will serve broad range of ages, cultural diversity and demonstrates
collaboration. Weber: One time event vs continuity of staffing, organization is
great – too ambitious. Wahlert: Lots of the programming has been done before
– is it eligible under these terms, is it new or an expansion. Riedel: Well written
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grant – good partnership, good for tourism. With 175 Anniversary approaching
– good to develop for that. Kohl: Good event, cultural activity, living history
material ten items, four quarterly brochures, over all a strong proposal. Kames:
emphasis is on the past, how do we celebrate who we are today.
Applicant comments – John Sutter, Director of Marketing addressed concerns:
He stated that the proposed project is in addition to the current programming.
They are planning a series of events to celebrate 175 years. New projects
include River Heritage Days – new demonstration such as fishing/clamming.
Patrick O’Connor lives is a live production, visitors would get to meet him.
Christmas on the frontier – more on how the frontier celebrates. Blacksmith
Days is new. General Grant visits Ryan House is a Civil War program. At the
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lead mines has more demonstrations. Dubuque’s 1 day – flotilla. Boat building
– complete focus weekend. River Harvest will demonstrate methods of fishing,
clamming using actual people. Who Are We – at Jail – The majority is new and
there will be more live demonstrations. Museum has a great staff and over 200
active volunteers. There will be program flyers for schedule of events. There are
ticket events at river museum and jail.
Dubuque Community School Educational Foundation
Project: Dubuque and All Those Arts, A Multicultural Arts Festival
Shafer: This is an outstanding project that provides a good multicultural
opportunity. There’s extremely strong collaboration, it reaches many new
audiences, accessible to entire community. Weber: Agrees with Shafer. It’s an
excellent program -- mixed venues, arts groups are working together. It’s a
great application that will impact lots of people for small dollar amount. Wahlert:
Biggest bang for the buck, price is right. Riedel: New programming. It’s what we
are looking for – good partnership school/community interaction – problem the
budget form is not filled in completely. Riedel: Good talent coming. Kohl:
Great Program – good collaboration, where were things happening, venues
chosen, Kames: suggested that a different title would emphasize cultural
diversity of project. Henkels: great application.
Museum of Art
Project: Archival Framing of the North American Indian Collection
Weber: Basically request is for supplies and equipment with little community
impact. This is not a strong application. Wahlert: abstained Riedel: not excited
about this proposal. It will not reach a lot of people. Kohl: Not a new program,
valuable project , well planned out. Kames: expanded cultural goals, no
narrative, no specific topic for Dubuque. Henkels: is the collection on permanent
loan from Library? Why was a Cedar Rapids framer chosen? Limited
accessibility, would like to see more marketing. Shafer: Agree with previous
comments, concerns about narrative and loan status of pieces, limited impact of
community, Curtis collection project is moving forward – will/can it be completed
without money – no educational component.
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra
Project: Final Four
Wahlert: Fair doesn’t reach a wide base of audience, is the attendance going to
be there? Shafer: Free concert, 50 year celebration, give back to community,
good outreach, makes it accessible to people not usually served. Kohl: Fun
marketing idea, expanded or brand new program? Kames: Innovative marketing
campaign, not having the “buzz”. Henkels: Free concert, makes it more
accessible to all income levels, average person can attend. Riedel: Likes
interactive component, creative approach to build audience, strong collaboration
effort. Weber: Symphony, classroom project, make symphony more common.
Four Mounds Foundation
Project: Metal Sculpting Class
Riedel: Likes idea, lots of many small groups of people would effect, broader
interest, like artists in community. Kohl: Benefits just a small group, will there be
an exhibit at some point. Kames: Is there an art teacher at Central? Is it a
Dubuque Community School program? All supplies, equipment and art teacher.
Henkels: Why does Four Mounds proposal just serve ten Central students?
Programs are art focus educational program for “at risk students.” Discussed
relationship to DCSD and thought it should be part of DCSD curriculum. Wahlert:
It would be a stronger application if they would have made it broader based.
Loras College
Project: Discovering Community: Native American Dance, Song, Story
Kames: Excellent application, on going series, learning through the Arts, multi-
cultural education, strong library connection. Henkels: Free family orientated
events, well laid out – high marks. Shafer: No dates on time line, strong
proposal. Weber: Does it limit audiences, last program did very well. Wahlert:
Good application, concern that native American portion “has been done before.”
Riedel: Like application, educational, family/kids being involved, multi cultural.
Kohl: abstained.
Grand Opera House
Project: Costuming for Beauty and the Beast
Henkels: Should be more than renting costumes. Shafer: well written
responses, expansion of existing program. Weber: Hard to justify a cost of
$30,000 for just costumes. Wahlert: Not a good use of taxpayers’ money.
Riedel: does not think the budget is clear. What are other areas of income, what
about sponsors, history of major musicals. Kohl: Considers this an expanded
program, too giant of production.
SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS:
All applications were ranked individually by the Commissioners. Consensus of
commission is to approve funding for the top five ranked grants all scoring an
average score of 75 and above.
Rank Project Rating Amount
#1 Dubuque Community Schools 93 $ 2,995
#2 Dubuque Symphony 90 $ 5,000
#3 Loras College (Kohl abstained) 84.7 $ 6,000
#4 Bell Tower (Riedel abstained) 81.8 $ 8,353
#5 Dubuque Co. Historical Society 75.7 $12,652
#6 Friends of Mines of Spain 67.9
#7 Grand Opera 62
#8 Museum of Arts 62
#9 Four Mounds 62
Motion by Weber to approve funding for the top 5 rated applications, seconded
by Shafer. All approved.
Old Business:
Commission again discussed funding formulas for operating support. Consensus
of the commission is to reduce the maximum award to $40,000 and to fund the
Colts and Four Mounds at a lower percentage level.
Motion by Shafer, seconded by Weber to amend formula to fund organizations
at 4.85% of previous operating expenditures or $40,000 maximum with the
exception of Four Mounds Foundation and Colts Drum and Bugle which will be
funded at 2.42% of operating expenditures. All approved.
Commission again discussed the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps and the impact of
organization on Dubuque. Consensus is that organization should be funded at a
lower percentage since significant portions of the operating budget are spent on
out of area travel expenses and a large number of concerts are held outside of
the Dubuque area.
Four Mounds: Meets eligibility criteria due to their work in preseving a cultural
resource for the community. However, the Commission considered that a large
portion of the Foundation’s operations are social service and educational in
nature and the organization does not have the same impact on the borader
Dubuque community as some of the other arts and culture organizations.
While the commission values the contribution of the Colts and Four Mounds to
the City of Dubuque, budget constraints has limited the commission’s ability to
fully fund the organizations at percentage operating expenses requested. As the
number of applicants and requests have increased the operating support funding
budget has remained static.
OPERATING SUPPORT GRANT FUNDING AWARD MOTIONS:
Bell Tower Productions - $14,213
Motion to approve by Henkels, seconded by Weber. Riedel abstained. Voted 6
in favor.
Colts - $19,978
Motion to approve by Riedel, seconded by Henkels. Voted 7 in favor.
Dubuque Arts Council - $5,067
Motion to approve by Shafer, seconded by Kohl. Voted 7 in favor.
Dubuque Fine Art Society - $22,500
Motion to approve by Weber, seconded by Henkels. Wahlert and Kohl
abstained. Voted 5 in favor.
Dubuque Museum of Art - $25,025
Motion to approve Kames, seconded by Shafer. Wahlert abstained
Voted 6 in favor
Dubuque County Historical Society - $40,000
Motion to approve by Henkels, seconded by Kohl. Voted 7 in favor.
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra - $38,434
Motion to approve by Kohl, seconded by Shafer. Voted 7 in favor.
Fly by Night Productions - $1,406
Motion to approve by Henkels, seconded by Kames. Voted 7 in favor.
Northeast Iowa School of Music - $11,487
Motion to approve by Kohl, seconded by Shafer. Voted 7 in favor.
Four Mounds Foundation - $16,269
Motion to approve by Kohl, seconded by Kames. Voted 7 in favor.
Grand Opera House - $25,871
Motion to approve Henkels, seconded by Shafer. Voted 7 in favor.
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Next Meeting: Tuesday, June 26 (4 Tuesday of month). Motion by Kohl,
second by Riedel to adjourn. All approved. Meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Liz Willems
These minutes passed, approved and adopted on June 26, 2007.
____________________
Louise Kames, Secretary